Casemiro will call time on his Manchester United career as a modern icon of the club, and his team-mates' comments underline his status
Casemiro's Manchester United journey will come to an end this summer after confirmation emerged that he'll depart when his contract runs out. The Brazilian will leave Old Trafford with his reputation intact, having been one of the few bright spots during a challenging era for the Red Devils.
The former Real Madrid stalwart shared a heartfelt tribute video on Instagram on Thursday, reflecting on his three-and-a-half years at the club. Club captain Bruno Fernandes was quick to respond, writing it "was a pleasure playing alongside you."
Current and former colleagues joined in the outpouring of appreciation, with Diogo Dalot, Altay Bayindir and Sergio Reguilon all posting applause emojis. Joshua Zirkzee simply wrote "crack," an alternative spelling of "craque," which in Portuguese signifies an exceptional talent.
This latest round of praise reflects the consistent admiration Casemiro has enjoyed during his spell in England. Arriving at United as a five-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid, the midfielder brought an aura of authority that commanded immediate respect.
Shortly after Casemiro's arrival at Old Trafford, Harry Maguire lauded his colleague following an FA Cup victory over Reading, telling MUTV: "Cas is a top player and has been a top player throughout his career.
"You don't win what he has won without being that and playing every game in the success that he has had for club and country. He is an amazing player and an amazing character, more importantly. To have him around the place lifts the morale. In and out of possession he has really improved us."
Just a month later in February 2023, Luke Shaw emphasised what an "extremely important player" the Brazilian was for the squad: "I think it's been quite obvious to see how important he is to the team when he's not been playing.
"For us as defenders, he gives us that feeling that we know there's a lot of security, especially because of his positioning, where he always is. He loves to win the ball back and tackle. We always say to him that he likes to give the ball away so he can go and win it back!"
It's evident Casemiro quickly built strong bonds at Carrington based on his team-mates' glowing testimonials. Despite a challenging second campaign at Old Trafford, the South American has been an essential component throughout most of his near four-year spell with United.
He netted the club's first goal in the 2023 Carabao Cup final victory over Newcastle, securing the inaugural silverware of his United journey. Marcus Rashford was full of praise at the time, crediting him with making life simpler for the attacking players: "He makes a huge difference for us.
"His leadership and experience in big games is essential. Speaking to some of the other forward lads, we have all said that when he is on the pitch, we can all feel the sense of security behind us, which is so important. I'm buzzing for him today."
Casemiro has been instrumental in any United success of late, helping them clinch both the League Cup and FA Cup during his tenure. Despite already having an illustrious career before joining, he will depart as a club legend, having consistently elevated standards at Old Trafford.