Is signing Casemiro Manchester United's version of having a child to save their marriage with Cristiano Ronaldo?
Ronaldo has been desperately trying to divorce himself from United all summer, in an attempt to further cement his record in the Champions League.
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Not too many clubs have been lining up outside of Old Trafford to help free the 37-year-old from the final year of his contract, although Sporting would love to see him return.
United are now reportedly willing to let him leave but maybe they're trying to persuade him to stay with the signing of former Real Madrid teammate Casemiro looking like it will happen in the very near future.
The defensive midfielder became a target earlier in the week, after the Adrien Rabiot move broke down, and, whilst it originally looked like nothing more than a pipe dream, things are now developing at speed.
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And footage shows the two former Real teammates really do get along, with the Brazilian giving the five time Ballon d'Or winner a particularly big hug in one goal celebration, the only player to get two hugs in fact.
Whilst pictures may tell a thousand words, the midfielder isn't short of prose to celebrate his good pal either, even binning off Luka Modric's Ballon d'Or win to claim Ronaldo should have got his hands on a sixth golden ball trophy.
"I think the year Luka has had has been spectacular. [But] I’d give it to Cristiano for everything he achieved last season," the 30-year-old told AS at the time.
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Speaking in 2018, after Ronaldo had scored a brilliant goal against Juventus in the Champions League, Casemiro waxed lyrical about how fans should continue enjoying the forward whilst they can.
"Speaking about Cristiano is… we’re always talking about him and I’ve got something I like to say which is: keep enjoying the best in the world and how he plays the game, because what he does is unbelievable.
"The wonder goal he scored… he’s the best in the world.
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"We have to keep enjoying his football, his goals, he’s hard work and leadership in the dressing room.
"The longer he’s with us, the better."
Casemiro wouldn't get to enjoy his mate for much longer at the Bernabeu, as he left Spain later that year, after they'd secured a third European title in-a-row.
A move to Manchester could once again rekindle the love, not only between the two players but between Ronaldo and United, or is it too far gone for that?
Topics: Cristiano Ronaldo, Casemiro, Manchester United, Premier League, La Liga, Real Madrid, Manchester United Transfer News & Rumours, Transfers