Casemiro to leave Manchester United at end of season [The Atheltic]

Casemiro will leave Manchester United when his contract expires at the end of the season.

The 33-year-old does have a one-year extension option in his contract but the club will not be activating it, sources briefed on the deal confirmed to The Athletic.

The Athletic reported in January that the one-year extension clause in the contract could also be triggered if he started a certain number of games — believed to be 35 — for United in the 2025-26 season. However, after United’s early exits from both domestic cup competitions, Casemiro would likely have to start all of the club’s remaining 16 Premier League matches.

The Brazil international joined United from Real Madrid in a deal that has cost United at least £60million (now $80.9m) in the summer of 2022. His salary has been £15m per year for the three seasons (including the current one) he has been at United when the club have not been in the Champions League, and £18m in the one season they were in Europe’s top club competition.

Casemiro has started the majority of United’s games this season under head coaches Ruben Amorim, Darren Fletcher and Michael Carrick, missing only their two cup defeats due to rotation and the Premier League games against Brentford and Aston Villa due to suspension. He has been a consistent figure in the United team since joining from Madrid, though his performances have sometimes been criticised.

This season, the Brazilian has played 21 times, taking his total United appearances to 146.

Casemiro is also a regular in Brazil squads and appears likely to represent his country at the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico this summer.

Additional reporting: Mario Cortegana, Laurie Whitwell