Following the fiasco that was the 4-1 defeat at cross-city rivals Manchester City, there has been something of an inquest at Manchester United.
Reports came flooding out of Old Trafford about a number of stars wanting to leave the club in the summer, ahead of what will hopefully be a new dawn for The Red Devils in terms of how the club operates both on and off the pitch.
Ajax manager Erik ten Hag is the man most United supporters want to bring in at the end of the season when current interim boss Ralf Rangnick moves into a consultancy role behind the scenes, and following Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League last 16 collapse against Real Madrid, Mauricio Pochettino would have not helped his case for the United job.
Presuming Ten Hag is appointed for the position, United will then have a completely new structural set up to what they did last season.
Former CEO Ed Woodward is gone, and now the most senior footballing person behind the scenes is John Murtough who is the footballing director. Alongside him, Rangnick can provide a level of insight and expertise from behind the scenes, influencing decisions made at the top level with regards to transfers and footballing strategy. And then Ten Hag can provide his expertise to the managerial role. There is probably no better managerial fit in world football for a super club like Manchester United who is in desperate need of a rebuild both culturally and physically.
United must use the rest of this season to analyse who is fit for purpose among the United squad, and bin off anyone who either doesn’t fit the desired style or who doesn’t match the basic principles a player at Man United should have.
With this in mind, the first who should be out the door are the old guard and those whose contracts are up this summer.
As good of servants they have been, the likes of Juan Mata and Nemanja Matic should not have a place in the United squad next season, and should be moved on.
The same goes for Jesse Lingard and Paul Pogba. Both are doubtlessly talented individuals, but Pogba lacks the discipline and consistency to ever truly be relied upon in a deeper role (unless one or two high class defensive midfielders come in), and Lingard will likely never get the desired game time he wants.
Next up is the on-loan stars. At this point of his career, Anthony Martial will only serve as a squad player for United, as also seen by his struggles to get minutes since his loan move to Sevilla, so he should be moved on the money should be redistributed elsewhere. Donny van de Beek is another who should arguably be moved on, but Ten Hag’s history with him means he may be able to get the best out of him, so another season at United can be allowed under the Dutchman before making a more permanent decision.
Up front, Edinson Cavani should certainly not have his contract renewed, and Cristiano Ronaldo, for all his wonderful finishing ability and commercial prowess, is causing more of a tactical headache than he is worth.
The year’s are clearly catching up to him, and the constant rumours of a rift in the United squad centering around him do not make a good case for keeping the legendary forward. United should also seek to move Ronaldo on and invest in a younger forward who will not be a passenger in the majority of open play for them.
Other players such as Phil Jones and Eric Bailly should also be moved on due to their limited minutes and injury inconsistency.
At right-back United should probably look to offload one of Diogo Dalot or Aaron Wan-Bissaka and instead invest in a player who is strong both defensively and going forward, unlike the two players they presently have.
Club captain, Harry Maguire is a dilemma. Who would be willing to pick up Maguire after such a horrid season? If a suitable offer comes in, it would definitely be one to consider.
However, before this year he was proven to be one of United’s and England’s most consistent defenders, his lack of pace in a high-line is a genuine detriment to him and the Euros hangover has certainly not helped his mental sharpness. Maguire could yet be a useful squad option for when United play in a back three or when United opt for a low block. It may not be what the £80m was intended for, but some of his attributes are certainly needed in a United squad which already lacks muscle.
If all these players were moved on, United could simultaneously recruit from within their academy and reinvest the funds gained from a smaller wage bill and transfer fees back into the squad where it is most desperately needed under the vision of Ten Hag.
The likes of James Garner, Hannibal Mejbri and Amad Diallo can be promoted to the senior team and develop under Ten Hag, while new faces are brought in from the market to strengthen the core of the team at centre-back, defensive midfield and striker, while another new attack minded player wouldn’t go amiss either considering Marcus Rashford’s current lack of form.
You’re actually telling the truth in all your comments, let there be changes in the team starting from the manager to the players man u should get a defensive midfielder and a creative midfielder and at our right back we should get a strong, agility and attacking right back and lastly we need a striker that we always force our opponent defense to play nonsence and also i think we should also get a standing centre back that can give our opponent attackers problem.