There are some interesting similarities between Roy Keane’s Manchester United exit exactly 20 years ago and the current situation with Casemiro.
It has been exactly 20 years to the day since Roy Keane’s departure from Manchester United was announced.
Keane was in the final year of his contract at United, but his exit was mutually agreed in advance. He had spent 12 and a half years with the Red Devils.
As per BBC Sport, Keane had reportedly lashed out at the side in an unreleased interview with MUTV.
David Gill regrets letting Keane leave, calling his fallout with Sir Alex Ferguson ‘petty’. Fast-forward 20 years, and United need nothing more than a player like Keane.
What Ruben Amorim can learn from Roy Keane exit
Ferguson struggled to replace Keane at United, and it can be argued that the club has not found a player of his calibre in midfield since.
When Keane left United, he was 34 years old. Interestingly, Casemiro will also be 34 years old when his contract at United expires.
Like Keane, Casemiro is a midfield bruiser who is a leader in United’s dressing room. His experience as a five-time Champions League winner is priceless, and the Brazilian has revitalised his form in 2025/26.
READ MORE: Casemiro is the nearest player Manchester United have signed to Roy Keane since he left in 2005
Casemiro’s contract expires in the summer, and now it is up to Amorim and Ineos to decide whether or not to let the experienced midfielder leave.
After his latest performances, do you want Casemiro to sign a one-year contract extension?
There have been talks with Casemiro over a new deal on reduced terms.
Unlike Keane, Casemiro has not criticised the club or caused any drama behind the scenes. Amorim can make a purely footballing decision on his future. But he can learn from Ferguson that players like Keane and Casemiro are often hard to replace.
What Roy Keane said about his Man United exit
There were clearly some regrets from the likes of Ferguson and Gill about how Keane’s exit was handled, and the United legend admitted that he was left crying after his exit.
In an episode of The Overlap, Keane said: “I was 34, I had a broken foot and my contract was coming up.
It was an easy fix for United to go ‘you know mate, your days are numbered’. All right, cheers, thanks a lot.
“And I’ve seen players leave. I could have left in the summer. I had no hang-ups about leaving in the summer or going ‘am I getting another sneaky deal here?’. Listen, I am a big boy, I can deal with it. It was all the way it was done, it wasn’t nice. That’s the bit. Not that I had to leave Manchester United, that’s life.”
When it comes to Amorim handling Casemiro’s departure, it’s clearly important to sever ties amicably. But first, the Portuguese head coach must decide whether the Brazilian should be kept around for another year.
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