Manchester United brought in Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro in the summer transfer window, with many questioning why they were spending big on an ageing midfielder.
United signed Casemiro for a deal worth around £70m according to Sky Sports. The figure may seem slightly inflated for a player reaching the latter stages of his career, but Manchester United had to take a risk to bring in a player who would completely transform their midfield, and Casemiro has done just that.
Planet Football chose to look at where Manchester United would be in the league table if the league started when Casemiro made his first start for the club.
1. Arsenal – 10 games, 26 points, +16 GD
2. Manchester United – 11 games, 26 points, +11 GD
3. Newcastle United – 10 games, 24 points, +14 GD
4. Fulham – 12 games, 20 points, +5 GD
5. Brentford – 10 games, 19 points, +5 GD
6. Liverpool – 11 games, 18 points, 0 GD
7. Aston Villa – 11 games, 17 points, -1 GD
8. Brighton – 10 games, 16 points, +5 GD
9. Manchester City – 9 games, 16 points, +4 GD
10. Nottingham Forest – 11 games, 16 points, -4 GD
11. Crystal Palace – 11 games, 16 points, -6 GD
12. Leicester – 10 games, 13 points, +2 GD
13. Tottenham – 10 games, 13 points, 0 GD
14. Chelsea – 11 games, 12 points, -2 GD
15. Wolves – 10 games, 11 points, -6 GD
16. West Ham United – 11 games, 8 points, -6 GD
17. Leeds United – 11 games, 8 points, -7 GD
18. Southampton – 10 games, 8 points, -8 GD
19. Everton – 11 games, 5 points, -11 GD
20. Bournemouth – 10 games, 4 points, -11 GD
Manchester United would be level on points with the actual league leaders Arsenal, despite them currently being eight points clear of second place as it stands.
The impact Casemiro has had is monumental, and the victory over their rivals City helped confirm that argument. Despite the hefty fee, Casemiro joining United could be the difference between qualifying for the Champions League and not, so it should pay off in the long run.