Manchester United Transfer News Roundup: Red Devils considering Jadon Sancho contract termination, star duo want to stay, and more - December 20, 2023

Manchester United are preparing to face West Ham United at the London Stadium on Saturday (December 23) in the Premier League. Erik ten Hag’s men arrive at the game on the back of a 0-0 draw against Liverpool at Anfield last weekend.

Meanwhile, the Red Devils are contemplating terminating Jadon Sancho’s contract. Elsewhere, former Real Madrid stars Raphael Varane and Casemiro want to stay at Old Trafford.

On that note, let’s take a look at the major Manchester United transfer stories from December 20, 2023.

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Manchester United considering Jadon Sancho contract termination

Jadon Sancho’s future at Old Trafford remains up in the air

Manchester United are planning to follow Arsenal’s lead and terminate Jadon Sancho’s contract, according to Sky Sports. The English forward remains banished from the first team following a public fall-out with Erik ten Hag. Sancho has reportedly refused to bury the ratchet so far and hasn’t featured for the club since August.

The Red Devils are worried that he is setting a bad example in the squad as they seek to instil discipline under Ten Hag. They are now planning to take a leaf out of the Gunners’ books to terminate the contract of players who aren’t involved with the first team. Mikel Arteta famously stirred up controversy by removing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Özil from his roster.

However, those decisions have gone a long way to help boost the morale of the squad. Manchester United are considering a similar stand in dealing with Sancho.

Raphael Varane and Casemiro want to stay

Raphael Varane’s future at Old Trafford remains up in the air

Raphael Varane and Casemiro want to stay at Manchester United and play at the highest level, according to acclaimed journalist Fabrizio Romano. Both players have endured a difficult time with the Red Devils this season, raising questions regarding their future. Varane has dropped down the pecking order under Erik ten Hag, with Harry Maguire taking his place in the team.

Casemiro, on the other hand, has been a shadow of his former self at Old Trafford this campaign and has endured injury woes too. The Brazilian midfielder has already missed 14 games due to a knock this season. The two stars remain linked with an exit from Manchester United ahead of the winter transfer window, with Saudi Arabian clubs reportedly interested.

However, in his column for Caught Offside, Romano insisted that there’s nothing concrete regarding a move to the Middle East right now.

“In terms of potential outgoings at United, interest from Saudi in Casemiro and Raphael Varane is there since June/July, but at that time both players wanted to stay in Europe and compete at their best for Man United. Let’s see if Saudi clubs will return for them, and what kind of proposals they can present, but at the moment there is nothing at concrete stages yet,” wrote Romano.

Varane has also been linked with a return to Real Madrid in January by SPORT.

Former player advises Marcus Rashford to follow Scott McTominay's example

Marcus Rashford has been a disappointment this season

Former Manchester United forward Dimitar Berbatov has urged Marcus Rashford to take inspiration from Scott McTominay. The English forward has endured an underwhelming season so far with the Premier League giants. He has registered just two goals and four assists from 21 outings for the Red Devils and has dropped down the pecking order of late.

McTominay, meanwhile, was heavily linked with an exit from the Red Devils in the summer, but has since wrestled his way back into the team. The Scottish midfielder is the club’s highest scorer this season, registering six goals and one assist from 19 games in all competitions. Speaking to Betfair, Berbatov pointed out that Rashford’s current situation is a lot like McTominay’s at the beginning of the campaign.

“There are a lot of similarities between Scott's situation and Marcus Rashford right now. He was struggling and no one knew if he was staying at United in the summer. Then all of a sudden, he scored a few important goals, including his match-winning brace against Brentford, and he kept pushing to start,” said Berbatov.

He continued:

"He's now captained the team so maybe Rashford can see how McTominay has turned around his situation and take something from it.”

Berbatov went on to heap praise on McTominay, adding that successful teams need players of his ilk in the squad.

"Scott knows exactly what he needs to do. Fight for the team, sacrifice himself for the team. He's the type of player every team needs. Without players like him, teams can't go on to do big things, trust me. Giving McTominay the armband will elevate him mentally. It will allow him to think more seriously and take more responsibility. It will build him into a better man and player."

McTominay’s contract with Manchester United expires in 2025.