Ruben Amorim could win Man Utd power struggle after private messages and huge U-turn

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Manchester United have not ruled out keeping Casemiro, IF the Brazilian international agrees to take a pay cut.

The 33-year-old has been at Old Trafford since 2022 and remains one of the club’s highest earners. His current deal expires at the end of the current season, with United holding an option to extend that for 12 months.

It had appeared certain that Casemiro would leave the Premier League next summer amid interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia. However, ESPN now reports that him remaining hasn’t been ruled out - albeit not on his current salary.

That also means United are reluctant to trigger the option in his deal which would ensure he stays on his wage understood to be in the region of £300,000 per week. Him remaining at United beyond 2026 will be seen as major show of faith in Ruben Amorim, who has highlighted his importance, despite criticism from above.

United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been a vocal critic of Casemiro and hinted that had he been at the club at the time, he wouldn’t have been signed.

Speaking in March 2025, Ratcliffe said: "If you look at the players we are buying this summer, that we didn't buy, we're buying Antony, we're buying Casemiro, we're buying Onana, we're buying Hojlund, we're buying Sancho.”

He added: "Some are not good enough and some probably are overpaid, but for us to mould the squad that we are fully responsible for, and accountable for, will take time. We've got this period of transformation where we move from the past to the future."

Before that interview was conducted, it had been suggested that Ratcliffe was so opposed to the deal, he was prepared to rip up his contract prematurely.

But despite using him reluctantly at the start of his tenure, Casemiro has emerged as a vital part of Amorim’s United squad. He has so far started five of United’s seven Premier League games, missing one through suspension after seeing red vs Chelsea .

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Amorim has publicly praised the veteran on several occasions and revealed he changed his pressing structure in order to get the best out of him.

“We understood that he cannot jump all the time pressing high,” he explained last season. We need to let him understand and sometimes it is better to put three defenders and let him be the fourth defender and put the wing-backs pressing high.

“These are all things we are understanding and trying to cope with all the criticisms of the team. But the credit is for Casemiro.”

So enamoured with Casemiro, it has been reported that he singled out the midfielder in a private message to Ratcliffe after shining in the latter stages of the Europa League.

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In a group that includes several United powerbrokers, Amorim breaks down his thoughts in a min-report, with additional data also fed into the chat.

Casemiro found the net in both legs of the semi-final vs Athletic Bilbao, with Amorim quick to ensure Old Trafford bosses know exactly how vital he is to their setup.

If he does remain in Manchester, Amorim is still primed to enter the market in search of a new midfielder. Carlos Baleba was heavily linked during the summer window - a deal which could be revisited in 2026.

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