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Manchester United midfielder Casemiro was said to be even more eager to get started at the club after watching United get beat 4-0 by Brentford, days before the transfer was confirmed.
Many will remember the 4-0 humiliation that Brentford gave to Manchester United earlier this season, in Erik ten Hag's second official game in charge.
It was United's most spineless performance this season, as they looked lost for inspiration up front, and looked extremely vulnerable in midfield and defence.
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The result highlighted the size of the task for ten Hag and the need to act in the transfer window before it shut at the end of the month.
At the time, the Casemiro deal had not been completed as it would only be confirmed a week later. At the time, United were still pursuing long-term target Frenkie de Jong, and the Casemiro transfer did not even seem like a possibility, nor was it spoken about by the public.
It has recently been revealed that Casemiro actually called Manchester United Director of football John Murtough following the defeat to Brentford. It was not to tell him that he was doubting joining the club, but that he was even more eager than ever to get started at United.
Casemiro was then unveiled in front of a buoyant Old Trafford before the 2-1 win against Liverpool, and made his debut the following weekend in a 1-0 win over Southampton.
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Scott McTominay was in fine form for a couple of weeks after Casemiro signed, keeping the latter out of the team. Inevitably, the Brazilian worked his way into the starting XI and has been a mainstay since.
The 30-year-old has been a revelation in Manchester United's midfield, improving the structure of the team and, more crucially, fixing the leaky defence.
Manchester United are currently on a run of 6 clean sheets in their last 7 games, thanks in no part to Casemiro. Credit is also attributed to the back line though, and especially to fellow new signing Lisandro Martinez.
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Casemiro's form and effort in games have been world-class, as he has seamlessly adapted to the style and physical demands of the Premier League.
There had been doubts and rumours as to whether he would be able to adapt to the Premier League quickly enough, or if he was just moving to United for one last payday. His passion on the field as disproved those, and it can also be seen in his celebration for his equaliser against Chelsea.
So far, Casemiro has proved all the doubters wrong and has played at 100% since moving to Manchester. It looks like he has given himself one more challenge in his career, not one last pay cheque.
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Casemiro, Manchester United, Premier League
