Manchester United are gearing up for a major overhaul this summer as they aim to build a squad better suited to Ruben Amorim’s tactical demands and preferred formation.
Despite missing out on Champions League qualification and losing out on roughly £100 million in additional revenue, the club remains determined to spend significantly.
However, this financial shortfall means tough choices will have to be made regarding which players to keep and which to sell.
One key piece of good news for United is that Bruno Fernandes is not expected to be on the chopping block. The Portuguese midfielder, who also serves as the club captain, has expressed no interest in leaving despite the team’s ongoing struggles.
Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton highlighted Fernandes as Manchester United’s “best player” and insisted he must be retained as a cornerstone of the squad.
Sutton recently gave a blunt evaluation of the entire Manchester United roster in a feature for The Daily Mail, identifying twelve players he believes should be sold.
The list includes defenders Victor Lindelof, Matthijs De Ligt, Jonny Evans, and Luke Shaw; midfielders Tyrell Malacia, Manuel Ugarte, Casemiro, and Christian Eriksen; and forwards Antony, Jadon Sancho, Rasmus Hojlund, and Joshua Zirkzee. Many of these players are either nearing the end of their contracts or are already expected to be offloaded.
For example, Lindelof, Evans, and Eriksen’s contracts expire at the end of the season, and they are not expected to receive extensions.
Perhaps the most surprising part of Sutton’s list is the inclusion of three players — De Ligt, Ugarte, and Zirkzee — whom United spent a combined £127.8 million on just last summer.
Despite the high fees, Sutton is adamant these players haven’t lived up to expectations. He described De Ligt as not offering what is needed in the defense and suggested replacing him with Harry Maguire would be an easy choice.
Ugarte, in Sutton’s opinion, hasn’t impressed enough to justify a fee that could reach £50.8 million. As for Zirkzee, Sutton doubts his ability to help United reach the Premier League’s summit or return to the Champions League, recommending he be sold as well.
Regarding manager Ruben Amorim, Sutton believes he is not the problem at Manchester United. Amorim, who has openly stated he won’t change his tactical approach, needs to be supported with the right players to succeed.
Sutton warns that the club’s current financial constraints and inability to offer European football make it uncertain whether big-name players will want to join. Still, he urges United to back Amorim and give him the tools he needs to rebuild the team.
Reports indicate that Amorim himself is overwhelmed by the scale of the task ahead but is not expected to be replaced anytime soon.
With new leadership from Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS, the club is clearly committed to a tough but necessary summer rebuild aimed at restoring Manchester United’s status as genuine title contenders.
