Ralph Rannick said Manchester United need to sign up to 10 new players after the 4-0 thrashing of Liverpool on Tuesday night, but which players could leave in their rebuilding?
Sky sports news He understands that United will prioritize a new centre-back, two central midfielders, a winger and a striker this summer, while also examining his full-back and goalkeeping options.
But to strengthen your squad under your next coach – expected to be Ajax boss Erik ten Hag – the club must first make room by clearing the decks.
Here, we take a look at the players facing an uncertain future at Old Trafford, from those nearing the end of their contracts to those who just don’t seem to fit in anymore.
OUT OF CONTRACT
Paul Pogba
United have not offered Pogba new terms since last summer.
In March, Sky sports news reported that Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus were in talks with their representatives, as well as two Premier League clubs.
He was beaten in the early stages of Tuesday’s game against Liverpool and sky sports Pundits Gary Neville questioned whether it would be the last time we would see Pogba in a United shirt.
jesse lingard
His future at Old Trafford has been uncertain for several seasons.
He spent the second half of the last legislature on loan at West Ham and last summer they wanted to sign him permanently. He stayed on, but again failed to cement a place in the first team. He was also targeted by Newcastle in January.
He is expected to leave this summer, with Tottenham one of several clubs that have been monitoring his situation. On Tuesday night, Roy Keane said he should have been gone two years.
Juan kill
The 33-year-old Spaniard looks set to end an eight-year spell at Old Trafford after being on the fringes of the first team all season.
Mata has made just seven appearances in all competitions this term. There are no options left in his contract and there is no talk of a renewal.
Reports in Spain claim that he is not ready to retire and could play in La Liga again.
Nemanja Matic
Matic has already publicly confirmed that he will not exercise the option on his one-year contract and will leave the club on a free transfer at the end of the campaign.
The sky sports The pundits questioned why he announced this before the end of the season with the team still struggling to finish fourth.
edison cavani
The 35-year-old agreed to ignore interest from his native South America and signed another one-year deal last summer, but has not featured regularly, making just 12 Premier League appearances and battling injuries.
According to reports, he would like to move to Spain this summer.
read grant
English goalkeeper who has filled out the youth squad and provided additional coverage in goal, but has not played this season and is expected to find a new club.
ONE YEAR TO GO
David De Gea
De Gea, who has an option for a further year on his contract which runs until 2023, said recently that he does not see himself far from Manchester United but has flirted with returning to Madrid in the past, both to his former club Atletico, like his real rivals.
His wife is a successful TV presenter there and is believed to spend most of her time in the city.
He has remained one of United’s best players this season, but Ten Hag likes a goalkeeper who can build from behind in the same way that Ederson and Alisson can for City and Liverpool.
Does De Gea fit that mold? It would be difficult to replace it anyway.
Cristiano Ronaldo
In January, Ronaldo’s representatives were quick to shut down reports that he was unhappy at United and was already considering leaving in the summer, less than a year since his return to the club.
He has been stellar when he has played, scoring hat-tricks to win games against Tottenham and Norwich in recent months, and he will want to see his team-mates match his incredibly high standards between now and the end of the season.
You will not be short of lucrative options if you indicate that you are ready to play this summer. His contract ends in 2023 but he has the option to extend it for another year.
Marco Rashford
Rashford has struggled to find his best form again this season under both Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Rangnick, and appears to have been affected by the arrivals of Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho at two of the positions he thrives at.
He is young and dynamic enough to be one Ten Hag will want to see up close. But recent reports claim that Rashford is considering his future at Old Trafford. If he stays, the club has the option to extend his contract for one year.
luke shaw
Shaw, another player whose contract includes a one-year extension option for the club, is happy at United and willing to extend his contract further.
However, like most of the team, his form has been sporadic this season and Rangnick seems to prefer Alex Telles or Diogo Dalot at left back.
Shaw was recently injured and will almost certainly be another player that Ten Hag will want to evaluate first before making any decisions about his future.
Fred
One of United’s priorities this summer is to sign at least one new central midfielder, given that Pogba and Matic are set to go.
What these new additions will mean for Fred remains to be seen, but he has been one of the best players when he has played this season. His energetic style should fit with Ten Hag’s philosophy and there is a one-year extension option on his contract.
phil jones
He surprised everyone when he signed a new contract until 2023 in 2019, which also contains an option until 2024.
He has made just three appearances this season and looked far below the required standard in Tuesday’s thrashing of Liverpool.
It’s very hard to see how it would fit into Ten Hag’s plans. The signing of a new centre-back is definitely on the cards for United this summer.
Tom Heaton
Heaton was signed to add more cover in goal and has the option to extend his time at Old Trafford, but United are expected to look for another goalkeeper this summer, meaning his future is up in the air.
He has only made one first-team appearance.
Diogo Dalot
Dalot’s situation at United has been up and down since he arrived under José Mourinho.
He was on loan at AC Milan last season and did exceptionally well, and was expected to head there permanently.
Instead, he stuck around and got off to a strong start to the campaign, but slumped again before another minor resurgence under Rangnick.
However, with just one year remaining on his contract, it might be time to cash in on the Portugal international and sign a right-back entirely in the Ten Hag mould.
OTHER POSSIBLE OUTPUTS
dean henderson
The England goalkeeper has been frustrated by his lack of opportunities at United for several seasons, especially after thriving during two loan spells at Sheffield United.
He is of interest to a number of other Premier League clubs where he could expect to be in line for the number 1 shirt, so he is expected to push out again this summer.
eric bailly
Bailly has made just seven appearances this season, despite signing a new contract through 2025 (if his option is factored in) last year.
United want to sign another new centre-back this summer, despite signing Raphaël Varane from Real Madrid last year, which would push Bailly further down the pecking order.
antonio martial
Martial is currently on loan at Sevilla after falling out of favor with both Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick this season.
Sky sports news revealed exclusively in December that he wanted to join the Spanish club in January to get more first-team appearances.
Whether Sevilla want to keep him on a permanent basis remains to be seen, but there were other clubs also interested in signing him and his future at Old Trafford looks far from certain.
Brandon Williams
The young left-back, who has been fourth in the pecking order behind Shaw, Telles and Dalot, has been on loan this season at relegation-battling Norwich City.
For his development, he will need to continue playing regular games next season, which, at United, is unlikely.