“Another year, Casemiro” was once again heard at Old Trafford following Manchester United’s Premier League victory on Monday night, with the Brazilian once again having a huge influence in the 2-1 victory.
In fact, the 34-year-old scored his ninth goal of the season in United’s game against Brentford, making him the Red Devils’ highest scorer to date.
Casemiro – last 10 league seasons | ||
|---|---|---|
season | game | the goal |
25/26 | 32 | 9 |
24/25 | twenty four | 1 |
23/24 | twenty five | 1 |
22/23 | 28 | 4 |
21/22 | 32 | 1 |
20/21 | 34 | 6 |
19/20 | 35 | 4 |
18/19 | 29 | 3 |
17/18 | 30 | 5 |
16/17 | twenty five | 4 |
Given this remarkable resurgence under Michael Carrick, it may be natural for supporters to demand an extension of his stay, but it feels more like a farewell tour than a man fighting to earn a new contract in Manchester.
He is already set to leave on a £70m deal and there is little to suggest things will change going into the summer, even if United look a better team with his arrival.
If this is the end, Casemiro has proven to be a great signing overall. Will the club be able to shrewdly win La Liga again this summer?
Manchester United preparing sensational £42m offer
Until Casemiro returns in 2022, much of the summer has been dominated by talk of a move for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, with the Dutchman previously working under Erik ten Hag at Ajax.
The two clubs are expected to hold talks again later today over Marcus Rashford’s departure, but it remains to be seen whether the Catalan giants will shell out the reported €30m (about £26m) to keep the Englishman permanently.
Amid these ongoing negotiations, there is a good chance that Barça’s star player could be headed in the direction of his opponents, following speculation regarding United’s interest in Alejandro Balde ahead of the climax of the season.
There are reports in Spain that suggest United are keen to sign the promising Spaniard, with the report suggesting INEOS are “open to exploring transfer possibilities”.
Old Trafford bosses are said to view the 22-year-old as a “market opportunity”, but will only step up their approach if they receive encouragement from the player himself.
Barcelona are not desperate to move the defender, but there is a sense that a transfer fee of around €50m (about £42m) is too high to turn down.
Why Balde could be the next Kassemir-style player at Manchester United
Say what you will about price tags and wages, but recent arrivals from Manchester’s elite La Liga clubs have certainly made an impact, whether it’s Raphael Varane or Casemiro.
In Varane’s case, the Frenchman may have been hampered by injuries during his time in England, but at his best he remained a central figure in the backline, helping lead Ten Hag’s side to victory in the 2024 FA Cup final before leaving.
As for Casemiro, the South American warrior overcame a brief slump in form and emerged as a shining light once again in 2026, displaying the full range of ability of a player who won numerous major accolades with Madrid.
At just 22 years old, Balde may be at the other end of the spectrum in terms of his playing career, but he could prove another smart development from Spain’s top players.
Neither Madrid nor Barça usually let their most talented players leave, only letting Varane and Casemiro go in their later years, but with Balde not front and center this season, it could be a new opportunity for United.
As previous deals for the aging duo have shown, it’s hard to ignore the class and quality of players playing for either of La Liga’s two biggest clubs, and there are likely no concerns about whether the promising left-back will be up to the task.
The £42m starlet, who has won seven caps for Spain, comes from the prestigious La Masia youth set-up and has already made 164 appearances in all competitions at club level.
During his time with the first team, he showed off his attacking flair on the left flank and was also impressive, scoring 21 assists during that time.
For context, in 320 games for United, fellow left-back Luke Shaw has contributed just nine more assists, underscoring why Balde could represent some kind of upgrade.
Due to injury problems in the 2025/26 season, Balde has only started 19 games in La Liga, but in that time he has provided two assists and created four “big chances”.
To compare again, despite starting all 34 games in the Premier League, Shaw only recorded one assist and created just one ‘big chance’.
The Red Devils would then look perfectly poised to replace the long-serving Englishman, but Barcelona’s loss – as Varane and Casemiro were to Madrid – would prove a victory for United.
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Manchester United’s organization could make a huge investment this summer.
