Van Gaal’s long list of unwanted players who could still leave.
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Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal wants the following ten players gone before the end of the summer transfer window, according to the Daily Telegraph.
It remains to be seen if the Red Devils will find buyers for all ten players involved, but the Dutchman is ready to wield the axe and make major changes to the squad at Old Trafford after a disastrous start to the new season to follow on from last year’s disappointments under David Moyes.
A large number of this United squad have been guilty of under-performing and under-achieving for some time now, and their time at the club may well be up as we enter the final few days of the transfer window.
10) Anders Lindegaard
Now possibly down to third choice goalkeeper after the promotion of youngster Ben Amos to David de Gea’s understudy, there seems little hope for Anders Lindegaard in his quest to forge a meaningful career at Manchester United, and Louis van Gaal is ready to find suitors for the Danish international to take him off the club’s wage bill.
9) Danny Welbeck
A host of clubs are said to be chasing Danny Welbeck after United made the decision to put him up for sale. Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, Newcastle United and Sunderland are all mentioned as possible suitors for the England international, who may benefit from a move elsewhere after struggling to become a regular at Old Trafford.
8) Anderson
Despite a bright start to his career at United, things have gone badly downhill for Brazilian midfielder Anderson. After an unsuccessful loan spell with Fiorentina last season, the Red Devils are struggling to find buyers for the 26-year-old, whose career has well and truly nosedived in recent times.
7) Tom Cleverley
Once considered a superb young midfield prospect and natural heir to the legendary Paul Scholes, Tom Cleverley is now something of a pantomime villain at Old Trafford and, unsurprisingly, not part of Louis van Gaal’s plans for the new season. With midfield becoming one of the main areas in need of strengthening, Cleverley will surely be offloaded when a suitable replacement is found.
6) Shinji Kagawa
A real disappointment after first establishing himself as a star in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund, Shinji Kagawa’s time at United looks to be up after just two mediocre seasons and with the signing of Angel Di Maria from Real Madrid. The Japanese international is supposedly a target for Atletico Madrid and a move before the end of the summer seems likely.
5) Wilfried Zaha
After just one year at United, it has already become painfully clear that Wilfried Zaha is not the exciting young talent he looked like in his days in the Championship with Crystal Palace. A return to his old club now seems likely, after barely featuring for United last season and also struggling to make an impression during a brief loan stint with Cardiff City.
4) Javier Hernandez
Despite a lively start to his career at Old Trafford, Javier Hernandez is another player who has failed to maintain his best form and now looks to be on his way out of the club. His goals record means there is a decent chance of United selling him to a top European club for a reasonable transfer fee, but he hasn’t done enough with his all-round game to convince Louis van Gaal that he is worthy of a regular starting place ahead of the likes of Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie.
3) Marouane Fellaini
Last summer’s big-money signing, Marouane Fellaini’s move to United almost sums up all that went wrong with David Moyes’ time at the club. While the big Belgian midfielder was a favourite of his old Everton boss, he surely won’t survive under van Gaal and is another big-name on the transfer list into the final few days of the summer window, with Napoli mentioned as possible suitors for his signature.
2) Ashley Young
Despite a promising pre-season, it seems clear that Ashley Young is still not the player United had hoped he would be when they signed him from Aston Villa back in 2011. The former England winger seems unlikely to develop into a fine wing-back in van Gaal’s 3-5-2 system, and is another that the Dutch coach is hoping to be rid of before the end of the summer.
1) Rafael da Silva
Incredibly, another fine player whose career at United looks to have gone downhill in the last year or so, Rafael da Silva is also not in van Gaal’s plans for the new season despite seeming a decent candidate to play as a right-sided wing-back in a 3-5-2. Still, United are said to be open to offers for the out-of-form Brazilian full-back, who could complete a huge exodus of unwanted squad players from the club in the next few days.
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