Casemiro joined Manchester United in 2022 (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)
Erik ten Hag has ‘too much power’ and shouldn’t have been allowed to complete the ‘terrible’ signing of Casemiro.
That’s according to Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher, who says the Brazilian’s move to United was down to the ‘panic’ at the club.
United signed Casemiro in August 2022 for a fee of £60m, with the midfielder signing a four-year deal at the club.
Casemiro’s arrival came after United lost their opening two matches of the season to Brighton and Brentford, and followed a summer-long pursuit of Barcelona ace Frenkie de Jong.
When you look at Man United buying Casemiro – I don’t care how well he did last season – that’s a terrible buy, from a business and club point of view. That’s just a panic,’ Carragher said.
Casemiro is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury (Picture: Getty)
‘£70million on a guy who’s 30, 31 on a five-year deal, on massive money. I think he’s on the way down now… who’s going to sign him
‘I think the managers just have too much power,’ Carragher told CBS.
‘I just think since then [Alex Ferguson’s retirement], top football clubs have top directors of football, people who run the club. And I just think they let the manager get on with it. He buys who he wants.
‘You look at Ten Hag now, basically 60-70 per cent of the players he’s bought – they’re either from the Dutch League, or he’s worked with them before. So you know he’s got an unbelievable amount of power at the club. It hasn’t worked, I think it’s the same with Jose (Mourinho), (Louis) van Gaal, other people.
‘And a manager should have an input into signings,’ he continued. ‘I’m not saying a manager should not know who they’re signing. But a manager shouldn’t be allowed to just go buy who he wants.’
MORE : Jamie Carragher claims Arsenal are second-best Champions League team
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