It's been a tough few days for Manchester United and it might be set to get even worse.
The club's latest injury crisis served as a prelude to their latest Premier League defeat on Sunday. A substitutes' bench with an average age of below 20 stole the headlines before kick-off, managing to overshadow what was a significantly weakened United starting XI.
Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw, Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte and Amad would all have made United's starting XI had they been fit, with cases to be made for Leny Yoro and even Mason Mount joining that group.
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United are set to release their financial figures for the final three months of 2024 today and the latest accounts are likely to include the settlement for sacking Erik ten Hag and his staff and appointing Ruben Amorim as his replacement. Any pay-off for Dan Ashworth is also likely to be included. Given reports that further redundancies are set to be made at United, now is not a great time for expensive mistakes of the past to be filling column inches.
So, a peak under the bonnet of the club's finances and not to mention a clash with former United manager David Moyes to come this weekend, but another blow for United has been sandwiched in between all of the above and has flown somewhat under the radar.
An interview with Casemiro was released by AS on Monday. The United midfielder discussed a range of topics, with former club Real Madrid's clash with Manchester City tonight a particular focus. Little was mentioned of United - that's no great surprise given the interview was with a Spanish publication - but the few sentences dedicated to his current club didn't bring positive news.
With just days remaining in the mid-season transfer window the Manchester Evening News reported that United were still hoping to sell the Brazilian. Nothing came of their hunt for a potential suitor, yet Casemiro clearly has no intention of leaving anyway.
"I respect United, a club to which I'm very grateful," he said. "I have a year and a half left on my contract and I'd like to fulfil it here in Manchester. I'm comfortable here and so is my family. They've adapted, we speak English. I'm very grateful to the Old Trafford fans and to the club. I'm happy at club level."
He went on to add that he wasn't happy with his limited role in the team this season, having been an unsused substitute in nine of Amorim's 14 Premier League games in charge.
United need to shift Casermiro and his hefty wages. Amorim needs funds to buy players who can work in his system and the departure of a high earner like Casemiro - who clearly struggled when called upon against Spurs on Sunday - would be a step in the right direction.
He has no intention of leaving. Yet United were the ones who dished out a four-year contract to a player in his 30s.
It's a setback for United but they only have themselves to blame.
