Former Manchester United star Luke Chadwick has suggested three players that could be sold to raise funds for summer investment into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad.
While the focus for Man United this summer will be on making improvements to the squad which can help close the gap on Manchester City, players will need to depart in order to balance the books.
The coronavirus pandemic has created an unfavourable financial climate for business to be conducted in, so player sales will be every bit as important as player acquisitions over the coming months.
In Man United’s case, that ought to be an easier conversation to have than at some other clubs. Solskjaer has a large squad at his disposal, meaning there’s not enough minutes to go around.
Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside, former Man United star Luke Chadwick has provided insight into how Solskjaer could trim his squad and raise transfer funds in the process.
“You’d probably say, if you were looking for that sum of money to balance the books, you’d look at someone like Paul Pogba and you’d say that’d be a good bit of business four months ago, but since then he’s come into his own and played some of the best football he’s played in a Manchester United shirt.”
MORE: Luke Chadwick wants Man United to sign these three players this summer
“van de Beek’s come in, you wouldn’t get as much back on your money, but if he’s not going to play then he could be someone that the club’s looking to move on.”
“Bailly’s looking a new contract and they’re looking at another centre-half. Lindelof’s had a good season and you could probably get some good money back on him if it was seen that he was surplus to requirements.”
“Anthony Martial, who’s suffered from injuries, sort of an enigma at times, can be brilliant one week and not so good the next. If you’re looking at a number nine to come in, say Harry Kane, that’d be an obvious one.”
“Those three players, I’m not sure how much you’d get, but I’d imagine you’d get quite good money for the three of them.”
As per their respective Transfermarkt pages, the three players mentioned by Chadwick are valued at: Donny van de Beek (£31.5M), Victor Lindelof (£21.6M) and Anthony Martial (£45M). That’s just shy of £100M.
While that money will be enough to sign Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund (according to German outlet Sport1), it’s not going to get you the likes of Erling Haaland or Harry Kane.
Man United fans may well need to be patient when it comes to the club, piece by piece, player by player, constructing a team capable of competing both domestically and in Europe.
Hear what Luke Chadwick had to say on the Glazers and fan protests here.