Club have secured a loan move for Marcus Rashford but four other first-team players could prove more challenging
Manchester United will have to make compromises as they attempt to let go of five first team players this summer.
Marcus Rashford has already joined Barcelona on a season-long deal and the Catalan club have an option to sign him permanently next summer for €35m.
However, Jadon Sancho, Antony, Alejandro Garnacho and Tyrell Malacia are other first team players who have been frozen out of the squad but yet to secure a move away.
All four players are expected to depart at well below their peak valuations, having had mixed performances and with clubs well aware that United are desperate to sell.
Antony has perhaps impressed the most among all four after moving to Real Betis on loan in January. However, while the Spanish club want to keep him they are unable to afford even United’s valuation of around £35m for a player they signed for £85m just two summers ago.
Sancho failed to secure a permanent move to Chelsea this summer due to his refusal to accept a wage reduction. London Blue had to pay United £5m to cancel their obligation to buy the player.
While clubs like Juventus have shown an interest, nothing concrete has materialised.
Garnacho attracted serious interest from Chelsea and Napoli in January, when United’s stance was that they would only sell if a deal is right. But with the player now openly surplus to requirements, reports are that he could now be signed for closer to £40m instead of United’s previous valuation of £70m.
Malacia was signed from Feyenoord for £14.7m in 2022 but has struggled with injuries for over a year. While he won the Eredivisie on loan at PSV last season, his injury record may have reduced his attractiveness. He is expected to leave permanently this summer but is unlikely to fetch much more than a nominal fee.
A leading sport director anonymously told The Athletic that United would need a compromise to successfully push the players out this summer.
The person said: “The players’ agents will be communicating with interested clubs, and those clubs might say, ‘We can pay £20million to £30m as a fee. If you can get that lower, then we can pay the wages being asked and your agent fee, too’. There is a market for clubs who want players at £20m to £25m. It’s tricky above that.
“A compromise is needed, and they can come in different forms other than just reducing the amounts involved. Clubs could pay in instalments, for example, or over a longer period, or there could be compromises on bonuses.”
