"Really sad": Mazraoui reacts to "world-class" star leaving Man Utd, £75m ace could replace him
Manchester United defender Noussair Mazraoui has admitted his sadness over the departure of midfielder Casemiro at the end of the season.
Casemiro has been a key player for the Red Devils since he arrived in 2022, but he is expected to part ways when his contract expires this summer.
The club have already announced his forthcoming exit, and when asked about it, Mazraoui admitted it will be ‘really sad’ to see the midfielder leave.
He told Manutd.com: “Yeah, really sad. I think the announcement, when I saw it, was like… it was a sad day.
“He brings experience, like crazy. He knows how it is to win.
“He knows how it is, also, the road to win, because he has done it, he has lived it.
“So, yeah, we’re going to miss him a lot in the team, outside of the pitch, inside the pitch, of course.”
Man Utd could replace Casemiro with Elliot Anderson
The Red Devils have a huge void to fill once Casemiro leaves on a free transfer this summer.
The 34-year-old has had a fine season, and his performances have been impressive since his departure was announced. He has won five duels per game with four recoveries and two tackles.
Casemiro, described as ‘world-class‘ by manager Brendan Rodgers, has also been influential in the final third for the club, scoring six goals and providing two assists in 27 league appearances.
United have still decided to replace him and could prefer someone who is more dominant with the ball.
Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson could be a perfect replacement for the former Real Madrid midfielder. The 23-year-old has won a staggering eight duels per league outing this term.
He has also made an average of eight recoveries alongside three tackles per game. On top of this, he has completed 56 passes per appearance with an accuracy of 86 percent.
This is much higher than Casemiro’s completion rate of 81 percent (38 passes per match). Anderson has a tireless work rate, and he is more mobile in the prime of his career.
The Englishman could be signed for £75 million. The Red Devils will need to ward off fierce competition from Manchester City to purchase the Newcastle United graduate.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com
Article written by Sri Aswin .