Erik ten Hag admits Casemiro has exceeded his expectations in his first season at Manchester United.
The Brazilian scored the only goal in United's 1-0 win at Bournemouth to take them to within a point of securing Champions League qualification.
United signed Casemiro, 31, from Real Madrid for £60million rising to £70m in late August and he has been an influential presence in a season that is all but certain to be remembered as a success.
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Ten Hag felt when he analysed the United squad they lacked a 'strategist' in midfield and the club moved for Casemiro once they conceded defeat in a neverending pursuit of Frenkie de Jong.
The United manager lauded Casemiro's impact after his sixth goal for the club. "I think he keeps surprising us, Casemiro. He's such a brilliant football player.
"We know him as a very good organiser, positioning, anticipating, intercepting a lot of balls, winning duels, fighting, keep the team together. But also in possession, his passing, his distribution, but also finishing. He's just a great football player.
"Absolutely (he has exceeded expectations), by far. So I think one of the things that came out of our analysis, we miss a player in the midfield, a strategist.
"We searched for the strategist. It was not easy because there are not that many in the profile who fits to the standards of Manchester United. So we are happy we found him and his contribution is massive.
"I think even we miss him over eight games by suspension. He was in the start of the season not even there, so many games he was not even there. But when he plays in midfield it's good in balance. We had a lot of wins with this midfield."
Casemiro has ventured forward to score from open play against Chelsea and Reading already this season, while he diverted set-pieces past Bournemouth in the reverse fixture and in the League Cup final win over Newcastle.
"Where we emphasise a lot and where we train a lot, it's about the movements when we are in the final third," Ten Hag explained, "and the movement has to come from the frontline, second line and the third line with the full-backs and Casemiro coming from there.
"The movement is great, the touch from Christian Eriksen is great and the finish is brilliant."
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