Fewer than ten players are safe at Manchester United with the squad set for a ruthless overhaul, according to reports.
Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenburg claims that Ruben Amorim “is to be given the opportunity to make a rebuild, which will require urgent sales.”
And you can count on both hands the number of players for whom bids would not be entertained, with the majority deemed dispensable should the right offers appear.
Plettenburg reports that “internally, Manchester United agree that over half of the players in the squad are serious candidates for sale in the winter or summer if good offers come in.”
The reporter names young United stars Amad Diallo, Kobbie Mainoo and Leny Yoro amongst those who are not for sale.
He also specifies summer arrivals Noussair Mazraoui and Matthijs de Ligt, and goalkeeper Andre Onana, and tantalisingly adds “and 2-3 other key players”.
🚨🔴 Internally, Manchester United agree that over half of the players in the squad are serious candidates for sale in the winter or summer if good offers come in. Ruben #Amorim is to be given the opportunity to make a rebuild, which will require urgent sales.
Currently, players… pic.twitter.com/KSM46Yw6Yb
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) December 11, 2024
Club captain Bruno Fernandes is not named as one of the untouchables, despite being the very definition of a “key player” for United, and similar reports in the past have named Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund as off limits for potential buyers.
Plettenburg’s bombshell comes amid increasing speculation over the future of Marcus Rashford, who has today been linked with Barcelona, and Lisandro Martinez, who is thought to be of interest to Real Madrid.
Amorim has enjoyed a rocky start to life at Old Trafford, with last weekend’s 3-2 home defeat to Nottingham Forest driving home the scale of the project.
The Portuguese coach has wasted no time implementing a 3-4-3 formation and a style of play is already starting to emerge – but with it, the limitations of the current squad to carry it forward.
To some extent there are uncertainties all over the pitch. Neither Hojlund nor Joshua Zirkzee have nailed down the number 9 role, leading to speculation that Amorim may be set for a summer reunion with Viktor Gyokeres.
Amad has shone as a surprise right wing-back, but options on the other side of the pitch are much more limited, with the likes of Diogo Dalot an out-of-position stopgap and Tyrell Malacia looking rusty on his return from long-term injury.
Feature image Richard Pelham via Getty Images
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Joe Ponting
Joe has spent more than half his life writing about football and all of it following United. As a child he told a doctor his name was ‘Paul Scholes’, but could never pick a pass like him no matter how much he tried.
