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Manchester United have had a disastrous start to their season so far. The players have dropped their shoulders in many games and have lost those matches which they were expected to win as per the standards set by them in the past.
The pressure is also mounting on the manager Jose Mourinho who is expected to either perform or perish. His reported feuds with some players have certainly not helped his cause and hence, he seems to have lost the trust of the players for now.
Manchester United's defence has been all over the place. They have been extremely disorganized and are making mistakes which are not expected of them. The midfield has lost possession too easily and hasn't been able to create that many opportunities for the strikers. Manchester United's attackers especially Lukaku has missed a lot of easy opportunities. The team as a whole needs to improve and start delivering better performances.
There are several players whose contract expires at the end of this season. Letting them go free will be a loss to United and a waste of the talent which the players possess. They have played a key role in helping Manchester United in difficult situations and have remained loyal to the club whatever the result or position in the Premier League they have achieved in the last couple of seasons.
Their contribution should be rightfully rewarded by the club by increasing their current wages and offering them suitable terms and conditions which will persuade them to remain at Old Trafford.
Let us have a look at the 3 players who could leave Manchester United on a free transfer at the end of this season.
#3 Ander Herrera
Ander Herrera has established himself as a fan favourite at Old Trafford. Being a versatile midfielder, he has got a lot of stamina which enables him to cover the pitch quite quickly in order to snatch possession from the opponent.
Herrera is comfortable in possession, has the knack of scoring goals out of nowhere, is a strong tackler and has the ability to man-mark opponents quite effectively. Hence, due to his never die attitude, Herrera is loved deeply by the Manchester United fans as his name is chanted throughout Old Trafford whenever he is warming up.
Despite the player stating that he is quite happy at the club and desires to fight for his place in the starting XI, the Manchester United board has been quite sluggish in their approach towards handing an improved contract to the player.
There have been reports that his former club Athletic Bilbao is looking for a reunion with him. Hence, before the end of this season, Herrera should be awarded a new contract by Ed Woodward to escape the wrath of the United faithful.
#2 Antonio Valencia
The current club captain Antonio Valencia's contract expires at the end of this season. Valencia has been a loyal player of the club so far and has always performed above expectations.
His versatility has amazed many football pundits as he effortlessly completed a transition from a winger to a right wing back. Due to his pace, he has got the ability to take on the opposition left-back and quite often proves to be successful in this regard.
His crosses are also sometimes unpredictable and hence create problems for the opposition defenders in their penalty area. He times his tackles to perfection on numerous occasions and is a key interceptor of possession for his team.
Notwithstanding the clause in his current contract stating that the club can extend his stay at Old Trafford for one more year, the United board should not leave his future hanging for too long.
#1 De Gea
De Gea is probably the most outstanding player at the club right now. His goalkeeping performances in the last couple of seasons have saved Manchester United from humiliating defeats and have also helped them win narrowly in crucial encounters.
With the shaky and vulnerable defence that they have, De Gea is their best bet to ward off strong teams from scoring a lot of goals. Despite almost leaving Old Trafford a couple of seasons ago, De Gea has been extremely professional and given his all for the team.
Hence, he rightfully deserves a substantial pay rise in the new contract for his wonderful service to the club. With elite clubs like PSG looking to sign De Gea for free next season, Ed Woodward needs to buck up and negotiate good terms with the star player in order to persuade him to extend his stay at the club.
The loss of De Gea might prove quite devastating for the fans as well as the club if the board doesn't act soon.
