Casemiro has given an insight into why he made the decision to move from Real Madrid to Manchester United last summer.
The Brazil international left Real Madrid with a basket full of trophies after spending over 9 years with Los Blancos. Ten Hag’s side settled for the midfielder having failed on many attempts to get Frankie de Jong from Barcelona.
He was 30 years old when he left Los Blancos and hadn’t shown any signs of slowing down. Casemiro switched to Old Trafford in a surprise £70 million (including add-ons) move from Santiago Bernabeu.
According to Brazilian sports magazine Placar, Casemiro said; “It was the chance to leave a big club on top, at an age that still allows me to have that willpower.
“If it were three years from now, I wouldn’t leave for another big one, I wouldn’t have that ambition to change leagues and leverage another giant.”
Similarly, Lionel Messi recently opened up on what influenced his decision to join Paris Saint-Germain after he left Barcelona. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner left the Spanish team in 2021 as a free agent, because of their financial issues.
Following an emotional exit, Messi was then unveiled by the Ligue 1 champions. The 35-year-old playmaker’s two-year stint at PSG has now come to an end and he is set to sign for Inter Miami in the Major League Soccer (MLS).
He told Bein Sports in an exclusive interview that he opted for Paris Saint-Germain because his friends were there. After being signed by the French side, he teamed up with international teammates Angel Di Maria and Leandro Paredes.
“I came to Paris because I liked the club and had friends there, and a lot of people I knew from the national team.
It seemed easier for me to adapt unlike anywhere else I could have gone and that’s why I decided to come to Paris,” Messi said.
