{"id":3667,"date":"2026-03-15T23:34:33","date_gmt":"2026-03-15T23:34:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=3667"},"modified":"2026-03-15T23:34:33","modified_gmt":"2026-03-15T23:34:33","slug":"gary-neville-predicts-50m-star-will-leave-man-utd-with-casemiro-this-summer-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=3667","title":{"rendered":"Gary Neville predicts \u00a350m star will leave Man Utd with Casemiro this summer | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n\t\t\"Manchester\t<\/div>
Manchester United legend Gary Neville believes Manuel Ugarte will follow Casemiro out the exit door this summer (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Gary Neville says he expects Manuel Ugarte to make way when Manchester United return to the transfer market to strengthen their midfield options in the summer.<\/p>\n

Ugarte arrived in Manchester with weighty expectations on his shoulders after completing a \u00a350million transfer move from Paris Saint-Germain back in 2024.<\/p>\n

But the 24-year-old has badly struggled to live up to his hefty price tag across two underwhelming seasons in English football and is yet to make a single start since Michael Carrick took over the reins.<\/p>\n

In stark contrast, Kobbie Mainoo has enjoyed an extraordinary resurgence under United\u2019s interim head coach having effectively been frozen out of the starting XI under Ruben Amorim.<\/p>\n

Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro have also been firing on all cylinders in United\u2019s engine room and both played an integral part on Sunday afternoon as the Red Devils returning to winning ways with a 3-1 victory over Aston Villa.<\/p>\n

However, Casemiro \u2013 who opened the scoring at Old Trafford \u2013 has confirmed he will be departing United at the end of the season, leaving the club with a big hole to fill in the middle of the park and in the dressing room.<\/p>\n

Long before the Brazilian had even announced his impending exit, United had begun the search for reinforcements in central midfield, with the likes of Adam Wharton, Elliot Anderson and Carlos Baleba linked last summer.<\/p>\n

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Casemiro opened the scoring with a brilliant header against Villa (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\n\t\t\"Manchester\t<\/div>
The veteran Brazilian will leave Old Trafford at the end of the season (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Casemiro himself has reportedly encouraged United\u2019s hierarchy to pursue a bid to prise fellow countryman Bruno Guimareas away from Newcastle when the transfer window opens for business.<\/p>\n

Speaking after Casemiro\u2019s outstanding performance against Villa, Neville insisted it was \u2018right\u2019 that the club respected the midfielder\u2019s wish to seek a fresh challenge elsewhere.<\/p>\n

But the ex-United and England right-back said it was imperative that his former club fill the void with two high-quality additions to bolster their squad for next season.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"FBL-ENG-PR-MAN\t<\/div>
Sesko came on and scored a third against Villa to put Sunday\u2019s contest to bed (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018Casemiro has got such vast experience. Obviously Manchester United have got him in the latter part of his career,\u2019 Neville said on his Sky Sports podcast.<\/p>\n

\u2018When you see him now, you imagine\u2026 well we know because we saw him win five Champions League titles\u2026 what he was: he\u2019s an exceptional central midfield player that played in one of the most dominant central midfields you\u2019ll ever see, an amazing midfielder for Real Madrid.<\/p>\n

\u2018But it\u2019s right that United do let him go and it\u2019s right that he does leave United. This is like a cameo at the end of his career, almost like a swan song, where he\u2019s probably loving every minute of this and you can see it.<\/p>\n

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United need at least two new midfielders in the summer, says Neville (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018He\u2019s showing and kissing his badge to the fans, the fans absolutely love him and it\u2019s right that he does leave at the end of the season.<\/p>\n

\u2018They will miss his presence in both boxes. I think he\u2019s phenomenal at getting on the end of crosses and he\u2019s phenomenal at clearing them. He\u2019s brave in the air, he\u2019s really good, he gets up early. <\/p>\n

\u2018It was an exceptional goal.\u2019<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Manchester\t<\/div>
Carrick has won seven of his first nine matches since taking charge (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Neville added: \u2018United need two central midfield players in the summer.<\/p>\n

\u2018In the last summer transfer window, they rebuilt their forward line with Benjamin Sesko, Mathus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo to go along with the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo, and that\u2019s really starting to hum and purr and you can see real goals and real threat.<\/p>\n

\u2018Manchester United didn\u2019t score enough goals last season and that\u2019s an absolute no-no here, you have to score goals, so they\u2019ve corrected that. Bruno Fernandes creating and even Mason Mount I\u2019d throw into that when he\u2019s fit. <\/p>\n

\u2018There does look to be good options up top but the centre of midfield is a problem.\u2019<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Manchester\t<\/div>
Ugarte replaced Casemiro in the 89th minute against Villa (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

According to Neville, United should be look to replace Casemiro and Ugarte with a \u2018Michael Carrick-type\u2019 midfielder and a more combative \u2018destroyer\u2019.<\/p>\n

He explained: \u2018I think Kobbie Mainoo and Casemiro are doing a great job right now for Michael Carrick, however, every United fan in this stadium knows that\u2019s going to be nowhere near enough when United start playing in the Champions League next season, which is more than likely they will, and they don\u2019t get knocked out of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup in the first round.<\/p>\n

\u2018They\u2019re going to need three or four really good central midfielders. At the moment, they\u2019ve got Mainoo who you can buy into, but you can\u2019t really look at any of the others and think that\u2019s going to work.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Manchester\t<\/div>
The Uruguay international has failed to live up to expectations at the Theatre of Dreams (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018Casemiro is leaving and I think Ugarte will leave so they need two really good central midfield players. Probably one that\u2019s more positional, maybe like a Michael Carrick-type, and one that is more of a destroyer.\u2019<\/p>\n

The eight-time Premier League winner went on: \u2018Basically, they need those two players and that\u2019s the next area of focus.<\/p>\n

\u2018I do think the back needs looking at but I think the midfield will be the real focus in the summer transfer window.\u2019<\/p>\n

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The Red Devils moved three points clear of Villa with the win (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Carrick was wary of adding any fuel to speculation of a possible U-turn for Casemiro when the Brazilian\u2019s future was raised at his post-match press conference.<\/p>\n

The United interim boss did, though, applaud the former Real Madrid man on the \u2018terrific\u2019 impact he had made over the last few weeks.<\/p>\n

Asked if there was any chance of Casemiro changing his mind and staying, Carrick replied: \u2018I think, in some ways, it\u2019s difficult to say. <\/p>\n

\u2018When something is decided, in some ways, the fact that it\u2019s decided makes things a little bit easier and everyone understands the situation really. <\/p>\n

\u2018I think the impact he\u2019s had has been terrific, certainly since I\u2019ve been here and working with him, and his influence in the team and big moments in goals. <\/p>\n

\u2018And I think it was a nice moment at the end there with the supporters, and having that connection and the respect. <\/p>\n

\u2018That was a nice moment and I think he\u2019ll enjoy that.\u2019<\/p>\n

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