Why life after Casemiro promises only more headaches for Man Utd | OneFootball

There will be a vacancy at Old Trafford this summer for a role that Michael Carrick has filled. Possibly, of course, for the one he currently occupies, although perhaps not if Carrick continues his impressive start in the dugout. But definitely at the base of midfield. The one confirmed departure at Manchester United is Casemiro.

“I look forward to continuing working with him for a few months yet,” said Carrick. Well he might, too, because the Brazilian has been one of the outstanding players of Carrick’s five-game reign. With each hugely impressive display, he has underlined the challenge of finding a suitable successor. Casemiro may leave United as he arrived, as a talismanic figure; after two difficult seasons in the middle of his four-year deal, he feels renascent now.

He has also formed a fine double act with Kobbie Mainoo. It will not be a long-term axis, this partnership of opposites - young and old, Mancunian and a son of Sao Paulo – but Casemiro’s positive influence extends to the dressing room and the training ground. Mainoo may be a particular beneficiary.

“Cas has been fantastic since I came in, and on and off the pitch,” said Carrick. “Experience is a great thing if you use it in the right way, and I think over time being a senior player here is almost the responsibility of the example, and helping the younger players, helping the rest of the boys, and passing on your experiences in a positive way. He's been top since I came, in so many ways, and he's been a pleasure to work with.”

Casemiro is set to face Everton on Monday. It will also be his 34th birthday. While the combination of his age and the size of his contract meant an extension was always unlikely, his revival means Carrick feels he can carry on as an elite midfielder elsewhere. “I'm sure he can,” he said. “He's playing as good a level as he's played at for some time, and it's great to see in so many ways. He’s in a really good place.”

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Casemiro has rediscovered his best form since Michael Carrick’s arrival (PA Wire)

That place next season is likely to be the United States but Carrick’s dozen years and 464 appearances at the heart of the team make him ideally qualified to advise on what United require in a replacement. He explained: “I'm not being biased, obviously, as being in midfield, but I think it is an important position to try and tie everything together, and you're connected to the whole team, and that's sometimes emotionally, a little bit mentally, and showing that composure and understanding of the game a little bit, and Cas has had a big influence within the group on that, so something we're fully aware of, moving forward.”

As Carrick outlined Casemiro’s qualities, he arrowed in an influence that comes in part from the former Real Madrid player’s huge experience. “Technically, game understanding, just composure in certain moments,” he noted.

The probability, though, is that a successor will be much younger, perhaps by more than a decade. They may be able to offer more physically, but perhaps less mentally. Casemiro does not always complete 90 minutes, and that in a season when United will play just 40 games. His fine form now can be attributed in part to tactics that leave him less exposed.

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One of Michael Carrick’s biggest challenges will be to replace Casemiro, should he be kept on this summer (PA Wire)

Any signing would probably be both more mobile and more durable, but the balance would shift in another respect. United could have a very young central-midfield partnership. Of the major contenders to arrive in the summer, Elliot Anderson is 23, Carlos Baleba and Adam Wharton both 22. Each has been of interest to United; indeed, they considered moving for Baleba last year.

The Cameroonian has had a poor year with Brighton: often substituted early, looking out of form, affected by off-field issues, he has rarely looked at £100m player. Meanwhile, Sandro Tonali has emerged as another possible summer mover: more experienced than any of the others, far more energetic than Casemiro, he may tick some boxes.

Tonali’s class in possession is also notable. Anderson and Wharton are also both more constructive than destructive presences. But so, going back, was Carrick. He was a player with a difference in his own era, a holding midfielder more than a defensive one, someone who knitted teams and matches together. Perhaps, judging from his comments, he would look for similar qualities in the summer, if he is involved in the search for Casemiro’s successor.

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Sandro Tonali (right) has emerged as a possible summer target (Getty Images)

The Brazilian has been a defensive midfielder with a difference, too. Few others score as many goals. His pass completion rate can be lower than most, but that shows a willingness to attempt more ambitious balls. If Carrick was understated and some defensive midfielders can go unnoticed, not Casemiro: his force of personality, capacity to go to ground in tackles and charisma make him immediately identifiable.

He will leave a hole. It is a sign of his significance that whoever comes next is likely to come at a considerable price. And given how idiosyncratic Casemiro is, there may not be a like-for-like replacement for him.