Michael Carrick confirmed Casemiro has played his final match for Manchester United following last weekend’s Old Trafford farewell.
The 34-year-old swapped Real Madrid for Old Trafford in 2022 for a fee rising £70million, signing a four-year deal with an option for a further season.
United announced in January that Casemiro would leave the club when that contract expired and he has enjoyed a successful final few months, playing a key role in their rise to third in the Premier League.
The midfielder was celebrated by Old Trafford in last Sunday’s 3-2 victory against Nottingham Forest and Carrick has confirmed he will not feature on the final day at Brighton.
“It was kind of decided that last week would be his last game,” the head coach said of Casemiro, who is reportedly closing in on a move to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
“I think that went well, as well as we all could have hoped, to be honest, and he’s been fantastic.
“I’ve said a lot of things about Case and how well he’s done for me since I’ve been here and for the whole club.
“But, yeah, it was decided that it was a good time for him to finish, really.”
Carrick added: “It just felt the right time, I think, for Case. He was part of that as well.
“There is an element of balance about the last game. We’re not done. The season’s not done for us. We’re really conscious of that.”
There was a feel-good factor around Old Trafford last weekend, with Casemiro serenaded as well as head coach Carrick.
News filtered through in the build-up to the Forest game that a broad agreement had been struck for the former midfielder to stay on as head coach beyond the summer after impressing in the short-term.
A deal was still not confirmed by the time United hosted their pre-Brighton press conference but Carrick all but confirmed it was a matter of when rather than if an announcement came.
Asked for the umpteenth time about the contract situation, Carrick said with a smile: “Yeah, it was said end of the season pretty much wasn’t it so we’re not far away, a couple of days away.
“So, yeah, I said to you the other day that clarity is pretty much around the corner and it is going to be now. But at this stage I can’t really give you anymore.”
Carrick indicated United have a clean bill of health ahead of the trip to Brighton, suggesting Benjamin Sesko is available after missing two games with a shin issue.
But Matthijs de Ligt is unavailable having undergone surgery on a longstanding back issue.
