Casemiro has “turned down a move” to AS Roma as the Manchester United midfielder is holding out for a switch to the Saudi Pro League, according to the Times.
Paul Hirst (The Times) reveals Casemiro has rejected advances from Italy where Roma manager Claudio Ranieri is believed to be keen to add the experienced Brazilian to his squad.
The 32-year-old star, who turns 33 next week, has not played for United since the Reds midfield – consisting of Casemiro and fellow 32-year-old Christian Eriksen – was blown apart by Newcastle in a 2-0 demolition at Old Trafford on December 30.
Ruben Amorim explained Casemiro’s continued absence was a “selection choice”, rather than one stemming from any type of injury concern. “Sometimes it’s a system fit, sometimes it’s the player’s [form],” United’s head coach revealed.
“We know that Casemiro nowadays has other qualities. He is intelligent, understands the game, knows where the ball is going to be … but we are in a league that — and I can even see this in the European competitions — there is a big intensity difference, therefore I feel our team needs players with high intensity and sometimes we don’t have them.”
“We all know Casemiro’s qualities and everything he has won, so I have nothing to add to that. It’s just a selection choice,” the Portuguese coach concluded.
Amorim has consistently selected 21-year-old Toby Collyer ahead of Casemiro with United actively looking to sell the Brazilian this month, even if on loan.
Roma are reported to be interested in a permanent move for the former Real Madrid star, but it would require them to sell existing midfielder Leandro Paredes to make space in Pellegrini’s squad.
However, Hirst contends Casemiro has “turned down” these advances by the Serie A club as he waits for an offer from Saudi Arabia to materialise, “…where the wealthiest clubs would be able to pay him even more than his present wage of £350,000 a week” at Old Trafford.
This response by the Brazilian will enrage the fan base as much as it is likely to anger executives at the club.
Casemiro is being offered the chance to recapture his dwindling career at a leading club in a major European league in one of the most desirable capital cities in the continent. Furthermore, the slower pace of Serie A lends itself perfectly to the 32-year-old’s declining physical levels, increasing the chances of success in comparison to the break neck speed of football in England.
Yet Casemiro is actively turning down this option of a European renaissance in favour of chasing more money in a league which the vast majority of the footballing word pay little to no attention to.
If United had been able to agree an exit for the Brazilian, the money saved in his wages alone for the rest of the season would total in excess of £7 million. At a time when the club is facing acute FFP pressure, this saving would be priceless. But, no.
Rather, Casemiro is content to sit on the bench for six months, banking £350,000 a week to watch the end of his career from the side lines, enabling the 32-year-old to then seal his footballing death for even more money in the Middle East.
Modern football in a nutshell.
Featured Image Carl Recine via Getty Images
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Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
