According to Manchester United legend Gary Neville, Brazilian midfielder Casemiro was "not a smart signing" for the club.
Benzema 'Fires Shots' At Messi After FIFA The Best Award Win
At the beginning of the season, the record Premier League champions surprised many when they made the defensive midfielder the seventh-most expensive signing in their history by paying Real Madrid €70.65 million (R1.3 billion) for his signature.
The 31-year-old has quickly adapted to life in English football since, becoming a crucial player for Erik ten Hag this season as United look to return to the summit of European football.
While former England and Red Devils right-back Neville has now acknowledged the five-time UEFA Champions League winner's importance to the team, he also insisted that the Mancunians' decision to invest heavily in an ageing midfielder made little sense.
"I feel like Ten Hag is not going to sign [marquee names]. If new owners come in they're going to want to make a statement, they'll want to blow the transfer market open. I don't think that will suit him," Neville said on Sky Sports show The Overlap.
"I think he'll want those younger, hungrier ones that have still got that growth rather than the finished article.
"Casemiro obviously defeats that a little bit, but you look at Antony and Lisandro Martinez, they're younger and hungrier. I think that's the type of player he'll want to add to this squad rather than saying, 'Oh, Kylian Mbappe's available or so-and-so is available'.
"But Casemiro, there's no doubt – we all said it, by the way – £60m? £70m? And £20m a-year [contract] for five years is a £170m investment.
"That is a massive investment. It's not a smart or shrewd signing when you look at it from a [big picture] point of view. None of us thought that.
"But the impact he's having in the short term and what Manchester United need now, he's devastating for the club in unbelievable ways."
You must be SIGNED IN to read and post comments.
WATCH VIDEO:
