Casemiro makes final decision after Ancelotti intervention

Casemiro has reached a decision on whether to stay at Manchester United or leave after Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti told him his chances of making it to the World Cup next year, according to reports.

After three seasons including 125 appearances in a Man Utd shirt, Casemiro’s role in their future remains up for question. The midfielder is about to enter the final year of his contract, although there is an option for it to be extended into 2027. However, he has endured a range of fortunes since leaving Real Madrid in 2022.

Casemiro was a costly signing for Man Utd, but initially played well for them, winning the EFL Cup in his debut season. But in his second season, some of his errors were hard to hide from, as pundits accused him of being past his best. Ultimately, there were highs and lows in his most recent campaign too.

As the highest-paid player at Man Utd, Casemiro is often under scrutiny. With the transfer window now open, the club must decide whether he fits into their long-term plans or not.

Equally, Casemiro himself has a decision to make about where he envisages himself playing in the 2025-26 season. And according to the Daily Mirror, a conversation with his former Real Madrid boss Ancelotti – now his national team manager with Brazil – has given him some direction.

The report claims Casemiro has decided he wants to stay at Man Utd for another season, particularly with the World Cup on the horizon.

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To boost his chances of being in the Brazil squad that heads to the USA, Canada and Mexico, Casemiro believes he would be better off playing in the Premier League than somewhere like the Saudi Pro League, which would seem to be his most likely destination if he leaves Man Utd.

Ancelotti recently recalled Casemiro to international duty in a strong sign that the 33-year-old still has a chance of making it to a third World Cup.

To do so, though, he’ll need to prove his quality again over the course of his fourth season with Man Utd.

What has Ruben Amorim said about Casemiro?

Casemiro’s return to the Brazil scene wasn’t just because of his prior connection with Ancelotti – who never wanted Real Madrid to sell him to Man Utd – but also for his recovery of form towards the end of the 2024-25 season.

Ruben Amorim initially favoured other players after replacing Erik ten Hag in the Old Trafford hotseat, telling TNT Sports in January: “We know that Casemiro nowadays has other qualities. He’s intelligent, understands the game and knows where the ball is going to be.

“But, we are in a league where there is a big intensity difference. Therefore I feel our team needs players with high intensity and sometimes we don’t have them.

“We all know Casemiro’s qualities and everything he has won, so I have nothing to add to that. It’s just a selection choice.”

But a couple of months later, Amorim was starting to be won over, enthusing to the same outlet after a clash with Real Sociedad: “I think Casemiro gave us a little bit of calm. Sometimes, he takes a little bit long when he was not playing too much, you feel it in the game against Newcastle. The pace was not there but he is giving that first moment of build-up, and then you can push Bruno [Fernandes] near the goal, so he’s dangerous there.”

And after Man Utd won the derby against Manchester City in April, Amorim gave heaps of credit to Casemiro for his revival.

“The important thing with Casemiro is that he won everything with Real Madrid,” Amorim said at a press conference

“He wasn’t playing because I understood that in that moment he wasn’t the best option for how we want to play and he continued to work.

“I look at my players in the same way. If you improve what we ask of them, they have the opportunity. If they play well, they continue to play.

“That was the situation for Casemiro. The credit is all the player. He is our player and will continue to be our player.”

Amorim is believed to have since shared positive feedback about Casemiro to co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who was previously openly critical of the former regime’s decision to invest so heavily in the ageing midfielder.

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Timeline: Casemiro’s decline at Man Utd – but has he stopped the rot?

By Nathan Egerton

March 2023 – Despite enjoying a positive debut season at United in 2022/23, Casemiro did show signs of decline and struggled in their 7-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.

October 2023 – He was sent off in the Champions League game against Galatasaray and United went on to lose 3-2 at Old Trafford.

October 2023 – The Brazil international was at fault for Brentford’s opening goal and was hooked by Erik ten Hag at half-time.

“I wanted more football,” Ten Hag said after the game. “Someone who brings passing and link-up play so I brought on [Christian] Eriksen for Casemiro.”

May 2024 – Casemiro produced a disastrous performance as a make-shift centre-back against Crystal Palace and United lost 4-0 at Selhurst Park.

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

May 2024 – Following his poor performances for United in the 2023/24 season, he was left out of Brazil’s Copa America squad.

September 2024 – The midfielder was subbed off at half-time after he was at fault for both of Liverpool’s first two goals in their 3-0 win at Old Trafford.

December 2024 – After Manuel Ugarte and Bruno Fernandes got suspended, Casemiro was handed a rare start against Newcastle United. But the 33-year-old was completely overrun in the middle of the park and United lost 2-0 against Eddie Howe’s side.

January 2025 – He got just 18 minutes of first-team action in January and remained as an unused substitute in five of their six games.

March 2025 – Casemiro was named by Ratcliffe as one of five United signings the club still owes money for and is highlighted as an example of the previous regime’s poor transfer decisions.

VOTE: Should Man Utd keep Casemiro?

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