Manchester United star would have to agree to pay cut to stay at Old Trafford next season

Manchester United midfielder Casemiro would have to agree to a pay cut if he were to extend his contract at Old Trafford, according to reports.

The Brazil international has featured in six of Manchester United’s Premier League games this season, five of which as a starter, so he clearly still plays an important role in Ruben Amorim’s plans.

However, Casemiro’s future at Manchester United remains uncertain, given that his current contract expires at the end of the season.

The club have the option to extend Casemiro’s stay for another year, but triggering the clause would mean having to continue paying him his lucrative salary.

According to ESPN, this would be against the club’s effort to reduce their wage bills, as shown by Raphael Varane and Marcus Rashford’s exits, so activating the extension would be unlikely.

Instead, Casemiro would reportedly have to agree to a sizeable pay cut on a new deal.

The report mentions that Casemiro is settled in Manchester with his family, so it could help convince him to sign a new deal.

However, the former Real Madrid star has also generated interest from clubs in Brazil and the Saudi Pro League, so he will have some options when he is allowed to talk to suitors in January.

Manchester United brought in Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain last year, but the Uruguay international’s two starts in the Premier League this season suggest that Amorim prefers Casemiro.

Similarly, Kobe Mainoo is rated highly as a talent, but is struggling to make the team under the Portuguese head coach.

That said, Casemiro is already 33, so there is a risk that his performance could drop in the future, so relying on Ugarte and Mainoo could be the safer choice for the club.