Casemiro has admitted his ambition is to return Manchester United to the top of the game, after crediting the positive atmosphere at the club for helping him to adapt to life in England.
The 31-year-old ended a hugely successful nine-year stint at Real Madrid to join United in the summer of 2022, in a deal that could eventually be worth £70m if all performance related add-ons are paid up.
His first season in England coincided with Erik ten Hag's first season in charge at United, with an immediate upturn in fortunes leading to trophy success in the Carabao Cup. The Red Devils also made the FA Cup final but were beaten by neighbourhood rivals Manchester City 2-1 at Wembley.
Casemiro made a huge personal impact in his first season, strengthening United's core midfield, although he did struggle with disciplinary issues. The Brazilian was sent off twice in the Premier League, causing him to miss seven games through suspension.
But the highs overwhelmingly outweighed the lows, with his acclimatisation to life in England extremely impressive, and speaking in an interview with Brazilian outlet Placar, Casemiro said: "Everyone at the club has always been very affectionate, I felt loved from day one, which wasn't easy after spending ten years at Real Madrid.
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"It's the result of the work on the field, it was a very good mix of fans, employees, players, and this has been very important for my adaptation."
One challenge for Casemiro has been the difference in schedules between the Premier League and La Liga, most notably the lack of a winter break. But taking everything in his stride, he said: "I liked it, they are the games with the best atmosphere”, he says. “It's all great, I was told Manchester was a tough city to live in, but I'm loving it."
Probed on his ambition at United, Casemiro simply replied "putting Manchester United back at the top" and admitted that he enjoys leading by example and setting the tone.
"I like having this role, yes, to be honest. Being a leader, caring, being like a father, going after things, I like to set an example, be the first to arrive. I like to play this role. The captain's sash is nothing more than a symbol, but the players have the responsibility to talk to the referee, to the players. I like to be that example player."
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This article was originally published on 90min as Casemiro reveals what he hopes to achieve at Man Utd.
