If Erik ten Hag had his way, Manchester United wouldn't have signed Casemiro in the summer transfer window. There is no way he'd swap him for anyone else now, though.
It is no secret that Frenkie de Jong was made the top target as Ten Hag looked to strengthen in midfield, with the new United manager keen to add creativity to a side that is so often seen scratching their heads. Barcelona were happy to sell, but there were problems over the Dutch international's wage deferral and a rather difficult hurdle to overcome: he didn't want to leave.
After signing Christian Eriksen, there may have been a temptation to avoid signing another elite midfielder in order to keep the door open for a future move for De Jong. United still hold an interest in the 25-year-old, just as they do with Jude Bellingham. A top team admires a top player—who would have thought that?
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However, after humiliating defeats to Brighton and Brentford, the case for bringing in a new midfielder became stronger. The recruitment department recommended Casemiro as a player who not only fits their desired profile but who was crucially also open to moving to Old Trafford.
At first, it seemed like a bit of a concern. There must have been a reason why Real Madrid was looking to get rid of him, and £60million was a huge asking price for a 30-year-old who would only have a limited shelf life in the Premier League. How wrong we were.
Casemiro was often viewed as 'the other guy' in a star-studded midfield alongside Luka Modric and Toni Kroos and did not get the credit or coverage he deserved for his calmness and creativity in possession of the ball.
Many presumed he'd come into the side and occupy a deep-lying destroyer role, acting as the bouncer for any intrepid attackers who looked to gain entry into the United defensive line.
He has done all of that, but he's also offered so much more. Casemiro sits alongside Eriksen as arguably the best passer on the United side and has an eagerness to look at playing forward balls, taking the game to the opposition rather than siding with the safe option.
With so much experience under his belt, he knows when to do that, though. If United are holding onto a lead, he brings a calming presence to proceedings and has played an integral role in their recent run of grinding out wins, but he also knows when it is worth taking a risk if his side is chasing a game.
Ten Hag had hoped De Jong could have brought those qualities to the United side, and the Brazilian not only does that but he also offers the powerful protection that he was stereotyped to bring.
United have conceded only six goals when Casemiro has been on the pitch this season, two of which were penalties. Those first two defeats occurred before he was signed, and four of the six goals conceded against Man City came before he was introduced from the bench.
Raphael Varane's injury looked like it would be a huge blow to United's defensive record before the World Cup, and although he is such a big miss, it is credit to the quality of Casemiro that the three matches without his former Real Madrid teammate have seen three clean sheets recorded.
Casemiro might not have been first-choice in the summer, but he is now.
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