Opinion: Why battle-ready Casemiro will be remembered fondly by Man Utd fans

A true modern midfield great, he arrived in the summer of 2022 to great fanfare, shortly after claiming his fifth Champions League medal in Real Madrid’s 1-0 victory over Liverpool in Paris.

United fans were thrilled at the news, and rejoiced when he was unveiled on the Old Trafford pitch shortly before a 2-1 victory against Liverpool, safe in the knowledge that the club had procured one of the game’s outstanding defensive midfielders. But some voices in the media were more critical of the transfer, citing the Brazilian’s age (30) and the 500-plus games Casemiro had already played in professional football.

Liverpool legend Graeme Souness labelled him a ‘Steady Eddie’ and said “you would never describe him as a great player”. But once Casemiro established himself in the United team, there were few who agreed with that assessment.

As soon as Casemiro found his feet, we saw that he was not just a steady ‘defensive’ midfielder, but so much more. He was great in both boxes, particularly at set-pieces, where his heading came to the fore. He showed an otherworldly sense of timing when it came to reading how the game would unfold. Perhaps the biggest surprise, to me, at least, was his passing range, which always served his team-mates and often showed great bravery and authority. And who can forget those – I’m searching for the right description here – backheeled, round-the-corner flicks?

But on reflection, when you think of the ups and downs the player has experienced here, I think the greatest thing about Casemiro has been his competitive hunger.