Player Assessment At Manchester United

Shappy said earlier that Manchester United have 36 players in our first team squad. I’m assuming that includes all our players out on loan, and a few youth players we rarely see, but I’ve not looked it up. So I agree that has to lead to a degree of disillusionment for those not getting chances not withstanding our injuries, which have come mainly in 2 positions CB and LB.

It also leads to some hideous costs. The squad has been thinned out with loans and I don’t expect many of them to be at the club next season. Donny van de Beek (vdB), Sancho, Greenwood, Hannibal, Fernandez, Pellistri; all should secure new clubs. With fees in for the homegrown members, hopefully offsetting the hits on vdB, Sancho and with any luck come out neutral or with a slightly positive return on that group on the books.

So that’s 6 out with a couple of them having particularly difficult baggage issues to resolve with any potential buyer. 4 are out of contract and will leave in the summer. Heaton, Evans, Varane and Martial.

With the obvious exception of Varane and Evans, none of the 10 played any minutes. But at what cost? So if those 10 leave, with no profit on the books, but a huge saving, maybe north of £70m p.a. on wages, that’s significant.

The next group are what I consider the likely sales. Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Amad, Ericksen, Casimero. Casimero of that bunch will produce a loss while we should be able to turn a profit on the others. I would not expect fees much in excess of £55m combined, but further high wage savings.

So I’m up to 15 now. The next group in my mind are the possible hopeful sales. Anthony, Lindelof (if Maguire stays), McTominay. Big hit to be taken on Anthony if a big offer came in for McTominay, it would all be profit.

The final group I have are the 2 possible opportunistic sales. Bruno and Rashford. Big profit available on Rashford and Bruno. If a big offer came in that suited the player, I think the club would take it.

Obviously not all will be sold, but I do see the first 3 buckets being empty and those 15 leaving with maybe 6 coming in:

2 x CB
1 x RB
2 x CM
1 x striker.

If Anthony goes, he will be replaced. Not sure which will come first there, the chicken or the egg. Same obviously if Bruno or Rashford left. I’m not sure if everyone would agree with my groupings, but that’s how I see the squad at the moment:

Onana
Dalot
Shaw
Malacia
Big Willy
Martinez
Mainoo
Mount
Garnacho
Rasmus

That group, i believe will be seen as safe or not for sale. Onana and Shaw…