Casemiro with the Champions League trophy last May – the fifth he won with Real Madrid. Photograph: Javier Soriano/AFP/Getty Images If anything, the debacle appeared only to deepen his desire to move to Old Trafford and this notion of Casemiro having become “fixated” on the transfer, as one source put it, was reaffirmed when a United delegation flew to Madrid a few days later to seal the deal. verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ When I arrived here, and it was down to the language I was fortunate Bruno would help me a great deal,” Casemiro says. “He was always brilliant, and taught me lots about the club. I have a very good relationship with Bruno, we get on really well.

When it became clear that United would not get De Jong, and the truth was that he could not have been clearer from the outset about not wanting to move, the club sounded out Adrien Rabiot at Juventus. Then, bang, they got Casemiro. United fans had to wait seven weeks for Casemiro to make his first Premier League start as manager Erik ten Hag eased him in gently – and were left screaming out for him as they watched their side get demolished 6-3 at the Etihad Stadium in early October. Suffice to say, Casemiro will be the first name on Ten Hag’s team-sheet when Manchester City visit Old Trafford in the return game on Saturday lunchtime.Of course, your morale drops and it’s boosted when you score six in victory [but] we beat them at home and as I’ve said, each game is completely different but losing in that way is tough for you. But, when you do lose like that, the most important game is the next one which you need to win and get three points from.” Maybe it is because Casemiro played alongside two of the great modern passers in Luka Modric and Toni Kroos at Real that his own passing was underestimated but it has transformed the way United play. Casemiro scores for Manchester United against Reading in the FA Cup. He has four goals and five assists. Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images

He studies his opponents and their strengths and weaknesses in detail before games and is a huge football fan who will generally watch a game a day, which is surprisingly uncommon for modern day players. Some of the older academy players have been overwhelmed by the time he affords them. The Manchester United Foundation say much the same. It’s a club with great history, I will have to work hard to make a name for myself because there, I have won nothing yet. At Manchester United, first of all, what I want is to transmit the way I feel about the club, my respect. Underdogs Real Betis find themselves in a much worse predicament, although Pellegrini is unlikely to rotate in light of the looming suspensions. Defensive trio German Pezzella, Luiz Filipe and Aitar Ruibal are all one yellow card away from serving one-match bans, as is former Manchester City and Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo.I’m surprised, I have to be honest,” Peter Schmeichel, the Old Trafford goalkeeping great, said at the time. “Because Casemiro hasn’t been mentioned at all through the window. Also, if you are No 6 for Manchester United, you are supposed to drive and take part in the game. He has been having regular English lessons both inside and out the club and considers improving his grasp of the language his greatest urgency. That dedication is starting to pay off. Staff have been impressed by his knowledge of United’s history and, while he is a particular fan of Paul Scholes, he has enjoyed chatting about Eric Cantona and Roy Keane. Of all his current team-mates, Marcus Rashford is said to have stood out for him and he believes the England striker could become one of the world’s best. It has taken a while and it took a little longer still when Ten Hag eased him into the lineup, waiting six weeks before giving him his first league start. That was at Everton on 9 October in the 2-1 win and Casemiro has since been on the losing team only once. His complete United record reads: W25 D4 L3. Casemiro congratulates Bruno Fernandes after he scored against Fulham in United’s last game of the Premier League season. Photograph: Nathan Stirk/Getty Images