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The 2021-2022 season has been nothing short of disappointing for Manchester United. After finishing second in the Premier League and getting to the finals of the UEFA Europa League, fans had hoped for a title challenge at the start of the season. However, the Red Devils are now fighting to finish in the top 4 of the league.
With the loss to Middlesbrough in the FA Cup, and a string of draws along with a tricky tie against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League Round of 16 coming up, the situation could not be grimmer.
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As Ralf Rangnick, the current interim manager, moves upstairs into a consultancy role in the summer, he and the newly appointed manager will have the monumental task of reshaping the squad and getting things in order before competing for the major trophies.
A few players are in excess of requirements at Old Trafford and may be moved on in the summer to make space for new arrivals.
This article looks at five players who will probably take their footballing careers somewhere else once the summer transfer window is upon us.
#5 In our list of Manchester United players who could be moved on in the summer: Donny van de Beek
Donny van de Beek came to Manchester United amidst much fanfare. The club was in need of a central midfielder as a potential replacement for Paul Pogba or as a backup to both the Frenchman and Bruno Fernandes.
However, it is safe to say that his career so far at United has been underwhelming, with an average playing time of 29 minutes per game last season. With Pogba not leaving and Fernandes’ impeccable performances practically making him undroppable, the former Ajax player has moved further down the pecking order than he would have liked to.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer preferred to play in the 4-2-3-1 system, with Scott McTominay and Fred playing as double pivots in midfield. When he was sacked and Rangnick came in, the German started playing in the 4-2-2-2 system and then changed to the more flexible 4-1-2-3 system.
Both systems did not favor someone like Van de Beek, who likes to carry the ball into the opposition box and score goals by staying high up the pitch. He is an attacking-minded player (a goal-scoring midfielder) who is not good at defensive work.
Due to the lack of a defensive midfielder, United often revert to 4-2-3-1 when defending The defensive transitions do not help the Dutch midfielder as his lack of physical presence and reluctance to press in transition open up the midfield. This is why Fred, or a fit Pogba as one of the two central midfielders, is preferred alongside Bruno Fernandes.
Donny’s move to Everton on loan could be seen in two ways - it could either be seen as a sign of intent or as an opportunity to impress. Under the guidance of a great midfielder in Frank Lampard at Everton and then coming back to a new manager at Manchester United after his loan spell, Van de Beek could see a resurgence in his Manchester United career.
However, moving him on could also be a viable option for United. With the potential arrival of a central/defensive midfielder, he could see his already dwindling game-time further reduced. He is still young and has great potential.
Despite his poor United career, he is highly regarded in the transfer market by elite clubs in Europe. The Red Devils could make back a lot of the money they spent on him and use it to get a defensive midfielder or even a striker.
#4 Nemanja Matic could be on his way out of Manchester United
When Nemanja Matic came to Manchester United at 28 years of age, he was at the peak of his career with a resume matching that of someone worthy of playing for the club. Hardly anyone could argue that he was a good addition to the squad. He brought with him experience, a winning mentality, and an acquaintance with the Jose Mourinho style of football. Not to mention, he was also a world-class midfielder.
However, his Manchester United career hasn’t flourished as much as he would have liked. He came into a squad that had just won the UEFA Europa League and was expected to kick on for the title in the 2017-18 season. That was not the case. Matic failed to showcase his Chelsea credentials with injury, fatigue and poor form marring his United career. His downfall in fitness post-30 has also been tremendous as he has failed to cope with one injury after another.
With United in desperate need of a defensive midfielder, fans would pay anything to see a Matic in his prime bossing the midfield. Alas, that cannot be the case. He hardly features for Manchester United except in the odd game or as a substitute when they are protecting a narrow lead. Therefore, it is best to move him onto new pastures as his contract is up in 2023.
Although his valuation in the transfer market is not that high, he could still do a decent job in a less-demanding league such as in Spain or in Italy, or in his homeland, Serbia.
It is also unlikely that Manchester United will offer him a new contract as the Serbian turns 34 this year. Therefore, the attempt should be to get as much out of him in terms of transfer fees as possible.
#3 This could be Juan Mata’s last season at Manchester United
It is safe to say that Juan Mata is as good a player as he is a human being. He arrived at Manchester United in the January transfer window of the forgettable 2013-14 season under David Moyes.
A lot was expected from the former Chelsea Player of the Year, and it will be unfair to say that he has not delivered. He has had some brilliant performances over the years, especially in the UEFA Europa League in 2016-17.
However, much like his former Chelsea colleague, Mata has left his best behind him. Having played a total of 171 minutes in the 2021-22 season, it is evident that the Spaniard is not in the discussion for regular appearances at Old Trafford. He does not carry the pace and the versatility to match the physical prerequisites of the English Premier League.
There are several players ahead of him in the attacking midfielder position, the most notable of which is Bruno Fernandes. Although he can play on the right or left-wing, it is unlikely that the Spaniard will overcome Marcus Rashford or Jadon Sancho for the position. Mata is, therefore, surplus to requirements, with the club looking at a more galvanized youth-oriented setup.
Although there have been talks that Mata has settled himself within Manchester with his restaurant business, among others, flourishing, and he is also likely to be offered a coaching role within Manchester United, it will only materialize when he decides to hang up his boots.
His contract is due to run out in the summer of this year, and it is improbable that Manchester United will offer him a fresh one. With interest from certain Spanish clubs last season, he could make his services available and United will most certainly let him go.
Mata could finish his playing career on a high in his homeland and return once he retires to resume his life in Manchester. He could even become a member of the coaching staff at Carrington.
It remains to be seen what he decides to do.
#2 Phil Jones could rejuvenate his footballing career away from Manchester United this summer
Phil Jones was once dubbed by the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson as the next best thing in football when he first came to Manchester United. However, an injury-laden career has turned the promise of a great player into a shadow of his former self.
He played his first match in 722 days for the Red Devils this season against Wolves. Before that, he last featured against Tranmere Rovers in January 2020.
At 29 years of age, he still has a lot to give to the world of football, but his time at the elite level may be over. Jones will serve better in a less demanding country in terms of physique and can keep himself away from injury.
Manchester United will look to offload the defender at any price available. Even in the recently concluded January transfer window, Jones was set to move to French side Bordeaux on loan before his move fell through. United were even willing to not ask for any loan fee from the French club in order to smoothen the process and give Jones an opportunity to reignite his career.
Come summer, United will most likely try and move him on once again, especially with one year remaining on his contract. It will be interesting to see where he lands up and whether or not he gets his career back on track.
#1 Dean Henderson might look to move away from Manchester United for more game time
The goalkeeping situation is a peculiar one at Manchester United. At one point in the 2020-21 season, it looked like Dean Henderson had truly cemented his place in the starting eleven over long-time number one David de Gea.
The Europa League final loss to Villarreal, with De Gea not saving one solitary penalty, meant that certain sections of the fans were asking for Henderson to take over as the number one.
Several other technical factors were also involved. There is no doubt that the Spaniard is a better shot-stopper, but the former Sheffield United goalkeeper is better at ball progression through distribution and more commanding in the six-yard box. His vociferous nature has often been highlighted as an argument for a rejuvenated backline as he adds more energy and awareness.
In the 2020-21 season, he featured in a total of 26 games and had a clean sheet in 13 of them whilst conceding 22 goals. De Gea, meanwhile, played in 36 matches, conceded 46 goals and had a clean sheet in 12 of them.
This season was meant to be the one where Henderson looked to cement his place. Unfortunately for the Englishman, he fell ill at the start of the season and missed an extensive period on the sidelines.
On top of that, De Gea seemed to have regained his old form as he looked like the only shining star in an otherwise dull sky as far as Manchester United is concerned. The Spaniard won the Premier League Player of the Month for January, a first for a goalkeeper since February 2016.
The writing seems to be on the wall for Dean Henderson as he will look to move on at the end of the season. Ralf Rangnick clearly prefers De Gea, and it is impossible to drop him with the red hot form that he is in.
The Spaniard is 31 years old, which is fairly young for a goalkeeper, and is also set to sit down for new contract talks at Manchester United.
Henderson’s considerable wages and young age make him a valuable asset for Manchester United, who will look to get a sizeable transfer fees out of him. They will also consider the fact that many big clubs in Europe will look to secure his services.
It will be unfair to say that Henderson is surplus to requirements, but the Red Devils cannot afford to have a stacked roster of four goalkeepers, with two of them being on high wages. There are other areas of the pitch that need prioritizing.
