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Since signing Cristiano Ronaldo this summer, Manchester United have surely made themselves one of the strongest title contenders in England. With other notable acquisitions like Raphael Varane and Jadon Sancho in the summer transfer window, Manchester United have built a good squad.
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has done a good job in clearing the deadwood in the squad but he would still feel the job is only half done. However, the likes of Marcos Rojo, Daniel James and Ashley Young no longer being a part of the Manchester United squad is indeed a good start.
Manchester United need to let go of players
Playing for Manchester United always demands a certain standard and quality. Solskjaer has some really good options but at the same time, it is necessary that he let go of players that don't fit the bill.
There are players in the current Manchester United squad who have failed despite receiving plenty of chances to turn their fortunes around. Letting go of them will not only filter the quality in the squad but also help reduce the wage bill. From a future perspective, it will also help in bringing in other players.
On that note, let's have a look at some of the players who should never play for Manchester United again:
#5 Lee Grant
Manchester United signing Lee Grant in the summer of 2018 was a surprising one for plenty of United fans around the globe. With David De Gea and Sergio Romero in the squad already and with Dean Henderson on loan at Sheffield United, signing him made little sense.
That being said, the signing was a little justified as Romero got injured during his international training with Argentina. This meant Grant was the only backup to De Gea for a brief period. But other than that scenario, Grant has hardly been on the pitch for the Red Devils and is yet to play for them in the Premier League.
Grant has only made two appearances for the 20-time Premier League champions so far. With Tom Heaton becoming United's third-choice goalkeeper, Grant does not even have a slim chance of making an appearance.
Without wasting any further time, it only makes sense for United to sell the Englishman or terminate the contract and help reduce their payroll.
#4 Juan Mata
The Spaniard has been a very good servant to Manchester United. With all his playmaking abilities, smart passing and lovely ball control, Juan Mata was a delightful player to watch in his prime. But it is safe to say that the former Chelsea man is no longer the player he used to be.
Mata's lack of pace and strength is more evident now than ever, reducing his game-time to a massive extent. The arrival of Bruno Fernandes in 2020 has more or less taken away the limited chances Mata has had to start frequently. With United's squad only getting stronger in attack this summer, we are unlikely to see Mata play often.
Mata's recent contract extension was a head-scratching moment for the fans and pretty much uncalled for. It certainly makes more sense to let the Spaniard go and help with the wage bill by saving £160,000 per week.
It is also likely that Mata might enter the coaching staff role sooner or later as the former Valencia man has already started taking coaching badges.
#3 Andreas Pereira
Manchester United's academy has seen some great players graduate out of it. Andreas Pereira was once a very highly-rated product of the United academy. Pereira was touted as having a bright future at United but things haven't quite gone as expected.
Pereira was doing well with the youth team but ever since he was promoted to the senior team, his form has taken a dip. In the past five seasons, the Brazilian midfielder has gone on three different loans with Granada, Valencia and Lazio.
With Pereira being surplus to Manchester United's requirements this summer, the club tried to sell him but a move didn't materialize.
A loan move to Brazilian club Flamengo did materialize, with Manchester United including an option to make the deal permanent in 2022.
If that does not happen, Manchester United will have to make sure Pereira is sold to another club for the betterment of both the club and the player.
#2 Anthony Martial
There was a lot of hype and buzz when Manchester United signed Anthony Martial in 2015 from AS Monaco. Martial was one of the most promising talents back then with the Frenchman pulling off some stellar performances for Monaco.
Under then Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal, Martial made his debut against Liverpool and scored in the same match, creating a lot of buzz. Martial made a decent start to his Manchester United career but it didn't quite go well when Jose Mourinho took charge at United.
Mourinho felt the Frenchman was mentally weak and lethargic with his approach. Martial had the final laugh though as Mourinho was sacked in 2018 and Solskjaer became United's manager. Under the current Manchester United boss, Martial found form in the 2019-20 season where he top-scored with 23 goals in 48 appearances for the Red Devils.
Last season, Martial again saw a dip in form and it has turned out to be very frustrating for United fans. Despite being at the club for more than six years now, Martial has struggled heavily with consistency. At times, his approach has been termed quite lazy and as lacking intensity.
With the stakes very high this season, if Martial fails to perform, the Frenchman will have to be sold. Manchester United can no longer afford to give Martial a chance and have no reliability in return.
#1 Phil Jones
It is very true that the Englishman has had some of the most painful of injuries in his football career. Phil Jones was signed by Sir Alex Ferguson in 2011 after the English centre-back impressed with Blackburn Rovers.
Ferguson showed a lot of faith in Jones but ever since the Scottish manager retired, the defender has struggled to perform under different managers. Jones lacked confidence and was often seen being bullied by the opposition. To add to his misery, injuries have always remained a part of his footballing career.
So far, Jones has easily missed more than 150 games for Manchester United courtesy of the injuries. The 29-year-old was never really able to play on a consistent basis and whenever he did, he struggled with his form.
It has been 10 years now since he joined Manchester United, yet he has only made 224 appearances for the Red Devils. Jones might be getting back to fitness now but there's no way United can afford to keep him.
The Englishman, who earns £75,000 per week, is not expected to have a future at Manchester United.
