Jamie Carragher makes honest Casemiro assessment – two years after brutal comment | OneFootball

Jamie Carragher admits his famous “leave the football before the football leaves you” remark about Casemiro two years ago was “too harsh and premature” ahead of the Man Utd midfielder’s final games for the club.

The Brazilian, who signed on a £350,000-a-week deal from Real Madrid in 2022, endured a difficult period on the pitch in 2024, particularly struggling in United’s 4-0 defeat away at Crystal Palace, triggering Carragher’s comments on Monday Night Football.

“Leave the football before the football leaves you,” Carragher said. “The football’s left him at this top level. He needs to call it a day at this level of football and move.”

Two years on, Casemiro is enjoying his best period in a United shirt – though he will leave at the end of the season – and this week described Carragher’s comment as “disrespectful.” Now, Carragher has responded as the 34-year-old bids farewell to Old Trafford.

“In retrospect, do I regret my comments about such a legendary footballer? Yes and no,” he said in his Telegraph column.

“It must be acknowledged that the implication that Casemiro was ‘finished’ at the highest level was too harsh and premature. My argument was he would be better heading out to the MLS, or accepting offers from Saudi Arabia, because he would never get back to anywhere near his best to achieve the same heights of winning the Champions League or league titles at Old Trafford as he did so brilliantly at Real Madrid. At the time, those observations were not controversial….

“Go back and listen to every respected pundit and reporter covering United during that period, and you will not find a well-informed piece on the club’s struggles without the Casemiro deal being referenced as a symbol of a failed, ill-judged and over-indulgent transfer policy.

“My 2024 remarks were not personal. They were made about one of the best players of his generation with a feeling of reluctance and sadness, and were also based on what United needed to get back to a level where they are challenging for the league title and Champions League – something the club does not need reminding they are still some way from doing.”

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Casemiro will leave Man United at the end of the season (AP)

Carragher also insisted that Casemiro’s signature should make United executives think again when considering their next big-name signing.

“This week, Casemiro suggested my remarks were ‘disrespectful’, and that is fair enough,” he added. “Anything he says in response comes with the territory, although I would counter and say no disrespect was intended. Quite the contrary.

“Because of his stellar career, it was natural to compare Casemiro to the extraordinarily high standards he set for himself...

“But when the dust settles, no amount of rewriting history will change this fact: the next time a player of Casemiro’s age and status is available for the same salary and transfer fee, United will learn from experience and say: ‘thanks, but no thanks’”.

Casemiro will say his goodbyes to the Old Trafford crowd after Sunday’s final home game against Nottingham Forest before United’s final day trip to Brighton.