There is a possibility that Casemiro and Ugarte, two forgotten talents who look like two men, will end their stay at Manchester United.

Wembley, perhaps more than any other location, best illustrates the tumultuous nature of Casemiro’s stay at Manchester United.

Indeed, in February 2023, United’s emerging talisman was given the nod in the opening game as Erik ten Hag’s side claimed glory in the Carabao Cup, with the manager saying the Brazilian proved to be the “cement” of the team that season.

But almost 15 months on, the former Real Madrid man simply watched on as the Red Devils shocked Manchester City to win the FA Cup, with the much-maligned Sofian Amrabat the mainstay of the midfield.

Confusion remains as to why Casemiro, who was initially included in the match-day squad, was absent due to a reported hamstring strain.

Was he just upset about being sacked in Amrabat, or was there really a problem? Either way, that day – like the Selhurst Park fiasco a few weeks ago – appeared to mark the beginning of the end of the veteran’s Old Trafford career.

Remarkably, with 2026 looming, the 33-year-old has defied the possibility of regaining his starting berth under Ruben Amorim, even though his long-term future remains uncertain.

Why Manchester United still need to let a resurgent Casemiro leave

Did he give up his legs or did the midfielder give up on Ten Hag? The five-time Champions League winner looked extremely uneasy when he was brought on as a makeshift centre-back in the 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace.

It must be said that with Amorim’s arrival, the aging talent looked like a different player, and even the Portuguese coach seemed surprised by his resurgence.

Casemiro started alongside Christian Eriksen in Amorim’s first match at Portman Road, but the manager said he was initially out of sight as he was “behind all the midfielders and even Toby (Collier)” at one stage.

The £70m signing, who secured a spot in the Europa League last season, has started 13 Premier League games in 2025/26, scoring important goals against Chelsea, Brighton and Nottingham Forest.

He is a man on the rise, but will that cloud Amorim and INEOS’ judgment? There must have been a desire to take such an expensive asset off the books for a player whose contract was flagged as questionable by Sir Jim Ratcliffe before he arrived at Old Trafford.

It is difficult to see the merits of extending Casemiro’s contract, which is reported to be on a reported £350,000-a-week wage, but has only six months left on his current contract.

The suggestion is that INEOS are certainly considering letting him go for free, and that despite his recent development, it would appear to be the right move, especially considering the midfield warrior turns 34 in February.

The process of letting Casemiro out of the squad will become much easier if Amorim looks at United’s forgotten figure, and it’s not Manuel Ugarte.

Manchester United’s forgotten star could replace Ugarte and Casemiro

When he moved to Manchester in the summer of 2024, there was a feeling that Ugarte would be an immediate addition to Casemiro, having emerged as something of a tackling machine during his time at Sporting CP, although he wasn’t that great at Paris Saint-Germain.

Eighteen months later, the Uruguayan has drifted to the periphery, starting just two league games all season, although he still ranks in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for tackles per 90, according to FBref.

The 24-year-old, who came under criticism from the manager at the end of last term, is also looking ahead to his rapid retirement in 2026, with reports suggesting he could be sacked in January or next summer.

Once again, if Amorim decides to return with the aforementioned Collier, the decision to allow him to leave in the new year could be made much easier, and there is a discussion to be had over whether to recall the Englishman from his loan spell at West Bromwich Albion.

He is currently back in Manchester undergoing treatment for a new injury, which could keep the 21-year-old out for eight weeks, but there may be merit in keeping the former Brighton & Hove Albion man in the squad once he returns to full fitness, especially given the lack of midfield depth at Amorim’s disposal.

Collier, who was Ten Hag’s first focus in the FA Cup final as he did with Koby Mainou in the Carabao Cup a year ago, made 13 appearances for the first team last season after making his debut off the bench in the Community Shield defeat to Man City.

He may not be the glamorous Mynu-style ballplayer that United need at the moment, but what he does have is a real engine and work ethic, the kind of athleticism that is clearly lacking in the experienced pair of Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes.

Indeed, in the view of former Brighton coach Mark Beard, he was almost ‘Sometimes we play like two men”, this is the area he is able to cover and has been hailed as arguably the “best in the country” in that category for his age group.

Collier, who was described as “Kante-like” by Beard, showed glimpses of his defensive talent last season, memorably scoring a superb goal-line clearance against Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Of course, injury and a lack of game time meant his loan spell wasn’t fruitful, with him starting just three Championship games for the Baggies, but once he’s fit and available again, the two-footed talent could deserve a chance to stake his claim back into Amorim’s first-team setup.

Ugarte, one of the worst signings of modern times, is yet to hit his stride, while Casemiro is certainly heading towards the climax of his stay at United.

Collyer could be the perfect replacement, albeit a wildcard option, to help get them out the door.