ไทย
English
中國人
As the 2025-26 Premier League campaign approaches its conclusion, a number of players are eyeing their next destinations, with Manchester United's Casemiro appearing close to a switch to MLS.
Having confirmed his exit from Old Trafford back in January, the Brazilian midfielder was reported to have been "drawing MLS attention," with clubs potentially looking to bring him in on a free transfer come summer.
On Wednesday, The Athletic revealed that the two most recent MLS Cup champions, Inter Miami and the LA Galaxy, had expressed interest in the 34-year-old, who would likely accept a substantial pay cut from his $94 million contract signed with Manchester United in the summer of 2022.
While neither Miami nor the Galaxy currently holds an available Designated Player slot, the Galaxy may have the option to buy down striker João Klauss to below DP level.
If they land Casemiro, he would join Marco Reus as another high-profile European veteran. The club presently lists Klauss, Joseph Paintsil and Gabriel Pec as DPs, with Klauss brought in from St. Louis CITY SC to provide attacking output in the absence of Spanish star Riqui Puig, who suffered a second consecutive season-ending ACL injury.
Miami, on the other hand, count Lionel Messi, Germán Berterame and Rodrigo De Paul among their DPs, along with a full complement of four U-22 Initiative signings and seven players on Targeted Allocation Money deals. While Casemiro could fill the central defensive midfield gap created by Sergio Busquets's retirement, accommodating him would demand a notable roster adjustment.
A Rare Defensive Star
Should the five-time Champions League winner — who delivered his finest performances across 336 outings for La Liga giants Real Madrid — make his way to MLS, he would stand out as one of the very few marquee defensive names in the competition.
Attacking talent has dominated the wave of seasoned European stars heading to MLS in recent years, with the likes of Messi, Thomas Müller, James Rodríguez and Son Heung-min leading the charge, among others.
That said, certain clubs such as Vancouver Whitecaps and FC Cincinnati have invested a DP slot in defensive midfielders — including Andrés Cubas and Obinna Nwobodo — who have gone on to distinguish themselves as top performers in the league. Miami have already allocated a spot to De Paul in that same role.
The 2025–26 season has also seen him rediscover his best form at Man Utd. After a promising start to life with the Red Devils, he picked up two red cards in three matches during his debut season — the beginning of a difficult spell that saw him miss half of his second campaign and struggle under manager Erik Ten Hag.
This term, however, the Brazil international has reignited his top-level game, netting seven goals across 28 appearances.
Once his time in Manchester comes to a close, he is also expected to represent Brazil at the upcoming World Cup on U.S. soil, a tournament that would raise his profile among American supporters ahead of an anticipated MLS move.
On the international stage, Casemiro has earned 82 caps for Brazil, having featured at both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, with the 2026 edition set to be his third and most likely final appearance on football's grandest stage.