Former Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre has urged Erik ten Hag and Co. not to sell Casemiro this summer. Silvestre has hailed the Brazilian midfielder’s character and believes he can help United get back to winning ways.
Casemiro Had A Disappointing 2023-24 Season
Casemiro enjoyed an eye-catching debut campaign at Manchester United. The former Real Madrid was at the heart of everything positive and dictated the game from the deep midfield position. In the 2022-23 season, Casemiro featured in 51 games across competitions, scoring seven times and providing six assists.
In contrast, the 2023-24 season was a lot disappointing for the five-time UEFA Champions League winner. He suffered a knock on Matchday 8 of the 2023-24 Premier League season, which ruled him out of action for over three months. And when he returned, he did not look confident enough to defend against physically gifted players. He also had to play as a center-back in a few matches, and he looked uncomfortable in each one.
Throughout the campaign, Casemiro played 32 matches, scoring five times and providing three assists.
Mikael Silvestre Explains Why Manchester United Must Keep Casemiro
With Casemiro failing to impress, calls have been made to ship him off in the summer transfer window. Silvestre, however, believes it is not in Manchester United’s best interests.
Speaking with TG Casino, he said (via GOAL):
“I think he still has the energy and enough in the tank to respond to that and show that he is still a valuable player for the team.
“Not maybe every single game because it’s quite intense but in the biggest fixtures, most of the time he was performing to the level he’s expected to. I wouldn’t rush to any conclusions for Casemiro, he seems like a good character to have in the dressing room. If the team wants to get back to winning ways, they need these types of players around.”
Silvestre continued:
“It’s important for the manager to have the right amount of players in training and the right amount of players in the defensive midfield area.
“Of course, you have Kobbie Mainoo but besides him, you can’t identify another top number six in the squad. There’s still another three weeks until the window shuts. I wouldn’t be shocked if Casemiro was playing for another season, it’s not like United are challenging for the title so I think if you consider this period as a transition, he could still be a good leader in that squad.”
According to reports, Casemiro, who earns around $431,000 at Manchester United, has suitors in the Saudi Pro League. The player himself has remained tight-lipped about his future.
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