Ever since it was announced in January that Casemiro would leave Manchester United at the end of the season, the Brazilian has given the club more than enough reason to have second thoughts.
It’s not going to happen. The 34-year-old confirmed in an interview earlier this week there was ‘no chance’ of that, and sources have been saying for some time that United will not change their mind about renewing his contract.
Casemiro will bid farewell to Old Trafford when United face Nottingham Forest next weekend, and say a final goodbye at Brighton on the final day of the season before leaving as a free agent, with every expectation that he ends up in Major League Soccer with Inter Miami.
The reason for his surprise absence from the goalless draw at Sunderland was played down as ‘nothing major’ by head coach Michael Carrick who expects Casemiro back to face Forest.
The player has made 32 Premier League starts this season and reaching 35 over the last three games of the season would technically have triggered an automatic 12-month extension in the £375,000-a-week contract that makes him the club’s highest earner by some distance.
Michael Carrick caught a worrying glimpse into the future during Man United’s draw at Sunderland
United were without Casemiro and missed his leadership and guile in midfield
Casemiro is said to have waived that clause, but missing the Sunderland game made it mathematically certain that the most games he can start now is 34. On the four occasions he hasn’t been in the starting line-up in the Premier League this season, United have now lost three games and drawn once.
Carrick will be concerned at how much United missed the midfielder at the Stadium of Light. They missed his experience and poise in midfield, and they missed his goal threat.
It meant Kobbie Mainoo having a more defensive role in the midfield pivot, and Mason Mount playing deeper alongside him, and it didn’t suit either man.
Since the announcement was made the week after Carrick returned to the club in January, Casemiro has done more than any player with the exception of Bruno Fernandes to help United qualify for the Champions League with a series of stellar performances and five goals to take his total for the season to nine. ‘One more year, one more year Casemiro,’ has become a popular chant among fans.
A five-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid, his knowhow would have been invaluable in Europe next season. Instead, United have some very big shoes to fill during a summer in which they will probably have to replace Manuel Ugarte as well.
The club could end up signing three midfielders when keeping Casemiro for another season might have been a more sensible option – even more so if he could have been persuaded to accept the pay-cut he will be taking in MLS anyway.
On the basis that you don’t always know what you’ve got til it’s gone, Casemiro’s absence on Wearside was a worrying sign of what’s to come.
Lammens passes test of character
When Senne Lammens made his debut against Sunderland at Old Trafford in October, United’s new goalkeeper was still something of an unknown quantity.
The club had opted against signing the vastly more experienced Emi Martinez from Aston Villa to bring in Lammens from Royal Antwerp on deadline day, and the Belgian had spent the first seven games of the season settling in before he was given his chance.
Lammens was utterly unflappable that day and has hardly looked back since, establishing himself as the undisputed No.1 and arguably the club’s best summer signing.
The 23-year-old had hardly put a foot wrong until his awful pass out against Liverpool last weekend allowed Cody Gakpo to equalise at 2-2 before Mainoo snatched the winner.
It was always going to be interesting to see how Lammens reacted to his first big setback and there was no reason to worry as he produced two big saves from Noah Sadiki and Brian Brobbey to earn United a point at the Stadium of Light.
Think of it as another big test passed by Lammens who clearly didn’t let a rare mistake affect his game.
Senne Lammens put a foot wrong against Liverpool but bounced back in style on Saturday
Unhappy return for Amad
Amad Diallo revived his career at the Stadium of Light on loan from United in 2022, but it’s fair to say this wasn’t the happy return he would have wanted.
Like Lammens, Diallo was punished for a mistake against Liverpool with a goal last week, and cut an anguished figure at the final whistle.
Carrick backed the Ivorian before the trip to Wearside and restored him to the starting line-up with Benjamin Sesko missing the game through injury and Bryan Mbeumo on the bench.
Diallo still looked short of form and confidence though, and was lucky not to be penalised for a handball inside the box by referee Stuart Attwell who had denied him a spot-kick at Bournemouth last month.
Amad Diallo is in need of a break this summer after a difficult season for United
When United had the chance of a breakaway shortly before half-time, he slipped on the wet surface and fell flat on his back. Seven minutes after the break, he had the opportunity to play a simple square pass to Matheus Cunha in front of goal but misplaced it.
Before he was substituted for Mbeumo in the 75th minute, he was incensed by Attwell’s refusal to give him a free kick and angrily remonstrated with the official. It was out of character for the usually affable 23-year-old and possibly a sign of the frustration he is feeling at the moment.
There are still two games to go, but Diallo looks like a man who might benefit from a break this summer.
Is time up for Zirkzee?
After nearly two years at United, it’s still hard to see just how Joshua Zirkzee fits into this team.
When he arrived from Bologna in a £36.5million deal in the summer of 2024, we were told that the Dutchman was a hybrid between a striker and second striker. A nine-and-a-half.
Trouble is, that doesn’t suit the 4-2-3-1 system favoured by Erik ten Hag, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Darren Fletcher and Michael Carrick, or Ruben Amorim’s 3-5-2-1 formation.
But it might be the end of Joshua Zirkzee’s United career after another flat performance
The fact that Zirkzee has played under five bosses including caretakers has not helped his development, but nine goals and four assists from 73 appearances is a poor return.
Zirkzee started for United at Sunderland for the first time since he scored against Wolves at the end of December, having made 10 largely forgettable appearances as a substitute since then.
Sesko’s absence with a shin injury gave Zirkzee an opportunity at the Stadium of Light, but he made little impact on the game. There was a tame header over the bar from Cunha’s cross, but that was about it before he was the first to be replaced by Patrick Dorgu in the 65th minute.
The word is that Zirkzee wants to stay having previously questioned his future at United under Amorim, but this was more evidence that his rollercoaster United career might be coming to an end.
