Manchester United would reportedly be keen to cancel Casemiro and Antony’s hefty contracts if they could. Following the end of Erik ten Hag’s tenure and the appointment of Ruben Amorim by new minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the club is charting a new course.
However, Amorim’s transition has not been smooth, with the team struggling to find form and suffering a surprising 3-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest in their latest outing.
Despite these challenges, Ratcliffe is said to have a strategy for the future, focusing on recruiting younger talent while biting the bullet when it comes to those underperforming on lucrative contracts.
According to The Telegraph, the club would ‘erase’ the contracts of Casemiro and Antony if possible, viewing them as ‘mistake buys’. Casemiro, the club’s highest earner with a weekly wage believed to be over £300,000, has seen his performances dip significantly this season.
Despite rumours of a summer transfer, no move has materialised and he remains at Old Trafford under Amorim, with his contract set to expire in 2026.
Antony is another player who, despite being handsomely remunerated, finds himself out of favour. His £82m transfer fee is coupled with a contract that doesn’t expire until 2027 and is rumoured to be worth £200,000 per week, reports the Mirror.
However, while offloading these underperforming stars would be beneficial for the club, Ratcliffe acknowledges it won’t be an easy task. Yet, one silver lining from these ‘mistakes’ appears to be a shift in recruitment strategy.
The same report suggests United may follow Chelsea’s lead and sign younger players on long-term contracts. Teenage left-wing back Diego Leon has been vocal about his potential move to Old Trafford, with the Red Devils believed to be nearing a deal.
Despite some controversial decisions, including mass redundancies earlier this year, Ratcliffe is said to be steadfast in his commitment to turn the tide at United, even if that means making more ruthless calls.
