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So, Manchester United decided to let go of Jose Mourinho after months of mourning by a vast majority of the fanbase.
During his time at Manchester United, fans accused Jose Mourinho of being too negative in the way he set out his teams.
Mourinho didn’t just set up his team to defend against the purported big teams, but also against the lower teams.
It was fast becoming stressful and depressing to watch United try to contain opposing teams for 90 minutes all seasons. It was like they lost all their sense of pride and respect and would roll over for any team that came out attacking against them.
Now with Mourinho gone, most fans will expect the board to invest heavily in the squad and bring in new faces that can bring the glory days back to Old Trafford.
The thing is this, if you take a good look at the squad, it isn’t such a bad squad. The manager was the main problem with how he set up his teams. Most of the players believed they couldn’t win most of the games they were selected to play. I mean, how can a manager set up a team of Manchester United’s stature to defend all their games?
There are obvious players that should go, however, as they have had little value to Manchester United. But there are players that should be kept at all costs, at least for continuity and stability purposes.
Here are the players that the Manchester United board should keep at all costs at Old Trafford.
#1. David De Gea
Without a shadow of a doubt, the one player that Manchester United will want to keep is David De Gea.
De Gea is the best goalkeeper in the world currently, and maybe one of the best to ever play the game.
Forget any other player in the Manchester United roaster and how much they were brought in for, David De Gea is the most valuable player United currently have.
David De Gea is worth 10 or more points to United even before the season begins and as such, they should do everything possible to keep in their ranks. Besides, as a goalkeeper, he’s almost coming to his prime and the board will want his best years in football to be in a Manchester United jersey.
#2. Marcus Rashford
Manchester United have been known over the years to produce some of the best homegrown talents. Just take a look at the likes of Paul Scholes who has been hailed as one of the best midfield players to ever grace the game, David Beckham, Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Sir Bobby Charlton just to name a few. The list can go and on, and that’s what United has always been about.
At the moment, the squad has Marcus Rashford among a few others who continue to carry on the torch.
Marcus Rashford shot into the scene with four goals in his first two starts for United, two in the Europa League against Midtjylland. The other two came against Arsenal in his Premier League debut.
Since then he has gone from strength to strength to be among the first players in every team sheet his manager has put out. He has also had his struggles as well during his time, but that doesn’t take away the immense potential that this player has.
For the sake of tradition and not wanting to lose one of the best prospects for the future, Manchester United must make sure that Rashford is kept at Old Trafford by all means possible.
#3. Paul Pogba
When Paul Pogba left Manchester United for Juventus back in 2012, most fans weren’t happy about the decision to let him leave.
Most of the fans felt that he was one of their own and was the team’s best chance of having a midfield player to try and fit in the shoes that Paul Scholes left when he retired.
But Fergie had other ideas; mainly due to Paul Pogba’s agent Carmine "Mino" Raiola, who Fergie felt had a bad influence on the player.
The decision to let Pogba leave came back to haunt them a few years later when they paid a club record 89 million to secure the French man from Juventus.
It has not gone as expected though for the flamboyant French star since his return to Old Trafford. Poor form, disagreements with his boss and other off-field shenanigans that even have some fans call for his sale.
The fans and the board are yet to see the form that prompted them to spend such ridiculous money for the French man. It just hasn’t happened for him in England, has it? But all hope isn’t lost just yet. The few times he has shown why he was considered one of the best midfielders in the world, he was simply immense.
So why not build a team around him? He has the potential to be one of the greatest if he can keep his head down and concentrate more on his football. The board will want a return on their biggest investment and they should keep him and make sure the next manager builds a team around him.
#4. Chris Smalling
One of the players who has suffered much from pundits and fans alike when United have conceded goals or lost games has been Chris Smalling. This is despite him being one of the most consistent performers Manchester United has had over the last three seasons or more.
Chris Smalling isn’t a fans favourite at Old Trafford, there’s no doubt about that. But he is one of the senior members of the squad and if there’s a player that can help a new manager settle in easily it is him.
There was a reason Fergie brought him to the club and he has shown it consistently especially under Jose Mourinho. And with his coming to an age where centre backs usually bloom, it is imperative that he is kept at the club.
The two senior members of the squad at the moment, Young and Valencia are almost coming to the end of their playing carriers, leaving Smalling as the next in line for that armband.
He has shown time and again that he can wear the armband with pride and lead his team with passion, and the nest manager should consider him as the next Manchester United captain.
The best leaders in most teams haven’t always been the star players as it has been made to look of late, just take a look at Fabio Cannavaro, Carles Puyol, Steve Bruce, Roy Keane and Paolo Maldini to name a few.
These were battle-hardened men who could do anything to win games and that is what Smalling has been to United. After all, he’s the only one who has looked caring about the dip in form of Manchester United of late.
#5. Anthony Martial
What more can you say about the man that has been keeping Alexis Sanchez on the bench at Manchester United?
Anthony Martial has really come off age this season and he is even Manchester United top scorer currently.
After months of trouble with the then boss Jose Mourinho, Anthony Martial figured out how to keep his head in the game and start performing on a consistent basis.
Maybe it is the snub he got from his National team coach during the world cup that has stirred him or maybe it because of the arrival of Sanchez, no one knows and honestly, I doubt if anyone even cares as long as he performs as he has been.
Martial is a talented player no doubt, but he just had a lot going on in his personal life before that he could concentrate on his football. But it looks like that part of his life is over now.
We are yet to see him in full swing under a manager that will let him fully express himself on the field. He too should be kept at all costs at Old Trafford. If not for anything, then for the fact that it would be foolish to lose such a promising young talent to another club.
Conclusion
A major shakeup is expected in the Manchester United playing staff at the end of the season no matter who takes over the club. But, these players here should be kept at the club at all costs as they represent the spine of the team for the next manager.
