Manchester United have avoided triggering a contract extension clause for Casemiro after the Brazilian midfielder missed Saturday's 0-0 draw at Sunderland due to injury. The 34-year-old had a clause in his £375,000-a-week deal that would have automatically extended his contract by a year if he started 35 Premier League matches this season.
Casemiro reached an agreement with United in January to waive the clause, with both parties accepting he would leave the club this summer. Even before the injury, the clause seemed unlikely to be activated, as Casemiro needed to start all of United's final 21 league games to reach the target, having missed December's trip to Aston Villa through suspension.
The midfielder had been a key figure under interim head coach Michael Carrick since his appointment in January, making the extension scenario more plausible. However, a minor injury ruled him out of the Sunderland match, officially ending any chance of the clause being triggered.
United are confident Casemiro will be fit to face Nottingham Forest next Sunday, followed by a season finale at Brighton & Hove Albion. Meanwhile, Casemiro has publicly backed Carrick to become the permanent manager, praising his understanding of the club and his transformative impact since taking over.
