When analyzing the performances of the two players in the league last season, it is easy to see that De Jong was particularly good in the attacking end, while Casemiro showed great strength in the defensive end. An illustration reveals the contrast: De Jong's offensive dynamism contrasts with Casemiro's solid defense.
In terms of passing strategy, Casemiro was active in the central area of his own half, and his distribution of passes showed a balanced pattern across both penalty areas.
Further comparative data charts reveal Casemiro's central role in Real Madrid's center-backs, while De Jong has become the pivot of Barcelona's attack on the left.
Casemiro's passing position is backwards, which allows him to make more forward passes. Notably, he rarely returns passes and his forward passes cover a wide area with great accuracy.
The other graphic shows the passing rhythm of both players, with Casemiro favoring long passes with a high degree of accuracy, which certainly proves his excellence in passing skills.
On the defensive end, Casemiro became a solid barrier for Real Madrid's backline, while De Jong's defensive moves in both penalty areas were evenly distributed but relatively infrequent. In last season's Champions League matches, De Jong played only 523 minutes, while Casemiro played 914 minutes.
That said, United don't seem to expect Casemiro to deliver breakthrough dribbles forward. In last season's Champions League matches, his dribbling advances averaged just 96 meters per 90 minutes, including 50.8 meters going forward, two stats that ranked 342nd and 312th among all players.
In comparison, De Jong averaged 182.9 meters of advancement with the ball, half of which was forward, but those two stats also ranked only 82nd and 86th among all players. However, United's defense is expected to improve significantly with the arrival of a new back-rower in Ten Hagar's squad. United have conceded seven goals in the first three rounds of matches, and Casemiro's arrival will undoubtedly bring a champion's temperament and solid defense to the team. As for whether De Jong will join United, we can only wait and see.
