Casemiro has ‘agreed to leave’ Manchester United and could move to Saudi Arabia in the January transfer window, according to reports.

The Red Devils paid around £60million to sign Casemiro from Real Madrid in August 2022 and the Brazilian midfielder had a wonderful first season at Old Trafford.

He played a pivotal part in Man Utd finishing third in the Premier League, winning the Carabao Cup and reaching the final of the FA Cup.

As the wheels fell off under Erik ten Hag’s management, Casemiro was consistently being exposed in the middle of the park having appeared to age 20 years between the end of 2022/23 and beginning of 2023/24.

While Ten Hag’s tactics didn’t help the 32-year-old, it quickly became evident that he was past his best.

The summer signing of Manuel Ugarte and emergence of Kobbie Mainoo last term ensured that Casemiro went into 24/25 as a bench player, but he has started 10 of his side’s 19 Premier League matches.

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With Ugarte and captain Bruno Fernandes suspended for Monday’s home clash against Newcastle United, Casemiro started in midfield with Christian Eriksen.

The pair were unsurprisingly overrun in the middle of the park by Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton and Sandro Tonali.

Despite being used fairly often this season, Casemiro could be sold in January.

He is under contract until 2026 and as one of the club’s highest earners, Sir Jim Ratcliffe is reportedly very eager to sell and wanted to offload him in the summer transfer window.

Ratcliffe might get his wish in the winter window with clubs in Saudi Arabia believed to be keen.

Man Utd midfielder Casemiro now open to Cristiano Ronaldo reunion

According to reports in Brazil, Casemiro has ‘agreed to leave Man Utd’ and ‘Saudi Arabia’s Sovereign Wealth Fund is determined to move forward’ with the signing in January.

There has been reluctance to move to the Middle East but the experienced midfielder now ‘looks favorably on a transfer at the start of 2025’ and ‘there would then be no major obstacles for the exit to happen’.

While there are ‘no major obstacles’, it is said that Saudi Arabia’s richest clubs all have enough foreign players in their squads and might need to sell before they can buy.

Casemiro is ‘well regarded’ in the Saudi Pro League, though, ‘especially at Al Nassr, also due to his relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo’.

Ronaldo played with the Brazilian at Real Madrid and in his second spell at Man Utd.

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Man Utd forward Joshua Zirkzee was ‘reduced to tears’ in the tunnel as the Red Devils lost 2-0 to Newcastle on Monday night, according to reports.

Ruben Amorim’s side were beaten by the better side at Old Trafford as goals in the first half from Alexander Isak and Joelinton secured all three points for Eddie Howe’s outfit.

Man Utd have now lost four matches in a row in all competitions and remain in 14th position in the Premier League table and just seven points from the relegation zone.

Erik ten Hag and INEOS spent £36.5m on Zirkzee in the summer transfer window as he arrived from Serie A side Bologna as one of five new signings.

But the 23-year-old has largely been ineffective with four goals and two assists in 27 appearances in all competitions this season and Zirkzee was substituted after just 33 minutes against Newcastle.

Zirkzee was visibly upset and both beIN Sports and Sky Germany reported (via the Daily Mail) seeing Zirkzee with tears in his eyes in the tunnel after Man Utd fans cheered his substitution.

Man Utd boss Amorim insisted they will “support” Zirkzee and admitted the Netherlands international “is suffering” at the moment.

Amorim told Sky Sports: “I talked with Josh about that, because it’s important to express the message, but I’m always thinking about the team, and, in that moment, it was important for the team for Josh to go out.

“You have to think about the team and also, sometimes about the player, because the player is suffering. I was there a few years ago and I know that he wants [it], because I saw it during the week, and that’s the most important thing.

“He’s a really good lad, so you’ll have the support and you will prepare the next game.

“It’s some moments, and you have some examples like Harry Maguire, that have some tough moments, but that is life in every profession.

“So we will support Josh and continue because, like I said, Newcastle were a better team. Was not better than Josh, was better than Manchester United.’

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And former Man Utd defender Gary Neville had some sympathy for Zirkzee too after the “brutal” reaction from the Red Devils fans.

Neville added: “I actually feel sorry for him, I really do.

“I know that he’s earning a lot of money here but there is a human being in there that’s basically being cheered off by his own fans and that is brutal.

“I’ve not seen that too many times at Old Trafford in the 43 years that I’ve been coming here.”

And now our friends at TEAMtalk claim that Man Utd forward Zirkzee ‘has asked his agents to find a destination in Italy (even temporarily) where the pressure is not too much’.

As well as interest from Juventus and AC Milan, the report reveals that his former club Bologna ‘have now made clear their willingness to welcome the player back on loan’.

Man Utd legend Gary Neville thinks the Red Devils need to sign two players as a minimum to help Ruben Amorim turn the tide.

The Red Devils lost their fourth match in a row in all competitions as Newcastle beat Man Utd 2-0 at Old Trafford on Monday night in the Premier League.

Goals from Alexander Isak and Joelinton secured all three points for Eddie Howe’s men, which saw Man Utd remain in 14th position in the Premier League table, just seven points off the relegation zone.

Amorim has only won four of his first 11 matches in all competitions since replacing Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford in November.

There was hope that a change in formation under Amorim would bring out the best in the current squad with the Portuguese head coach also trying to change the style and philosophy at Old Trafford.

And it has become clear that Amorim will need new players to impact results and performances dramatically with numerous players linked with January moves to Man Utd.

There was a report earlier today that there will be no money to spend in January unless Man Utd manage to sell come of their players and comply with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.

Neville reckons Man Utd need two key signings to improve Amorim’s side and secure some of the “fundamentals of this system”.

When asked what signings would help Amorim now, the Man Utd legend said on Sky Sports: “Definitely the positions that… look, you could say get a world class centre-forward, get [Alexander] Isak, but that’s never going to happen.

“I think if you were starting you have to start with the fundamentals of this system which is the wing-backs, they hold it together.

“If you don’t have the wing-backs functioning up and down, that are able to attack and defend equally as good – and there aren’t many of those around by the way because there aren’t many teams who play wing-backs – then you’re going to struggle.

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“So you need two quite unique players in those wide areas and I think that’s the starting point.

“That’s nothing against [Noussair] Mazraoui and [Diogo] Dalot, they’re very willing and doing the best job that they can. But to me they’re the two areas [that need addressing] in this system.”

There was a positive Man Utd transfer story on Monday with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano seeing Milos Kerkez’s change of agent a positive step for the Red Devils in purchasing the Bournemouth left-back.

Romano wrote on X: ‘Bournemouth LB Milos Kerkez has signed with Fali Ramadani’s Lian Sports as new agency from 2025. He’s definitely one to watch, with Man United among top clubs monitoring his progress as reported.’

Man Utd are the “worst pound-for-pound team in the country” after their 2-0 defeat to Newcastle on Monday night, according to Gary Neville.

The Red Devils were well beaten on Monday night as goals from Alexander Isak and Joelinton gave the Magpies all three points in a comfortable night for Eddie Howe’s side.

Defeat to Newcastle saw Man Utd remain in 14th position in the Premier League table but Ipswich Town’s win against Chelsea saw the Red Devils dragged to within seven points of the relegation zone.

And Neville described the performance against Newcastle as a “mauling” by the Geordies with Ruben Amorim’s side hammered.

As the first half progressed, Neville said on commentary: “Newcastle are hammering Manchester United. This is a mauling.”

On the botched team selection, the Man Utd legend added: “When you saw the Manchester United starting XI you had to think it would be very difficult for this team to play well.

“The two wing-backs aren’t very good in the attacking part of the pitch. The two central midfielders can’t run. The back three have no legs. [Joshua] Zirkzee has no balance off [Rasmus] Hojlund.

“You only really have Amad [Diallo] who you think might do something.”

On the superiority of Newcastle, Neville continued: “Newcastle are having the time of their lives out there. They should be three or four up.

“They have been absolutely awful. You are watching the worst pound-for-pound team in the country.

“[Diogo] Dalot is very willing and he gets up there but his options with the ability he has as a full-back are limited.

“I am looking at [Ruben] Amorim and he must be thinking, ‘what am l watching?’

“There are only three of them who can say they have been alright under Amorim: Dalot, [Noussair] Mazraoui and Amad.”

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Neville on the Red Devils’ second half performance, he said: “I am surprised there weren’t changes at half-time. I thought there would be.

“The amount of changes Manchester United make to their back five in game and from game to game is incredible.

“It has been a struggle for Casemiro and it’s been a struggle for Martinez. Since [Kobbie] Mainoo’s introduction, it has been better for Manchester United.

“The first half-hour was embarrassing, as bad as you will see.”

On where Man Utd go from here, Neville added: “Worrying times for Manchester United and Amorim. He knew it was a big job but l think it is far bigger than he ever imagined.”