By Betsefy
Former Manchester United captain Rio Ferdinand has said that there are a number of positives and negatives to Casemiro‘s arrival at Old Trafford.
The 20-time English champions announced on Friday evening that they had reached an agreement with Real Madrid for the acquisition of the experienced midfielder.
Casemiro will undergo his medical with the Red Devils this weekend before potentially making his debut for the club in their Premier League clash with Southampton on August 27.
Ferdinand has admitted that he has concerns over the move, with the 30-year-old potentially finding it difficult to reignite a team that is going through a testing period.
“Are there negatives? Yes there are,” Ferdinand said on his Vibe with FIVE podcast. “Obviously the age, 30 years old. I wouldn’t say that’s a massive negative but I think if you’re talking from a business standpoint there’s gonna be zero resale value.
© Reuters
“So it’s £60m, plus £10m add-ons, and then obviously you bounce on top of that the wages. So you’re probably looking somewhere near £100m – if you get change out of that, you will be lucky.
“In a time when we don’t have the finances, it doesn’t seem we can bring big players we have put it all into him. So he needs to work. To come from Spain for Casemiro into a team that is absolutely bereft of any confidence, is absolutely struggling in all areas, tactically especially, physically, mentally.
“I think it’s going to be a huge ask for a 30-year-old to come in, recharge, reboot and go again.”
However, Ferdinand has also set out a number of positives, calling the Brazilian “a real winner” and hailing his unselfishness on the field.
“First and foremost, the guy’s a real winner, he knows how to win, he’s been integral in everything positive about Real Madrid in recent years,” he added.
© Reuters
“[He has been] one of the main guys alongside the likes of Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Karim Benzema. Cristiano [Ronaldo] before that. When the big games come along, this guy performs. He knows what he’s doing, he’s there.
“There’s no thrills with him. He isn’t a stepover merchant, he isn’t a skills man, he isn’t someone who wants to get the fans off their seats with a bit of skill.
“He’s there to do a job that means that the team are better off, they run more efficiently, they’re going to have a chance of winning because he’s in the team. He’s first and foremost a team football player, which I love about him. If there’s a battle, he’s a man you want on your side.”
Casemiro has been with Real Madrid since 2013, making 336 appearances for the club, contributing 31 goals and 29 assists in the process.
Meanwhile, the South American, who could be in the stands against Liverpool on Monday night, has won three league titles, one Copa del Rey and five Champions League titles during his time at Bernabeu.
