Casemiro agrees deal with Inter Miami and leaves United for free
After weeks of drawn-out negotiations, Brazilian midfielder Casemiro has agreed his transfer to Inter Miami at no transfer cost. The deal has been confirmed, with all parties aligned and only the signature pending. At 34, the multiple champion ends his cycle at Old Trafford and sets off for MLS.
What stalled and what unlocked the negotiation
The main obstacle was neither salary nor the player’s wish – that had been resolved some time ago. The problem was LA Galaxy, the club that held the so-called discovery rights over Casemiro in MLS, which gave them priority to close a deal. To get past that barrier, Inter Miami had to pay a compensation fee estimated at up to 750,000 pounds. The amount is negligible for a club the size of the Herons, but the process took longer than expected.
With the pending issue resolved and personal terms already agreed beforehand, the deal was unlocked for good. According to information, the Brazilian will play alongside Lionel Messi in Miami – and that factor, it must be said, weighed heavily on the decision.
The end of a cycle that almost ended bitterly
Casemiro’s spell at Manchester United was, to put it mildly, uneven. Under Erik ten Hag and then with Ruben Amorim, the midfielder seemed to age on the pitch, suffocated by tactical systems that demanded characteristics he simply does not have. The Portuguese coach’s 3-4-2-1 was particularly cruel: it demanded mobility and width from a player whose talent lies elsewhere.
The turnaround came with Michael Carrick in interim charge. In a more traditional 4-2-3-1, Casemiro could breathe again. He performed consistently alongside Kobbie Mainoo and even contributed five decisive goals – all headers, from crosses – that made United a real threat on set pieces. The club, on the brink of collapse at certain phases of the season, secured its place in the Champions League in good part thanks to the Brazilian.
Goodbye to £350,000 a week and arrival at the “American dream”
From a financial point of view, the departure suits United as much as the player. Casemiro’s salary reached 350,000 pounds a week with Champions League bonuses included – the highest on the club’s wage bill. Removing that figure from the budget was a priority for the INEOS management, who chose not to trigger the one-year contract extension clause, even in the face of the midfielder’s recovery in form.
There was interest from Serie A and Saudi football, but Casemiro had a defined destination. Miami, with its strong Latin American cultural presence and geographical proximity to Brazil, works as a golden retreat for a player who has already won everything he had to win. Five Champions League titles with Real Madrid, a World Cup as a squad member on the CV, and now the chance to end his career with Messi by his side. Few players are lucky enough to go out at the top. Casemiro was one of them.
