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Gary Neville says Casemiro has been “devastating” for Manchester United but the £70 million player wasn’t a “sensible signing.”
Gary Neville acknowledges that Casemiro has been “devastating” for Manchester United, but he doesn’t believe the £70 million man was a “smart signing.”
This summer, the Brazilian completed a massive £70 million ($84 million) transfer from Real Madrid to United, becoming their sixth-most expensive signing ever. Although having trouble at first adjusting to life in England, Casemiro has cemented himself as a key player in Erik ten Hag’s starting lineup.
He has also contributed a couple of goals, one of which was in United’s victory over Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final.
While Neville admits the 31-year-old has had a significant influence at Old Trafford, he still thinks the club’s hefty investment in the ageing midfielder was misguided. Instead, he desires that his previous team concentrate on more youthful players who are still at the peak of their careers, such as Lisandro Martinez and Antony.
“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’.
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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.”
Harry Kane of Tottenham has been linked to a transfer to United recently, and while Neville is a great fan of the 29-year-old as well, he has the same concerns about signing him as he had with Casemiro.
“You know something, I’ve worked with him and you watch him. He will score 30 goals, he will get 10-15 assists, and that is an absolute fact,” the United legend added. “He’s a professional, the dressing room will love him, he’ll fit in straight away and he’s a guarantee for Manchester United. But if he’s going to cost £150million and he’s 30, then it’s a short-lived [signing].
“So I think Harry Kane is the type of player who could take you to the title, he is, because he would just connect the whole of the midfield, the top of the pitch, he’ll score goals, the fans will love him, the players will love him and I don’t see how you can go wrong with him.
But the fact of the matter is, for the long term, it wouldn’t be something that worked. He’s got another five years left in his career by the way, so I don’t think there’s a problem with that, it’s just that he is, obviously, in the latter part of his career.”
As United hosts West Ham in the FA Cup on Wednesday, the Brazil international will want to put up another strong performance in midfield.