Manchester United have been told they no longer need Declan Rice as Casemiro is the closest thing they have had to Roy Keane since the Irishman departed Old Trafford in 2005.
Before appointing Erik ten Hag as their manager, figures responsible for transfers had identified Rice as the top target to address long-standing midfield concerns. Ten Hag spent three months pursuing Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong before Casemiro was eventually signed for an initial £60million from Spanish giants Real Madrid.
Casemiro has been imperious for Ten Hag and his United team this season. As a result, Louis Saha believes there is no reason for his former employers to target West Ham captain Rice moving forward.
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Speaking as part of a promotion for Lord Ping, the popular Frenchman said: "The last player who dominated in midfield like this for United was Roy Keane. He's [Casemiro] the complete player in midfield. He can score, pass and be a leader. So there are a lot of things other holding players don't have."
Saha, who also played for Fulham in his Premier League career, added: "Rice is a top player, but he's not in the same league as Casemiro. It's not just about the energy levels, or how strong you are, it's about how smart and experienced you are and there's no better player than Casemiro in this category.
"It will take Rice time to adjust to the level, but he's a good player and could become it [top level]. I don't think United need him at the moment, because we have solved this [midfield] issue after such a long time."
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