[long_read]
Manchester United are in all kinds of disarray. The post-Fergie twilight zone has left the club in a crisis of identity, with the trophy-laden manager’s legacy looming large and seemingly serving as an impossible benchmark to live up to.
Managerial problems have been at the forefront of a miserable period since Ferguson left but equally Ed Woodward’s lust for signing mediocre players at eye watering prices has damaged the club’s progress and stature.
Ole is now at the wheel of a sinking ship and will surely be forced to give the green light to a handful of high-profile sales this summer as part of a major rebuilding process.
Toxic attitudes and lacklustre performances have soured the mood at Old Trafford and decisive action needs to be taken.
With that in mind, Football FanCast have assessed Solskjaer’s squad ahead of the summer window and decided which players the Norwegian should sell, keep and loan out to sail United into a brighter future.
Let’s take a look…
[snack_break title=”Goalkeepers – David De Gea, Sergio Romero, Lee Grant”]
David de Gea – Keep him if he extends his current deal. The unforgiving social media sphere may have gobbled De Gea up and spat him back out of late but he remains one of the world’s best goalkeepers. United should do absolutely everything in their power to extend his contract, but they may be tempted to offload him to swerve the risk of losing him for nothing in 2020.
Sergio Romero – Keep him. Excellent back up to De Gea and potentially a solid replacement for the Spaniard if he leaves.
Lee Grant – Does anybody care? Filling a homegrown quota. Keep him on a technicality.
[snack_break title=”Full-backs – Diogo Dalot, Matteo Darmian, Luke Shaw, Ashley Young, Antonio Valencia”]
Diogo Dalot – 100% keep him. Shown immense promise at times this season and could become a fantastic player if proper attention is devoted to his development.
Matteo Darmian – Waste of space, get rid. Aside from an excellent debut the Italian hasn’t done anything to justify his place at United. A move back to Italy surely beckons.
Luke Shaw – Keep him. His career has passed him by since he joined from Southampton but there are clear signs he is moving in the right direction. Needs to improve his delivery and movement in the final-third.
Antonio Valencia – A tough one but it’s time to go. United just need to wipe the slate clean and, as good as Valencia has been down the years, he’s past his best and should make way for the next generation. Contract is up in June.
Ashley Young – Sell. The converted full-back has been exposed on countless occasions this season. Simply not good enough.
[snack_break title=”Centre backs – Victor Lindelof Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Marcos Rojo, Eric Bailly”]
Victor Lindelof – Build the defence around him. The Swede has transformed in the past twelve months and is delivering on the promise which preceded his arrival at Old Trafford. A quality ball-playing central defender with a massive future in Manchester.
Phil Jones – Keep him as a squad player. The face-melting social media dream shouldn’t be first choice but is a decent option to have. How could Twitter cope without him at the Theatre of Dreams?
Chris Smalling – Sell him. Smalling has never been a good fit at United. It’s his level of mediocrity which has dragged the club into the unfortunate position they now find themselves in.
Marcos Rojo – Two foot him out of the club. Plagued by injuries and a complete liability when he gets a run in the side. Solid defender but his next red card always seems to be looming on the imminent horizon.
Eric Bailly – Keep him and partner with Lindelof. Could be a cracking player when he gets himself fully fit. United would regret letting him go.
[snack_break title=”Central midfielders – Paul Pogba, Fred, Scott McTominay, Nemanja Matic, Ander Herrera”]
Paul Pogba – If anybody will buy him then sell him. Nobody truly knows what goes on behind closed doors but the media circus Pogba seems to carry with him is tarnishing the club. He is United’s most gifted player but something hasn’t quite clicked on his return. A hefty transfer fee could be used to reinvest wisely across multiple positions.
Fred – Begrudgingly, keep him. He has been an underwhelming acquisition but it’s too early to write him off.
Scott McTominay – Loan him out. The youngster has shown promise this season but he’s threatening to become a Tom Cleverly 2.0. Send him to another Premier League club and see how he fares. Only then will we know the true extent of his potential.
Nemanja Matic – Keep him. He’s been scapegoated this season but at 30-years-old he is far from finished. He shouldn’t be a regular starter but he’s a fine squad player to have.
Ander Herrera – Give him a one year extension if he’ll take it. A brilliant player on his day but struggled for consistency and fitness. Looking likely to leave with contract expiring in June, though.
[snack_break title=”Attacking midfielders and wingers – Juan Mata, Alexis Sanchez, Jesse Lingard, Andreas Perreira”]
Juan Mata – Release him. Contract is up in June and he wouldn’t be a huge loss to the club despite his technical talents.
Alexis Sanchez – Where do we start? Sell him if a single soul is willing to take him off United’s hands… Is that the sound of tumble weed we can hear?
Jesse Lingard – Deserves to stay. Form has dwindled this season but he’s a respected product of United’s academy and his commitment cannot be questioned in a squad which is plagued by halfheartedness.
Andreas Perreira – Contract is up in June. Pack your bags.
[snack_break title=”Strikers – Romelu Lukaku, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial”]
Romelu Lukaku – No brainer this one: keep him. He’s the only natural centre-forward at the club and he is top class in the right system.
Marcus Rashford – Simply have to keep him. Self-explanatory.
Anthony Martial – Loan him. That might seem like a strange call but the Frenchman still has so much to prove and seems to be going sideways at Old Trafford. A loan move might just give him the wake-up call he blatantly needs to fulfil his potential.
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