Erik ten Hag's Manchester United reign is underway, and it will inevitably lead to comings and goings at Old Trafford.
As the speculation peaks in the build-up to the transfer window opening on June 10, Andy Mitten cuts through the chatter to give an inside view on what might happen between now and September.
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Anthony Martial
A flop on loan at Sevilla, where he was injured and scored only one goal from January to May, the Frenchman still has a contract until 2024 – he’s one of the biggest earners in the squad too. Given how low his stock has fallen and how much he earns, he’ll be hard to get off the books. Another loan could be the best option – if United can find a club who will pay a significant portion of his wages.
Dean Henderson
The goalkeeper wants to play first team football. Can you blame him? He’s a Premier League class goalkeeper who is too good to be No 2 to David de Gea and he’s also the best opportunity for United to raise funds from a sale.
Jesse Lingard
A waste of a season for the player who did so well on loan at West Ham in 2021. A 2011 Youth Cup winner with Paul Pogba, he didn’t go quietly and he felt he deserved more chances to play this season. Another for whom it’s best for all parties that he’s moving on.
Juan Mata
Great guy and a very good player who was a European champion with Chelsea, but the time is right for him to move on, as he will. He’s 34 and feels that he can still play every week.
Edinson Cavani
Despite the smiley tone of his departure message this week, his second season in Manchester was awful. That was a shame after the way his finished his first so strongly. The Uruguayan, 35, leaves fans with mixed memories of his stay. When asked about his future plans before United’s final game of the season, one he actually played in at Crystal Palace, he replied: “we shall see”.
Paul Pogba
The world’s most expensive player when he arrived from Juventus in 2016, the Parisian had six mostly underwhelming seasons at Old Trafford. All but his first season ended without a trophy.
Injuries and managerial changes didn’t help, nor did poor communication with fans, but he struggled to fit into several systems at United. That he was allowed to leave for free for a second time shows how disappointing the World Cup winner was at Old Trafford.
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The transfer window isn’t even open until June 10 and it stays open until September, but United have been linked with scores of players as usual. Transfer speculation sells. United’s priority is in the forward and midfield positions. They have a sizeable budget but it’s finite and would be supplemented by any sales. United feel that they support every manager and invest strongly in the team, but do so in a way which is financially disciplined.
Frenkie De Jong, 25, is a player Erik ten Hag admires and Barcelona can raise serious money for the midfielder. They paid €75 million ($80.4m) for him, but he’s happy in Catalonia and looking forward to playing Champions League football next season. His form has been mixed at Camp Nou and Barca have the luxury of several emerging top-class midfielders, including Gavi, Pedri and Nico. De Jong has been best when played alongside the veteran Sergio Busquets.
There has been initial contact between United and Barca about a possible transfer, but his coach Xavi wants him. However, Xavi might be pressured to sanction a sale given the club’s financial situation. That will be a hard sell. Money will help with their debts, but Barca can’t reinvest any money since they have to remain compliant with league rules. There are also conflicting messages from within Barca, with some officials stating that they haven’t budgeted for any player sales.
United have a lot of potential targets. Some have been offered to them, others scouted and watched by the club. Ten Hag had meetings with John Murtough, a power decision maker at Old Trafford, in Amsterdam to discuss specific players. The pair will work together. Some players have been made public via their agents, others have not.
It’s not inaccurate to say that United admire players like Ajax defender Jurrien Timber, 20, and Benfica’s Uruguayan forward Darwin Nunez, 22, but much of the talk is being driven by agents at present. It can be in their interests to get their clients’ name trending online and they want their cut from transfers. The business model of Benfica is to sell players, many of them recruited from South America, on to richer leagues, so they’re not unhappy with publicity either.
United talk with many agents about players which fuels speculation, but only some advance to firm negotiations. United don’t believe they need ten new recruits and consider that there is still a lot of quality in the squad with potential to perform better than last season. There are good youngsters coming through, too. James Garner was excellent at promoted Nottingham Forest last season.
United also feel that their squad has been too big in recent years and they are comfortable with out of contract players leaving without direct replacements.
Man United 2021/22 season ratings
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MANCHESTER UNITED SEASON RATINGS: David de Gea - 8. A candidate for the club’s player of the year, the Spaniard is United’s undisputed number one and the dips in form which allowed Dean Henderson to challenge him have gone. Spoke out far more this season, as he should have done given his status as a senior member. He’s now 11th in United’s all-time appearance chart with 487. He’d prefer a team trophy to any such plaudits, but his side conceded far too many goals, but that was down to the players in front of him rather than the Madrileno who played far more minutes than any of his teammates. EPA -
Dean Henderson - 5. A threat to De Gea’s position during lockdown, Henderson did at least push the Spaniard into getting his act together again. Contracting Covid before the season commenced set him back and he could never get a chance and started only three games all season. As he showed in the previous season, he’s a very good goalkeeper who deserves to be playing regularly. He’s also likely to attract a bigger fee than any other United player this summer. EPA -
Aaron Wan-Bissaka - 3. A complete regression for the right-back who has got worse in each of his three seasons at Old Trafford . Played every single minute of the first 13 league games of the season, when the low point was leaving his man to try and retrieve the ball before Liverpool’s opener. Tackles well but doesn’t offer enough going forward, his crossing is poor and and so is positioning at the other end. His last three appearances saw United lose all three, scoring no goals and conceding nine. We understand he wants to stay at Old Trafford and is contracted until 2024, but his new boss’ view of him will be the most important one. EPA -
Phil Jones - 4. Thankfully, he’s back after a horrendous run of injuries. Thankfully, showed he’s still capable of playing Premier League football. The support he received playing against Wolves at Old Trafford contrasted sharply with the previous abuse he suffered. Jones is not United’s future and would be better off playing regularly elsewhere. AP -
Harry Maguire - 4. His worst season as a United player and in professional football. United’s captain had been a key squad member until an injury in May 2020. Like many who played in Euro 2020, he struggled at the start of the season and was rushed back for Leicester away, but unlike others he kept his place. Unfairly became a figure of mockery when even his good performances were overlooked. Defends well and in the eight games he missed United only won once, but with his confidence hit he made too many errors and looked less secure the further forward he went. He’s determined to stay captain and get back to where he was. Plenty of United fans will back him to do so, as will his new manager. PA -
Raphael Varane - 5. Such high hopes when he signed from Real Madrid, but such an underwhelming season followed for him. Varane is a world-class defender and he showed that against Atletico. With a proper pre-season behind him, something he didn’t have last term, he hopes to prove it to United fans. And even when he missed far too many games, he still won a higher percentage of duels than any defender apart from Virgil van Dijk. Awful in the 0-4 defeat at Brighton as the home side cut through United time and again. EPA -
Victor Lindelof - 4. Should be in the prime of his career, but he is another with a poor season to his name. His performance at right back away to Atletico was painful to watch. Did well in the opening two games when Varane’s signing was considered imminent, then lost his place to the Frenchman but won it back since Varane was too often injured. Catching Covid didn’t help, nor three managers and the ever-shifting defensive selections. Known as the Ice Man at Benfica, he melted in key moments this season, though it wasn’t just his fault because there was too much space around him to be exploited. He’s well rated at Carrington, let’s see what his new boss thinks of him. AFP -
Eric Bailly - 3. Central defender who doesn’t play enough games and has never played enough games. Capable of the sublime and the ridiculous in the same match. Excellent at Chelsea away, but that’s nowhere near sufficient – yet he still had his contract renewed in 2021. EPA -
Luke Shaw - 4. Another defender who regressed – they all did. Shaw, 26, had his Euro 2020 hangover but started in 11 of the 12 opening league games. Tangling with Maguire before Liverpool went 2-0 up after 13 minutes was a low point. His side was 4-0 down at half time for the first time in 31 years. United’s defence conceded 57 goals – four more than relegated Burnley. AP -
Alex Telles - 5. The Brazilian, 29, got the opportunities after Solskjaer departed and didn’t start in a game United lost until Man City away in March, but in the biggest game at home to Atletico, he turned into his man and lost possession before the ball came in for Atletico’s opener from his side, as it had for their disallowed goal. Suspect when defending, capable of the best crosses at the club and a decent assists too but doesn’t look like a top class full-back. Getty -
Diogo Dalot - 6. Got the chances he’d hoped for after a successful season on loan at Milan. Best game was his first league start of the season at home to Arsenal when he pushed right up and got right back. Before that, he’d been blitzed by Villarreal’s Danjuma at Old Trafford. Steadied himself defensively but still too erratic for his position and didn’t find consistency. It wasn’t easy in a failing, flailing, team. EPA -
Fred - 7. One of the few who had a better than mediocre season. Moved around, broke up play, energetic. Replicated a famous move by Real Madrid player Redondo at Old Trafford in a bright United start against Atletico and scored four times – important goals too - in the league. Reuters -
Scott McTominay - 5. All heart, passion and commitment which too few of those around him showed, but lacks the technical level and often found himself up against better players: Koke, De Bruyne, Rodri, Keita, Henderson et al. Getty -
Jadon Sancho - 5. Overall, a disappointing first season after his vast transfer from Dortmund. One of the few players who improved under Rangnick, at least for a few months after Christmas, and his super curling shot against his former club Manchester City for the equaliser was about the only bright moment in another derby hammering. Five goals was a poor return, too. AFP -
Nemanja Matic - 5. United’s best player in the worst game of the season, a 4-0 defeat at Brighton. Which would be of zero consolation to him. Played a lot towards the end of the season and brought balance to the side, but was seldom good for the full 90. Left the club of his own accord at the end of the season. Good luck. EPA -
Bruno Fernandes - 5. Often frustrated, too often argumentative – and less productive, despite being United’s second top scorer with 10 (and 13 assists). Took United’s 100th corner of the season in January – they’d resulted in zero goals. He signed a huge new contract, not that he’s not been playing well enough to convince fans he deserved it. Could and should be central to United’s rebuild, but needs to reach far better levels. PA -
Paul Pogba - 4. Another disappointment and one 95 per cent of fans in one poll would be happy to see go. Started the season well and made seven of his nine assists in the opening four games, then faded like his team and lost his place in the side before being out injured with hamstring issues. He started only 16 league games. Brilliant for France, he scored a pitiful one goal. At 29, he should be at his peak. United fans don’t see that and, out of contract, he looks set to leave on a free transfer for the second time. Getty -
Anthony Elanga - 7. Immediately picked out by Rangnick, enjoyed his first league start of the season and he started it well on the left, stretching Villa. Enjoyed a promising start among fans and his equaliser at Atletico was one of the few season highs (not scoring in the cup against Middlesbrough was his low), but by Brighton away he was a spent force who’d faded. Getty -
Mason Greenwood - 6. Pass. Reuters -
Edinson Cavani - 3. A terrible second season compared to his first, where he finished strongly. The Uruguayan, 35, was in the starting XI for just 18 per cent of United’s games and scored only two goals. Whether it was his groin, calf, tendon, quarantine or an unspecified ‘knock’, he was unfit to play far too often. That annoyed his teammates. Can you blame them? PA -
Marcus Rashford - 3. His worst season in red as he started only a third of United’s games – but the previous season was hardly convincing either and his stock has plummeted among fans. Five goals and two assists was a poor return. Recovering from a shoulder injury hadn’t helped and nor did the players around him, but he has to get his form back or his future will be away from Old Trafford. Intends to concentrate on his football next season. Good. AFP -
Cristiano Ronaldo - 8. By a distance the top scorer with 24 goals across all competitions, including 18 in the league, the 37-year-old still has impressive stats. He smashed through the 800-goal mark for clubs and country in December and provided most of the best moments of United’s season, scoring in the first five Champions League group games, but not against Atletico in the last 16 when it mattered. Home hat-tricks against Spurs and Norwich lifted the Old Trafford gloom. PA -
Juan Mata - 5. The Spaniard was desperate to play more football. Didn’t play a minute in any league game until April but got more minutes towards the end of the season and was effective exploiting pockets of space in his first start against Brentford, less so against Brighton in the following game. Out of contract. Hard to see him staying and he was the last player on the pitch as he waved goodbye to fans at Selhurst Park. EPA -
Jesse Lingard - 3. Awful season for him on and off the pitch. Felt he was promised more minutes which didn’t arrive. Wanted to go on loan in January to replicate his loan at West Ham in 201 – and then he didn’t. Out of contract and not leaving quietly. Fans not sad to see him go. PA
