Manchester United has only been the Premier League’s form team for around 10 or 11 days.
Unfortunately, life moves at a breakneck pace. Football, too. Red Devils, welcome back to the misery well.
United have been eliminated from the Champions League – and from Europe altogether – and their next encounter is away at Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s purchase of a minority ownership in the club is still pending. Graham Potter has been connected to the position as manager. On the eve of the January transfer window, terms like ‘clear-out’ and’rebuild’ have been swirling about the United bubble of debate.
Which players might be moved in the next month or so? Let’s have a look at five potential candidates.
Casemiro
On Friday, 90min stated that Casemiro has acknowledged that his future lies outside of Old Trafford and is planning to leave in January.
He is a target for the Saudi Pro League, and while Paris Saint-Germain would like to sign him, they are likely to be hampered by Financial Fair Play restrictions.
Casemiro turns 32 in February, and with United on the verge of recouping the £60 million they spent Real Madrid for his services, now seems like an ideal time to cut connections. The question of ‘who should United sign to anchor their midfield?’ is back on the table.
Varane, Raphael
Real Madrid have been able to freshen and reinvigorate their roster with some of the world’s top young talent as a result of United’s readiness to take their veteran players off their hands.
It appears to be a fully reasonable trade-off.
Raphael Varane had a strong season last year but has fallen out of favor this season, even when fit.
90min disclosed on Thursday that his contract will end in 2024, leaving his long-term future uncertain. With United looking for a new center-back, it would make sense for Varane to depart shortly.
Sancho Jadon
Jadon Sancho has refused to apologize to manager Erik ten Hag for questioning his decision to remove him three months after their original argument.
He would like to return to old club Borussia Dortmund, while 90min understands that claims that United had held conversations about a swap deal with Donyell Malen are inaccurate.
Sancho is still only 23 years old and has a long future ahead of him, but he has a lot to make up for having such a disappointing tenure at Old Trafford. Who is willing to take on a troubled asset?
Martial, Anthony
Anthony Martial will be awarded a testimonial if he stays at United until the end of the 2024/25 season.
Unfortunately, he is unlikely to stay at Old Trafford for that long, with the club certain to decide against exercising the extension clause in his contract, which expires in June 2024.
Martial, thank you for the black-glove visuals, the ice-cold celebrations, and the 2019/20 season in which you unexpectedly became world class, but it’s time to say goodbye.
Van de Beek, Donny
Donny van de Beek hasn’t worked out at United for a variety of reasons.
He was an important part of Ten Hag’s Ajax club that reached the 2019 Champions League semi-finals, but he has struggled to reproduce that success in England, both with and without the Dutch manager.
Eintracht Frankfurt has been offered a loan in January.