The Glazers' biggest Manchester United fear is coming true and Florentino Perez is laughing

There is a cliché in football that Real Madrid don't sell players who still have something to offer.

Madrid are known for getting every drop out of their players and offloading talent at the exact moment they begin to decline, so they can receive maximum resale value.

Manchester United thought they survived that trope when signing Casemiro in a deal worth £70million in 2022. He got off to a slow start and comparisons to Bastian Schweinsteiger were whispered, but Casemiro retained world-class ability and had an outstanding season.

The midfielder was a transformational signing. Erik ten Hag received a reality check in the first games of his tenure and Casemiro was brought in to protect the defensive line.

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It was an expensive fix but it worked. Casemiro was one of the standout performers of the season and was crucial in winning the Carabao Cup and securing a top four finish.

The problem is United peaked when winning a trophy at Wembley last February and have been on a downward trajectory since. They ended last season with a stutter, crashing out of Europe and losing the FA Cup final, and that hangover spilt into the new campaign.

United were outplayed by Wolves on the opening day of the season and were fortunate to win. They were defensively vulnerable, the midfield was easily penetrated and, with the benefit of hindsight, that set the tone for a disappointing second year in charge for Ten Hag.

It didn't take long for fans to realise Casemiro wasn't the same player. He'd gone from being a step ahead of phases of play to being behind, he had notably slowed down, his passing had