Former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro made his debut for Inter Miami on Saturday night, playing the full 90 minutes as the David Beckham-owned side earned a 1-0 victory over Montreal.

The Brazilian joined the MLS outfit after the World Cup, having become a free agent when his contract with the Red Devils expired. That came despite the Old Trafford faithful appearing desperate for the 34-year-old to extend his stay.

A move across the pond instead seemed to signal that his best days were behind him. Many European football stars head to the USA with retirement in mind, but the reaction to his debut suggests Casemiro may still have a lot left in the tank.

Fans Cast Verdict on Casemiro After MLS Debut For Inter Miami

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Across 90 minutes this weekend, Casemiro managed to make one key pass, complete 89 per cent of his passes, and also contribute to three defensive actions. While the fact he only won two of his six total duels might imply he struggled in the midfield battle at times, fans have been quick to sign his praises, as one X user remarked (watch his full highlights below):

Another continued: “Casemiro was just cruising man, MLS is way too easy for him,” as a third wrote: “This is like Sunday league for him.” Meanwhile, a fourth also concluded: “Bro already dominating that league.”

Casemiro’s Transfer is Being Investigated

via Reuters

Casemiro’s first game in the iconic pink of Miami was overshadowed by a serious injury to his new teammate German Berterame, who was taken away in an ambulance. But, more broadly, his switch to America has begun on uneven ground after the league opened up an investigation about how his new club went about securing a deal for him.

The investigation centres around the ‘discovery rights’ of Casemiro. MLS clubs are allowed to name up to five players on their ‘discovery list’. If a player on their list then moves to another MLS team, the buying club must agree a fee to obtain the ‘discovery rights’.

LA Galaxy held the ‘discovery rights’ for Casemiro and Inter Miami confirmed they had reached an agreement to obtain them. However, the MLS are investigating ‘tampering allegations’ against The Herons, as per Manchester Evening News.

“The league is gathering all relevant information and will refrain from further comment until the review is complete,” the MLS said in a statement. “While Inter Miami CF and the LA Galaxy have reached a settlement for the discovery priority [first rights] to sign Casemiro, the terms will be released upon conclusion of the tampering investigation.”

Inter Miami beat CF Montreal in their MLS clash at Stadium Saputo on Saturday evening. However, the match was marred by a serious injury to Herons star, German Berterame.

Berterame has been in fine form in front of goal in recent weeks, and he was named in his side’s starting lineup for their match against CF Montreal.

He suffered a serious injury with 21 minutes of the match remaining, though. The ball dropped to the Mexican forward in the box and he produced a powerful header that just went wide.

However, after making contact with the ball, he was hit on the head by the elbow of Montreal defender Efraín Morales. Berterame collapsed to the ground in a heap and required immediate medical attention.

After a few minutes on the ground, an ambulance made its way onto the pitch, and he was loaded onto the vehicle via a stretcher and taken to hospital.

Inter Miami Manager Guillermo Hoyos Provides Update on German Berterame

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Inter Miami went on to win the match 1-0 thanks to Luis Suarez’s 81st minute winner. Inter Miami were given a spot-kick for the foul on Berterame and Suarez made no mistake as his ‘Panenka’ deceived Montreal goalkeeper Sebastian Breza and found the back of the net.

Suarez paid tribute to his teammate after his goal as he held up the Mexican international’s No. 19 jersey.

Inter Miami manager Guillermo Hoyos gave an update on Berterame’s condition after the match. He said, per ESPN:

“What happened to Germán was a very, very hard blow. Regarding the play, it’s obvious there was an elbow, which is why a penalty was awarded, he fell like dead weight.

“The most important thing is that he is okay, and he is okay now. It shook us all because we really didn’t know what to do. It was a moment of great desperation and deep sadness, because it went beyond the result, the football, and all that; it’s about human life, that’s what matters most. So, we just hope everything turns out well.”

Hoyos added: “The players themselves helped rush the stretcher over, and the ambulance came in. It was a really quick response to help Germán. Right now, he is at the clinic undergoing tests, but he is okay.”

Casemiro made his Inter Miami debut against Montreal CF and played the full 90 minutes in his side’s victory. David Beckham’s side are next in action on Saturday, August 1, when they welcome Colombus to Nu Stadium.

Arsenal are looking to pull off an audacious move for Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior this summer, and while this prospective deal would massively elevate Mikel Arteta’s team’s attack, a sacrifice will need to be made along the way.

Reputable journalist David Ornstein broke the news that the Gunners are exploring a deal for Vinicius on Saturday, prompting huge excitement amongst the North London club’s fanbase. The Premier League champions have been in the hunt for a superstar left-winger for some time, but have struggled to make it happen.

The Brazilian phenomenon is currently locked in contract talks with Real Madrid. While it’s possible that he and Los Blancos reach an agreement over a new deal, the mood music around this situation hasn’t been positive for the Spanish giants, and it now seems genuinely plausible that he ends his love affair with the serial Champions League winners.

If Vinicius fails to reach a consensus with Florentino Perez’s right-hand men, then Arsenal are waiting in the wings, ready to pounce and enact what would be a statement deal.

Vinicius Junior Deal Would Be Very Expensive for Arsenal

Phil Noble via Action Images via Reuters

The obvious stumbling block for Arsenal in their pursuit of Vinicius is the finances associated with the deal. The 26-year-old currently earns a purported base salary of around £410,000-a-week (via Capology), with bonuses taking it to £615,000-a-week.

Reports suggest that contract talks with Real Madrid have stalled because the La Liga club haven’t been prepared to match Vinicius’ wage demands. Given the financial resources available to Los Blancos, it’s likely that they have offered the player a significant raise, and he still hasn’t accepted it.

That doesn’t bode well for Arsenal’s chances of being able to agree terms with the player. The Gunners’ current highest earner is Bukayo Saka on £300,000 a week. They’d therefore have to break their wage structure to have even a remote chance of landing Vinicius.

All of this comes before negotiating a signing-on fee, agent fees and a transfer fee with Real Madrid. While the Spanish outfit won’t have much leverage if Vinicius turns down the proposals on offer, given he has 12 months left on his contract at the Bernabeu, they’d still likely look for compensation in the £150 million range, at a minimum.

Essentially, this would be one of the most astronomically expensive deals in the history of football, and Arsenal will need to look for inventive accounting methods to make it happen.

Arsenal Need to Sell Gabriel Martinelli to Fund Vinicius Junior Move

One way of making a deal for Vinicius more likely is by shifting players currently in Arteta’s squad. Leandro Trossard has already left the North London club, while Gabriel Martinelli is another who could make way.

Martinelli has already been linked with an Arsenal exit, with the likes of Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich cited as potential suitors. The calibre of clubs supposedly interested, combined with his age and relatively impressive pedigree, means that the Gunners should be able to command in excess of £50 million for the 25-year-old.

The Brazilian will need to be sacrificed if Arsenal are to sign Vinicius. Not only would his services become redundant with the Real Madrid star an option at the Emirates, but he’s also one of the only saleable assets currently plying their trade in N5.

According to Capology, Martinelli, described as “unstoppable”, is currently on a lucrative £180,000-a-week contract at Arsenal. He only has a year left on this deal, exacerbating the need to sell him, and while this wouldn’t save the sort of money that would fund a move for Vinicius, every little helps.

The Gunners need to raise funds for the total investment in the superstar winger, and sanctioning Martinelli’s departure would be a good first step. The 24-year-old has developed cult hero status in North London for playing an ever-present role in Arteta’s evolving project, and contributing to last season’s Premier League title win, so letting him go will be a difficult decision for Arsenal supporters to take, from a sentimental perspective. However, it’s a necessary move if they want to make this sensational statement signing.

Another ploy that could help them is selling Vinicius and Martinelli’s compatriot, Gabriel Jesus. The former Manchester City striker may not garner much of a fee at this stage of his career, but he’s Arsenal’s third-highest earner on £280,00-a-week.

With Trossard, Jesus and Martinelli’s salaries off the wage bill, a move for Vinicius might just become economically viable.