Rio Ferdinand has shared his two cents on a major critique around Casemiro’s playing spell at Manchester United after his exit from Real Madrid in 2022.
Casemiro received an emotional farewell from Manchester United fans on Sunday afternoon after he played his final match at Old Trafford as a Red Devils player.
The 34-year-old Brazilian defensive midfielder started and played 79 minutes of Man Utd’s 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest in the Premier League clash at Old Trafford.
Michael Carrick withdrew Casemiro, who will become a free agent in the summer, and replaced the former Real Madrid star with Mason Mount in Sunday’s match.
Will Casemiro’s comments on Manchester United inspire other top players to follow? What is your response to his statement?
Rio Ferdinand on the combined amount of money that Man Utd have spent on Casemiro
Casemiro’s contract at Manchester United will expire at the end of the 2025-26 campaign and the Red Devils opted not to extend the Brazil international’s deal.
The United midfielder has been linked with clubs in the MLS and Saudi Arabia ahead of his Premier League contract with the Red Devils expiring in June.
United dropped a hefty initial transfer fee of £60m, including agreeing to a further £10m, to sign Casemiro in the first place from Real Madrid back in 2022.
Rio Ferdinand was asked if he agreed with the criticism around Casemiro being a ‘waste of money’ by the Red Devils, including the mammoth wages that he was paid.
Speaking after the Man Utd vs Nottingham Forest match, he said on Rio Ferdinand Presents: “Yeah, listen, he has cost a hell of an amount of money, but you’re not going to get a player of that calibre on the cheap, do you know what I mean?
“I think the fee, you could argue, was it a bit much with the lack of sell-on that you’re going to have because of his age? You could argue that.
“But Man United, the way that the hierarchy were running the club at that time, people were putting numbers in front of Man United and Man United were just going for it. So that was then.
“And I think looking back at that, I think it’s not about the fee or what’s been paid. I think it’s more about the man.”
What is your message to Casemiro ahead of his final home game at Old Trafford?
Do you think it will be a scoring farewell for Casemiro?
Rio Ferdinand on the impact that Man Utd have directly had on Casemiro ahead of his Old Trafford exit
Casemiro will sign off four seasons at Old Trafford in the summer and United legend Ferdinand talked up the profound impact that United have now had on the player.
“The man that came and the man that’s left and the imprint that he’s left on the football club, but also the imprint the football club left on him and his family,” Ferdinand continued.
“And I think that’s one of the key things as well. He didn’t just buy into this and any player that travels and goes to a new country, it’s [absolutely] that their families need to buy into it. And his family did that and the way he spoke about them.
“And again, not just Man United touching him, the fans touched his family, which has been, like again, you can see the emotion that came with when he was talking was probably one of the big reasons as to why the interview [Ferdinand’s podcast interview with him] has done so well online.”
Brazil ace Casemiro has netted nine times and registered two assists in 35 matches across all competitions for Man Utd in the 2025-26 campaign at Old Trafford.
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