The Dutchman wants the club to become better at selling players – and will implement that this summer
Erik ten Hag has told the Manchester United hierarchy to become more ruthless in squad management ahead of the summer transfer window, giving permission to the club to sell at least six first-team players.
Manchester United have been notoriously poor at selling players in the past decade, rarely receiving fees for those either running down their contracts or simply not good enough to be playing week-in week-out.
Ten Hag is looking to change this mentality, though, tell club officials that Harry Maguire, Brandon Williams, Alex Telles, Anthony Martial, Eric Bailly and Dean Henderson should all be sold, according to Manchester Evening News.
Telles, Bailly and Henderson are all currently on loan, at Sevilla, Marseille and Nottingham Forest, respectively. Bailly has an appearance milestone which would trigger Marseille’s obligation to make his loan permanent.
Meanwhile, Martial’s poor injury record has seen Ten Hag grown increasingly frustrated with the Frenchman’s lack of availability, while Maguire and Williams are desperate for more game time. Maguire, the captain of Manchester United and signed only four years ago for £80 million, would likely command a large transfer fee.
Maguire has played in just six Premier League games this campaign, falling out of favour with the manager as Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez sit above him in the centre-back pecking order.
MEN also suggest Jadon Sancho will need to start performing better if he is to cement himself in Ten Hag’s squad, while the departure of Scott McTominay isn’t expected, despite interest from Newcastle United.
Still only 23 and having joined for a considerable financial outlay two summers ago, it seems unlikely Manchester United would give up on Sancho so soon into what could prove to be a hugely successful career.
Anthony Elanga and Facundo Pellistri are expected to go out on season-long loans for more first-team minutes, too.
All of these departures would help free up space in the Manchester United squad for next season, while also helping the club stay within the limits of Financial Fair Play. After spending over £200 million last summer, the Red Devils are limited in who they can spend their money on before a player is sold.
