5 players Manchester United need to sell this summer
After a good 2022-23 campaign under Dutch coach Erik ten Hag, Manchester United will be hoping to do one better than last term and challenge for more titles in the upcoming season. In order to do that though, they will need to be proactive about selling players and generating revenue this summer.
The Red Devils have already spent €64.2 million on Mason Mount. They are also reportedly on the verge of signing Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana for a sum in the ballpark of €50 million.
Ten Hag has more positions that he wants to reinforce as he looks to transform them into a force to be reckoned with in the upcoming campaign. To get the gaffer the signings he wants, United need to sell some of their players to furnish funds.
The Red Devils have a reputation for being a poor selling club as they rarely rake in big amounts when selling their players. However, United will need to get their act straight and be proactive in that department if they are to afford Ten Hag the backing he deserves ahead of the 2023-24 season.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five players Manchester United need to sell this summer.
#5 Eric Bailly
Eric Bailly is a top defender on his day. But his injury record makes for horrific reading. The 29-year-old has missed a bizarre 103 games since joining Manchester United in the summer of 2016.
He spent the entirety of the 2022-23 season on loan at Marseille, where he made a total of 23 appearances in all competitions.
Despite his abysmal injury record, United made the silly decision to give him a new three-year contract with the option of one more year in 2021. Clubs are aware of the Ivory Coast international's niggling injury issues and they aren't exactly lining up to sign him.
But United should get whatever scraps they can for Bailly and move him on as at this point in time, he is simply a drain on their finances.
#4 Donny van de Beek
Erik ten Hag's arrival at Manchester United was expected to hand a fresh lease of life to Manchester United outcast Donny van de Beek. Unfortunately for the Dutchman, it has not worked out that way.
The 26-year-old made a total of 10 appearances in all competitions for United last season before suffering a knee injury in January which ruled him out for the remainder of the campaign.
His move to United has been an utter failure with the midfielder scoring just two goals and providing two assists in 60 appearances across all competitions since joining the club in 2020.
In addition to his time at Old Trafford, Van de Beek's disappointing loan spell at Everton in the 2021-22 season, further highlighted that he is not a good fit for the Premier League. According to various reports, he is one of the players United are looking to sell.
The player is also exploring options as he searches for a new club where he can revive his career.
#3 Alex Telles
Alex Telles spent the 2022-23 season on loan at Sevilla and won the Europa League title with the Spanish club. The 30-year-old provided three assists in 38 appearances in all competitions for Sevilla last term.
With their first-choice left-back Luke Shaw in good form and Tyrell Malacia proving to be a dependable deputy, Telles is surplus to requirements at Manchester United. He is 30 and is unlikely to fetch a large sum of money. But he is another player that the Red Devils should absolutely sell.
According to Daily Mail, he has garnered interest from Al-Nassr, which is the Saudi Arabian outfit that his former United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo plays for. But that move may not materialize as Al-Nassr were recently handed a transfer ban by FIFA for not paying add-ons to Leicester City for Ahmed Musa's transfer in 2018.
#2 Fred
Fred recently switched agencies and he could have very well done it with a view to copping an exit from Manchester United this summer. The Brazilian midfielder is someone Manchester United could cash in on as he has done a decent job for them in the recent past and is likely to have quite a few potential suitors.
With Mount signed up, United are at liberty to sell Fred. The 30-year-old has garnered interest from Turkish club Galatasaray and Saudi Arabian clubs, as per reports. Fred had already fallen down the pecking order at United following the arrival of Casemiro last summer.
He ought to be keen to play first-team football and it looks unlikely to happen extensively at United.. Furthermore, Fred only has one more year remaining in his contract and if United don't cash in on him this summer, they'll risk losing him on a free transfer next year.
According to the Daily Mail, United have rejected a bid from Galatasaray for the central midfielder and are holding out for a sum in the ballpark of €23 million.
#1 Anthony Martial
Yet another player whose stock has depleted massively due to his injury issues, Anthony Martial's future has become the subject of much speculation. Ten Hag reportedly wants to buy a new striker and the Red Devils will need to make a decision on Martial's future in order to facilitate that move.
The Frenchman earns €291,000 in weekly wages, as per Spotrac, and his exit could free up some much-needed funds for Manchester United.
However, given his injury record, it's highly unlikely that top clubs will want to take a chance with him. Martial missed 27 games in all competitions for United in the 2022-23 season due to various injury issues.
The 27-year-old's current contract expires in 2024 and United have the option of extending it by a further year. He made just 21 appearances in all competitions last season and quite simply cannot be United's main option at centre-forward heading into the 2023-24 season.
The Red Devils are certain to incur a huge loss on their initial investment of €60 million on Martial but that shouldn't stop them from selling him this summer.