Casemiro transfer update points to familiar and concerning issue for Man Utd

Manchester United face the prospect of having Casemiro on their books for a third year as they struggle to source a buyer.

The Brazilian has spent two years at Old Trafford since signing from Real Madrid. His debut year saw him earn huge plaudits, but last term he endured a huge drop off and copped major criticism as the sums involved in signing him began to haunt them.

Despite his quality, stemming from his haul of Champions League successes whilst in Spain, questions were asked when United signed a 30-year-old to a five-year deal on astronomical wages.

Now, with Casemiro 32 and no longer a guaranteed starter, United have an expensive asset on their books which they can't rid off. The MEN reports that no Saudi Arabian interest has materialised, which some expected to be the case, and United may have to keep hold of the Brazilian.

It isn't the first time United have thrown huge sums at a player, only to see them underperform and leave them with an expensive issue on their wage bill. Alexis Sanchez is one of a number of players who landed huge sums, but didn't hit the heights expected.

Gary Neville has previously bemoaned those at Old Trafford for signing off on such a deal. He said: "A manager’s job is purely to think about the immediate short term and getting results for himself. Casemiro is a perfect example of a short-term signing that is going to cost in the long term. That signing never should have gone through a good sporting director, a good owner, a good head of recruitment.

"That signing should have never gone through that signing, in my opinion. It should have been a veto, bang, gone. He doesn’t fit long term, wages, he’s a good player, the wages are crazy, the length of contract is crazy."

His Sky Sports colleague Jamie Carragher offered a scathing assessment of Casemiro following a heavy defeat at Crystal Palace, which saw the Brazilian fill in at centre-half. The ex-Liverpool man urged the United star to consider hanging up his boots.

"The level of that player, he should not be putting himself through this," he said. "He is too good to be putting in that level of performance and being laughed at by Crystal Palace. He is not playing Man City or Real Madrid. A man of that level should not be going through that. He needs to call it a day."