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For far too long now, Manchester United have been a team in decline. While their misery began when Sir Alex Ferguson left in 2013, many have argued that even Fergie would have struggled to do much with the team he had left to David Moyes.
Simply put, all the world-class players promptly moved on to other teams or retired, leaving a motley-crew of young players, languishing reserves and over-the-hill veterans. Six years on from Ferguson’s retirement and after hundreds of millions of pounds invested in the squad, United are yet to genuinely improve. Their dismal performances in the Premier League over the past few years show just that.
Gone are the days when Manchester United were feared, respected and footballing titans, as they were under Sir Alex Ferguson. Instead, they’re seen as relatively easy side to face, even at Old Trafford. Many mediocre sides can go there feeling confident about not just securing the single point for a draw, but all three for the win.
United need a revamp and a fresh injection of purpose in their squad. However, before they do that, there are five players they should consider selling before starting their overhaul.
#5 Marcos Rojo
Marcos Rojo has only featured in one game for United this season, which was in their 1-0 defeat to Newcastle United before he was whisked off the pitch in 70th minute. It’s safe to say that Rojo is surplus to requirements these days, despite being an integral part of the squad a few years ago under Louis van Gaal.
Had injuries been the cause for the Argentine's lack of game time, then one could make a case for him still having a purpose at Old Trafford but he wasn’t even selected for the bench. He spends most of his time languishing in the reserves when, really, a player of his ability should be starting for a side somewhere. After all, he is 29 years old.
Defence is an area which United must drastically improve in January or the summer and to make space for any new signings, Marcos Rojo should make way. It’s unlikely that the Red Devils will make anywhere near what they paid for him (£18m) but it’s worth pushing him out the door just to cease paying his exorbitant wages.
#4 Nemanja Matic
With Chelsea, many would agree that Nemanja Matic reached his footballing peak. He won the Premier League three times with the Blues and looked like an unstoppable force in the heart of their midfield. So, one can understand why Manchester United splashed out around £40m in the summer of 2017 to acquire his signature.
While the Serbian had a good initial season at Old Trafford, not much has gone right for him since then and he’s had a dreary time so far in this campaign as well. Fans have been openly disappointed by the midfielder’s lack of enthusiasm in games and have often singled him out when United have lost matches.
Matic’s last appearance was in the 2-0 defeat to West Ham United and since then, he’s been on the bench. With his current wages, United should consider selling him on if only to alleviate their wage cap. There’s no reason why Matic deserves what he is getting if he is perennially on the bench and Ed Woodward is probably thinking the same thing.
Nemanja Matic is now a 31-year-old, so finding a team for him may be easy but getting a side to pay a premium for his services certainly won’t be. It is now or never for Manchester United if they truly want to start their revamp.
#3 Alexis Sanchez
When Alexis Sanchez arrived at Old Trafford from Arsenal, virtually everyone expected him to work the same magic Gunners fans had become accustomed to watching every week - but this never happened.
He had a few good games initially before things began to fall apart. It’s one of the biggest footballing mysteries there is. To go from being a world-beater at one Premier League side to one of the worst players of the league at another is perplexing, to say the least.
This season, Sanchez has been loaned out to Inter Milan and appears to have found of his lost form in Serie A. He has featured in three matches so far and already scored for the Nerazzuri.
It’s clear for everyone to see now that Sanchez has reached a stage where he’s suited to the slower-paced style of play in Serie A over the frenetic pace of the Premier League. Sanchez himself would probably be more than happy to stay on with Inter Milan on a permanent basis. So, now is the best time for United to sell him while he’s still worth something decent.
#2 Fred
Manchester United paid a whopping £50m to sign Fred from Shakhtar Donetsk last summer but the Brazilian is still yet to justify his price tag in a United shirt. Four games into this season and the 26-year-old is without a single goal or assist, which for someone of his supposed calibre is simply nowhere near good enough.
Fred is one of the many players at United who seem to stick out like a sore thumb. If Ed Woodward truly wants to revamp the squad and go back to basics, Fred should be one of the first that he tries to move on.
He doesn’t fit into the squad, so it wouldn’t be much of a loss, and he’s still young enough to attract attention from other top clubs who’ll pay a premium to have him on their books.
Also, if they were to get anywhere near the £50m they paid for him (which is highly unlikely), they could invest that wisely and try to fill out the gaps in the rest of the squad. It’ll take time to repair this fragmented side but it is not impossible.
#1 Paul Pogba
This point will likely be the most controversial of them all but here goes. Paul Pogba is certainly a player who should be sold before next season begins. There is no doubting the special talent that Pogba possesses. However, for some reason, fans rarely get to witness it for the Red Devils.
The red shirt of Manchester United seems to be a curse for the Frenchman - he wasn’t good enough in the youth academy and in the first team under Ferguson, which led to his switch to Juventus. Now, history seems to be repeating itself.
Whilst Pogba is an outstanding player on his day, he is anonymous in the majority of games he plays for United. This has prompted the fans to start pointing the finger at him when things go wrong.
In five appearances for United this season, Pogba has created two assists and is yet to score. However, both these assists came on the opening day against Chelsea - since then, he’s offered very little.
For a player who cost the club £90m, one has every right to expect a lot more from him. The prospect of selling Paul Pogba is probably one which most fans would be perplexed by. The Manchester United faithfuls who regularly attend games and watch Pogba in action will likely tell you how, despite all his achievements and reputation, he isn’t all he’s made out to be.
Still, a club like Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid would quite easily break the bank to purchase Pogba. So, United don’t have much to lose and could possibly even profit from the £90m they spent on him in the first place. There are many options out there who are more adept in Pogba’s current role at United than the Frenchman.
With that money, they could invest wisely and begin to repair their midfield before it deteriorates any more.
