£70m Man Utd star drops three-word message after major exit, hints at broken relationship with Ten Hag

Manchester United announced the departure of interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy on Monday.

Casemiro responded to his exit on Instagram with a heartfelt farewell message.

He posted: “Forever grateful. Legend.”

The duo shared a good bond, with the Dutchman praising Casemiro as an ‘example’ after his superb display against Leicester City in the Carabao Cup.

The Brazil international got heavy criticism for his shambolic performance in the 3-0 loss to Liverpool in September.

His mistakes saw him rightly dropped from the starting XI. However, his recent form has been a major turnaround.

Van Nistelrooy has used him more effectively, pairing him with Manuel Ugarte to highlight his strengths.

The veteran has regained his confidence and influence in midfield.

The 32-year-old no longer has the legs to cover large spaces defensively. He struggled in Erik ten Hag’s system, where he was required to defend in broad areas.

He has found more stability and shown leadership under Van Nistelorooy.

Casemiro now looks like a player United can depend on. This is a stark contrast to his struggles under Ten Hag.

Intriguingly, he did not post a farewell message to Ten Hag after his sacking last month, hinting at a breakdown in their relationship.

Casemiro joined United from Real Madrid for £70 million in 2022.

He played a crucial role in his debut season under Ten Hag, steering the team to Carabao Cup success.

The Red Devils supporters will hope that Casemiro can establish a strong player-manager relationship with Ruben Amorim, who has taken over from Van Nistelrooy.

With Kobbie Mainoo still an injury doubt, Amorim could continue with Casemiro and Ugarte in midfield against Ipswich Town in the Premier League after the international break.

Stats from transfermarkt.com.