Recent reports suggest that the Manchester United’s hierarchy have told manager Jose Mourinho that he’ll need to sell players before he can sign anyone this January.

The Portuguese boss has spent big since his arrival in the summer of 2016, so you can see why the moneymen might be unwilling to see another huge spend happen in the winter window.

With that in mind, I thought I’d look at players who Mourinho might sell in a bid to bring in more star quality in positions that could strengthen the Red Devils chances of winning the Premier League title in May.

LUKE SHAW 

The England international left-back seems the most likely to depart Old Trafford in the up and coming transfer window.

The twenty-two year old has had a tough time of it since his £30m transfer from Southampton in 2o14. Injuries, fitness issues and a distinct lack of confidence have hampered his time at Man Utd.

This season has seen the full-back make just two substitute appearance in the League Cup. His route back into the first team looks to be blocked with Ashley Young, Daley Blind and Matteo Darmian all seemingly ahead of him in Mourinho’s thoughts. Argentine defender Marcos Rojo is also nearing a return from injury and that will be another star vying for the left-back spot.

Jose has been critical of Shaw in the past and it seems as though the United boss has all but given up hope on the young full-back changing his own fortunes around.

After Luke’s performances against Burton Albion in the League Cup, Jose stated:

“You saw the game, you saw the same as I see, so are you asking if he plays tomorrow? No, he is not playing tomorrow. He has to work. He has to improve.”

I don’t think Luke Shaw has improved enough to convince Mourinho that he’s worth keeping for the rest of this term, so I’d expect to see him depart in January.

The question is ‘will he be sold or loaned out?‘

I think a loan away could see the player return to Manchester fitter and with more confidence but if Jose has decided that he’s had enough chances then a permanent sale me be sought!

ANDER HERRERA

It might seem odd that United would sell last season’s fans’ player of the year but it might just happen.

The Spaniard seems to have an unfortunate habit of upsetting his manager. It was suggested that the midfielder enraged his gaffer when he invited someone connected to Celta Vigo to the Carrington training ground just before United’s clash with the La Liga side in the Europa League.

Herrera found himself out of the team during the early part of the season; with Mourinho preferring Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic and Marouane Fellaini.

The twenty-eight year managed to get back into the starting eleven after a spate of injuries. He then seemed to anger Jose after United’s surprising loss to Huddersfield Town by blaming the defeat on a lack of passion:

“I heard Ander Herrera in the flash interviews saying the attitude and desire was poor. Oh my God. When a player says that, when a player feels that, I think they should all go to the press conference and explain why because I cannot explain that.”

The media have recently reported that the Spanish middle-man has once again attracted the interest of Atletico Madrid.

As well as his publicised fall-outs with Jose Mourinho, people also believe Ander is close to the exit door because his contract is running out next summer. That being said, Man United can trigger a one year extension if they so wish.

It does seem odd that the club haven’t tied the player down to a longer term deal. They have a few faces that can fill the midfield roles but they don’t have many as talented with his craft or as disciplined as the Spaniard.

MAROUANE FELLAINI 

The big Belgian is another midfielder who has his contracting expiring in 2018.

Like Herrera, he doesn’t seem to be first choice at the moment and has suffered from an injury this term too.

The arrival of Scott McTominay in the first team squad might see Mourinho more accepting of selling Felliani. The youngster at 6ft 4ins can give the club a similar presence that the Belgian international has in the past.

Man Utd boss Mourinho has praised Marouane for his versatility earlier in this campaign:

“Marouane is just the fact I think he has important qualities and I try to use these qualities depending of the situation, depending of the team’s needs.”

“He played with me as defensive midfield player, as second striker, he played with me like today in one of the double midfield players, adapted to the needs of the team.”

It seems odd that the United manager wouldn’t deal-in a trusted player who he has complimented regularly this year.

Maybe the fact that the midfielder is soon to be thirty and that they have others that can play in his place could see Jose cash in and bring in a creative winger instead.

• They definitely won’t sell both Herrera and Fellaini.

JAMES WILSON

The young striker started his Manchester Utd career with a bang in 2014.

Given his chance under interim boss Ryan Giggs, Wilson started against Hull City and scored an impressive brace on his debut in front of the Old Trafford faithful.

That sensational start was never followed up, James would score just one more league goal for the Red Devils in fourteen appearances.

Two loan spells at Brighton and Derby followed, but he wasn’t prolific at either club in the Championship. His time at Derby was curtailed due to a serious knee injury.

Since his debut, United have brought in Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford has made the step up from the youth team. Both are younger than Wilson, and both are of higher quality. Add Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Romelu Lukaku to the mix and James Wilson has zero chance of seeing regular first team football in the near future at Old Trafford.

Could be best all round if Man Utd agree to let the young hitman go in the winter window and have a buy back clause inserted into any deal, just incase he reaches his full potential elsewhere.

 

Posted on November 11th, 2017 by scott
Filed under: Article