Manchester United will head across the pond, to Chicago “that toddlin’ town,” tomorrow. Yes, in past summer preseason tours of Chicago, United typically staged their US base of operations in Tinsel Town, of Los Angeles. This time it’ll be in “the second city” on the shores of Lake Michigan. However, four MUFC players won’t be making the trip, according to ESPN, and that foursome is Jadon Sancho, Antony, Alejandro Garnacho and Tyrell Malacia.
None of these are surprising, as all four have been long expected to transfer out this summer.
Manchester United Summer Preseason Tour of the USA
Sat July 26 vs West Ham United, Metlife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Wed July 30 vs AFC Bournemouth, Soldier Field, Chicago, IL
Sun Aug 3 vs Everton, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
They have even been training away from Carrington/the rest of the team this summer.
Each member of this quartet has made it clear that they want out of United, and the club apparently feels mutual. They’ll all skip the tour to focus on working with their agents to find new clubs. It’s going to be a challenge, for many different reasons, to move on all of these guys.
Chelsea had a contractual obligation to buy Sancho from United in June, but they chose to pay the penalty fee to United instead. Chelsea will not pay Sancho what he thinks he deserves, and some other clubs, who were previously interested, have been shown to feel the same way.
Covering wages is going to be an issue for Garnacho, and especially Antony as well.
Their big salaries are limiting their options, when it comes to finding new potential destinations. And with Garnacho, his social media habits don’t give the best impression of his general attitude, which might turn off some teams.
With Malacia, well, his ability to consistently stay healthy is certainly in question. His track record of missed time makes those questions extremely valid.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter