According to reports, INEOS would be ‘forced’ to give one of Manchester United’s players a ‘colossal pay rise’ if Ruben Amorim’s side win the Europa League.
The 2024/25 campaign has been disastrous for Man Utd as they have spent most of the season in the bottom half of the table. With three games remaining, their lowest-possible finish is 17th.
The Red Devils also failed in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, but their run in the Europa League has been a saving grace for Amorim, who has struggled to implement his preferred 3-4-3 formation.
Under Amorim, Man Utd’s best performances of the season have come in the Europa League and they are well-placed to reach the final after their 3-0 win against Athletic Bilbao in the first leg of their semi-final tie.
United are likely to face Tottenham Hotspur in the final as Ange Postecoglou’s side beat Bodo-Glimt in their first leg.
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The Europa League is Man Utd’s only route into next season’s Champions League, but there would be drawbacks to winning this competition.
A report from The Daily Star claims there is a ‘clause’ in Casemiro’s contract that would ‘force’ Man Utd chiefs to give the veteran midfielder a ‘colossal pay rise’.
The Brazil international joined Man Utd from Real Madrid for around £60m plus add-ons during the 2022 summer transfer window.
United have rightly been criticised for investing such a significant fee to sign Casemiro, who is currently 33 and has declined in recent years.
Casemiro is under contract until 2026 and his fortunes under Amorim have improved in recent weeks, so it is possible that he remains at Man Utd heading into next season.
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The report claims Casemiro would be ‘set for a massive pay rise if Man Utd win the Europa League’, with a ‘staggering 25% hike’ worth around ‘£100,000’ due.
A Man Utd ‘insider’ has informed The Daily Star that Amorim insists their focus should be on the Europa League. They said: “Ruben has made it clear to everyone that the focus must now be on the Europa League.
“There’s no getting away from the reality that this has been a poor season domestically, so to guide the team to a place where they can still qualify for the Champions League is a remarkable achievement.
“Winning the Europa League would be huge in terms of what it would mean to the manager – but also in terms of what it would mean when it comes to providing him with the finances to rebuild the squad.”
