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Casemiro has been in impressive form since Manchester United announced he would be departing the club at the end of the season but there are still no plans for the club to extend his stay. The Brazilian's contract runs out in the summer and he will be permitted to leave on a free transfer, with a handful of teams expressing interest.

There has, however, been a significant development regarding what happens before then. United have reached an agreement allowing Casemiro to feature in all of their remaining fixtures without it activating an automatic contract extension.

Had he started 35 matches and not agreed to the clause, the former Real Madrid star would have automatically extended his deal by another year. He has started 28 of their 31 so far in the league, meaning the club could have faced a complicated decision during their Champions League chase.

"I will carry Manchester United with me throughout my entire life," Casemiro said in January when his departure date was confirmed. "From the first day that I walked out at this beautiful stadium, I felt the passion of Old Trafford and the love that I now share with our supporters for this special club.

"It is not time to say goodbye; there are many more memories to create during the next four months. We still have a lot to fight for together; my complete focus will, as always, remain on giving my everything to help our club to succeed."

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Now 34, the midfielder has been in Europe since joining Real Madrid from Sao Paulo in 2013 but his next destination could well take him to a different continent. We've examined some of the possibilities available to him.

Inter Miami claimed their maiden MLS Cup in 2025 but also said farewell to two seasoned figures. Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets both played a big part in the club's success but have now retired.

The Floridian club have already secured their Alba replacement in the shape of Sergio Reguilon, confirming a deal for the former Manchester United loanee in December. They could also benefit from a fresh central midfielder to take over from Busquets, though, so perhaps it's unsurprising that ESPN identify them as one of three clubs pursuing Casemiro.

Nevertheless, this is made difficult by the Designated Player rule, which restricts clubs to just three such players outside the salary cap. Miami already possess three - Lionel Messi, Rodrigo de Paul and new recruit German Berterame - with The Athletic highlighting that Casemiro would probably need to accept a substantial wage reduction if he wishes to sign.

Inter Miami's MLS rivals could find it easier to bring in Casemiro but it's not the ideal scenario for them. They too have their three DP spots filled, but one of those players - former Barcelona midfielder Riqui Puig - will sit out the entire 2026 season following knee surgery.

There's already a notable Brazilian presence at the club. Former Vasco Da Gama star Gabriel Pec earned a spot in the MLS All Star team during his debut season after notching 16 goals and 14 assists - though his numbers weren't quite as impressive last term - while new striker Joao Klauss has hit the ground running since his arrival from St Louis.

LA Galaxy got off to a sluggish start last season to miss out on the play-offs and have just five points from five games in 2026. If they can lure an experienced head like Casemiro to join fellow high-profile star Marco Reus, though, they could well mount a turnaround.

A switch to Saudi Arabia has previously been mooted, though there was uncertainty over which club would be the best fit for Casemiro. Now, however, Al-Ittihad appear to be the frontrunners.

The Jeddah side, who have also been linked with Mohamed Salah, could lose central midfielder Fabinho when his deal runs out in the summer. Even if former Liverpool man Fabinho agrees fresh terms, the mid-season departures of N'Golo Kante and Karim Benzema leave them ready to move for a new marquee name.

Al-Ittihad are currently sixth in the Saudi Pro Leagueand appear poised to miss out on AFC Champions League Elite qualification, although they have progressed to the knockout stages of this year's continental tournament. A multi-year contract for their next high-profile signing could lay the groundwork to help them compete with the biggest hitters in the league next term.

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