“Tell them I’ll fix it,” were the words Casemiro wrote to his agent, the Brazilian watching away at Brentford as Manchester United sunk into the nadir of what is arguably the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.
There were no bruised egos if he didn’t become Erik ten Hag’s first-choice target that summer after his long pursuit of Frenkie de Jong. The £70 million man had to wait until October for his first start in the Premier League.
From his first goal away at Stamford Bridge and the heart-pounding celebration that followed, Casemiro’s dedication to the cause was undeniable and it’s no wonder he is now enjoying a farewell tour during his final game at Old Trafford.
In both boxes, the 34-year-old will leave a huge hole to fill for next summer, but there are a number of potential replacements being considered in that midfield department.
Manchester United favorites to sign Casemiro’s replacement from Serie A
“One more year, Casemiro” continues to echo through the Theater of Dreams, but the former Real Madrid man this week reiterated that his decision is final, with just three games remaining in a United shirt.
Casemiro – 24/25 vs 25/26 | ||
|---|---|---|
24/25 | Statistics (*per game) | 25/26 |
twenty four | game | 33 |
1 | the goal | 9 |
0 | assist | 2 |
80% | Pass accuracy* | 81% |
0.9 | Key pass* | 1.0 |
3 | A big opportunity has arisen | 4 |
1 | missed a big opportunity | 6 |
3.5 | Tackle* | 2.7 |
0.6 | Intercept* | 0.9 |
64% | Total Win Duels* | 53% |
When it comes to signing a suitable successor, it’s no secret that Nottingham Forest’s Elliott Anderson is a priority target, despite rivals Manchester City chasing the £120m sensation.
INEOS do not appear to be able to afford such an expense, as they are likely to need two, if not three, midfielders depending on Manuel Ugarte’s future, and could be certain to land Casemiro’s replacement at a more affordable price.
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Many of their additions have not lived up to expectations.
In fact, as reported by TuttoAtalanta, the Old Trafford side are thought to be the frontrunners to sign fellow Brazilian Ederson from Atalanta this summer.
The report suggests the 26-year-old is set to bid farewell to the Serie A outfit at the end of the season, with United said to be a “clear lead” over Atletico Madrid in the race to sign him.
This follows previous reports suggesting the former Salernitana player could be available for a fee of around £42 million with one year remaining on his current contract.
Comparison of Ederson and Casemiro in his prime
Casemiro, who scored nine goals in the 2025/26 Premier League season, is enjoying perhaps his best season yet in Manchester, having made a full-fledged comeback after a difficult final few days as manager at Ten Hag.
Despite his importance, it’s worth remembering that United never really got to see the panache of the South American, who won five Champions Leagues with Madrid and at one point emerged as arguably Europe’s best defensive midfielder.
Alongside Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, he was the glue that held everything together at the Bernabéu, a Monster Ball winner and the club’s attacking talent that blossomed ahead of him.
Although Ederson doesn’t operate at the very elite level of the European game, he certainly fits that box, having been hailed by Damiano El Faina as “the best defensive midfielder in the world”.
Such accolades are not without merit, as the sought-after talent has had another excellent season in Italy, averaging 2.8 tackles and interceptions per game in Serie A, and averaging 4.5 ball recoveries per game.
Boasting an 89% passing accuracy to boot, Ederson keeps things tidy in the heart of the park, doing the dirty work in an almost invisible way in Bergamo.
Like Casemiro at his best, he is not the easiest guy to get around, having completed just 0.6 dribbles per game so far this season and averaging just 1.2 fouls.
He’s not reckless, he’s relentless, and he’s only been ejected once in 178 games with Atlanta, and that wasn’t a straight red.
Incidentally, Casemiro was only sent off twice during his time at Madrid, and had never been directly sent off before joining United.
In 2021/22, the latter’s final season with Los Blancos, his record was not that different from Ederson’s, averaging 3.7 tackles and interceptions and boasting a passing accuracy of 86%.
Like Ederson, who has scored one league goal all season, Casemiro is not the free-scoring sensation he was in Manchester, finishing the season with just one goal in La Liga.
The veteran player was something of an unsung hero at Madrid, but has emerged as something of a talisman in Manchester. Will Ederson do the same?
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