Casemiro's Saudi Switch a Done Deal, Says Inside Source

The writing has been on the wall for some time, and now it's official: Casemiro will bid farewell to Manchester United when the curtain falls on this season.

The Brazilian midfielder, 33, confirmed his exit via social media last week after the club declined to activate the extension clause in his contract. "Knowing when stages come to an end. Knowing when to say goodbye when you feel that you will be remembered and respected forever. Four months to give my all for this badge and for our goal. Eternal respect and affection for Manchester United and its wonderful fans. Forever Red Devil," read his statement.

What began as whispers back during the 2023/24 campaign—persistent links to the Saudi Pro League—now appears destined to become reality. Casemiro's stock had plummeted towards the tail end of Erik ten Hag's tenure, only to resurrect itself spectacularly under Ruben Amorim's watch. The Brazilian proved unexpectedly vital in the controversial 3-4-3 setup, operating alongside Bruno Fernandes with genuine quality. He departs, then, on an upswing rather than a whimper.

With his contract running down and a free transfer beckoning, the path to Saudi Arabia seems virtually inevitable. Former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown, a man with his ear firmly to the ground, is adamant about what's coming.

"Casemiro is almost certainly going to Saudi Arabia," Brown told Football Insider. "He'll be 34 at the end of the season, and the opportunity is there for him to go and make a hell of a lot of money over there and see out the rest of his career."

Brown reckons the dominoes are already falling into place. "The interest has been there for a while and his contract is running out so he can speak to anybody he likes about a move at the end of the season. I expect it will be agreed before the season ends and especially now they've announced his exit."

There's a curious subplot here, though. Brown questioned the club's decision-making in going public with Casemiro's departure at this particular juncture. "I'm not sure why they decided now would be the right time, when he's still playing a key role in the team, because it's only going to lead to speculation. If he has a bad game now, all the talk will be about 'is his head elsewhere?' and along those lines, so it creates a situation and opens the door for criticism."

According to Brown, United had apparently reached a private understanding about Casemiro's future some time ago. "I'm told they came to a private agreement a while ago that he would be leaving, whatever the reasons may be for that, but they didn't have to make it public."

So there we have it: a glittering Premier League chapter closes, and a lucrative sunset awaits in the Middle East.