5 players Manchester United must sell ahead of the 2022-23 Premier League season
The arrival of a new manager always brings a sense of excitement and optimism among Manchester United supporters, but after being let down by the likes of Ole Gunnar Solksjaer and Jose Mourinho, the Red Devils’ loyalists have been a bit sceptical about their presumptions.
The appointment of Dutch manager Erik ten Hag was, hence, not celebrated with as much grandiosity initially, but it is a hot topic of discussion now. The reason is quite simple – United’s incredible performances in their pre-season campaign.
So far, Bruno Fernandes & Co. has played three matches under the stewardship of ten Hag and they have won all of those matches, scoring 13 goals in the process and conceding just a couple. Besides the on-field performances, United has also done well in the transfer market.
Not only did they acquire the services of three talented players in Lisandro Martinez, Christian Eriksen and Tyrell Malacia, but they also offloaded many players who were not contributing to the cause. However, there are still a few players ten Hag might want to consider selling.
Check out five players Manchester United must sell this summer:
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo
Our very first mention might surprise many, given that it is one of Manchester United’s most prized assets – Cristiano Ronaldo. However, the circumstances regarding the players have changed significantly over the last few years, which has also been widely and extensively documented.
It was in the 2002/03 season when Ronaldo last played in the UEFA Europa League. It has been two decades since the maestro from Madeira has been playing, and also scoring plenty of goals, in the pinnacle of European football – the UEFA Champions League.
However, the Red Devils failed to qualify for this season’s Champions League, coming fifth in the previous Premier League association. It is a known fact that Ronaldo does not want to play in the second-tier competition, and his agent Jorge Mendes has hence been on the lookout for a new club. Though United have maintained they want to keep the player at Old Trafford, it is perhaps sensible to let him go if Ronaldo has already made his mind up.
#2 Phil Jones
Phil Jones’ time at Manchester United could be over
It seems Phil Jones has been a part of Manchester United for eternity, and while the 20-time champions of the English top flight have been efficient in offloading some of their other non-performing assets, they have just not been able to replicate the same with Jones.
Having arrived at the club over a decade ago, Jones has had his share of good times at Old Trafford. He can a crucial member of the United backline in the early half of the last decade, but is now a shadow of his past. Having made only 13 appearances in the last three seasons, Jones could finally be relieved from his agony.
3. Alex Telles
When Manchester United bought Alex Telles for £15.4 million in 2020, they thought they would increase competition for the left-back position. Some expected Telles to be United’s first-choice left-back ahead of Luke Shaw, but things did not quite turn out to be that way.
Telles has played 50 matches for the club but has never really looked out of the ordinary. As a result, Shaw has always been the first choice, and now with the addition of Tyrell Malacia to the team, Telles is effectively United’s third-choice option for the left-back role. Hence, it will be a good option to let him go this summer.
4. Donny van de Beek
Donny van de Beek’s future could hinge on the possible arrival of former teammate Frenkie de Jong
Donny van de Beek reached his best level to date under the stewardship of Erik ten Hag, and hence, it will be interesting to see if Manchester United does get rid of him this summer. However, if his statistics are anything to go by, it is certainly a possibility.
The Dutch midfielder has never looked confident in the red jersey, while his loan move to Everton in the second half of last season did not quite work out as planned, mainly due to an injury. Now that United are looking to add one of van de Beek’s former teammate in Frenkie de Jong to their squad, the former’s time could be up.
5. Alex Tuanzebe
A product of the Manchester United academy and once considered the next big thing, Axel Tuanzebe never found his footing in the senior team. In the last season, he was loaned out to two clubs, Aston Villa and Napoli.
However, those moves did not produce the desired results either and now the Englishman is back at United. With ten Hag signing a new defender in Lisandro Martinez and Eric Bailly also catching everyone’s attention in the pre-season, the Red Devils could consider selling Tuanzebe at this point.