Evra to leave and three more to follow.Manchester United look set to embark on a number of high-profile changes to their squad this summer as new manager Louis van Gaal gives the ‘okay’ for the club to sell a host of big-name players.
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Reports today suggest that long-serving French left-back Patrice Evra wants to be allowed to talk with Italian champions Juventus, and that United will not stand in his way as he looks to call time on his Old Trafford career despite recently signing a contract extension.
After such a disappointing season last year, van Gaal is clearly intent on clearing out several names that he deems as inadequate for his team and their ambitions next season, with some fairly high-profile members of the squad to get the chop after some poor recent form for the Red Devils.
3) Wilfried Zaha
The first in the firing line for United is likely to be expensive flop Wilfried Zaha, who was a £15m signing by Sir Alex Ferguson in January 2013, though he never got to play under him. His successor David Moyes clearly didn’t rate him, benching him for half of last season before then sending him out on loan to Cardiff City for the second half of the campaign, where it must be said he also badly failed to impress as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side suffered relegation from the Premier League. Newcastle United are being linked with the former Crystal Palace man, who may be available for as little as £7m, less than half of what United paid for him when he was regarded as one of the most promising young talents in England.
2) Javier Hernandez
After such a fine start to his career at United, things have gone really dowhill for Mexican goal-poacher Javier Hernandez. Despite his great instincts in the penalty area and fine finishing ability, the 26-year-old is perhaps not enough of a well-rounded player to function for as big a club as United. The Red Devils have brought in the likes of Robin van Persie whilst also promoting Danny Welbeck from their youth ranks instead of making Hernandez first choice, and he no longer looks likely to be part of the club’s plans under van Gaal. Some big names are still admirers of his, and he has been linked this summer with a move to Atletico Madrid as a part of the club’s quest to replace the departing strike duo of Diego Costa and David Villa.
1) Marouane Fellaini
Finally, United’s new manager has supposedly instructed the club to put last summer’s big-money flop Marouane Fellaini up for sale. After becoming widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League during his time with Everton, Fellaini was then brought to United by his old manager David Moyes in a deal worth around £27.5m, which now looks like a big mistake. The Belgian international has struggled to assert himself in the Red Devils midfield, looking slow and sluggish and failing to find that magic touch in front of goal that he had for the Toffees. With United signing Ander Herrera and possibly set to bring in others in the middle of the park, Fellaini’s time at the club looks over already.