“He’s never been on the bench” – Rio Ferdinand expects ‘exemplary’ star to leave Man Utd in January | OneFootball

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand doesn’t expect Casemiro to be at Carrington by the end of the January transfer session.

The Red Devils splashed a whopping £60 million to lure the Brazilian midfield enforcer from Real Madrid in the summer of 2022. But after putting on solid displays in the early going, it later became increasingly evident that the player’s best days are behind him as he struggles to cope with the fast-paced nature of the Premier League.

Although United’s former interim coach Ruud van Vistelrooy considered him an ‘example’ during his brief tenure earlier this season, the 32-year-old has been enduring torrid times on the pitch, including miserable showings against Liverpool earlier this season and another poor outing against Newcastle United on the final contest of 2024.

In recent weeks, Casemiro has been heavily linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League, with Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly pushing for a reunion with his former teammate at Al-Nassr.

Rio Ferdinand doesn’t see Casemiro at Man United beyond the January transfer window

Casemiro of Manchester United looks dejected (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

For his part, Ferdinand believes the midfielder’s exit would be the right move for everyone involved.

“I don’t think Casemiro will be happy. At any point in his career he’s never been on the bench,” noted the former England international on his YouTube channel.

“So if he’s on the bench now, if an offer came in, he’d listen to it, but also the club, you can see now they are bringing on Toby Collyer.

“If they get an offer they require, that they want, I don’t think it will be something that will be difficult to happen. If he wants to go and play football, who are we to stand in his way at this stage of his career.”

The retired defender was full of praise for Collyer for his role in the FA Cup victory against Arsenal. The 21-year-old entered the pitch in the 81st minute and held the midfield despite the club’s numerical disadvantage.

“Toby Collyer was excellent when he came on. The energy levels were huge, through the roof. Testament to him.”