Arsenal legend claims Manchester United star is better than Roy Keane

Arsenal legend Gilberto Silva believes Manchester United midfielder Casemiro is better than Red Devils' great Roy Keane. The 32-year-old Brazilian defensive midfielder joined the club in 2022 after a highly successful stint with Real Madrid.

During a quick Q&A session with GOAL, Silva rated the Brazilian as better than Roy Keane. The Arsenal legend also rated Casemiro higher than legendary defensive midfielders Gennaro Gattuso and Claude Makelele. Here's a video of the interaction:

Casemiro was one of the most important players during Real Madrid's extended period of European dominance in the 2010s, winning five UEFA Champions League trophies. However, he opted for a change of environment in 2022, leaving the Santiago Bernabeu for Old Trafford.

Despite Manchester United's struggles under Erik ten Hag, Casemiro was instrumental in their Carabao Cup win in 2023 and their FA Cup win in 2024. He has now played 101 games for the Red Devils, scoring 15 goals and creating nine assists from his deep-lying midfield role.

There have been questions about his performances, though, especially as the aging midfielder has struggled to retain his quality in the defensive midfield. Roy Keane spoke about Casemiro earlier in the season, noting that the former Real Madrid man might improve if he played "higher up the pitch" (via TBR Football).

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When Arsenal legend Gilberto Silva warned Casemiro to leave Manchester United

During the summer transfer window earlier this year, Arsenal legend Gilberto Silva warned Casemiro to leave Manchester United. This came after a series of sub-par performances by the midfielder in the Premier League.

According to Silva, Casemiro can still perform at the highest level in the Premier League, but a move to another club would have been best. He told Bet365 (via DailyPost):

“For me, Casemiro is still a good player. I don’t know whether he’s going to stay or not in the club, but he’s a player I would love to have on my team. I think he still has the ability and capacity to stay in the Premier League, whether he’s going to be at United or any other club.

“It depends on what he and the club want to do. I hope he can find a club that matches his expectations. Casemiro could be a good fit for Arsenal, let’s wait and see what happens. It would be very interesting if Thomas Partey left the club."

Casemiro eventually stayed put at Manchester United.