“I hope it’s a bad rumour”: Dimitar Berbatov responds to claims Casemiro regrets Man United move – Man United News And Transfer News

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Former Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov has expressed his hope that ongoing suggestions claiming that Casemiro regrets moving to Old Trafford from Real Madrid are false.

A recent report from Spain suggested that Casemiro has internally expressed regret at moving from Spain to England.

It was relayed that the Brazilian believed United are a poorly run club and he does not have the right environment to thrive and play his best football.

Apparently, Casemiro is also concerned by just how harshly his mistakes are being punished by referees and match officials, compared to his time at Real Madrid when some of his misdemeanours were overlooked.

Last season, Casemiro was arguably United’s player of the season. His performances were solid, gritty and earned him praise from supporters.

The 31-year-old brought a midfield presence that had been lacking at the club for many years prior to his arrival.

However, in this campaign, there has been a decline in Casemiro’s performances. He has struggled so far and as a result, the team has suffered.

The player has been accused of frequently abandoning his position in pursuit of moving higher up the pitch for goalscoring adventures. He seems to have developed a habit of recklessly diving into tackles, which completely takes him out of the game when evaded by rival players.

Casemiro has missed United’s last two games against Sheffield United and FC Copenhagen due to injury and suspension respectively.

Speaking ahead of his side’s clash against Manchester City on Sunday, Ten Hag revealed that the midfielder is not guaranteed to feature against Pep Guardiola’s men as he may not be fully fit yet. This comes amidst growing concerns over Casemiro’s long-term suitability for United.

Nevertheless, Berbatov has backed the five-time Champions League winner to re-discover his best form and show his true mettle.

The Bulgarian spoke to Betfair via The Manchester Evening News and said, “I hope this is just a bad rumour [Casemiro regrets joining United] because it’s going to bring unwanted heat towards him in a moment where he’s not playing how he used to play. So, I hope it’s nothing but a rumour and that there’s nothing to it.”

“He has shown at Real Madrid how highly rated he is, how he can play top, top football – he showed that at United in his first season. He’s set high standards for himself, so it’s up to him to continue to prove to everyone that he’s the player that people know he is.”

“Time is going by and he’s getting older, so he needs to be smarter in how he plays the game, how he approaches games, how he reads the game. I hope he’s back fit as soon as possible as he’ll bring that maturity and calmness of reading and knowing the game.”

Berbatov added that Casemiro remains an individual Ten Hag can rely on.

The former United star warned against completely writing off Casemiro so quickly since he is still a “world-class player” who deserves more time.