Casemiro is set for a hefty pay rise if Manchester United win the Europa League this month, according to a report.
The Brazilian’s future at Old Trafford has been in doubt all season, with United keen to move his £375,000-a-week salary off the wage bill.
He looked to have fallen down in the pecking order under Ruben Amorim, who at one point opted for young Toby Collyer instead.
However, Casemiro has reasserted his importance at United in recent weeks after delivering commanding performances.
After a period of inconsistent form and speculation about his future, the Brazilian has been instrumental in United’s Europa League campaign, with the midfielder contributing with two goals in the 7-1 aggregate demolition of Athletic Club in the semi-finals.
Casemiro, whose contract expires in 2026, looks set to benefit financially if Amorim’s men beat Tottenham in the Bilbao final on May 21.
Casemiro is set for a hefty pay rise if Manchester United win the Europa League this month
The Red Devils reached the final after beating Athletic Club and will face Tottenham in the final
After a period of inconsistent form, Casemiro has been vital in the club’s European campaign
According to the Daily Star, the former Real Madrid midfielder’s weekly wages will increase by 25 per cent if United return to the Champions League next season.
This means he will earn close to £500,000-per-week, which is what Cristiano Ronaldo earned in his second spell at the club.
Casemiro’s potential pay rise could come amid co-owner Jim Ratcliffe’s attempts to slash wages at the club.
In March, Ratcliffe named the five-time Champions League winner as one of six players ‘not good enough or overpaid’.
The British billionaire said at the time: ‘This summer, we will ‘buy’ Antony, we’ll ‘buy’ Sancho, we’ll ‘buy’ Casemiro, we’ll ‘buy’ Martínez, we’ll ‘buy’ Hojlund, we’ll ‘buy’ Onana, and they’re all about £17m each. If we buy nobody we’re buying those players. It’s not a light switch (that can be turned off).
‘These are all things from the past, whether we like it or not, we’ve inherited those things and have to sort that out.
‘For Sancho, who now plays for Chelsea and we pay half his wages, we’re paying £17m to buy him in the summer.
‘Some are not good enough and some probably are overpaid, but for us to mould the squad that we are fully responsible for, and accountable for, will take time.
Ratcliffe earlier this year named Casemiro as one of six players ‘not good enough or overpaid’
‘It takes time for us to move away from the past into a new place in the future. We’ve got this period of transformation where we move from the past to the future.
‘There are some great players in the squad as we know, the captain is a fabulous footballer. We definitely need Bruno (Fernandes), he’s a fantastic footballer.’
Earlier this week, Amorim claimed that United have found a way to get the best out of the 33-year-old.
‘I think he has improved a lot,’ said the United boss. ‘You can see not the way he plays but the way he runs. You can see it. We have the data to show him where he worked really hard. He is a very good example.
‘Even Toby sometimes was playing in front of him, and now it is hard to take Casemiro (out of the team). So it is a lesson for all the players in Manchester United. No matter what is the past or the last month, everything can change in one moment.’
Amorim accepts that Casemiro cannot perform the high press he wants and is happy to let the veteran midfielder sit deeper to help out at the back, while wing-backs like Noussair Mazraoui, Patrick Dorgu and Diogo Dalot join the attack.
He added: ‘We understood that he cannot jump all the time pressing high. Sometimes it is better to put three defenders and let him be the fourth defender, and put the wing-backs pressing high. These are all things we are understanding and trying to cope with all the criticisms of the team. But the credit is for Casemiro.’
