Manchester United Football Club have been in a real mess at the moment. Things could potentially get a whole lot worse as an aftermath.
The Red Devils have players aplenty who’ll be free agents come next summer. That got me thinking, why would some of these guys stay if they’re unhappy? Why would the club sign some to new deals when they’re performing so poorly?
Thanks to Sky Sports News, we’ve actually got a full starting line-up with players who may not be at Old Trafford come the start of next season. Who stays, who goes? Let’s take a look…
#mufc out-of-contract XI. Here's who I'd keep:
De Gea ✅?
Young ❌
Smalling ❌
Jones ❌
Shaw ✅
Valencia ❌
Darmian ❌
Pereira✅
Herrera ✅
Mata ❌
Martial ✅ pic.twitter.com/OKUNGTUDtA— OldTraffordFaithful (@OTFaithful) October 10, 2018
David de Gea – Keep
This one is self-explanatory. David de Gea is the best in the business. Pay him what he wants. Get him tied down for his best years. Everyone is happy.
Matteo Darmian – Let go
Slow, positionally unaware, unable to bomb forward. He should have been allowed to leave last summer. Now, it’s unlikely that United will get any sort of transfer fee for him.
Chris Smalling – Let go
Consistently inconsistent. He’s going through a good patch right now, but you just know that, around the corner, another poor spell will happen. He’s starting week-in-week-out, but I barely reckon Chris Smalling is good enough to be a squad player.
Phil Jones – Let go
Phil Jones’ time at United has been nothing short of a disaster. Always injured, often a liability and a nervous wreck. He’s still got massive potential, but it helps nobody if he can’t get himself out on the field to show it.
Luke Shaw – Keep
United’s biggest success story of this season so far. He has to stay, at all costs. Thankfully, Luke Shaw, along with a few others, has an option in his contract for a further year. He’s not going anywhere.
Antonio Valencia – Let go
A great servant, no doubt. However, his best years are behind him. The speed is fading, as is the energy and overall work ethic. Let him get his testimonial over the summer. That’d be a fitting send-off.
Ander Herrera – Keep
The perfect squad player. He doesn’t moan but always works hard. He brings a tempo to the midfield that nobody (barring the next man in this list) can bring. His veteran presence is essential to have around the dressing room.
Andreas Pereira – Keep
An excellent prospect who isn’t playing anywhere near as much as he should be. Give him a go, heck, he can’t do any worse than Nemanja Matic is doing in that #6 position.
Ashley Young – Let go
A hard-working, versatile player who’s ageing. We need to draft more youth into the team rather than constantly relying on the old guard. He’s also on pretty hefty wages. Move him on, put the faith in Diogo Dalot and Shaw.
Juan Mata – Let go
A stunning footballer. This was the one I had the most difficulty with. I love him, but he just doesn’t fit in our system. He needs to be playing under an attacking manager who fully believes in his ability. Juan Mata hasn’t had that once during his time at Old Trafford.
Anthony Martial – Keep
He has to stay. He has to start. A game-changer who can win matches on his own. Anthony Martial had every right to be upset over the summer. That can change if he’s playing regularly.
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