Michael Carrick praises Casemiro ahead of Manchester United's win over Chelsea. The Brazilian midfielder will leave the club as a free agent at the end of the season.
Key points
Michael Carrick praises Casemiro before Chelsea match
Casemiro will leave Manchester United as a free agent
Casemiro won five Champions League titles at Real Madrid
He helped United win the EFL Cup in his first season
Casemiro was part of a legendary midfield trio at Real Madrid
Mentioned in this story
CasemiroMichael Carrick
Manchester UnitedChelseaReal Madrid
Casemiro: Michael Carrick makes bold claim about Man United star
Manchester United caretaker manager Michael Carrick paid tribute to Casemiro ahead of the 1-0 win over Chelsea. The Brazilian is in the final months of his contract and will leave Old Trafford at the end of this season as a free agent.
Casemiro became a household name during his time at Real Madrid, where he won five Champions League trophies along with a host of other silverware. Alongside Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, the Brazilian formed one of the greatest midfield trios in the modern game.
The Red Devils managed a coup by convincing the player to leave the Santiago Bernabeu in the summer of 2022 and move to the Theatre of Dreams. Casemiro helped United win the EFL Cup in his debut campaign, before things went south in his second campaign.
The veteran midfielder, though, fought his way back and has been in spectacular form this season. Not only has the Brazilian managed to snuff out danger, but he has also been prolific in the final third and is enjoying the best goalscoring form of his career.
Casemiro’s 2025/26 Season
Throughout his career, Casemiro made a name for himself as a destroyer, but he did contribute in front of goal as well. His previous best return in a season was seven goals, a tally he achieved twice with Real Madrid and also managed to touch in 51 games in his debut campaign with United.
Q&A
Why is Casemiro leaving Manchester United?
Casemiro is set to leave Manchester United as a free agent at the end of the current season.
What did Michael Carrick say about Casemiro?
Michael Carrick made a bold claim praising Casemiro's contributions ahead of the match against Chelsea.
How many Champions League titles did Casemiro win at Real Madrid?
Casemiro won five Champions League titles during his time at Real Madrid.
What impact did Casemiro have in his first season at Manchester United?
Casemiro helped Manchester United win the EFL Cup in his debut season.
Related Articles
NBA·Recap
Murray's FT dominance irks Wolves, lifts Nuggets
Jamal Murray scored 30 points and set a franchise record by making all 16 free throw attempts in the Nuggets' 116-105 win over the Timberwolves in Game 1 of the playoffs. The victory gives Denver a 1-0 lead in the series.
ESPN News··1 min read
Sports
20.5-sack star named "best fit" for Cowboys in 2026 NFL Draft
Yahoo Sports·
Sports
Former Iowa women's basketball guard Teagan Mallegni commits to Big Ten foe
Yahoo Sports·
Sports
Iga Swiatek discusses new coaching setup after loss to Mirra Andreeva in Stuttgart
Yahoo Sports·
Sports
Giants 7-round NFL mock draft: Dexter Lawrence trade leads to big change
Giants trade Dexter Lawrence to Bengals, acquiring 10th pick in 2026 Draft
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Sports
Giants rumor from ESPN reveals who New York could target to replace Dexter Lawrence
See every story in Sports — including breaking news and analysis.
This season, however, the 34 year old has already found the back of the net eight times from 32 games in all competitions, all but two of which have been starts.
His superb form, especially under Carrick, initially sparked talk of a possible extension at Old Trafford. However, the player was quick to curb those rumours, and recent reports suggest that he could team up with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami this summer.
Nevertheless, Casemiro’s impressive goalscoring numbers have now earned him special praise from United’s caretaker manager.
Carrick hails Casemiro’s sixth sense
Speaking to MUTV, Carrick said that Casemiro has a sixth sense that has worked to United’s benefit this season. He said: “He’s certainly got the knack and the feeling, and that sense in and around the box. He’s got that sixth sense, in some ways that you can’t necessarily coach or you can’t necessarily always give the perfect moment or the action or the run to fit the cross.”
“You’ve got to put yourself in positions and sense the space and then, obviously, on top of that, to finish it and show the composure. I think he’s certainly done that this season.”
Casemiro also scored United’s only goal in the 2-1 defeat to Leeds United earlier this weekend. While the Brazilian’s goalscoring form has made headlines of late, Carrick pointed out that the player has been scoring important goals for United since arriving at Old Trafford. He said: “He’s always scored important goals.”
“He’s always found himself there at certain times. He’s scored good goals for us, important goals, [just] this season alone. Unfortunately, that one [against Leeds] just wasn’t quite enough for us to get back in the game.”
Final Thoughts
While United’s decision not to extend Casemiro’s stay is understandable, fans will be sad to see the player leave this summer. The Brazilian will also be eager to leave a lasting impression, and few would bet against him adding to his tally in the final five games of the season.