Casemiro has been ‘devastating’ for Man Utd but £70m man wasn’t a ‘smart signing’ – Gary Neville

Gary Neville admits Casemiro has been “devastating” for Manchester United, but he doesn’t believe the £70 million man was a “smart signing”.Information Guide Nigeria

Last summer, the Brazilian completed a £70 million ($84 million) transfer from Real Madrid to United, becoming the club’s sixth-most expensive signing ever. Casemiro has established himself as a lynchpin in Erik ten Hag’s lineup after initially struggling to adjust to life in England. He has also scored a few goals, including one in United’s Carabao Cup final victory over Newcastle United.….CONTINUE READING

Neville acknowledges that the 31-year-old has had a significant impact at Old Trafford, but believes the club’s large investment in the ageing midfielder was unnecessary. Instead, he wants his former club to focus on younger players like Lisandro Martinez and Antony, who are still in their prime years.

“I feel like Ten Hag is not going to sign [marquee names]. If new owners come in they’re going to want to make a statement, they’ll want to blow the transfer market open. I don’t think that will suit him,” Neville said when discussing United’s potential summer plans on the Sky Sports show The Overlap.

“I think he’ll want those younger, hungrier ones that have still got that growth rather than the finished article. Casemiro obviously defeats that a little bit, but you look at Antony and Lisandro Martinez, they’re younger and hungrier. I think that’s the type of player he’ll want to add to this squad rather than saying, ‘Oh, Kylian Mbappe’s available or so-and-so is available’.

“But Casemiro, there’s no doubt – we all said it by the way – £60m? £70m? And £20m-a-year [contract] for five years is a £170m investment. That is a massive investment. It’s not a smart or shrewd signing when you look at it from a [big picture] point of view. None of us thought that. But the impact he’s having in the short term and what Manchester United need now, he’s devastating for the club in unbelievable ways.”….CONTINUE READING