SIR JIM RATCLIFFE has questioned Manchester United’s signing of Casemiro – and even club staff felt Declan Rice would have been a better move.
United secured the Brazilian midfielder for a staggering £60million plus £10million in add-ons in the summer of 2022 from Real Madrid.
Ratcliffe, whose £1.25billion deal for a 25 per cent stake in Man Utd is close to being confirmed, toured around the club’s Carrington training base in March.
During his visit, he allegedly flagged the transfer as one he was unhappy with.
The Athletic claim he singled out 31-year-old Casemiro who he felt was not the right fit for Erik ten Hag‘s side.
When United chiefs were seeking a midfielder last year, they drifted from signing Frenkie de Jong to Casemiro after they lost 2-1 to Brighton and 4-0 to Brentford at the start of the 2022-23 term.
But there was resistance from within the club’s recruitment team about signing the Brazil captain.
Some of United’s employees preferred Englishman Rice as it was felt he was better suited to the club with regards complying with Financial Fair Play rules.
It was calculated that Rice would have cost a record-breaking £120million from West Ham but that fee could have been spread out over a longer contract.
Rice’s wages would also have been cheaper than Casemiro’s.
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Upon signing for Arsenal for £105million he agreed to a £250,000 per week contract, while Casemiro’s weekly wage is £350,000.
Also, the 23-year-old has potential resale value while veteran Casemiro is edging towards the end of his career.
Man Utd’s transfer plan has been distinctive for it’s extremes in the last few seasons.
The club have turned to experienced European stars with questions about their age such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Christian Eriksen.
But at the same time they’ve snapped up young potential talents from abroad for hefty fees like Rasmus Hojlund and Antony.
Just 18 months into his Old Trafford stay, Casemiro is supposedly open to leaving and is considering an offer from Saudi Arabia.
The midfielder has featured just 12 times this season, having been hit by several injury issues.