Man Utd blow as Casemiro ruled out for ‘several weeks’ as club told ‘to put feelers out’ for transfer
Manchester United star Casemiro has been ruled out ‘for several weeks’ with a hamstring injury, the club has announced.
Casemiro was signed during last year’s summer transfer window after Man Utd missed out on Barcelona and Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong.
The Red Devils pursued De Jong for a couple of months but he indicated that he was not open to leaving Barcelona so Casemiro was signed as an alternative. The 31-year-old cost United an initial fee of £60m and this transfer could end up costing them £70m with add-ons included.
Man Utd – who could soon opt to replace head coach Erik ten Hag – were questioned at the time for spending such a significant fee on a player who is nearing the end of his career.
Casemiro enjoyed a strong debut season in the Premier League but he has looked well off the pace during the early months of this campaign.
The defensive midfielder missed recent Premier League games against Sheffield United and Manchester City before being brought off at half-time during United’s 3-0 loss against Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup in midweek with an injury.
A statement from United read: “Casemiro will be out for several weeks due to a hamstring injury suffered during our Carabao Cup defeat to Newcastle United on Wednesday.
“The Brazilian midfielder was withdrawn at half-time due to the issue, and subsequent assessment has revealed a strain that will keep him out for a number of weeks.”
TRANSFER GOSSIP: Liverpool, Man Utd get huge boost over £52m target as Arsenal consider £13m ‘risk’
In response to this development, Manchester Evening News reporter Samuel Luckhurst took to social media to reveal that Casemiro may be sold in the coming months.
He said: “Casemiro was so influential for #mufc last season he was the difference between them qualifying for the Champions League.
“This season, he has performed how many feared he would after United signed him. Club have to put the feelers out ahead of a possible sale next year.”
A report from Spanish outlet Nacional claimed last week that Casemiro ‘regrets having left Madrid to join a team where there is a worrying institutional instability’ with Man Utd only winning the Carabao Cup since his arrival.
It was stated during the same report that ‘very soon the sentence may come’ that he has to leave Old Trafford with the Red Devils interested in signing Benfica midfielder Joao Neves.
MEDIAWATCH: Man Utd latest… Erik ten Hag demands ‘showdowns’ as he ‘abstains from sensual pleasures’
