Manchester United are ready to sell five first-team players in the upcoming summer transfer window
According to ESPN (h/t Metro), Manchester United are ready to part ways with five first-team stars in the upcoming 2022 summer transfer window.
The Red Devils have decided to appoint Ajax Amsterdam manager Erik ten Hag who will take over the reins at Old Trafford at the end of the current campaign. The Dutchman has a huge job on his hands to awaken a sleeping giant that has fallen well short of expectations in recent seasons.
A squad shakeup is needed and it would appear that several players will in fact be on the move. ten Hag will be handed a transfer kitty of around £100m-£150m, which could prove inadequate for the 52-year-old to bring in the players he wants.
The club is not averse to adding to that kitty as long as it is money that is brought in from sales. Plans are afoot to hand ten Hag the resources he needs by swapping five first-team players.
The quintet in question is Eric Bailly, Alex Telles, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Phil Jones and Anthony Martial. It is perhaps telling that four of the five players are defenders. Given our pathetic showing at the back this season, it is understandable.
Bailly and Jones are fourth and fifth choice centre-backs at best and will not be missed. Telles and Wan-Bissaka have struggled to impose themselves in games and the lack of quality they possess is acutely clear at times.
None of the aforementioned players will be missed at Old Trafford and will give ten Hag squad room to work with. Whether they can bring in a significant transfer fee or not is debatable.
Several players look set to leave the Red Devils in the summer. Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic, Jesse Lingard, Edinson Cavani and Juan Mata could all call it quits as well once their contracts expire in the summer.
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Man United’s problems run deep and cannot be corrected by the efforts of one transfer window. ten Hag has to be given time and resources to orchestrate a complete overhaul of the club. There will certainly be setbacks and it is essential that the club does not take its eye off the ball.
But it is good to know that there is an understanding that a change in personnel is needed at the club. We have been too focused on blaming the managers over the years to find out that many players are failing on an individual level.
