At the time, the comment made sense. Casemiro's performances were waning and the great Brazilian looked a shadow of his former self.
Yet, while he may not have the legs to last 90 minutes anymore, 2025/26 was one of the best individual campaigns of his career to date.
This a five-time Champions League winner, a Real Madrid icon for a reason. He resoundingly fought off the critics last term en route to scoring nine goals in all competitions. He was a real menace from midfield.
United do, however, need to replace him and they must do so ASAP.
How Man Utd can replace Casemiro next season
This summer was always going to be a big one with regards to improving the midfield. Even before Casemiro confirmed he would be leaving Old Trafford, Jason Wilcox and Co needed to invest in the middle of the park.
That said, it has not been plain sailing. United had desires of signing Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest but when word reached that they would be seeking over £100m, the Red Devils removed themselves from the situation. He ultimately ended up heading to rivals Manchester City for a colossal £116m.
The midfield market has been highly inflated and that has really impacted United. They have sought to complete cheaper deals as a result.
With Manuel Ugarte suffering a cruel ACL injury, any chance he had of more minutes has been hit with the ultimate hammer blow. Even so, his chances of replacing Casemiro and starring alongside Kobbie Mainoo were remote.
As a result, Michael Carrick and his recruitment team have added two new midfielders to their ranks. A deal for Atalanta's Ederson was cut after they signed not just Andrey Santos from Chelsea but surprisingly, out of nowhere, Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa.
Tielemans is a classy operator. He's neat and tidy on the ball but he's not going to break up play like Casemiro did. Santos is perhaps a bit more like Casemiro, notably ranking among the finest 13% of midfielders in Ligue 1 for duels won with 7.18 per 90 when he was still at Strasbourg in 2024/25.
That being said, at the age of 22, he lacks the experience and know-how to adequately replace his fellow Brazilian.
Man Utd have found their dream Casemiro replacement
Despite the arrivals of Tielemans and Santos, there is a feeling that United still need to strengthen their midfield, particularly with Ugarte ruled out for most of next season.
Indeed, before their signatures were sealed, Mainoo was the only player really capable of operating as more of a deep-lying midfielder. There is no chance of Bruno Fernandes featuring in that role after his exploits last term under Carrick.
So, who is the dream replacement for Casemiro? Well, it simply has to be Aurelien Tchouameni. For those familiar with the club's business this summer, that will not come as much of a surprise.
Their interest in the Frenchman is no secret and it has been a real case of will they, won't they as far as their pursuit is concerned. Tchouameni has been widely expected to stay at the Bernabeu but they are reportedly chasing Rodri from Manchester City, a move that could well determine his fate.
If the greenlight is given, United will be at the forefront of the race to sign him with Simply United revealing on social media on Tuesday that "fresh contact" with Real Madrid over a potential move has been established. They are open to selling providing they conclude a deal for Rodri.
The additions of Santos and Tielemans were eye-catching this summer but Tchouameni would trump them significantly. After all, this is perhaps the closest player to a prime Casemiro that Carrick could find.
That isn't just because they will have both arrived from Madrid, but the simple fact is that, in the words of former teammate Chema Andres, he is "the best defensive midfielder in the world".
Once upon a time, Casemiro was held in the same regard. They both break up play remarkably well and their reading of the game is exceptionally good. Here's how Tchouameni in 2025/26 compares to the former Madrid man in his prime (2020/21).
Tchouameni vs Casemiro: Key stats
Stats (per 90 mins)
Tchouameni (25/26)
Casemiro (20/21)
|
Goals
|
0.03
|
0.19
|
|
Shots
|
1.54
|
1.43
|
|
Pass success
|
91%
|
84%
|
|
Chances created
|
0.86
|
0.78
|
|
Successful dribbles
|
0.10
|
0.40
|
|
Duels won
|
5.84
|
7.72
|
|
Aerials won
|
2.47
|
3.13
|
|
Defensive contributions
|
6.28
|
6.98
|
|
Tackles
|
2.33
|
2.61
|
|
Interceptions
|
1.61
|
2.17
|
In his pomp, the great Brazilian was an elite midfielder. He won an immense number of duels per 90 minutes and got through an impressive amount of defensive contributions per 90 minutes.
Tchouameni is actually a little behind for some of the metrics but in most departments, they rank incredibly closely. Neither are great carriers of the ball, nor do they create chances at will.
Where they are most similar is with regard to how often they win the ball back. They are the definition of holding midfielders; players capable of making regular tackles and breaking up the play.
There is a reason Madrid turned to Tchouameni after they lost Casemiro. Now, United must do exactly the same.
5 days ago
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