Manchester United were convinced Casemiro would be the real deal at Old Trafford by an encouraging phone call he made after their 4-0 defeat at Brentford in August.
United were in advanced negotiations with the Real Madrid superstar when they were humiliated in Erik ten Hag’s first away game, followed closely on television by Casemiro who was still in Spain.
But any fears the five-time Champions League winner might want to pull out of the move were dispelled when the 30-year-old Brazilian rang director of football John Murtough to assure him he was excited about being part of the revamp that he'd seen with his own eyes the club badly needed.