Manchester United's home stadium of 70,000 fans shouts "Casemiro, play one more year!" Better performance makes it harder to stay, Sir Jim Ratcliffe is ruthless.

"One more year, one more year, Casemiro!" After Manchester United's 3-1 win against Aston Villa, the shouts of more than 70,000 supporters reverberated around Old Trafford. Casemiro, smiling, stood next to manager Carrick, constantly waving and clapping towards the stands.

Until Casemiro walked off the pitch ready to leave, fans were still shouting to retain him. This is unsurprising, as Casemiro has already scored 7 goals this season, matching his personal highest tally from his first season after joining.

During the match, the 34-year-old "Fat Tiger" contributed beyond his goal. His fierce tackle intercepted Villa midfielder Amadou Onana, then United launched a counterattack leading to Cunha scoring the second goal to regain the lead. Sesko's third goal also involved Casemiro.

Near the end of the match, Casemiro was substituted by Manuel Ugarte, but his number of touches still exceeded any other United player. British media reported that Casemiro fits perfectly with Carrick's tactical philosophy. Under Carrick's management, Casemiro gained more freedom to advance, and Kobbie Mainoo's return to the starting lineup also provided midfield support for him.

However, even with Casemiro's excellent performances, Sir Jim Ratcliffe intends to stick to the original plan of letting him leave. Moreover, the better Casemiro performs, the lower his chances of staying—a dilemma.

Sir Jim is dissatisfied with Casemiro's £350,000 weekly salary, demanding a significant pay cut exceeding 50%. Yet, the better the Brazilian star performs, the less likely he is to accept such terms. While fans fantasize about Casemiro agreeing to a reduced salary for one more year, that is entirely illogical. Put yourself in his position: if you excel in your job, your boss asks for a pay cut to renew, you wouldn't agree either.

Casemiro not only wants to secure an ideal contract in the final stages of his career but also desires respect. Sir Jim, who has publicly criticized him multiple times and intends to slash over half his wages, naturally hasn't shown much respect. Sir Jim is a ruthless capitalist; he believes Casemiro's departure this summer will help United reduce wage expenses. Liverpool's experience after renewing Salah's contract is also a reference for INEOS.

Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed that United has not contacted Casemiro to retain him. "From a fan perspective, keeping a player with rich Champions League experience is naturally appealing," he said. "But Casemiro decided to leave United as early as January—that was an official statement, not rumor or verbal agreement. Casemiro was already determined at that time."

Regarding whether future changes are possible, Romano said: "No one at the club has said to Casemiro, 'Please play one more season with us.' Let's see what happens from now until the season ends. Perhaps, at the end of the season, there might be changes, when United may have determined its future, including plans for the coach, Champions League, and all other aspects. However, currently there are no changes between Casemiro and United. Casemiro is a very dedicated professional; he has always helped the team and has a good relationship with the fans."

Carrick admitted after the match that Casemiro's form makes him indispensable to the current team. Although rumors suggest United might try to keep Casemiro, Carrick still believes the Brazilian midfielder will leave this summer; his free transfer after contract expiry has been officially announced by the club.

Carrick stated: "I think, to some extent, it's hard to say the outcome will change. I feel his performances are also because, after everything was settled, he could focus more on his work, as everyone truly understood the situation. I think his impact has been enormous, especially since I started coaching and working with him—his role in the team and his contributions in key moments and goals have impressed me. Finally, interacting with the fans, building that connection and respect, that was a beautiful moment."

After Casemiro leaves, United could save up to £18 million annually in wages, but finding a suitable replacement will be a huge challenge. This season he has scored 7 league goals, becoming one of the Premier League's best defensive midfielders.

Carrick also reminded people that United always needs to find Casemiro's successor; he is already 34, and the challenges of multi-front competitions next season will be greater. Carrick denied the notion that finding a replacement for Casemiro is nearly impossible.

"I say this absolutely without disrespect to Casemiro; he has been excellent, a key player for our team, and played an important role in the dressing room. I've communicated with him, and our relationship is good. Casemiro has done many, many very good things; I've enjoyed working with him at United very much," Carrick explained. "But I think, as a club and a team, players always come and go; some players may be more outstanding or important in different periods. You don't necessarily have to replace them completely; you can also develop in a different direction. The key is understanding how the team's balance needs to be, whether on-field, off-field, positional, leadership aspects—it involves different factors."