MANCHESTER United are ready for a huge summer clearout with as many as nine players set to leave the club.
Erik Ten Hag will look to continue to implement his philosophy and a number of players are deemed surplus to requirements.
Ten Hag watching on as United played Bournemouth on Saturday.Credit: Getty
The United manager is one point away from securing Champions League football, has already won the Carabao cup, and will hope to stop Manchester City from emulating United’s 1999 Treble by winning June’s FA Cup final against their local rivals.
But with a number of players hanging around from previous regimes, here are the nine players Ten Hag could axe from his squad this summer.
Donny Van De Beek
Van De Beek playing against Aston Villa in November.Credit: Getty
Big things were expected when United laid out £35 million for Van De Beek back in the summer of 2020.
The Dutchman played a pivotal role in Ajax’s run to the 2019-20 Champions League semi-final, scoring the only goal in Ajax’s first leg 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur.
He was seen as one of the gems of the team alongside the likes of Matthijs De Ligt, Frenkie De Jong and Hakim Ziyech.
But the Dutchman has never really found a place for himself in the United side, racking up just two goals and two assists in his 60 appearances for the club.
The midfielder was bombed out on loan to Frank Lampard’s Everton last season where he underwhelmed as the Toffees narrowly avoided the drop.
The injured midfielder looks set to return before the end of the season and his former Ajax gaffer Ten Hag may yet give Donny another chance.
However United will look to recoup some of their £35 million outlay if the right offer arrives.
Harry Maguire
Maguire in action against Sevilla back in April.Credit: Getty
Maguire, 30, has endured a season to forget for United after losing his place in the side despite being club captain.
The signing of Lisandro Martinez ushered in Ten Hag’s decision to drop Maguire as a first-choice centre back and he is yet to win his place back in the side despite the diminutive Argentinian’s injury.
Ten Hag has instead opted to play Victor Lindelof or Luke Shaw as a makeshift centre half to avoid playing the England international.
Maguire even found himself being used as an object of ridicule in Ghanaian parliament last December when an MP described his political rival as an “Economic Maguire” to reflect his opponent’s reckless spending policy.
Maguire cost United a whopping £80million when he signed from Leicester back in 2019 and while United would not recoup anything close to that, a fresh start for Maguire could be best for all parties.
Anthony Martial
Martial walks off after being substituted against Bournemouth on Saturday.Credit: Getty
Martial arrived at United with the pressure of being British football’s most expensive teenager in 2015.
The £39m transfer even included a clause that would see United pay more if he went on to win the Ballon d’Or, showing just how high hopes were for the Frenchman when he signed.
An impressive start to life at United saw him score on his debut after coming on as a substitute against bitter rivals Liverpool.
He’d go on to rack up 14 goals in his debut season and establish himself as one of United’s most important players.
But injuries have been the story of much of Martial’s United career, meaning he has often found himself on the sidelines instead of nailing down a starting berth.
It appears Ten Hag has lost patience with the forward through a combination of his inability to stay fit and his attitude on the pitch when he does make it into United’s team.
He has one year remaining on his contract and United may look to offload him in order to make room for Tottenham’s Harry Kane this summer.
David De Gea
David De Gea in action against Bournemouth.Credit: Getty
Signed by Sir Alex Ferguson back in 2013, De Gea is United’s current highest earner on a whopping £375,000 per week.
The goalkeeper’s bumper contract runs out in June and reports suggest he would have to take a significant pay cut if he was to extend his stay at Old Trafford.
But Ten Hag’s philosophy of playing the ball out from the back combined with De Gea’s increasing tendency for high-profile errors means his position as first-choice United keeper is under threat.
United are looking at Porto shot-stopper Diogo Costa and Brentford’s David Raya as potential replacements for the Spain international.
The combination of De Gea’s need to take a pay cut as well as doubts over his No1 status may mean the keeper will leave for free this summer.
Scott McTominay
Scott McTominay after United’s clash with Brentford in April.Credit: Getty
The United academy product has made 22 appearances in all competitions this season, proving to be a reliable player for Ten Hag when called upon.
But United fans will feel the Scot could be upgraded upon, having seen the transformative effect a world-class defensive midfielder in the shape of Casemiro has had on their team.
United have kept tabs on West Ham’s Declan Rice amid claims he may have played his last game at the London Stadium.
With West Ham slapping a £100 million price tag on Rice, United might cash in on reported interest from Newcastle in McTominay to fund a move for Rice.
Alex Telles
Telles in action for loan club SevillaCredit: Getty
United loaned Telles to Sevilla at the start of this season, having run out of patience with the left back’s form.
The Brazil international has made 50 appearances in a United shirt since signing for £15.4 million from Porto in 2020.
Despite scoring eight goals during his time at United, it’s the defensive side of his game that has seen him deemed surplus to requirements.
Eric Bailly
Eric Bailly has spent this season on loan at Marseille.Credit: Getty
Bailly established himself as a favourite of Jose Mourinho’s after signing for £30 million in 2016.
The Ivorian international was named in the Europa League squad of the season as Mourinho’s men won the 2017 trophy, although, he was suspended for the final.
Persistent injuries have meant that he has since struggled to hold down a first-XI place in recent seasons and he has spent this year on loan at Marseille.
His contract expires next summer and United will be keen to get a fee for him if possible.
Wout Weghorst
Wout Weghorst applauds fans after April’s draw with Tottenham Hotspur.Credit: Getty
The man on loan from Burnley arrived at Old Trafford this January to bolster United’s attacking options.
The Dutch forward caught the eye of United bosses after impressing on loan at Besiktas, scoring nine goals in 18 games during his time in Turkey.
But he’s failed to replicate that at United, scoring once in 24 games.
Given his scoring record, it’s highly unlikely United will make the move permanent.
Marcel Sabitzer
Marcel Sabitzer before April’s Europa League clash with Sevilla.Credit: Rex
The Austria international was seen as one of Europe’s hottest talents when he moved to Bayern Munich back in 2021.
But he struggled to establish himself in the Bayern side ahead of the likes of Joshua Kimmich.
The midfielder was brought in on an opportunistic loan in January in order to deputise for an injured Christian Eriksen.
Despite making 18 appearances this season, Sabitzer has often found these opportunities coming from the bench.
With Eriksen fit again and United’s rumoured interest in the likes of Declan Rice, United may not make the move permanent.
SOURCE: thesun.co.uk
