Casemiro: Ancelotti cried when I left Real Madrid

Casemiro left Real as a five-time European champion, one who, alongside clubmates Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, was regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world at the time.

Casemiro starred in his first season at Old Trafford as United won the Carabao Cup, got to the FA Cup final and finished third in the Premier League, but age and injuries have started to catch up with the 32-year-old.

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His value has plummeted to €25.1m pr FootballTransfers’ in-house algorithm, and there are sections of the support who wouldn’t be too disappointed to see him leave once the Sir Jim Ratcliffe regime gets into full swing this summer.

Ancelotti: ‘I don’t want you to leave’

But there were tears all round when he left the Santiago Bernabeu, and they extended to manager Ancelotti.

“I haven’t told this to anyone before – I only doubted my move to Manchester once,” he told El Chiringuito de Jugones. “I remember it was a Friday afternoon and it was all but done except for my signature. People knew that it was done.

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“I went to speak with Ancelotti. I went into his office and he already knew. I opened the door and when I turned, Ancelotti was crying. I told him: ‘You can’t be crying. Anyone but you!’

“He told me: ‘Case, I don’t know why I’m crying, but I’m very fond of you and I don’t want you to leave.’ That was the moment… I realised how many people loved me there. But I had already given my word, and my word is more important than anything else.”

Real have since rebuilt their midfield with Jude Bellingham, Aurelien Tchouameni and others, although Modric and Kroos remain, for now.