Manchester United Treble winner Andrew Cole felt Casemiro blocked a move for Declan Rice.
Rice left West Ham for Arsenal last summer.
Cole told Betfred: "I hear all that chat and do get it, but Manchester United bought Casemiro last summer. You can have one or the other, but you can't make two marquee signings in the same position.
"Declan Rice went to Arsenal for 105million and Casemiro joined United for 60million. They weren't going to sign Casemiro one summer and Rice the next.
"United needed to sign a striker this summer firstly, which they did, and then they decided to buy a goalkeeper too. Where would they have found the money to sign Declan? Would Declan have made a bigger impact at United than he has at Arsenal? Would signing Declan result in United being higher up in the table? I'm not sure."
Cole, 52, added: "I'm aware how well he's doing for Arsenal at the moment, but United are a different proposition. They're a different team, play a different way and they're going through so many problems at this moment. Would Rice coming to United have made a big difference? It's all just ifs and buts."