Sridhar Bhamidi
Manchester United are reportedly close to extending the deals of six players over the course of the season, reports the Manchester Evening News. Key players Juan Mata and Ander Herrera are a part of the group that also includes Ashley Young, Luke Shaw, Daley Blind and Sam Johnstone, who have all entered the final year of their deal.
Technically, all these players can leave on free transfers at the end of the season but Jose Mourinho is confident of invoking the clause that gives the Red Devils the option of triggering an additional year.
That is great news for the fans especially since some of these players have question marks over their future. Left-back Shaw is linked with a swap deal involving Tottenham Hotspur’s Danny Rose while Herrera has generated interested from Barcelona.
Young too has generated interest from the Chinese League but has stated his interest in staying at the club on same terms. Blind is seen as a utility presence in the squad and is a Mourinho-type player. The Dutch international is happy at the club and his extension should also be routine.
Goal keeper Johnstone is the only one that looks dispensable in this group, with the England youngster currently on loan at Aston Villa and not in the top three picks for Mourinho.
United’s interest in extending the deals is to avoid the situation Arsenal are facing with Alexis Sanchez, Jack Wilshere, Mesut Ozil, Santi Cazorla and a lot of other players. Three other players at Old Trafford are in the final year of their contracts with no extension clause – Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Michael Carrick and Marouane Fellaini.
Zlatan has just re-signed with the club and there are reports that he could end his career at Old Trafford and get into management. Carrick has already mentioned that he doesn’t see himself playing for any club beyond this campaign.
Ed Woodward implemented this additional year clause in 2014 and it remains a master stroke especially when the players enter the last year of their contracts. Thankfully for United, none of these players are trouble makers.
Who amongst these six players, do you think, should be given extensions?
