Gigi Becali, the charismatic and controversial owner of FCSB, was furious last week at what he perceived to be cowardly tactics from his coach when facing Manchester United in the Europa League. Becali wound down his window on his way out of the National Arena car park to vent to the media, criticising Ilias Charalampous's decision to play such a negative team.

Perhaps the final straw for Becali was the sight of Casemiro coming on with 18 minutes to go. It was the ultimate symbol that United were finding it all very routine in Bucharest and that a game they were dominating was done.

Bringing a five-time Champions League winner on would normally signal that United are finding it difficult, but this is a very different Casemiro from the one who enjoyed so much success for Real Madrid. His outing against FCSB are the only minutes he has had in 2025, and as United went back to the toil against Crystal Palace on Sunday, the Brazilian returned to the familiar role of unused substitute.

READ MORE: Ruben Amorim must give a debut in Manchester United vs Leicester City in FA Cup

READ MORE: Why Manchester United defender Tyrell Malacia has completed a transfer to PSV

That has been the case in seven of the previous eight games since a nightmare 64 minutes against Newcastle appears to have ended his career at Old Trafford and maybe at the elite end of European football. Things have got so bad for Casemiro that even the Saudi Pro League are turning away from him.

This is for a player who is still only 32 and has one of the most impressive CVs in the European games. In his first season at United, his impact was substantial, bringing much-needed presence to the base of midfield and leadership to the dressing room. Then, it all started to go wrong.

Casemiro's decline last season was rapid, and after a brief hint at a return to form earlier this season, he has now been cast aside. He is on the bench to make up the numbers and might get a few minutes when the game is over, but right now, it's hard to see how he will earn a meaningful start under Ruben Amorim.

The United head coach has made up his mind on Casemiro and decided that the game at this level is now too fast and too physical for a player who is slowing up faster than his age would suggest.

"Sometimes it's a system fit - sometimes it's the player's [form]," Amorim told TNT Sports before the game with FCSB.

"We know that Casemiro nowadays has other qualities. He's intelligent, understands the game and knows where the ball is going to be.

"But, we are in a league where there is a big intensity difference. Therefore I feel our team needs players with high intensity and sometimes we don't have them.

"We all know Casemiro's qualities and everything he has won, so I have nothing to add to that. It's just a selection choice."

That suggests that Casemiro is no longer under consideration to form part of the midfield under Amorim. The problem for United is that they have failed to generate a market for him in successive windows.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe saw this coming. He questioned the wisdom of signing a player in his 30s for £70m and handing him a four-year contract, even when Casemiro-mania was at its height. He has been proved correct.

United have no chance of recouping much of a fee for the holding midfielder. His fee will still have around £17.5m left to amortise this summer when his contract has a year to run. That deal also makes him the highest-paid player at Old Trafford.

That is a burden for United when they are determined to slash costs. Casemiro's contract, even with the deduction for not qualifying for the Champions League baked in, amounts to around £13.5m a year. That is a massive cost for someone no longer considered to be part of the first-team picture.

Having failed to move him on twice now, United have to find a way to get Casemiro off their books this summer. He is unlikely to get much of a shop window for the rest of this season, but someone, somewhere, must surely want a player of his prestige and standing.