Manchester United star Casemiro backs Sir Jim Ratcliffe to take club ‘to highest level’

Casemiro of Manchester United in action during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Newport County and Manchester United at Rodney Parade on January 28, 2024 in Newport, Wales.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Casemiro is confident Sir Jim Ratcliffe will help steer Manchester United back on track and bring the glory days back to Old Trafford.

The British billionare, who is the CEO of petrochemical giants Ineos, recently acquired a 25 per cent stake in the club with a view to transforming fortunes on the pitch following more than 10 years without a Premier League title in the post-Alex Ferguson era.

“He’s already introduced himself to us,” Casemiro told CNN. “I think with his winning mentality and his wins in all sports, it’s always very important to have people that want to continue growing.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe of INEOS meets Manager Erik Ten Hag of Manchester United in the staff restaurant at Carrington Training Complex on January 03, 2024 in Manchester, England.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is the man to restore United to former glory, according to Casemiro  (Image credit: Manchester United/Manchester United via Getty Images)

“With his experience, he’ll return Manchester United to the highest possible level. We are very hungry to learn, grow and take the club to the highest place.”

In a season where it was hoped they would build on the third-place finish in the league and success in the EFL Cup, another stuttering campaign sees United down in eighth, while they are also out of Europe and saw their cup defence ended by Newcastle.

It has raised pressure on manager Erik ten Hag but Casemiro believes the Dutchman can still take the club forward.

“I’m not the person who decides who should be manager,” he added. “We have qualified people to decide that but [Ten Hag] showed last season he can grow Manchester United.

WIGAN, ENGLAND - JANUARY 8: Erik ten Hag, Manager of Manchester United on the pitch before the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Wigan Athletic and Manchester United at DW Stadium on January 8, 2024 in Wigan, England. (Photo by Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)

Casemiro has backed Erik ten Hag (Image credit: Getty Images)

“Last season we had really good growth and the team was trending upwards. Of course, Manchester United always needs more and more and always needs to be winning but we showed last season that we are capable of achieving great things.”

The FA Cup is the only realistic avenue left if United want to lift silverware this season after they booked their place in the fifth round courtesy of a hard-fought 4-2 victory away to League Two side Newport County.

It was also the scene of Casemiro’s return to action after nearly three months out with an ankle injury.

Kobbie Mainoo celebrates with his Manchester United team-mates after scoring against Newport County in the FA Cup in January 2024,

Manchester United continued their FA Cup run with a win at the weekend (Image credit: Getty Images)

Reports emerged while he was sidelined that he could be on his way out of Old Trafford this summer but the 31-year-old insists he wants to stay.

“I’m very happy at Manchester United,” he continued. “As I’ve always said, the fans have always helped me. The club is always good to me.

“It was always my challenge to help my teammates and Manchester United keep growing and of course, as we all want, return the club to being the best in the world.”

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Andy Wright

Andy is a freelance sports journalist whose work has appeared across a number of print and online titles, including Golf Monthly, Eurosport and TNT Sports. He graduated in 2019 and began his career working in golf before joining Future in February 2021 as a staff writer for Golf Monthly. Andy has since decided to branch out into other sports and now covers football, rugby, snooker, UFC, Formula 1, boxing, and others. He is a Manchester United fan and joins the FourFourTwo team at an interesting time for his club and the game as a whole.