Casemiro says he is “excited” by the prospect of reuniting with former Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United, with the Brazilian in the process of completing a £70 million ($83m) transfer to Old Trafford. That move is being made after nine successful years at Santiago Bernabeu that delivered over 300 appearances and 18 trophies.
Many of those successes were enjoyed alongside Portuguese superstar Ronaldo, and Casemiro is hoping that a five-time Ballon d’Or winner will stick around at Old Trafford long enough for the pair to enjoy more triumphs together in England.
Will Casemiro work with Cristiano Ronaldo again?
Questions continue to be asked about whether Ronaldo will see out the summer transfer window at United, as he pushes for a switch elsewhere, but Casemiro is looking forward to working with an all-time great again.
The South American midfielder told his farewell press conference in the Spanish capital: “I'm going to United, one of the biggest teams in the world that competes with the greatness of Madrid.
“I haven't talked to Cristiano Ronaldo, but I want to play with him. I'm very excited to work with him. Hopefully he stays. He's one of the best in the world.”
Why is Casemiro leaving Real Madrid?
The 30-year-old Brazil international has been with the Blancos since 2013 but has refuted any suggestion that he is moving on for monetary reasons, with a fresh start merely being sought after achieving more than he could have ever dreamed of in Spain.
Explaining his reasons for severing ties with Real, Casemiro said: “When you make a big decision in your life, it's always important. After winning the Champions League I told my representative that I thought I was finishing my cycle at Real Madrid. After the holidays I had the same feeling. I'm the happiest in the world and I think history was made.
“I'm looking for new challenges, new goals. To try a different culture and club. I haven't won anything there and I want to help the team like I did here. I'm full of hope.
“I had that feeling that the cycle was over. The Premier League is a competition that I love and I wanted to play there. I needed a change.
“The people who think I'm leaving for money don't know me. If it was for money I would have left years ago. The club was good to me and I'm leaving to finish my cycle.”