Would it be too simple to suggest that Manchester United are merely suffering in the absence of Casemiro?
The veteran Brazilian had embarked on something of a farewell tour at the end of last season, proving a real key figure under Michael Carrick after netting five times in 2026 alone.
The legs might have left him, but sorry Jamie Carragher, the football hadn’t, the 34-year-old continuing to produce key, clutch moments to help drag United back into the Champions League.
Following a rocky period at Old Trafford, the midfield machine had looked back to the player who had become almost an instant hero in his debut season in Manchester.
Remembering Casemiro’s first season at Man Utd
“Tell them I’ll fix it”. Those were the words of Casemiro to his agent back in August 2022, the incoming signing watching on as his future employers wilted away at Brentford.
Signed on a bumper £70m deal from Real Madrid, the then-30-year-old was paraded to the Old Trafford crowd ahead of the subsequent meeting with Liverpool, a game that sparked something of a turning point for Erik ten Hag.
It wasn’t until early October that he made his first Premier League start against Everton, however, eased in slowly by Ten Hag as the Dutchman persisted with the likes of Scott McTominay.
When Casemiro was handed his chance, he grabbed it with both hands, notably supplying the assist for Cristiano Ronaldo’s 700th club goal that night at Goodison Park.
By the end of that month, he’d begun to develop almost cult status among the United faithful, roaring into the away end at Stamford Bridge after netting his first goal for the club in stoppage time.
|
Casemiro – 22/23 vs 25/26 |
||
|---|---|---|
|
22/23 |
Stat (*per game) |
25/26 |
|
28 |
Games |
34 |
|
4 |
Goals |
9 |
|
3 |
Assists |
2 |
|
7 |
Big chances created |
4 |
|
1.0 |
Key passes* |
1.1 |
|
79% |
Pass accuracy* |
81% |
|
3.2 |
Tackles* |
2.6 |
|
1.2 |
Interceptions* |
0.9 |
|
6.4 |
Total duels won* |
5.5 |
|
1.6 |
Dribbled past* |
1.5 |
|
13.0 |
Ball lost* |
10.9 |
It was a header that would typify the South American as a man for the big moments in a red jersey, having later opened the scoring in the Carabao Cup final – with another glancing header, of course.
Hailed as the “cement” in the side by Ten Hag, he was also selected by Gary Neville as his signing of the season in May, with no other player having had a “bigger impact” on their team than the Brazilian.
It’s the type of impact that United and Carrick could do with again.
Ex-Man Utd man has been “raving about” the new Casemiro
Man United are only seven games into the new season in all competitions, but all is not well right now, Carrick having overseen the club’s joint-worst start to a Premier League campaign.
Turfed out of the Carabao Cup again at the first attempt, much of the good work done last season has been swiftly undone, with pressure mounting on the 45-year-old Englishman.
The succession plan in terms of replacing Casemiro hasn’t gone to plan as yet, with Youri Tielemans proving a mixed bag so far, while Andrey Santos has already fallen down the pecking order following his £50m arrival.
Perhaps it will fall upon Carlos Baleba to be the man to ‘fix it’ this time around, supporters already looking to the Cameroonian as some kind of saviour after a dismal start to the campaign.
Signed for a fee of around £70m, the 22-year-old may well follow in Casemiro’s footsteps by making a delayed start to his United career, the midfielder yet to make a single appearance since joining from Brighton and Hove Albion.
Injury has been the issue there, although the sight of Baleba on the bench against Fulham suggests that he could be in line for his start in October, with Carrick’s men taking on Tottenham Hotspur after this extended international break.
Like Casemiro in that debut season, in which he was averaging 4.4 tackles and interceptions per game, the Red Devils need another midfield monster to dominate in the centre of the park, having looked so creaky defensively again this season.
The back four needs protecting, and like Casemiro, Baleba is the man to do it, his standout 2024/25 campaign with the Seagulls seeing him average 3.7 tackles and interceptions per game, while winning 5.9 total duels on average.
It was that kind of form that had his then-teammate and former Man United star, Danny Welbeck “raving about” him, as relayed by Quinton Fortune, with Baleba already receiving lofty praise from those at the Amex.
“I am on the WhatsApp group with the other ex-players from Manchester United and we have all been speaking about Carlos Baleba. Even Danny Welbeck when he was at Brighton was raving about him.”
Welbeck, a former title winner under Sir Alex Ferguson, knows what it takes to succeed at Old Trafford, with hopes high that Baleba, even at just 22, can be the Casemiro-style solution that Carrick is crying out for.