Casemiro reveals why he is leaving Man United

Casemiro has announced he will leave Manchester United in the summer after the club decided not to renew his contract.United will lose the £63m signing on a free transfer but believe the money saved from paying his sizeable wages can be reinvested into the squad.The Brazil captain decided to reveal the news now to help him prepare for next season and to prevent speculation he would get a new deal at Old Trafford.United had already planned to target midfielders in the transfer market this summer and will now need to find a replacement for Casemiro, with Brighton’s Carlos Baleba of interest last summer and Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton other potential targets. Casemiro joined United from Real Madrid in 2022 on a deal thought to be worth around £350,000 a week during seasons when they were in the Champions League.The midfielder, who turns 34 next month, won five Champions Leagues in his time at the Bernabeu and inspired United to the Carabao Cup in his first season in Manchester, scoring in the 2023 final win over Newcastle.However, he endured some difficult times at United, losing his place under former managers Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim and getting four red cards.He has become integral again this season, starting 19 of their 22 league games, and said he would always remember United.Casemiro said: “I will carry Manchester United with me throughout my entire life. From the first day that I walked out at this beautiful stadium, I felt the passion of Old Trafford and the love that I now share with our supporters for this special club.“It is not time to say goodbye; there are many more memories to create during the next four months. We still have a lot to fight for together; my complete focus will, as always, remain on giving my everything to help our club to succeed.”