Casemiro has revealed that seeing Carlo Ancelotti in tears almost made him pull out of joining Manchester United in 2022.

The Brazilian midfielder left Real Madrid after nine seasons for £60million on the back of winning five Champions League titles.

He was excited for the move but Casemiro says he had doubts about it after Ancelotti - the usually unflappable Senor managing Madrid with effortless serenity - was reduced to a blubbering wreck in his office. 

'I remember it was a Friday, and almost everything was done; the only thing that was missing was my signature, and I just had to do my medical. But it was already done,' Casemiro told El Chiringuito de Jugones.

'I went to talk to the Mister [Ancelotti] because I was supposed to train, but I couldn't train [because the transfer was imminent]. People knew the transfer was done, but I still had to be there. 

Casemiro revealed that Carlo Ancelotti's tears almost made him reconsider moving to United

'And so I go to talk to Ancelotti and he already knew I was leaving. I entered his office, and when he turned around, I saw he was crying. Ancelotti was crying. 

'And I am thinking, "Why are you crying? No, you can't be crying." And Carlo told me that he didn't want me to leave and that he loved me very much… and in that moment I doubted [the move] and realised how many people loved me here. 

'But I had already committed to it; I had given my word [to United], and my word is more important than anything. But that was the one moment.' 

Ancelotti's sadness is understandable considering that Casemiro forged a reputation as one of the world's best defensive midfielders at Madrid, if not the best. 

His solidity and awareness gave them a strong base for their more flair-filled players to flourish and roam free going forward. Two of his Champions League titles were won under Ancelotti's tutelage. 

He was a revelation in his first season at United but has struggled for consistency this term. 

Jamie Redknapp slammed him for his performance in United's 2-2 draw against Bournemouth, claiming it 'looks like he's playing in Soccer Aid.' 

Casemiro, 32, recently said that he has been having sleepless nights due to United's turbulent form. 

'It's difficult. This is the point that bothers me most about not fighting for titles,' he told ESPN Brazil. 

'Being 20 points behind first place. Sometimes, I can't even sleep to try to think about doing something different. It's reality. There's no point in thinking about title or Champions League places, we need to think about today's games.' 

His future at Old Trafford is up in the air as Sir Jim Ratcliffe will no doubt be keen to move on whoever he considers dead wood in the summer.  

One exit route could lead him to the Saudi Pro League. 

In December, Mail Sport exclusively revealed how the club's then-football director John Murtough had flown to Saudi Arabia to discuss selling players.

Casemiro, Raphael Varane, Anthony Martial, and Jadon Sancho were among the players United were willing to sell to raise funds.