Casemiro Could Retire at Manchester United, Amorim Wants Him for Rebuild – But Wage Cut Is Essential

According to The Sun, new head coach Rúben Amorim has given the green light for Casemiro to stay at Manchester United, giving the 33-year-old Brazilian midfielder a chance to end his career at Old Trafford. However, for any contract extension beyond his current deal, he would have to accept a significant pay cut—something Sir Jim Ratcliffe would require to approve the renewal.

Casemiro had been widely expected to leave United due to inconsistent performances over the past two years. But since March, the former Real Madrid star has regained form and become instrumental in United’s run to the Europa League final. He orchestrated a dramatic comeback in the quarterfinal second leg against Lyon and scored in both semifinal legs versus Athletic Bilbao.

Sources at the club say Amorim is now working closely with Casemiro at Carrington and views him as a key figure in the squad rebuild—not only for his title-winning pedigree at Real Madrid but also his versatility and leadership.

While there has been transfer speculation around Casemiro, his only real suitors are clubs in Saudi Arabia and Major League Soccer. So far, no concrete moves have been made. Sources close to Casemiro say he’s happy in England and values playing in a top-tier league—especially with his £350,000-a-week wage, the highest at the club. The Mirror reports that if United qualify for the Champions League again, his salary would increase by 25%, nearing £500,000 per week.

In a recent interview, Casemiro said: “I’ve won almost everything, but I always want more. I want to win, to be a champion. That’s the spirit. People only see the 90 minutes, but I always say the match is a reflection of what you do every day. Whether I’m playing or not, I work hard every day. That’s who I am. That’s how I live football.”

He added: “If United win, I win. What matters is Manchester United winning—not me or anyone else. I want to help however I can, and I’ll give everything. That’s my mentality. That’s why I’ve achieved what I have.”

Brazilian outlet Trivela reports that United may yet activate the “+1” clause in Casemiro’s contract, which would extend his deal to 2027. Casemiro is reportedly waiting for the club’s decision.

However, it's too early to talk about him retiring at United. First, he must agree to a wage cut—potentially up to 50%—to stay beyond next season.

In football, things change quickly. Just two years ago, David de Gea had agreed to a reduced salary of £200,000 per week, but after a poor FA Cup final performance, Erik ten Hag scrapped the deal, and De Gea was replaced by £50M signing André Onana.

Now that Casemiro is performing well, speculation is growing about his long-term future. But if he struggles in the Europa League final, calls for his sale will resurface. For financial fair play reasons (PSR), United would need at least £15M in transfer fee to avoid recording a loss on his departure.