According to widespread reports, Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag wants to consolidate his squad this upcoming January transfer window. It all makes sense, as United are already eliminated from half of their four main competitions this season.
Yes, two weeks before Christmas and MUFC have already crashed out of European football entirely. So with less workload, you don’t need to keep those players who are obviously surplus to requirements around.
An ESPN report today claims that Ten Hag “is willing to whittle down his squad” in the January window, so let’s look at who could be on the chopping block come the New Year. Order is from most likely to leave to least.
Click on each name where highlighted for more on the player’s uncertain future.
Jadon Sancho
We start with the most obvious choice of all, the wayward winger who has absolutely no future with the club. While it’s next to impossible to have sympathy for this guy, at the same time, they still need to let him go and try to salvage some form of a career.
Although less so at Borussia Dortmund, the English international has had a history of unprofessionalism and attitude issues at every stop in his career. Maybe he goes back to BVB? Saudi Arabia?
Likelihood of Departure 9.5/10
Donny van de Beek
United have been shopping this flop for a few windows now, but they can’t seem to find the right buyer. Even though he’s both Dutch and a former Ajax man (two categories that really score points with Ten Hag), he still can’t get selected by the manager.
At this point, they should just take whatever they can get for him.
Likelihood of Departure 8/10
Anthony Martial
Everything we just said about Van de Beek applies here, but even more so. United have been trying to move this guy on forever, but no one really wants him. Like DVDB, a loan stint elsewhere was accomplished, but it did nothing to improve his market value.
United need to cut their losses, but who is willing to given them a monetary amount that is worthwhile in return.
Likelihood of Departure 7/10
Raphael Varane
Ten Hag has said there is no feud between him and the French central defender, but one can’t help but be super skeptical of those remarks. Why else would a player of this pedigree and accomplishment be buried so far down the depth chart?
He was even a team captain at one point. Something here seems fishy, and we explore our theory in the next player analysis, because the same principle applies to him too.
Likelihood of Departure 6/10
Casemiro
The players that Ten Hag falls out/the press claimed he fell out with all have one thing in common- high earning salaries. Cristiano Ronaldo and Sancho are/were up the near the very top of the United wage bill. The same can be said for Varane and Casemiro. Maybe there is something to this? Hmmmmm. Hard to say.
Of course, having that big salary makes these players harder to move, so we’ll see if Old Trafford cand find suitors for them.
Likelihood of Departure 5/10
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager 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’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now, while writing for the International Baseball Writers Association of America. You can follow the website on Twitter.