Casemiro has formed a crucial part of Manchester United's midfield for years. He was signed from Real Madrid in 2022 for a fee of £60 million, and though he has been inconsistent at times, he's formed an important part of the United off the team, both on and off the field.
He is also still Manchester United's highest earning player. The Brazil international still reportedly earns between £300,000 and £350,000 a week, ranking him among the highest earners in the entire league. Coupled with his age, it's no surprise that United are looking to move on from him.
Casemiro's contract was due to expire in the summer of 2026, and United were then expected to make him a free agent. Now, The Athletic has reported that there is a clause in Casemiro's contract that would automatically trigger an extension of his contract for another year if he starts a given amount of games.
It is reported that the number of games required is 35 games in all competitions.
Casemiro's extension could cost United millions
An extension on Casemiro's contract would be a disaster for Manchester United's finances. With Casemiro's age, it's unlikely he has another year left at the top of his game. Casemiro has been assisted by the lack of European football this season, allowing him more time between games for recovery, but he may not get that luxury again.
United are also eager to reinvest in their midfield in the summer transfer window, and being able to take the wages of Casemiro off their books would loosen the purse strings at Old Trafford. Keeping Casemiro on the books would cost Man United around £18 million.
United would prefer the decision to be more in their control. Casemiro may well remain at the club for another season, but would likely be on a renegotiated contract with much more favourable terms. A retriggering of the same contract would mean paying Casemiro hugely inflated wages given his likely role in the team.
Thankfully for United, it now looks increasingly unlikely that this clause will be triggered by the end of the season. Manchester United only play 40 games this season after early cup exits, and to hit the reported threshold, Casemiro would have to start every remaining game in the season.
While this is possible given the relatively relaxed schedule with no European games and no cup games, and Casemiro's status as one of the first names on the team sheet, it's quite like that he will miss at least one game, given his penchant for a slide tackle and his disciplinary record.
It's also likely that United would deliberately drop him in order to miss the required threshold. The fact that United would've let it get to desperate measures proves just how much United have lost control.
Casemiro's contract was already an inflated one, and United need to ensure they don't get trapped in it for another season. United may well retain Casemiro's talents for another season, but it's highly likely it won't be on his current contract.