Casemiro has been handed a mixed update regarding his Manchester United contract amid the revelation of an extension clause in his current deal.
Casemiro’s time at Manchester United has been a whirlwind for everyone involved, both inside and outside the club.
After signing from Real Madrid for £60 million in 2022, Casemiro had what he himself claimed to be his best-ever individual season in football. Coming from a five-time Champions League winner, this was quite a claim.
But, following injuries and fitness problems, his performances tailed off dramatically, and he became a liability under Erik ten Hag.
However, under Rúben Amorim, the 33-year-old fought his way back into the starting XI, and with Michael Carrick taking charge, the Brazilian midfielder had a near-perfect display in the 2-0 win over Man City last week.
Casemiro handed contract extension update
The significant discourse surrounding Casemiro centres on whether his mega £350,000-a-week contract should be extended. Although he’s currently integral to the side, United want to sign a new starting defensive midfielder and reduce their wage bill.
According to The Athletic, there is a clause in his contract that states if he starts 35 of United’s fixtures this season, his deal will automatically renew for another 12 months. Having started 19 this campaign and there being 16 left, he will have to be selected in all of Carrick’s XIs to activate this clause.
Casemiro starting every game from now until the season’s end is unlikely, meaning that if he is to continue at United, he would need to reach a fresh agreement with the club, likely on reduced terms.
The Athletic reports that while a new deal is not out of the question, which is good news for the player, contract talks have yet to open.
Is Casemiro worth keeping at the club?
As said above, if the Brazilian legend is to stay at United, it would have to be on terms significantly lower than his current earnings – possibly a contract heavily structured on a pay-as-you-play basis.
Casemiro will not be the starting midfielder next season, with United throwing many eggs into the basket of Elliot Anderson ahead of the summer, and this could cause a big issue for Casemiro.
He would find himself playing mostly on the bench, and a problem he has always had at United is that he tends to start the season slowly and only gets into a good rhythm once he’s played a string of games.
If Casemiro is to play a bench role, it may be best if United do not commit him to another season at Old Trafford, but instead sign someone who can perform without needing several games to get back into the rhythm of things alongside whoever they bring in as a starting midfielder in the summer.
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