Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag could well see another nine players leave the Old Trafford club this summer, even after the departures of Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani, Jesse Lingard, Nemanja Matić, Lee Grant and Juan Mata.
It is reported that the Dutchman could bring in five more players with Frenkie de Jong, Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen, Lisandro Martinez and Antony all linked to the club at this present time with a lot of work put into the first three names – awaiting two completions and a decision respectively.
But there are nine more names of players who could be set to depart the club, either permanently or on loan, with Dean Henderson likely to be the only player that the club would be willing to loan out and not sell. The report has come from James Robson of Goal.com.
Eric Bailly and Phil Jones have already been told that they can leave the Old Trafford club this summer, both of whom will be seeking regular first team football after seldom appearing last season under both Ole Gunnar Solskjær and Ralf Rangnick.
Alex Telles and Brandon Williams will find limitations to their playing time this coming season with Luke Shaw and incoming left-back Malacia likely to be ahead of them, so that is something to think about if the Malacia deal does get completed, of which there is a very high chance.
Henderson has already been earmarked for a loan spell away from the club once again, this time with Nottingham Forest with reports suggesting that the move could well be completed this weekend. Henderson played next to no first team football last season and will be rusty.
Andreas Pereira is another who is not needed at United with Fulham already making an offer for the player with reports of other clubs also being interested, including the Brazilian club he was on loan with until today – Flamengo. United should be seeking to offload him permanently.
Axel Tuanzebe is another who could unfortunately leave the club. It was thought that he could become a first team defender at United and despite some good performances, it has not worked for him. He could be given a chance should no interest come forward though.
The last two are Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Anthony Martial. Both will be given a chance to impress in preseason this summer but neither have seemed all that committed for the past year or so so it would need to be a big change from them to remain at United.
It could well be a big gamble for Ten Hag should he allow a further nine players, or at least the majority of them leave the club but that said, it would not be the end of the world to see some of these players removed from the clubs squad list before the end of the summer.
There are some talented players in the academy who could complete the squad with Hannibal Mejbri, Charlie Savage, Alejandro Garnacho, Álvaro Fernández, Bjorn Hardley, Ethan Laird and Charlie McNeill all in with a chance of reaching the first team.
Ten Hag has been known to bring youth through the ranks, seemingly doing just that in his time managing Ajax between 2017 and leaving the club at the end of last season. Blooding youth into the first team is United’s DNA with the Busby Babes and the Class of 1992 yet to be repeated.
Written by John Walker
