10 players the incoming Old Trafford boss can happily sell.
With incoming Old Trafford boss Louis van Gaal set to be handed a £200m transfer war-chest to improve the squad he inherited from David Moyes the time might well be right for the Dutch national team coach to consider conducting a major squad cull to make way for much needed new additions.
With that in mind, here are ten players van Gaal can happily afford to offload.
Tom Cleverley
Hugely ineffective midfielder who offers little in the final third and who’s ability in a defensive role is questionable it’s hard to see quite what Tom Cleverley’s purpose is.
In many ways the England man falls between two stalls. Unable to make a difference in a creative forward thinking role and too inconsistent to use in a holding or defensive midfield role. Louis van Gaal will surely look to sell the 24 year old.
Nani
Winger who has been treading water for a few seasons now and a player who must surely not be happy about playing such a limited role at Old Trafford.
Undoubtedly talented though the 27 year old is he just doesn’t appear to have much in the way of a Man United future and over the past two seasons it appears that both the club and the attacker are more than aware of this fact. A move away would suit all parties.
Ashley Young
Two goals and four assists over the course of the past two Premier League seasons tells it’s own depressing story with the former Aston Villa man consistently failing to make a real impact in the Man United first team set-up.
Add into the mix his penchant for diving and one would imagine that most of the Old Trafford faithful would jump at the chance to cash-in on the England man whilst they still can.
Marouane Fellaini
Whilst it’s true that Fellaini was inexplicably used in a holding midfield role for most of his debut season at Man United the former Everton man can not use this excuse to entirely paper over the cracks of a hugely disappointing start to his Old Trafford career.
With Louis van Gaal linked with a myriad of central midfield options, from Toni Kroos to Cesc Fabregas, it seems entirely possible that the Dutchman may look to cut the club’s losses and look to sell Fellaini to recoup much of the £27.5m invested in the Belgian powerhouse.
Shinji Kagawa
Again much like Fellaini, Kagawa was often played out of position but far too often the Japanese international flitted in and out of games and is a shadow of the talent that impressed many at Borussia Dortmund.
The 25 year old Kobe born attacking midfielder could well be on his way and it’s another exit that could suit all concerned. The arrival of Juan Mata and the emergence of Adnan Januzaj should hasten such a sale.
Alexander Buttner
Considering that the Dutchman, still to be capped at senior national team level, has acted as a back-up to Patrice Evra but has zero chance of succeeding the French veteran as a first choice starter Man United really should look to sell the former Vitesse Arnhem man.
Bebe
Loaned out Portuguese attacker may have impressed during his loan spell at Paços de Ferreira but the 23 year old has no chance of carving out a career at Man United, even a spot on the bench during Capital One encounters can not be guaranteed.
The Old Trafford side should look to garner some sort of a fee for a £7.4m signing that is rightly considered one of the worst mistakes made by Sir Alex Ferguson during his lengthy reign as Man United boss.
Anders Lindegaard
Back-up keeper who inspires little or no confidence even as a sub custodian, the Dane should look to re-ignite his career elsewhere.
Made just one Premier League appearance last term and looks set to be overtaken by Ben Amos as David de Gea’s understudy.
Rafael
A reckless performer who is too gung-ho to warrant a regular berth at right-back and is a player who Louis van Gaal can look to sell this summer.
The Brazilian is a menace in the opposition half but far too often caught out of position and prone to making foolish fouls and a player of insufficient quality to figure as a member of Louis van Gaal’s starting eleven.
Michael Carrick
On his day the England man can act as a midfield pendulum pulling the strings in the centre of the park but the 32 year old is not as consistent a performer as he once was and now clearly in the latter stages of his career it may be the right time to sell the former West Ham and Tottenham man.
The cracks in Carrick’s game were evident last season and with Louis van Gaal looking to conduct a freshening up of his Old Trafford squad the midfield veteran is a player he can afford to make available.
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