Very few Manchester United players’ futures with the club are safe this summer, says BBC football reporter Simon Stone.
Stone reports that United is “willing to listen to offers for virtually all their first-team squad this summer” as it looks to rebuild the club after a miserable season that is still not yet assured of a return to European football.
The report lists Rasmus Hojlund, Alejandro Garnacho, and Kobbie Mainoo as not being on the list, and says it would take “major” offers to get Bruno Fernandes, Diogo Dalot, and Andre Onana.
It also says the United would like to keep Marcus Rashford and rejuvenate his form, but acknowledges that he’s “on the list.”
All this, of course, as Sir Jim Ratcliffe and United’s new hierarchy decide what to do with manager Erik ten Hag.
What will Manchester United look like next season?
Sofyan Amrabat’s loan expires this summer and it seems unlikely the Red Devils would exercise the right to buy him from Fiorentina. The contracts of Tom Heaton and Jonny Evans will expire and both Raphael Varane and Anthony Martial have option years. Varane is the only one you’d possibly expect to stay at Old Trafford.
Mason Mount would seem likely to get a chance to deliver with a healthy summer of prep after an injury-riddled year, as hsi contract runs through 2028.
Loanees Mason Greenwood (Getafe) and Jadon Sancho (Dortmund) are likely to be sold, while Donny van de Beek and Hannibal Mejbri have not become feature players on loan to Eintracht Frankfurt and Sevilla, respectively. Alvaro Carreras has been bright in a short-term move to Benfica, while Facundo Pellistri’s had some good moments at Granada.
But, really, who would you expect back? Bruno Fernandes is the club’s best player and — as stated above — Dalot, Hojlund, Garnacho, and Mainoo have been good. Mount, Scott McTominay, Tyrell Malacia, Amad Diallo, and Lisandro Martinez are in, one would think, as well as breakthrough back Willy Kambwala.
There are so many questions, though. Victor Lindelof is valuable but going into the last year of his deal, as are Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Christian Eriksen, Diallo, and McTominay. And what are the market rates for Antony, Casemiro, Varane, Wan-Bissaka, and Maguire? And how much better would Casemiro look with a better midfielder next to him? Or Varane with a full year of Martinez?
And there’s another aspect to consider: Manchester United is one of the biggest clubs in the world but isn’t going to rally the world’s very best for Europa League or Conference League play unless there’s a clear path back to the Champions League.
Gonna be one interesting summer.
