Casemiro - Player Profile | What can the Midfielder Bring to Man United?

Casemiro was one of the two Brazilian players that Manchester United signed this summer transfer window. The 30-year-old midfielder joined from Spanish side Real Madrid, whom he joined back in 2013. The Red Devils splashed a whopping fee of £60m plus £10m in add-ons to secure the signing.

Casemiro playing for Manchester United, Casemiro, Manchester United — Image Obtained Via Getty Images

The Brazilian has signed a four-year deal at the Old Trafford, with an option to extend into a fifth. He has made 4 appearances for the Red Devils so far. He came on as a substitute in 3 Premier League games, before playing a full 90 minutes in the 1-0 loss to Real Sociedad in the Europa League.

Player Career

Casemiro began his playing career in the youth levels of Brazil. From the age of 11 onwards, he captained the Sao Paulo youth outfits. He also played in the 2009 U-17 World Cup which was held in Nigeria. However, Brazil finished a disappointing third in their group and were eliminated in the group stage itself.

The defensive midfielder made his first-team debut for Sao Paulo in 2010. He registered 66 appearances with the Brasileiro Série A side across 3 years (stats via transfermarkt). He won the Copa Sudamericana in 2012 with the Brazilian club.

In January 2013, the 30-year-old joined Real Madrid’s B team on loan. Casemiro made his first-team debut in April 2013. However, he was mostly involved with the second team, making 15 appearances. Los Blancos made the transfer permanent for a deal worth around $18 million.

Under manager Carlo Ancelotti, Casemiro made 25 appearances across the 2013-14 season. He was then loaned to FC Porto. The Brazilian made 41 appearances for the Portuguese side, scoring 4 goals, including a thunderbolt against FC Basel in the Champions League.

Casemiro was recalled to the Santiago Bernabeu for the 2015-16 season. Under manager Zinedine Zidane, the defensive midfielder formed the heart of Madrid’s set-up along with Toni Kroos and Luka Modric. Real Madrid went on to win three consecutive Champions League titles between 2016 and 2018. The Brazilian was actively involved in all three campaigns, as well as the 2022 edition success.

The defensive midfielder has 7 goals and 5 assists across 9 seasons in the Champions League. He also has 24 goals and 19 assists in 222 league games for Los Blancos. He won 3 league titles (2017, 2020 and 2022), 3 Club World Cups (2016, 2017 and 2018), and the 2014 Copa del Rey.

The 30-year-old made his senior National team debut in a friendly against Turkey in 2014. He has represented his country in 4 editions of Copa America, winning in 2019, and finishing runners-up in 2021. The 30-year-old was also a part of Tite’s squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. He has 63 appearances for the Selecao, scoring five times and creating two goals.

Casemiro: Player Profile

Casemiro is a proper defensive midfielder. For Real Madrid, the Brazilian has been used as a lone pivot, allowing Toni Kroos and Luka Modric to express themselves higher up the pitch. Furthermore, his deeper positioning also allowed Marcelo and Dani Carvajal more freedom from the full-back positions.

For the Brazilian National team, he has been used largely in a double pivot. The former Porto loanee usually sits back deeper, allowing his partner to drive forward more. Fred, Arthur Melo and Fabinho have all thrived playing alongside Casemiro.

Year – 2015.

Porto v Basel.

Goalscorer – Casemiro. (@Casemiro) pic.twitter.com/ZBXQAa8Z4T

— EuropeanGoals. (@ThrowbackUefa) August 20, 2018

Off the ball, the Manchester United signing acts as the second-last line of defence. Sitting ahead of his centre-backs, Casemiro looks to disrupt opposition attacks, either by cutting off passes or engaging in duels. In the 2021-22 league season, he won 4.3 ground duels and 3.2 aerial duels every 90 minutes.

Casemiro is tidy on the ball too. He is not the coolest under pressure or a very adept dribbler. However, the Brazilian possesses a great passing range, and can accurately pick out forwards with long balls. He is also a potent force when allowed to occasionally drive forward and attack the box. Casemiro possesses a great long-shot and is also very good in the air, and can be a target for Manchester United wingers’ crosses and set-pieces.

Verdict

Casemiro represents a profile that Manchester United have sorely lacked for a long time. Equally capable of working in a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3, the Brazilian promises to be a quality addition to Erik Ten Hag’s roster. Casemiro seems to be settling into United’s system as the Red Devils are slowly shrugging off a poor start to the season.

What do you think of the Casemiro signing? Should he be used as a single pivot or in a double pivot? What is Manchester United’s best midfield combination for the season? Let us know in the comments.

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