The Manchester United Squad Rebuild Will Take Years

Looking at the Manchester United squad, the rebuild is massive and will take years. When breaking the squad down, here’s what I think needs to be done over the next two summers. Beyond that, it becomes far too hazy and hard to predict. So here’s my attempt at playing the new DoF and creating the plan to rebuild the squad over the never two summers.

Players who are or might be good enough to be a first team player and have a medium term future at the club:

Onana, Martinez, Shaw, Mount, Bruno, Rashford.

These are players who, unless they are causing issues off the pitch, have enough talent that with the right players around them can be important players for us over the next few seasons.

Youngsters with promise who need to be given more chances:

Mainoo, Fernandez, Garnacho, Gore, Amad, Hannibal and Hojlund.

These players have a chance of stepping up. Some might become top quality players, others may be solid squad players, others might not prove good enough. But they all need to be given the chances to show what they can do.

We then have a group of players who are fine for this season and maybe next season as squad players, but are declining and will need to be replaced soon:

Heaton, Evans, Varane, Casemiro and Eriksen.

Squad players who will need replacing over the next 3-5 years, but can still add something for now:

Bayindir, Malacia, (Dalot or AWB) and Lindelof.

The tricky one here is Dalot and AWB, neither are good enough to be first choice, but there is no point keeping two players who aren’t good enough who play the same position. We need to bring in a top class RB and one of these guys needs to make way for that. While AWB has made big strides forward under EtH, I’d be more inclined to keep Dalot. He’s better technically and more tactically flexible, able to play as a traditional RB, a RWB or as an inverted fullback as well as being able to play on both sides. AWB is better defending, but far more limited in how he can play.

Players who just need to be sold/ moved on asap:

Maguire, Williams, (AWB), McTominay, Donny, Pellistri (Decent player, but I don’t think he’ll be good enough), Sancho, Antony (needs to go, but will have to stay for another season or two due to what we paid for him), Martial and Shoretire (was highly rated but seems to have stagnated) . Greenwood needs to go, he won’t get a fair shot at United due to the media.

I’d hope to see all of these players leave next summer or even in January if possible. Although Antony will probably have to…