“He immediately replied…”: Former club respond to rumours of United ace’s potential summer return

Casemiro’s Manchester United adventure is all set to come to an end in a few months. The Brazilian midfielder has already announced that he will leave Old Trafford this summer, when his contract expires.

Casemiro has been a key part of the Red Devils’ recent resurgence under caretaker manager Michael Carrick, starting every game since the Englishman’s arrival. The Brazilian has already forged a stellar partnership with Kobbie Mainoo in midfield, that has helped the team register four wins and a draw in five games.

The 33 year old is enjoying a resurgent season so far, and was also pivotal under former head coach Ruben Amorim as part of a two-man pivot alongside Bruno Fernandes. The Portuguese head coach was relieved of his duties at the beginning of this year following a turbulent 14-month spell that failed to deliver on its promises.

Carrick, who has been put in charge until the end of the season, has continued to put his trust in Casemiro and the veteran midfielder has not disappointed so far.

Casemiro’s spell at Old Trafford

Casemiro arrived at the Theatre of Dreams in the summer of 2022 as one of former manager Erik ten Hag’s first signings. United managed a coup by convincing the five-time Champions League winner to make the move to England, and he proceeded to help the club lift the EFL Cup in his first season.

However, the Brazilian endured a dip in form in his second campaign and also struggled for consistency in his third season. He was linked with an exit ahead of the start of this campaign but ended up staying, and has proved the naysayers wrong.

Casemiro has been a permanent fixture in the middle of the park for the Red Devils this season, and has registered 25 appearances in all competitions, all but two of which have been starts.

Casemiro Stats: 2025/26 Season

Source: Transfermarkt.

United are already looking for his successor this year, with several candidates touted as options for the job. Recent reports, meanwhile, have linked Casemiro with MLS champions Inter Miami, while a return to his former club Sao Paulo has also been mentioned as a possibility. The Brazilian club’s football executive, Rui Costa, has now provided an update on the matter.

Casemiro not in talks with Sao Paulo

Speaking recently to a local videocast, as cited by Sport Witness, Rui Costa acknowledged that there had been informal contacts with Casemiro following his decision to leave United. He said: “We were one afternoon talking about it and one of our important players sent a message to Casemiro. Who wouldn’t like to have Casemiro in their team, right? I would!”

“He immediately replied saying that his project was not to return to Brazil, that his project was to remain in another market.”

However, Rui Costa insisted that the Brazilian club has not submitted an offer for Casemiro to return to his alma mater. He said: “Does that mean São Paulo made a proposal for Casemiro? No. São Paulo did not make a proposal for Casemiro and it would not, in my view, be prudent to do so without having a clear picture of how our squad would look.”

“Obviously I could not omit myself in the role I have from at least understanding whether he saw São Paulo as an alternative. That is what we did. There was no proposal, there was no formal enquiry. It was through an important person in the group who sent him a message.”

Final Thoughts

Casemiro’s recent form and importance to the team have ignited talk of a possible change in decision over his future, but it appears unlikely given the player’s age and his exorbitant wages. His departure, though, is likely to leave a gaping hole in midfield and United must ensure they bring in a proper replacement.

Featured image Julian Finney via Getty Images

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