Casemiro is leaving Manchester United at the end of the season
Casemiro has confirmed he’ll be moving on from Manchester United at the end of the season when his contract wraps up this summer. Speaking with ESPN Brasil, the veteran midfielder didn’t mince words; he isn’t signing on for another year at Old Trafford. United and Casemiro actually sat down back in January and agreed to scrap a performance-based extension that would’ve triggered a fifth season, making sure both sides can part ways on good terms.
Right now, his main focus is sitting down with his family before picking his next club. He was very upfront about the fact that their happiness comes first, especially since they were the ones who stood by him when he first made the jump from Real Madrid to Manchester.
Explaining his decision, Casemiro told ESPN: “I don’t think there’s a chance, there’s no chance [of staying another year]. It’s leaving through the front door. It’s been four beautiful, wonderful years, and I’m eternally grateful not only to the club but to the fans. I think if there’s one thing I’ll cherish most from these four years here, it’s having the fans with me. But no, I think it’s over. The cycle has ended here.”
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Reflecting on overcoming earlier hurdles under former boss Ruben Amorim, he recalled: “It may have been one of my greatest achievements because, with all the humility in the world, the most normal thing would be to say: ‘Hey, the coach isn’t using me? No problem, I’ve already won a lot of titles in my career, I’ve already achieved many things in my life, and I’m here. The coach doesn’t want to count on me, let him go, and I’ll stay here.’ But no. I kept working, I kept trying to show the coach that he was wrong, that he was mistaken about me.
“I could have, as we say in the world of football, given up, moved on, and that’s it. But I kept working, kept trying to change the coach’s opinion, and I ended up succeeding. I finished playing and having a great end to the season, playing in a Europa League final. Despite having had several achievements in my career, this may have been one of the greatest achievements I had: reversing the coach’s opinion. I wasn’t playing because of the coach’s opinion. And he ended up putting me in to play because of my merit and work, entirely my own.”
Casemiro arrived at Old Trafford in August 2022 and won over the fans pretty much instantly with his tough tackling and a habit of popping up with massive goals, helping the team grab the 2023 Carabao Cup and the 2024 FA Cup. It wasn’t all smooth sailing, though.
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His form took a serious hit during the 2023–24 season, leading Jamie Carragher to famously claim he was “done” after that 4-0 nightmare against Crystal Palace. But Casemiro didn’t just fold; he put his head down, fought for his spot under Ruben Amorim, and clawed his way back into the lineup. This season has actually been his best yet for goals. Casemiro is walking away on his own terms with his head held high.
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United are dead set on a total midfield rebuild and are already looking at Brighton‘s Carlos Baleba and Forest’s Elliot Anderson for the 2026–27 season. To be honest, this move is a huge win for the club. Getting Casemiro’s £350,000-a-week wages off the books gives Carrick the breathing room he needs to bring in younger, quicker players for the middle of the park. At 34, no matter how good you are, you can’t really be the face of a long-term project. Letting him leave while he’s still playing well saves everyone from a messy exit further down the line.
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