One of Erik ten Hag’s major issues might be remedied by the skilled midfielder.
The second season of Erik ten Hag’s tenure as Manchester United manager was a letdown after the promising first.
They are now sixth in the Premier League and were eliminated early from the League Cup and Champions League. Despite making it to the FA Cup final, they will play Manchester City, who have been unstoppable for the last two years.
Nevertheless, the Dutchman must be held somewhat responsible; nevertheless, he has not been assisted by the abundance of injuries and the several players who seem to have lost touch with the basics of the game this season.
Casemiro has “dropped off a cliff” this season, after a stellar first season with the club last year, according to writer Isaac Seelochan, who ranked him among the worst offenders. Fortunately for the supporters, rumors have it that the club may be planning to bring in a replacement for him over the summer.
Man Utd hoping to find a new Casemiro
Some Spanish media outlets have reported that Manchester United are keen on adding Adrien Rabiot, a standout for Juventus and a French international, to their midfield this summer.
The 29-year-old’s contract is up at the end of the season, so INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe could potentially get his services for free. This would give them more money to spend in other positions as they try to reinvigorate the club.
Although there would be no fee involved, the Red Devils might have to fork over a competitive salary package to sign the experienced star. A report from CaughtOffside adds that Bayern Munich and Barcelona are also interested in signing him. If they can get rid of Casemiro’s wages as well, it might be a great deal.
Comparison between Rabiot and Casemiro
Now, the main gripe that some may have with the notion of Rabiot replacing Casemiro, even temporarily, is that the Frenchman has mostly played in the middle of the field as a central midfielder, whereas the Brazilian has mostly played on defense.
While this may be true on the surface, the Juventus star has actually played 76 games in the number six position throughout his career. With his quality and experience, there’s no reason to think he couldn’t adapt to play that role for United as they transition under Ten Hag.
The former Real Madrid player also ranks second in most categories, including a few of defensive ones, when comparing the two teams’ fundamental statistics, albeit he does better in a few. For instance, his progressive passing, tackling, and blocking numbers are higher per 90 than anybody else’s.
| Rabiot vs Casemiro | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stats per 90 | Rabiot | Casemiro |
| Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists | 0.26 | 0.23 |
| Progressive Carries | 2.25 | 0.56 |
| Progressive Passes | 3.97 | 5.44 |
| Progressive Passes Received | 3.71 | 1.94 |
| Shots on Target | 0.49 | 0.39 |
| Passing Accuracy | 82.3% | 81.4% |
| Shot-Creating Actions | 2.21 | 1.83 |
| Goal-Creating Actions | 0.19 | 0.17 |
| Tackles | 1.95 | 3.56 |
| Tackles won % | 64.1% | 64.0% |
| Blocks | 0.86 | 3.61 |
| Interceptions | 0.94 | 0.83 |
| Successful Take-Ons | 0.94 | 0.44 |
| Aerial Duels Won | 1.80 | 2.00 |
| All Stats via FBref for the 23/24 Season | ||
Nevertheless, the Brazilian is significantly less effective in a number of key areas: progressive carries, take-on success, pass completion, interceptions, shots on target, non-penalty expected goal and assist figures, shot and goal-creating actions, and, most surprisingly, tackle wins.
The “extraordinary” Juve ace, characterized by French icon David Trezeguet, isn’t going to be United’s long-term solution at 29 years old, but considering his significantly improved overall statistics and the fact that, as Jamie Carragher put it, “Casemiro’s legs have gone,” it would probably be wise to bring him in as a “cheap” substitute for the Brazilian,—if only for a couple of seasons.
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