Casemiro set to mentor Ederson in Brazil camp before Man Utd farewell

Casemiro will depart Manchester United as a free agent when his contract expires this summer, but the veteran midfielder has one last contribution to make before he goes — helping to ease his replacement’s transition into life at Old Trafford.

United confirmed in March that the 34-year-old would not be offered fresh terms, and manager Michael Carrick has already moved to secure his successor. The club struck a £35 million deal, with up to £4 million in add-ons, to sign Atalanta midfielder Ederson, 26, with formal confirmation of the transfer still pending.

Ederson’s preparations for his Manchester move took an unexpected turn last week when he received a late call-up to Brazil’s World Cup squad after full-back Wesley was ruled out through injury. Carlo Ancelotti’s decision to summon the central midfielder means Ederson will link up in the United States with two of his future club teammates — Casemiro and Matheus Cunha — giving the incoming signing a ready-made support network in the camp.

Casemiro’s time at United has not been without difficulty, but his final season ended on a high. He scored a personal-best nine league goals as the club secured third place in the Premier League, and he has been among their standout performers throughout the 2025/26 campaign. His four-year stint at Old Trafford, which began when he joined from Real Madrid in 2022, is nonetheless widely understood to have run its course.

“All I can do is be grateful, because I am really enjoying myself a lot,” Casemiro said in April following the announcement of his exit. “Lots of people think it is just the last few months, since the announcement, but I have to be thankful since the very first day that I arrived here. The fans have been amazing with me and my family. The United fans, I am going to remember for the rest of my life.”

One area where Casemiro’s experience could prove particularly valuable to Ederson is in understanding the unique pressures that come with representing a club of United’s global stature. Having previously played for Real Madrid, where expectations are relentlessly high, Casemiro is well placed to prepare Ederson for an environment that, while different in character from the Bernabéu, carries its own intense scrutiny.