Manchester United might have replaced something they lost when Cristiano Ronaldo left

Casemiro shared a dressing room with Cristiano Ronaldo for five trophy-laden years at Real Madrid, though they would spend just a few months together at Manchester United.

They won the lot together at the Santiago Bernabeu, including four Champions League medals. As such, the Brazilian powerhouse would have been able to get on board with the five-time Ballon d'Or winner and his intense demands when he touched down in the Premier League for a fresh challenge.

By that stage, though, Ronaldo had one foot out the door, and his second coming had turned sour. Yet one player who shared so many great moments with him in the Spanish capital is ready to relay the message.

United did right in allowing Ronaldo to leave, as it was abundantly clear his working relationship with Erik ten Hag had reached breaking point. There is a growing sense of deja vu there with the Jadon Sancho situation, but one or two other youngsters might have benefited from having record-breaking Ronaldo around.

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Perhaps fortunately for Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund, though, there is someone else within the United dressing room who they can lean on for similar advice and know-how. Casemiro is a modern great in his own right, while one viral exchange in the Arsenal game showed he's not lost an ounce of competitive spirit.

From a goalscoring perspective, Hojlund is the man United hope will become their new Ronaldo - but he must be allowed to settle, nurture and thrive at his own pace. Judging from his encouraging debut in defeat at the Emirates