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Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Erik ten Hag played a key role in convincing Casemiro to join Manchester United in the summer.
The reliable reporter spoke about the Brazilian in his Daily Briefing and opened up on the Red Devils’ pursuit of a marquee midfielder during the transfer window.
“What a season Casemiro is having! Despite the pursuit of Frenkie de Jong and Adrien Rabiot earlier in the summer, Casemiro has always been on the list for Manchester United, but he wasn’t available in June or July,” Romano said.
“When the situation changed in August, Manchester United decided to proceed and Erik ten Hag was crucial as he spoke directly to the player. It was a difficult signing but an excellent one.
“There was nothing concrete with other clubs, despite links with Chelsea. Real Madrid wanted to keep the player, but when Manchester United called, Casemiro decided to accept and force his exit from him. He was not close to joining anyone else.”
As previously reported by The Peoples Person, the irons were in the fire long before late August, with Fred having known about Casemiro’s potential arrival early in the summer.
But with United doing everything in their power to capture Frenkie de Jong, many other transfer deals were delayed as the club tried to make the most of their budget.
In any case, there can be no regrets as to how things panned out, with Casemiro proving to be an invaluable addition to Ten Hag’s team.
Named in the FIFA World XI yesterday, the midfielder has shown his class time and again in a United shirt this season.
His performance in the Carabao Cup final was a sight to behold as he marshalled his team and lifted them to a vital win over Newcastle United.
Alongside Marcus Rashford, the Brazilian is undoubtedly the Red Devils’ most important player, and his absence was keenly felt against Arsenal at the Emirates last month, the only match United have lost since returning from the World Cup.
A true midfield general, Casemiro has proven to be exactly the player that United have always needed.
