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Man United must FINALLY offload five players this summer

Under Erik ten Hag, the Red Devils have advanced significantly, but to return to the top, they must get rid of several ineffective players.
Frenkie Tran
By: Frenkie Tran

On Sunday, Manchester United suffered their seventh loss of the season against Newcastle, and as a result, slipped behind their opponents on the Premier League table due to goal difference. As the campaign reaches its crucial stage, Ten Hag's team are at serious risk of missing out on a top-four spot, primarily due to a lack of depth in their squad. United's midfield was completely outplayed and outrun by Newcastle, and the absence of injured Christian Eriksen and suspended Casemiro proved crucial once again.

Additionally, United looked weak in attack and too vulnerable at the back, which does not bode well for their chances of achieving more success and returning to the Champions League. Back in February, United legend Gary Neville expressed his concern about the team's prospects, noting on his Sky Sports podcast that further support in the transfer market is necessary for the team to regain its former glory. If United is to add new players to their squad, they will need to release some of their current players, and GOAL has identified five players that should be considered for departure.

David de Gea

De Gea has been a loyal and valuable player for Manchester United, as evidenced by his impressive record of 530 appearances since joining the team from Atletico Madrid in 2011. He holds the club's ninth position on the all-time list. He broke Peter Schmeichel's clean sheet record by achieving his 181st shut-out during the Carabao Cup final victory over Newcastle. In addition, he has won numerous titles including the Premier League, FA Cup, and Europa League.


De Gea has been a loyal and valuable player for Manchester United

However, over the past five years, De Gea has been a liability for United, costing the team numerous points due to frequent errors. His form began to decline during Jose Mourinho's final year as manager, and he has continued to make lazy mistakes. Despite claims that he has returned to form this season, he has not eliminated his errors, as demonstrated by his mistakes during the Brentford and Everton matches.

In reality, the 32-year-old goalkeeper offers little beyond the occasional flashy save, and his limitations are holding back the current United squad. His distribution is poor, and he lacks the commanding presence required to deal with high balls. United should, therefore, withdraw from contract negotiations with De Gea, whose current contract expires this summer, and instead focus on signing a new number-one goalkeeper. David Raya, who has replaced De Gea in the Spanish national team, is among the potential candidates to consider.

Victor Lindelof

Since joining Manchester United from Benfica in 2017, Victor Lindelof has played in 213 games for the club, mostly as a starter. However, this season he has seen his playing time significantly reduced, with summer signing Lisandro Martinez often preferred alongside Raphael Varane under Ten Hag. Lindelof has even been displaced by Luke Shaw at times, leaving him frustrated in a backup role.

While away on international duty for European Championship qualifying, Lindelof spoke about his future, expressing his desire to play every game but acknowledging that he has not been able to do so this season. He stated that he and the club would re-evaluate his situation in the summer to determine what is best.


Victor Lindelof has played in 213 games for the club

Manchester United could choose to keep Lindelof on the bench until his contract expires in 2024, but it may be in their best interest to sell him this summer. Reports suggest that Inter may be interested in acquiring the 28-year-old, and he could benefit from a fresh start in Italy, similar to his former teammate Chris Smalling's success at Roma.

Lindelof has struggled to meet the high standards of a top United defender, which is evident when he does feature in Ten Hag's lineup. Therefore, it may be in his best interest to pursue a new challenge before his stock drops any further.

Scott McTominay

Since breaking into the first team at Old Trafford, McTominay has often been compared to United legend Darren Fletcher for his combative playing style and determined attitude. However, despite his effort, the 26-year-old lacks the footballing intelligence that made Fletcher an integral part of Ferguson's team in the final decade of his reign.

In a recent match against Newcastle, manager Ten Hag asked McTominay to push higher up the pitch and man-mark their star player Bruno Guimaraes. Unfortunately, this plan had to be abandoned after just 15 minutes as Guimaraes outplayed McTominay, who was unable to recover even when he dropped back into a deeper role alongside Marcel Sabitzer. Newcastle has been linked with McTominay in recent months, but his poor performance showed he's not good enough to be a regular midfielder for them, let alone for United.


McTominay falls far below the standard of the midfielder

Comparing him to Casemiro, who joined United from Real Madrid last year, McTominay falls far below the standard of the Brazilian midfielder, who injected quality into United's midfield. McTominay's ineffective partnership with Fred during Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's reign also made him a figure of ridicule, unfairly tarring Fred with the same brush. While Fred is not always the first choice under Ten Hag, his technical astuteness and passing range often drive United forward, while McTominay is nothing more than a willing runner.

It has been evident for some time that McTominay does not belong at the level required for United, and it is senseless for them to keep him as even a squad player.

Anthony Martial

Martial made his comeback for Manchester United as a substitute in their game against Newcastle, following a 14-game absence due to a hip injury. He took the place of Burnley loanee Wout Weghorst, who had been used as the team's first choice No. 9 in Martial's absence. The French forward has struggled with fitness issues this season, appearing in only 15 games and scoring six goals. As a result, Marcus Rashford has been carrying the brunt of the team's goalscoring responsibilities.


Martial has failed to prove himself as a reliable attacking option for United

Despite being given a fresh start after a disappointing loan spell at Sevilla, Martial has failed to prove himself as a reliable attacking option for United. The team is reportedly seeking a new striker in the summer transfer window, with Tottenham's Harry Kane and Napoli's Victor Osimhen among their targets. Even if he were fully fit, Martial would not be ahead of these two players in the pecking order.

Concerns about Martial's attitude and fitness have persisted throughout his time at United, and with his contract set to expire in 2024 and his wages reported to be £250,000 per week, it may be time for both parties to part ways.

Harry Maguire

It's not uncommon for successful teams to play without their captain, week in and week out. However, this is a new situation for Manchester United, who have had iconic figures such as Steve Bruce, Roy Keane, Gary Neville, and Nemanja Vidic as previous skippers. Harry Maguire once aspired to follow in their footsteps but is now a captain in name only, as Bruno Fernandes holds the most sway in the dressing room.

Maguire has been dropped from the team by manager Erik ten Hag, and his flaws were exposed in the team's early-season losses to Brighton and Brentford. Since then, Raphael Varane and Lautaro Martinez have formed a solid partnership in central defense, leaving Maguire with a reduced role and only 11 starts in the current season.


Maguire has been dropped from the team by manager Erik ten Hag

Despite this, Maguire insists he has an important role on and off the field at the club, and he is not surplus to requirements. However, United seems to perform better when he is not playing, and Fernandes is expected to be made the permanent captain soon.

There are rumors that Leicester City may try to re-sign Maguire, who left them for United in a world-record deal in 2018, and Aston Villa is also reportedly interested. While he is a solid defender who would fit well at a club outside the top six in England, the last four years have shown he is not up to United's standard if they want to return to the top of the game.

Ten Hag is reportedly preparing for a ruthless clearout in the summer, and Maguire is on his list of unwanted players. He would do well to cooperate during this process and not waste another year of his career.

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Frenkie Tran
Written by: Frenkie Tran
My football predictions cover a variety of competitions and tournaments. In addition to English and European football, football predictions also include tips on games taking place in the USA, Australia, Africa, South America and beyond, from famous leagues such as the Premier League, La Liga and Bundesliga to popular national leagues such as Croatian First League and Portugal Primeira.

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