Jamie Carragher was right on Man United 'panic transfer' and Liverpool has shown how it's done
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher's prediction about Manchester United's hasty 'panic buy' has come true. If you were to ask any Red Devils fan about their most memorable moment from the 2022 summer transfer window, they'd likely mention a deal that didn't quite materialize.
Erik ten Hag, in his inaugural season at Old Trafford, was determined to bring his compatriot Frenkie de Jong to Manchester. The Barcelona star was identified as United's top midfield target before the transfer window even opened. Having previously worked together at Ajax, Ten Hag was eager to reunite with De Jong in Manchester. He saw the Camp Nou midfielder as the perfect fit to inject some much-needed ball-playing prowess into United's engine room.
However, despite a pursuit lasting over 100 days, United failed to secure Ten Hag's first-choice midfield signing, forcing it to explore other options. In a surprising turn of events, it signed Casemiro from Real Madrid for an initial fee of $75m (£60m/€70m), despite the stark contrast in player profiles.
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While there was no denying United's need for a world-class defensive midfielder, its abrupt shift in focus to Casemiro after failing to sign De Jong seemed somewhat impulsive. This decision came on the back of two opening Premier League defeats to Brighton and Hove Albion (2-1) and Brentford (4-0), fostering a sense of urgency within the club.
At the time, based on those two performances, signing Casemiro made sense. United knew he would add a much-needed defensive presence to its midfield and he soon made his mark on proceedings, becoming a key figure in Ten Hag's new-look team. Manchester United would even go on to beat Liverpool to a Champions League place.
Along with Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes, he played his part in correcting United's midfield woes of yesteryear and was one of the signings of the season. However, United, at the time of securing Casemiro's signature, faced a lot of criticism for spending up to $87m (£70m/€82m) on a player who had already celebrated his 30th birthday.
Signed to a four-year deal, plus the option of a fifth, United, in the back of its minds, must have known there would be very little chance of recouping much of that fee. Less than two years on, it will struggle to command half of it if it decides to cash in this summer.
The Brazilian has regressed at an alarming rate this season, with his performance in Saturday's 2-2 draw with Bournemouth another stark reminder of United's need to sign a new midfielder ahead of next season. He is a shadow of the player he was and it is no surprise that he could leave.
Even amid a downturn in fortunes for Liverpool, the contrast is stark. The Champions League place Manchester United fought so hard to get was squandered at the first opportunity, it looks highly unlikely it will return to the competition next season, and Casemiro has become an albatross around the club's neck.
Liverpool itself was forced into a quick rethink this summer, but it took a more measured gamble on Wataru Endō. With a considerably lower transfer fee and salary, every year the 31-year-old can keep delivering is a bonus, rather than the crisis brought on by Casemiro's decline.
This drop-off won't have come as a surprise to Jamie Carragher, though, with the former Liverpool defender expressing fears about his age after United's first match of the season back in August. He also described him as a 'panic buy'.
In his column for The Telegraph, Carragher expressed his doubts about Casemiro's value for money at Manchester United. He wrote: "I never believed Casemiro would be value for money. Not because there is any doubt that he has been a world-class player but because he is at a stage of his career when he cannot fully repay United's massive fee."
He went on to describe the Brazilian as a panic buy, stating: "He was a panic buy when he joined a year ago, bought in the immediate aftermath of the failed pursuit of Frenkie de Jong from Barcelona; an ageing, stellar name signed for big money and on a massive salary to appease increasingly disgruntled fans, despite the fact he will need replacing with a similarly massive outlay two years on. He is precisely the kind of signing United have been moving away from this summer as they look to the future."
Two months later, Carragher voiced further concerns about Casemiro's performance. Speaking to Covering Liverpool, he said: "I think Casemiro's legs have gone. I noticed it last season at Anfield and I didn't like what I saw."
He compared the situation to Fabinho 's performance for Liverpool the previous year, adding: "It took me back to watching Fabinho last year for Liverpool. I want to be the first to say it, I don't want to say it when everyone else is saying his legs have gone."
Given the evidence so far this season, Carragher's assessment seems accurate. Casemiro's rapid decline suggests that United urgently needs to strengthen its defensive midfield position this coming summer.
Kobbie Mainoo, who is in desperate need of a more reliable midfield partner, has been forced to shoulder the burden of two roles at once numerous times this season. Casemiro's dip in form serves as another stark reminder of why United needs to be more successful in its transfer dealings.
Liverpool.com says: Carragher wasn't the only one to spot Casemiro's decline a mile off. Especially given the manner in which Manchester United wasted its Champions League qualification, it must be asking itself whether the transfer was even remotely worth it, for essentially almost one season of genuinely elite service.
There is a time and a place for turning to experience to plug an immediate gap, as Liverpool did with Endō. But unlike Casemiro, he has already provided value on the initial investment, even if his involvement is curtailed from next season onwards. Making someone who is on the wrong side of 30 the marquee buy, especially with very little apparent planning, is rarely going to be smart business.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can read the original story in the Manchester Evening News by clicking here.