Casemiro's Contract Makes Manchester United Dilemma

JAKARTA - Sir Jim Ratcliffe, CEO of INEOS, who acquired 25 percent of Manchester United's shares for 1.03 billion, is making a squad overhaul. He was counting on the salary burden in his team during the open winter transfer window.

The Red Devils need to strengthen the squad to compete which means releasing several stars.

One of the players who made Ratcliffe dizzy was Casemiro's contract. His weekly salary made the Red Devils in a dilemma.

Ratcliffe wants to release Casemiro to cut the team's salary. However, United have already made a long-term deal.

When brought in from Real Madrid with a dowry of 60 million in 2022, Casemiro gets a salary of 350 thousand per week. He still has the remaining two and a half years.

In total, even if the 31-year-old player is retained, Manchester United will have a salary of 30 million in the next two and a half years.

Ratcliffe certainly doesn't want that. Moreover, Casemiro is deemed ineffective at Old Trafford, which he has only returned to training after being absent since November 2023 due to a hamstring injury.

Apart from that, the CEO of INEOS found the Glazers legacy team had a lot of extra costs in the squad.

No wonder, he has screened the squad in the January stock exchange. Several players have left Old Trafford on loan.

Donny van de Beek was loaned to Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt. Sergio Reguilon was sent back to Spurs even though his loan period at Old Trafford had not run out.

Reguilon is considered not to have contributed too much after suffering a long-term injury in the first half of the season.

Jadon Sancho will also return to his former club, Borussia Dortmund, on loan for the remainder of the season.

He has been frozen at Old Trafford since clashing with Manager Erik ten Hag in September 2023.

Ten Hag criticized Sancho and then removed him from the first team when the England international denied his claims.

Sancho has since practiced with the reserve team, even banned from entering the first team canteen after refusing to apologize.

According to reports, the winger's deal with Dortmund will not include an option to make his move permanent.