Casemiro has been one of the best defensive midfielders in the world for the past decade—but with his Manchester United departure confirmed for the end of the 2025–26 European season, reports claim a transfer to MLS is ‘most likely’ for the 33-year-old.
The Brazilian won five Champions League crowns with Real Madrid at the peak of his powers, establishing the club as the most dominant force in world soccer. Eventually he sought a new challenge in the Premier League, where he’s not been able to maintain the same high standards at a United side who have been going through a radical transition.
Indeed, Casemiro’s performance levels dipped so much during 2024–25 that it looked for all the world that he’d be pushed out of the United exit door early to rid the club of his reported £375,000 weekly salary.
Instead, he steadied the ship and became a reliable player for United once more—four goals in all competitions this season is testament to that—but the Red Devils have revealed that they will part ways with the veteran at the end of his contract this summer.
The Saudi Pro League have shown interest, yet it’s MLS where Casemiro could end up—much like Son Heung-min, who swapped Tottenham Hotspur for LAFC last summer.
Here’s Sports Illustrated’s pick of four potential landing spots should MLS become his new home.
4. San Diego FC
San Diego enjoyed an impressive run to the Western Conference final in their inaugural MLS campaign and manager Mikey Varas impressed so much that he was rewarded for the team’s success with a shiny multi-year contract extension.
An even better reward for the American coach? A superstar signing such as Casemiro.
San Diego are in need of midfield reinforcements ahead of the 2026 MLS season, the club lacking depth in the center of the field, and Casemiro would be the perfect partner to Jeppe Tverskov in the engine room.
SDFC will also have a Designated Player slot available to them once they eventually remove Hirving Lozano from their books, paving the way for an unlikely but potentially transformative deal for Casemiro.
3. New York City FC
It would certainly be odd to see a longtime Manchester United star sporting the baby blue of City Football Group, but few teams in MLS would be as well-equipped to add Casemiro as New York City FC.
Playing a mix of three, four and five-man backlines throughout the 2025 season, depending on their available attacking options, NYCFC proved to be versatile in their first campaign under manager Pascal Jansen. One of their best progressions, though, was that of Justin Haak, who became a bona fide center back after previously standing out in defensive midfield.
With Haak remaining an unsigned free agent, Casemiro should be on NYCFC’s radar as a potential replacement, even if it means playing him as a slightly more attacking center back, instead of a traditional defensive midfielder. At the same time, NYCFC are likely seeking a marquee signing for their first season at Etihad Park in 2027 and at 33, Casemiro could be a short and mid-term piece to the puzzle.
2. Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew are in a formative offseason having seen Wilfried Nancy depart for an unsuccessful and brief stint at Celtic, replaced at the beginning of the year by Henrik Rydström, who is an untested proposition in MLS.
Casemiro could be an enticing option for the Swedish coach as someone who could play more as a central midfielder and drive forward, while still having a defensive edge. His primary role, though, would be to replace the tenacious force that was Darlington Nagbe in the heart of the 4-4-2, a different profile to his current role with Manchester United.
There is precedent to a similar idea, though, with how Rodrigo De Paul has progressed with Inter Miami. The Argentine has not played as deep as he previously has in other environments and has helped elevate the attack. At the same time, his awareness and the slower pace of MLS has allowed him to adjust to defensive setups—the same could be true of Casemiro, even if he would likely have to sign as a non-designated player.
1. Austin FC
One of the few clubs with true roster flexibility within their Designated Player slots and with lofty ambitions, Casemiro could be a starting lineup replacement for Ilie Sánchez with Austin FC. The club could be open to spending significantly on him as well, having recently transferred underperforming DP forward Osman Bukari to Polish outfit Widzew Łódź for $6.5 million.
Playing a mix of 3-4-3 and 4-4-2 under manager Nico Estévez, Austin were overrun in midfield in their first round playoff series against LAFC, with the pairing of Sánchez and Daniel Pereira unable to keep pace with the California side’s quick transition.
Co-owned by Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey, Austin have already made one significant move this offseason to bring in Jayden Nelson from Vancouver Whitecaps FC on the wing. Now, a transitional piece to offer a better skillset than Sánchez, an MLS veteran, could be an intriguing move — especially given their roster flexibility.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Four MLS Clubs Most Likely to Sign Casemiro.
