Ultimate United
9 Possible United Departures next Summer 30 Nov 2017 20:33
A look at some of the squad players whose Old Trafford career could come to an end next summer.
By Philip Meese, Chief Editor
Juan Mata
It was a difficult season following Alex Ferguson’s departure, and by January United were already out of the title race and clearly weren’t going to make the top four. When Chelsea’s two-time player of the year Juan Mata arrived at Old Trafford, he was expected to not only become a major figure at United, but to spearhead the club’s attempt to salvage something from a disastrous season. Although he has scored ten goals in of his three full seasons at United, it hasn’t quite worked out that way.
There have been some brilliant individual performances, such as his brace at Anfield in 2015, he has rarely shown the kind of consistency that would make him a first pick. When he does start, he is usually always substituted well before full time – this is not just under José Mourinho, Louis van Gaal used to do the same. Against Brighton his lack of pace, never one of his strongest suits, was highlighted once again, in a performance that saw him offer little to change a game that was still a stalemate when he was hooked just after the hour.
Mata’s contract is up at the end of the season, and he has expressed a desire to sign an extended deal. There is no doubt that he loves being a United player, and the club do have an option to automatically extend it by a year. If they do this, however, it is possible that it will be so that they can command a fee for him next summer.
Matteo Darmian
In the first few months of the 2015-16 season, it looked like van Gaal had found himself a real bargain. Signing Italy’s first choice right-back for just over £12 million looked like a steal. He and Luke Shaw, on the opposite flank, began the season in scintillating form, and seemed to give the team a real balance, both defensively and in supporting the attack. When Shaw received a career threatening leg break against PSV Eindhoven, it was almost as though Darmian’s confidence departed the team along with the left back. A few weeks later, United were thumped 3-0 by Arsenal at the Emirates, with the Italian taking much of the flak for the way United defended that day. He has never quite looked the same player since.
Although Darmian started the Europa League Final last season, this was mainly down to the fact that Eric Bailly was suspended, meaning that Daley Blind had to be moved into the centre. Their solid displays in that game were down to the fact that Ajax offered very little to test them. Under Mourinho, Darmian has never had a consistent run in the team, and is rarely used in the Premier League. The fact that two converted wingers are preferred in the full back positions tells its own story about how highly his manager rates him.
Whether Darmian is pushing for a move or not is unknown. Due to Italy’s failure to qualify for next year’s World Cup, this will not be a consideration to him, but he has been regularly linked with a move back to his homeland. Nobody will be surprised if that happens in one of the next two transfer windows.
Marouane Fellaini
It seems that some fans will never forgive Marouane Fellaini for being David Moyes’ only big summer signing in 2013 (other than Guillermo Varela). In spite of the criticism he has received, the Belgian has knuckled down and given 100% whenever he puts the red shirt on. It is said that he is not a United player, and if the fans who say this are comparing him with are the likes of Best, Ronaldo, Cantona, etc, then this is true. But United have had plenty of workers over the years and most of the match going crowd see how hard he grafts.
Fellaini has become an important figure under Mourinho, and van Gaal before him. Sure, his fondness for introducing opponents to his elbows, and silly fouls such as the penalty which gifted Everton a point last season, have drawn criticism. These would be the same people who were very happy about the fact that he has scored in the last three semi-finals United have played in, trophies which the Red Devils went on to win. In spite of his limitations as a footballer, his height, strength and aggression offer United a very clear plan B.
United have the option to extend his contract, but talks have so far stalled on a new deal. Reports have stated that he wants a £50,000 per week increase on his current £120,000 per week deal. Given that Mourinho clearly rates him, this doesn’t seem like an unreasonable demand, considering what certain players such as Bastian Schweinsteiger were reportedly earning, despite spending lengthy spells in the treatment room.
Mourinho isn’t in charge of the wage budget, but he will have a lot of say in which players he wants to keep. If Fellaini is as important to his plans as he says he is, you would think he will put the squeeze on the Old Trafford bean counters, and get them to give him what he is requesting.
Ander Herrera
Something is different about Ander Herrera this season. If you had asked most United fans in the summer, many would have picked him as their next captain, such was the passion he showed for the club. This was evident in the Europa League Final, when he ordered the wandering Henrikh Mkhitaryan back into the area, moments before the Armenian scored United’s second goal.
Over the summer, there was talk of Barcelona preparing a bid, which seemed to cool when the Catalans signed Paulinho. Further speculation has linked him with a move to Atlético Madrid in recent months. Whether this talk has turned Herrera’s head is open to debate, but so far this campaign he has looked a shadow of the player that made Eden Hazard look irrelevant in United’s 2-0 win over Chelsea last season. He has been in and out of the side this term, but even when he is brought in, he hasn’t showed the urgency that you might expect given that he is far from an automatic starter.
United have already exercised the option to extend his contract until 2019. Whether this is just to buy themselves some time to negotiate a new deal with him, or so that they can command a fee when selling him next year is anybody’s guess. If, however, his poor form this season is because both his head and his heart are already back in his native Spain, it’s probably the latter.
Luke Shaw
It’s hard not to feel a measure of sympathy for the young left-back, given the way his career has evolved over the last two years. While rumours continue to surface of his battles to keep off the weight, and an apparent lack of professionalism, there is no doubt that the horrific double leg break he suffered against PSV two years ago clearly left mental and physical scars. Although he reported fit for training at the start of last season, he didn’t seem prepared for it, and was criticised by Mourinho for his performance at Watford. He was used sparingly after that, but seemed to be returning to form before another injury, against Swansea, finished his season.
He has made just two substitute appearances this term, both in the League Cup. There are reports that he is being lined up for a loan spell at Newcastle, which may do him the world of good. He would have much more opportunities to compete for regular Premier League football, which doesn’t seem likely at Old Trafford.
It is rumoured that Mourinho has never forgiven Shaw for choosing United over Chelsea when he was still manager there. If this is true, maybe a loan spell would give the Portuguese manager a chance to remember why he was so interested in buying him in the first place. If he doesn’t do something soon, he may find that his United career ends before it ever really got started. This would be a shame, as many fans want to see him given a chance.
Daley Blind
Another player who is out of contract at the season’s end. Like many of his team mate who are in a similar position, United have the option to extend his deal by a further year, but there is so far no word as to whether they will exercise this.
Blind is the archetypal jack of all trades, yet master of none. He started as a defensive midfielder, the position which we apparently bought him to fill, but has spent much of his time in England playing in defence. The problem with this is that, despite earning praise for his performances under van Gaal, the limitations in his game mean he isn’t particularly suited to either centre-back or full back. Out of all of the players in the squad, he probably has less pace than anyone, meaning that even an average winger will give him a tough time if he has a decent burst of acceleration. His lack of height and slight build mean he is never going to be considered a first pick at centre back.
Like Darmian, Blind only seems to be used when Mourinho needs to shuffle his pack and rest certain players, or if he has several injuries. Blind’s best assets are his passing, intelligence and dead-ball ability. You could see him being a vital player to a team in a league played at a less frantic pace, say Serie A. Blind is another player, whose deal United will automatically extend, just to get a fee for him. It is hard to imagine, however, that he will ever become an Old Trafford regular at this stage of his career.
Michael Carrick
A player considered a legend by some United fans, and given that he has won every trophy possible at club level since arriving at United in 2006, it is an argument not without merit. The fact of the matter is, however, that he will be 37 by the start of next season, and has recently had a heart procedure.
Mourinho’s comments that Carrick is guaranteed a coaching role at United when he finishes his career will set alarm bells ringing, both for the fans and the midfielder himself. He has been on a rolling contract for a couple of years now, and no decision is likely to be made before the end of the season. Nobody would be surprised, however, if the manager has already got his sights set on further midfield reinforcements for next season, which would likely push Carrick further down the pecking order.
Carrick has looked after himself fantastically well, and has never relied on pace at any stage of his career, so his game has not really altered over the years. The heart condition he had was not especially serious, and he has already returned to training. Even though he started taking his coaching badges before he hit 30, you would think he is fit enough to play on for at least one more season. He may not fancy being a fringe player, or a full time coach, just yet. This alone may push him out of the Old Trafford door.
Zlatan Ibrahimovi?
Another player in the twilight years of his career, Ibrahimovi? has already said goodbye to the United faithful once, when his one year deal finished last summer. After the injury that finished his season, he stayed on at United to continue his recovery following the expiration of his contract, and promptly signed a new one earlier this season.
Given Lukaku’s struggles in recent weeks, Ibrahimovi? will know that this is his chance to get a foothold in the team, and show that he can still be the player he was last year. So far he has only made four substitute appearances, not really having the chance to demonstrate if he is still the same old Zlatan; despite a fantastic scissor kick against Newcastle.
Like Carrick, a decision on Ibrahimovi?’s future will probably not be made until the business end of the season. By then Mourinho, and the Swedish striker himself, will both have a better idea of whether his future can possibly be at Old Trafford. If Ibrahimovi? feels that he would be nothing more than a fringe player, he will most likely move onto pastures new. One gets the impression that Zlatan doesn’t do bit-part.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan
The Armenian has seen his stock rapidly fall in recent weeks, following some abject displays which have seen him dropped for the last four games. He was synonymous with United’s Europa League success last season, scoring several goals, including the clincher in the final.
Earlier this season, he was being lauded for five assists in three games, but this didn’t tell the full story. In those matches, Mkhitaryan was quiet for much of the game, but burst into life when United were on the front foot to help finish off an attacking move. This has been the story of his United career so far. When the team is up against it, he goes missing, and there can be no denying that most of his best stuff has come in Europe.
There have been several comparisons recently with former United midfielder Shinji Kagawa, and the similarities are undeniable. Both are pacey, skilful but lightweight attacking midfielders, who came from Borussia Dortmund (who are rumoured to be interested in taking the Armenian back). Both had impressive spells in the first season, but Mkhitaryan’s second is starting to look like the Japanese internationals’. If he is not careful, like Kagawa, he will be back at Dortmund after just two seasons in English football.
Final Thought
It is unlikely that every player on the list above will leave next summer, though not impossible. It is, however, equally improbable that all of these players will still be at the Theatre of Dreams this time next year. Many of them have made this list simply because they don’t appear to be crucial to José Mourinho’s plans.
Other potential departure could be Andreas Pereira, who seems to be enjoying his time in La Liga for the second year running. Axel Tuanzebe must wonder what he has to do to get a game, given how impressive he was against Arsenal last season. Neither, however, are established United players yet.
There are, of course, others who may well leave. It is worth noting that Ashley Young is a player whose contract expires at the end of the season, and who United have the option to extend. Although reports have emerged that he wants a new deal, if this doesn’t happen, it is hard to imagine the club not invoking that option, especially if he keeps up his recent level of performance. The rumours linking David de Gea to Real Madrid will probably never go away, until the player either joins them or retires. Anthony Martial is another who has been linked to the Bernabéu recently, but whether there is any substance in these rumours or not, all three of these players seem crucial to the managers plan, unlike the majority of players listed above.
Manchester United’s squad will probably have a very different look about it this time next year.
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