Casemiro is being missed at Manchester United after a £170m midfield rebuild

Casemiro has left a lasting mark at every club he has played for, but at Manchester United his absence is becoming more noticeable than his legacy. The club invested more than £170 million last summer to completely rebuild its midfield, and after six Premier League rounds the results do not justify the spending. Michael Carrick, who got the best out of the Brazilian last season, is running out of answers for a team that looks fragile, predictable and far from its targets.

• Manchester United spent more than £170 million on Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Baleba to replace Casemiro.
• Casemiro finished last season as the Premier League midfielder with the second-best average of successful tackles per game and fourth in interceptions.
• United have won just one of their first six league matches and have already conceded nine goals.
• Carrick tried a brand-new midfield three against Atletico Madrid, but the team lost 2-0 at the Metropolitano.
• The manager admits the side needs to improve certain aspects after a poor start to the campaign.

The expensive Manchester United midfield rebuild

The United board did not hold back when it came to filling the gap left by Casemiro and reshaping the middle of the pitch. Youri Tielemans arrived for £41 million, Andrey Santos cost £56.3 million and Carlos Baleba became the most expensive signing at £75.9 million. Kobbie Mainoo was also brought back into a key role by Carrick, while Manuel Ugarte was ruled out long term after suffering a cruciate ligament injury on international duty.

The plan was clear: raise the level of an area where United had suffered far too much. But the start of the season has exposed a team that struggles to impose itself on the ball and collapses when it loses possession. Opponents have begun to sit back more, aware that Manchester United lack ideas in settled attacks and leave huge spaces behind their midfielders.

The Casemiro numbers United have failed to replace

Under Carrick, Casemiro took on a different role and became the anchor of a more pragmatic, reactive side. Without the burden of building play from deep, the Brazilian focused on sweeping up everything that came through his area. He ended the campaign as the Premier League midfielder with the second-highest average of successful tackles per game at 4.89, and fourth in interceptions with 1.4.

His attacking contribution also surprised many. He scored nine goals, the best return of his career, and added two assists. Those numbers helped United qualify for the Champions League after two seasons away from the competition. Carrick was full of praise for the Brazilian, describing him as a joy to work with and a huge influence in the dressing room thanks to his composure and reading of the game.

Carrick's warning about the hole Casemiro left behind

It is an important position to try to tie everything together. His composure and understanding of the game have had a big influence within the group.

Carrick had already warned that replacing Casemiro did not mean finding an identical player. In his view, there was no need to swap one piece for another and the team could move in a different direction. That belief pushed the board toward a deep refresh plan with three young, high-potential signings.

But the transition is proving harder than expected. Last season, in 17 Premier League games under Carrick, United conceded 18 goals. In the first six rounds of the new campaign they have already let in nine, exactly half that number. Defensive imbalance has become a structural problem, and the midfield combinations have not found any real stability.

The defeat against Atletico and the doubts around a project under construction

Searching for more control, Carrick handed starts to Baleba, Tielemans and Andrey Santos in a midfield three he had never used before, with Bruno Fernandes operating just ahead. The intention was obvious: stop the wave of chances against and gain a stronger presence in the middle of the Metropolitano pitch.

The plan fell apart quickly. An early Pablo Barrios goal forced United to chase the game, and Leny Yoro's red card left the team with ten men. Ademola Lookman then sealed the 2-0 win for Atletico Madrid with ten minutes remaining.

The situation is becoming serious for a project that raises more doubts than confidence. United have won just one of their six Premier League matches, were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Brighton in the first round and have kept only one clean sheet, against Sabah in their Champions League opener. After the defeat in Madrid, Carrick admitted the result could be seen as a one-off given how hard it is to play there, but acknowledged that the bigger picture tells a different story and that the team must improve certain aspects.

What is at stake for Manchester United in the coming Premier League weeks

The schedule offers no breathing room and the margin for error shrinks every week. With just one win in six matches, Manchester United must react immediately or risk falling out of the race for European places. The Champions League also leaves no room for mistakes after a solid start, and the early Carabao Cup exit has already removed one route to salvaging the season.

Carrick's biggest challenge is to find a balance that simply does not exist right now. The midfield rebuild was supposed to give the team more control and solidity, but so far it has produced the opposite effect. The manager needs Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Baleba to adapt quickly to the demands of the Premier League, while the memory of Casemiro continues to loom over Old Trafford.