Manchester United’s decision to allow Casemiro to leave at the end of this season marks the end of an era, and they must now look for a long-term replacement.
Casemiro’s departure forces Manchester United into a cold, urgent calculation: how to replace not just a player, but a type of player, a world-class defensive midfielder who can dominate territory, win the ball, and dictate tempo without ever being a glamour figure.
While Casemiro brought the pedigree of Real Madrid and Brazil, his role at Old Trafford was fundamentally about stability: shielding Manchester United’s backline, breaking up opposition counters, and providing the steel that allowed more creative midfielders to flourish.
To fill that void properly, Manchester United must move beyond mere “energy” and look for a midfielder who combines defensive intelligence, positional discipline, and the technical ability to keep the team in games. Below, we analyse five potential long-term successors who could step into that anchor role, each with distinct profiles and trade-offs for United’s rebuild.
Alan Varela (24, Argentina/FC Porto)
Alan Varela is the archetypal South American defensive midfielder who feels like a modern evolution of Casemiro’s own profile: combative, intelligent, and technically sound without needing to be a showman.
At Boca Juniors and now at FC Porto, Varela has operated as a single pivot or a double pivot in a 4‑3‑3, doing the unglamorous work that defines top defensive midfielders. He excels in one‑on‑one duels, uses his body well to protect the ball, and is aggressive in pressing, often committing fouls to disrupt transitions, a trait that will resonate with Manchester United’s need for a player who can “win the first ball”.
In possession, Varela is not a deep-lying playmaker in the Busquets mould, but he is tidy and efficient, with a strong short-passing game and the ability to recycle possession under pressure. He progressively moves the ball forward sensibly, capable of raking diagonal switches and line‑breaking passes when the opportunity arises, but never at the cost of positional responsibility.
For Manchester United, Varela fits the “ready‑now” profile: a similar age to Casemiro when he joined, physically well‑suited for the Premier League, and with high‑level South American and European experience. His main drawbacks are a lack of elite goalscoring and an occasional tendency to be overly cautious in the final third, but those are minor trade‑offs for a player whose primary job is to protect the defence.
At current market valuations, he would be a significantly more affordable and future‑proof option than retaining Casemiro on a long‑term deal, making him a realistic priority target should United adopt a more South American‑leaning transfer strategy.
Adam Wharton (21, England/Crystal Palace)
Adam Wharton represents the opposite of Adam Varela in terms of age and development stage. However, in many ways, he is the ideal “modern” Casemiro replacement for a club like Manchester United.
Wharton is a rare English midfielder who combines elite technical ability with real defensive grit, a tough‑tackling pivot who can also receive the ball under pressure, turn, and play progressive passes to launch attacks. His game is built on speed of thought and execution: scanning before receiving, turning quickly, and releasing the ball in one or two touches, which allows his team to bypass the press and transition rapidly.
This is exactly what Manchester United have lacked in the middle of the park: a player who can take the ball from the centre‑backs in tight areas, evade pressure, and accelerate the game without being overly rash. Unlike Casemiro, Wharton is more of a progressive #6 than a pure destroyer, but he still engages in a high volume of tackles and interceptions, and his positional sense in front of the back four is already first‑class for his age.
The main question for Manchester United is Wharton’s physical profile: he is slightly lanky and not naturally dominant in aerial duels, so he may need time to adapt to the physical demands of an elite Premier League side. There is also debate over whether the Englishman is better suited to a more attack‑oriented midfield trio (like at Palace) or to a more defensive midfield pairing where he can be protected by a more physical runner.
Nevertheless, the youngster’s age, contract length, and potential for several years of growth make him one of the most logical long‑term successors to Casemiro, especially if Manchester United want a midfielder who can grow into the role over the next five years rather than simply replicate it. However, Manchester United will face stiff competition for his signature, with recent reports linking the Cameroonian international with Liverpool and Chelsea.
Carlos Baleba (22, Cameroon/Brighton & Hove Albion)
Carlos Baleba is a physically imposing defensive midfielder whose profile is built around ball‑recovery power, covering ground, and using his frame to dominate the central zones. Statistically, Baleba stands out for his ball recoveries and defensive actions, consistently ranking among the top midfielders in the Premier League for tackles and interceptions.
He is box‑to‑box in range but primarily operates as a #6, using his strength and core control to shield the backline and then carry the ball forward or lay it off to more creative team‑mates. What makes Baleba an attractive Casemiro‑style option is his physicality and ability to handle high‑intensity duels, especially in transition moments where he can disrupt counters and provide a wall in front of the defence.
The 22-year-old is comfortable in a high‑pressing system but also reliable in a more counter‑attacking 4‑2‑3‑1, where his role is to win the ball back and then move it quickly to more advanced players. For Manchester United, Baleba offers a direct upgrade in terms of age and physical durability, but he is less of a creative pivot and more of a defensive enforcer.
His passing range is solid rather than spectacular, and he is not a prolific scorer or assister, but those are secondary to his primary remit: providing a defensive shield and a physical presence in the middle third. Given Brighton & Hove Albion’s tendency to sell young talent, Baleba could be Manchester United’s most feasible short‑term target among this list.
Additionally, his Premier League experience would significantly reduce adaptation time compared to a South American or a less‑exposed European prospect. However, Manchester United will face stiff competition for his signature, with recent reports linking the Cameroonian international with Liverpool.
Angelo Stiller (24, Germany/VfB Stuttgart)
Angelo Stiller differs from the classic Casemiro mould in that he is a deep‑lying playmaker rather than a pure destroyer. However, his profile offers a compelling alternative for Manchester United if they are willing to rethink the “defensive midfielder” role.
Stiller’s standout quality is passing: he ranks among the best midfielders in Europe for pass completion rate, long passing, and progressive passes, making him a genuine rhythms‑setter from deep positions. He operates primarily between the centre‑backs or slightly deeper in VfB Stuttgart’s system, acting as the main outlet from the back and then launching attacks with switches of play, through balls, and vertical passes into the final third.
Defensively, Stiller is competent but not dominant; he wins a decent share of duels but is not a natural “tank” who can single‑handedly sweep up in front of the back four. He relies on a more defensive partner alongside him to cover ground and break up counters, which fits Stuttgart’s two‑pivot system but may not be ideal for United’s current personnel and tactical demands.
For a rebuilding Manchester United side, Stiller’s profile is attractive if they shift towards a more possession‑based, high‑pressing style under a new manager. The German is technically superb, reads the game very well, and could improve the team’s build‑up and verticality.
However, his limitations in physical duels mean he would need to be paired with a more aggressive partner, much like Casemiro was often supported by another combative midfielder. At 24, he is still young enough to develop, but his price will reflect his status as one of the Bundesliga’s top midfielders, making him a slightly more speculative and expensive option than the others on this list.
Andre Trindade (24, Brazil/Wolves)
Andre Trindade is often described as the closest domestic equivalent to Casemiro in terms of role and mentality: a compact, tough-tackling defensive midfielder whose primary job is to protect the back line and win the ball back.
At Fluminense, Andre was consistently among the best midfielders in Brazil for interceptions and tackles, combining high defensive activity with strong short- and long-range passing and ball‑retention skills. The Brazilian excels at breaking up play and progressing the ball forward, often using dribbling to bypass the opposition’s first line of press, and he is technically very comfortable in tight areas.
At Wolves, he has been used as a #6, adapting to the physical demands of the Premier League and proving he can handle the league’s tempo and physicality. His main limitations are his lack of aerial dominance (due to his height) and his tendency to accumulate yellow cards, which leads to suspensions and limits his availability over a long season.
For Manchester United, Trindade offers a “ready‑to‑play” Casemiro profile: a player who can immediately fill the defensive midfielder role with minimal adaptation, but with a higher risk of disciplinary issues and a need to be managed carefully in terms of minutes and positioning. If Manchester United want a straightforward, short‑term replacement who can replicate Casemiro’s function without a multi‑year rebuild, Andre is arguably the most direct fit on this list.
