Casemiro exit has given Man United a massive problem in midfield | OneFootball

Casemiro’s resurgence at Manchester United this season has been something special.

Just two years ago, pundit Jamie Carragher famously attacked Casemiro after a woeful performance against Crystal Palace, telling him to ‘leave the football before the football leaves [him]’. Now, he’s doing just that, going out on a high as his contract expires.

Casemiro’s return to form has been fantastic for United this season: He’s taken a team that finished 15th last season to third place and Champions League qualification, and helped pave the way for a huge reevaluation among new sports betting sites and supporters alike, especially under new boss Michael Carrick.

It leaves United with a big problem: now that Casemiro is leaving, how do you replace him? 

How United will struggle without Casemiro

In the latter half of the season, Casemiro formed one of the strongest midfields in the league with Kobbie Mainoo. Mainoo struggled massively for minutes under former manager Ruben Amorim, but was given a new lease of life under Michael Carrick, and his partnership with Casemiro helped Mainoo to flourish.

Without an effective partner in midfield, Mainoo’s influence will be diminished. Mainoo is a fantastic footballer, but his flaws become more evident when he’s asked to do more defensive work. Mainoo will need to be paired with a high quality midfielder next season to get the most out of him. With Casemiro gone, United will have to buy a new one.

Casemiro also contributed massively on the attacking end, particularly with his threat from set-pieces. Casemiro has scored a career-best nine goals this season, and eight of them have come directly from set-pieces. His threat at corners and free-kicks is almost as much of an issue to replace as his defensive work.

How Man United can replace Casemiro

It’s clear that United need to dip into the transfer market to replace Casemiro. Manuel Ugarte has had another poor season, and he cannot replace Casemiro’s ability.

United have been linked with multiple midfielders, all of whom come with large price tags but can replace at least a part of Casemiro’s game.

Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson is high on United’s list, but he would not only cost in the region of £100 million, he’s also high on Manchester City’s shopping list, and looks to be heading to the other side of Manchester as things stand.

Carlos Baleba was heavily linked with United last summer but ended up staying with Brighton. Rumours suggest that United will be going back in for him this summer, hopefully at a reduced price tag.

United have also been linked with other Premier League stars like Adam Wharton and Sandro Tonali, along with Atalanta midfielder Ederson. Whomever United choose to sign, they will need to invest heavily, as replacing Casemiro’s talent, work rate and passion is not going to be cheap.