Manchester United
Casemiro ‘open’ to MLS move, citing Messi’s depiction of a more relaxed life
Casemiro is ‘open’ to a move to MLS after his Manchester United contract ends; lifestyle appeal….
Casemiro is reported to be “open” to joining Major League Soccer once his Manchester United contract expires this summer, with lifestyle considerations cited as a major factor.
Several MLS sides have been linked as interested suitors and the Telegraph say the “lifestyle” on offer in the United States is a key part of the appeal. Casemiro has been known to holiday in Miami, and the suggestion is that the chance to spend more time with family is influencing his thinking.
Lionel Messi, the figurehead of Inter Miami, has spoken at length about the contrast between life in the U.S. and the pressures of Europe. “We’re enjoying each day, and in a different way, because you enjoy it differently here, more relaxed, without so much pressure, without the obligation—although I always wanted to—to win and achieve all our goals,” Messi reflected at the end of 2025.
“Obviously, we want to [win], but the pressure is different now, and that makes life more relaxed.
“We enjoy our family more, the kids, being able to come to training, being able to go to the games, spending much more time at home, coming home and not thinking so much about football, but thinking more about other things.
“And that, whether you like it or not, makes you live differently because it often happened to me that the results and the day-to-day grind would get to me, and well, sometimes I’d come home in a bad mood, and it was different. So we’re good here.”
Those attracted by the lifestyle are also warned about the league’s demands. “It may not seem like it, but teams run a lot,” the Argentine has warned in the past. Andrea Pirlo recalled his own adjustment: “It’s a very hard league to play in,” the cerebral Italian fretted. “It’s very physical, there’s a lot of running. So there is a lot of physical work and to me, in my mind, too little play.”
Casemiro’s career has been played out under intense scrutiny. A former São Paulo academy graduate, he made 336 appearances for Real Madrid before joining Manchester United in 2022. Now into his mid-30s and with family commitments, the pull of a less pressured routine is understandable.
United boss Michael Carrick remains optimistic about his club form. “I’m sure he can,” the retired midfielder insisted, “he’s playing as good a level as he’s played at for some time at the moment, and it’s great to see in so many ways.
“The experience, technically, game understanding, just composure in certain moments, he’s in a really good place.
Manchester United
Manchester United summer recruits and their early impact ranked
Manchester United’s summer signings are assessed after a major midfield rebuild and limited early minutes.
Manchester United’s summer business focused squarely on correcting the balance of the squad, with four first-team arrivals added after a year spent rebuilding the attack. The club also brought in veteran goalkeeper Karl Darlow on a free, taking total spending to $207.2 million (£155 million) across those three transfers.
The major priority was central midfield. That area had been left exposed last season, with Casemiro departing when his contract expired and Manuel Ugarte sidelined by a long-term injury. As a result, Michael Carrick now has four senior players for the two midfield roles, while Tyler Fletcher offers an academy option and Bruno Fernandes could also move deeper from No. 10.
United’s summer intake was not limited to the senior group. Tynan Thompson, Cristian Orozco and Kit Margetson were added for the U-21s, and the club hopes at least one of them can eventually push into the first team. Thompson appears the likeliest to do so this season. His move from Tottenham Hotspur has been compared with Ayden Heaven’s switch to Old Trafford from Arsenal in January 2025. Thompson also received ‘List A’ status for the Champions League league phase, which leaves the door open, although none of the three youngsters has yet been named in a senior matchday squad.
At this early stage, Carlos Baleba sits bottom of the ranking only because he has not yet played. The Cameroon international was recovering from an ankle injury when the $93.6 million (£70 million) deal was agreed, having missed Brighton’s entire preseason. His first weeks as a Manchester United player have been spent continuing that recovery. He was on the bench for the first time in the 1–1 draw with Fulham before the international break, and a debut is expected when the Premier League returns in October. United lack a defensive midfielder of his type, so he could rise quickly once he features.
Darlow has had the most limited role of all. The 35-year-old was brought in as experienced cover after Altay Bayındır moved on, with Senne Lammens established as the starting goalkeeper. So far, Darlow’s only appearance came in the Carabao Cup against Brighton, and further opportunities look unlikely unless Lammens is injured.
Aston Villa
Alejandro Garnacho’s career path has turned into a struggle for minutes
Garnacho’s rise has given way to frustration, with Chelsea and Aston Villa both offering little respite.
The international break is usually a chance for players to step away from club football. For Alejandro Garnacho, that luxury does not really exist.
There was a time when the winger looked destined for much bigger things. Signed by Manchester United as a highly rated teenager, he made his senior debut at 17 in April 2022 and had already become one of the side’s most effective players by the 2023-24 season. That campaign ended with him finishing sixth in the Kopa Trophy voting, a sign that his rise had gathered real momentum.
What followed was far less predictable.
In December 2024, Garnacho and Marcus Rashford were omitted from a matchday squad for the derby against Manchester City after manager Ruben Amorim said he was unhappy with their training performances. Garnacho returned quickly and was praised for the way he responded, while Rashford never played under Amorim again. But his situation soon worsened as he found it difficult to fit into Amorim’s winger-less system.
The relationship reached its breaking point after the 2025 Europa League final, when Garnacho questioned why he had not started. Amorim then told him to find a new club, and Chelsea moved in. They had considered a January 2025 approach before paying $54 million (£40 million) six months later.
However, the move did not develop as hoped. Chelsea’s recruitment team drove the deal and Enzo Maresca had not spoken with Garnacho before his arrival, which went some way to explaining his limited starts. He was not criticised for attitude or work rate, but his end product was modest, with eight goals in all competitions and only one in the Premier League.
Chelsea then accepted that offers could be entertained after one season, leading Garnacho to Aston Villa on loan with an obligation to buy under certain conditions. Even there, the search for rhythm has stalled. Unai Emery has given him just 31 minutes this season, with his latest appearance coming on Sept. 5. He was an unused substitute against Coventry City in the Carabao Cup and remained on the bench for the win over Tottenham Hotspur.
“Work, work, train, work,” Emery said, while also noting that other players are “giving us things I want.” For Garnacho, the message is clear.
Fulham
Cunha Salvages United at Fulham, But Larger Issues Remain
United rescued a point at Fulham, but the performance and stats left fresh concerns before the break.
Manchester United avoided a second straight Premier League defeat with a late equaliser at Fulham, but the result did little to quiet the concern around their start to the 2026/27 season.
For much of the afternoon, it seemed as if United were heading for consecutive league losses for the first time in more than a year, dating back to the closing stages of 2024/25. The match changed in the 89th minute when Matheus Cunha struck from distance, only for the effort to be heavily deflected off David Affengruber and beyond Bernd Leno.
The point leaves United on five from five, a tally that matches their joint-lowest at this stage of a Premier League campaign, alongside 2014/15. They will remain 12th during the international break before returning on Oct. 10 against Tottenham Hotspur, who are bottom of the table.
Gary Neville, speaking on Sky Sports, offered a blunt assessment of the period after half-time, describing it as the “worst” 15 minutes he’s ever seen from any Manchester United team. United’s tempo, urgency and willingness to run were all questioned, with the side having covered almost 7 kilometers less than Fulham by the 73rd minute.
Senne Lammens kept United in touch in the first half with four saves, including quick stops to deny Joshua King and Sander Berge. He later could have done better when Fulham went ahead, as his parry from Calvin Bassey’s shot created the opening for the goal.
Marcus Rashford’s return has been viewed positively in general, yet this match underlined the gap between effort and end product. In 77 minutes, he led United for touches in the opposition box and shots, but still left without a goal contribution. Across six appearances this season, he has yet to score or assist.
There was also curiosity over United’s all-blue away kit, worn competitively for the first time on Sunday after only appearing in preseason.
