Manchester United will supposedly have to pay Casemiro an extra £100,000 per week if the club win the Europa League this season due to an agreement in his contract.
The Red Devils are all but guaranteed to advance to the 2024-25 EL final thanks to an unexpectedly straightforward 3-0 win over Athletic Bilbao in the first leg of their semi-final on Thursday evening.
So long as Ruben Amorim's men do not suffer an embarrassing capitulation at home next week, they will set up a final date against either Tottenham Hotspur or Bodo/Glimt, most likely the former.
Spurs will take a 3-1 lead to Norway for the second leg of their tie with Bodo/Glimt, leading to the expectation of an all-English final at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao on May 21.
Victory for either side in the showpiece match would be nothing short of a godsend financially, as it would propel them back into the Champions League after a disastrous Premier League campaign for both clubs.
Casemiro 'in line' for Cristiano Ronaldo-style money with Europa League win
© Imago
However, winning the tournament could also lead to an economic hit for Man United in particular, as The Mirror claims that a triumph would trigger a mammoth pay rise in Casemiro's contract.
The former Real Madrid man is already earning a club-high £400,000 under the terms of his agreement, but his wage apparently goes up by 25% if the Red Devils return to the Champions League.
As a result, Casemiro's wage for the 2025-26 campaign could be a staggering £500,000 a week, the same amount that Cristiano Ronaldo earned during his second spell in a Man United kit.
The Brazil international will enter the final year of his Man United contract this summer, and the report adds that a potential six-figure pay rise would be another incentive for the hierarchy to try to sell him.
Casemiro was initially the target of severe criticism early on in the campaign, but the South American has turned his fortunes around in recent weeks, particularly in the Europa League.
Casemiro provided three assists in Man United's unforgettable 5-4 quarter-final second-leg success over Lyon, before also netting in the aforementioned semi-final first-leg victory in Bilbao.
Amorim therefore feels that that the 33-year-old could still have a lot to offer Man United next season, potentially putting him at odds with the powers-that-be if they wish to get his extortionate wage off the books.
Amorim hails Casemiro's Man United resurrection as an example
![Manchester United's Casemiro pictured on May 25, 2024 [IMAGO]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/25/casemiro.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Manchester United's Casemiro pictured on May 25, 2024 [IMAGO]")
© Imago
Asked about Casemiro's turnaround in recent weeks on Thursday, Amorim told the media: "You can see not the way he plays but the way he runs. You can see it, we have the data to show him where he worked really hard. He is a very good example.
"Even Toby [Collyer] sometimes was playing in front of him and now it is hard to take Casemiro [out of the team]. So it is a lesson for all the players in Manchester United. No matter what is the past or the last month, everything can change in one moment."
Casemiro's record for Man United now reads 16 goals and 12 assists from 121 matches, but he could very well be rested for Sunday's Premier League trip to Brentford.
Ben Knapton
