Casemiro set to leave Manchester United at the end of the season | OneFootball

Casemiro is set to leave Manchester United at the end of the season when his contract expires, according to The Athletic.

The 33-year-old Brazilian joined Man United from Real Madrid in 2022 and has made 146 appearances for the Red Devils since then.

Casemiro has a one-year extension option in his contract at the Old Trafford club but they will not be activating it and have also announced on their official website that he is set to leave.

The extension clause in the contract could be automatically triggered if he started a certain number of games – believed to be 35 – this term.

However, having started 19 games so far, Casemiro would have to start all of the club’s remaining 16 Premier League matches to reach that number following Man United’s early exits from the Carabao Cup and FA Cup.

The South American was linked with an exit last summer but remained at the club and was a key player under former Man United head coach Ruben Amorim.

The Red Devils are already preparing for life without Casemiro and have been linked with a couple of midfielders as they eye his replacement.

They have reportedly held talks to sign Besiktas midfielder Wilfred Ndidi before the end of the winter transfer window.

The likes of Brighton & Hove Albion star Carlos Baleba, Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson have also been linked with Man United in recent months.

The Red Devils will be desperate to get the perfect successor to him, and the onus will be on the next permanent manager to bring in the right player in the position in the summer.

Michael Carrick replaced Amorim as head coach after the Portuguese was sacked earlier this month and he will be dreaming of landing the job beyond the end of the season.