Manchester United have no intentions of opening contract discussions with Casemiro despite the Brazilian’s exceptional form under Michael Carrick. The 34-year-old netted his seventh goal of the campaign in Sunday’s 3-1 victory over Aston Villa and contributed to the build-up for Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko’s strikes as well, producing another magnificent performance.

Casemiro has featured in all nine fixtures under Carrick thus far, with his displays continuing to improve, prompting Old Trafford supporters to chant for him to commit to ‘one more year’ on Sunday whilst giving him a standing ovation as he departed in the closing moments. Carrick didn’t completely dismiss the possibility following the match, stating it was “difficult to say” whether he could stay at Old Trafford for a fifth campaign, though internally, there have been no conversations about reversing course to retain the former Real Madrid midfielder.

United confirmed following Carrick’s opening fixture in charge, the 2-0 derby triumph against Manchester City, that Casemiro would depart the club upon his contract’s expiry at the season’s conclusion. The decision had been reached by United’s football executives well in advance of its public announcement, with the club opting not to extend his contract as part of a long-term strategy to revamp the squad.

Casemiro celebrated his 34th birthday last month and is the squad’s top earner, commanding a weekly wage of approximately £350,000. United are confident that annual savings exceeding £18million can be redirected towards bolstering the squad, with plans for two central midfield acquisitions this summer.

Despite Casemiro’s impressive form this season, he has started to struggle with the demands of playing twice weekly. With United poised to rejoin the Champions League next season, he may not find the conditions as conducive to his performance as during this 40-match campaign.

When questioned about Casemiro’s future on Sunday, Carrick remarked: “I think in some ways it’s difficult to say, I think it’s when something’s decided and in some ways the fact that it was decided makes things a little bit easier and everyone understands the situation really.

“I think the impact he’s had has been terrific, certainly since I’ve been here and working with him and his influence within the team and big moments and goals. It was a nice moment at the end there with the supporters and having that connection, and the respect.

“That was a nice moment. I think you’ll enjoy that one.” United are plotting substantial activity in this summer’s transfer window, with Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson amongst their primary targets, though they will encounter competition from Manchester City, who are equally interested in the 23-year-old England international.