Manchester United midfielder Casemiro insists he feels like a teenager again because is so ‘excited’ at having joined the club for a fresh challenge in his career.
The former Real Madrid enforcer won it all with Los Blancos, collecting five Champions League medals, three La Liga titles, the Copa del Rey and multiple Super Cups and Club World Cups.
But he has stressed his desire to win trophies with United, something he said he couldn’t imagine in his ‘wildest dreams’ after first playing at Old Trafford in a youth tournament 15 years ago.
“I feel like I’m 20 or 18 years of age,” Casemiro told ManUtd.com in his first interview.
“I’m raring to go, I’m excited to be amongst my teammates, playing in the stadium and I think that it’s just huge excitement and I’m absolutely delighted.
“I’m coming back here, 15 years later. I don’t know whether many people know this but I played in a competition here when I was 15, when I was at Sao Paulo, and you have that film that runs through your mind that 15 years later you come back here to play for Manchester United and not in your wildest dreams would you imagine yourself playing here.
“Obviously when I played in that Nike Cup I would have liked to come here and now that I’m here again I’m the happiest man alive and I can’t wait to produce on the pitch and help out my teammates and to help Manchester United to win games and to go on to win trophies.”
Casemiro, who has signed a long-term term contract that could see him celebrate his 35th birthday as a United player, also called the Premier League a ‘dream to play in’.
“What I like most about the players, the referees, the fans in this country is that they are fair, regardless of how physical things may be, everyone is fair,” he explained.
“We know it’s a competitive league, whether you’re playing home or away, every game is very tough. All of the teams are equally matched and the top team can lose to the bottom one and that is what the league is like. It’s beautiful that it is so competitive.”
Listen now to 90min’s Manchester United podcast, The Promised Land, with Scott Saunders & Rob Blanchette. In the latest edition they dissect the brilliant performance against Liverpool, Erik ten Hag’s key decisions, Casemiro’s signing and what it means for the season ahead.
Casemiro does not yet speak English, but his wife does and his children have already started to learn some. He can also rely on help settling in and communicating from a number of Portuguese and Spanish speakers in the United squad, including international colleague Fred and ex-Real Madrid teammates Cristiano Ronaldo and Raphael Varane.
“I want to learn as soon as possible so that I can learn about English culture and speak to my friends, my team-mates, all the club staff and I want to show them I’m one of them,” he said.
Casemiro took part in Real Madrid’s pre-season as normal and made two appearances before his switch to England was completed. He should therefore be already fit and could make his debut when United face Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday lunchtime.
