Man United squad audit: Who should stay and who should go? (2024)

A new broom is sweeping through Old Trafford and Manchester United are at the start of a critical summer, the first of the INEOS era proper.

With Erik ten Hag’s future finally settled, informed decisions can be made about the playing squad’s incomings and outgoings.

Almost half of United’s first-team squad are set to be out of contract by the end of the 2024-25 season and although the club retain one-year extension options on several of those players, others will either need to be offered new terms, sold or released.

It is not a hard-and-fast rule, but United tend not to enter contract negotiations with squad members during the summer window. The players whose deals are expiring will have their futures settled on a case-by-case basis once the club’s transfer business is concluded.

Only a handful of players look nailed-on to be at Old Trafford in 12 months. Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund form a nucleus of young talent that could be at the centre of a renewal in United’s fortunes.

So who could stay and who could go?

*Club option of triggering a one-year extension clause (below)

Goalkeepers

Andre Onana (2028)*

Onana made costly errors in the early part of last season but showed resilience to overcome those mistakes and end his first year at Old Trafford positively. And when you pay €51million (£43m, $54.6m) for a goalkeeper, that usually means he’ll be staying around for a while.

Altay Bayindir (2027)*

Bayindir made only one appearance — in the FA Cup fourth-round win at Newport County, while Onana was at the Africa Cup of Nations — and might have expected more opportunities. Reports linking the 26-year-old goalkeeper to Celtic have been played down.

Tom Heaton (2024)

With the England squad at the European Championship as a training goalkeeper, Heaton has not made a league appearance since rejoining United three years ago. His last first-team outing was in the Carabao Cup semi-finals against Nottingham Forest in February 2023. The 38-year-old is a valued experienced head and talks over a one-year extension are ongoing.

Defenders

Diogo Dalot (2028)*

Named the club’s Players’ Player of the Year, Dalot was one of the few members of the squad to emerge from last season with an enhanced reputation. A virtual ever-present, he is only a year into a five-year contract and can expect to be Ten Hag’s starting right-back.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka (2025)

Wan-Bissaka’s Old Trafford career is approaching a crossroads, despite coming back in from the cold under Ten Hag and being largely reliable when called upon last season, whether at right-back or as a makeshift left-back. The 26-year-old is entering the final year of his deal, after his one-year option was triggered in the winter. United either need to commit to extending terms or must look to sell.

Harry Maguire (2025)*

Maguire was close to the exit last summer having lost his starting place and the captaincy but stayed, fought for his place and won Ten Hag’s trust. His commitment and willingness to play through injury meant United were not reduced to the bare bones. But there are no guarantees over Maguire’s playing time if United sign Jarrad Branthwaite. A decision will soon need to be made on the 31-year-old’s long-term future.

Willy Kambwala (2025)

Kambwala was drafted into the first team in the depths of a defensive injury crisis and performed admirably. After joining for €4million from Sochaux in 2020 and signing professional terms a year later, his contract is set to expire at the end of next season, with no one-year option inserted. Talks with United over renewing and extending are yet to open.

Victor Lindelof (2025)

United triggered the one-year option in Lindelof’s contract, making the 2024-25 season the last of his deal. Interest from Fenerbahce, if acted upon, would reunite the Sweden international with Jose Mourinho, who brought him to United in 2017. Yet Lindelof would be unlikely to command the same fee as Maguire, who has a year longer on his deal.

Lisandro Martinez (2027)*

Arguably United’s second-most important player, after Bruno Fernandes, his absence for long stretches of last season was keenly felt. If Martinez’s injury issues are behind him, he should return to being as integral as he was to United’s play in and out of possession during Ten Hag’s first year.

Jonny Evans (2024)

Evans played more than he or Ten Hag expected after rejoining last summer. Thirty appearances later, the Northern Ireland captain has proved deserving of the one-year extension United hope to agree before his deal expires this month.

Luke Shaw (2027)

Shaw’s contract was one of several agreed last year that did not include the typical 12-month extension clause. Ten Hag believed Shaw’s injuries played a huge part in United’s struggles last season and underlined his importance, but his availability is a concern.

Tyrell Malacia (2026)*

It is more than a year since Malacia last took to the pitch — for the Netherlands, in a 4-2 defeat to Croatia — but there is light at the end of the tunnel. The 24-year-old is nearing a recovery from his knee meniscus injury and will be a welcome returnee given Ten Hag’s issues at left-back last season.

Midfielders

Casemiro (2026)*

While conducting due diligence on United’s books last year, co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe picked out Casemiro’s four-year deal, which has the option of a further 12 months, as an example of the club’s questionable record in the transfer market. The Brazilian’s salary could be on the books until he is 35. A move to the Saudi Pro League has been touted but a concrete offer is yet to emerge. As one of the squad’s highest earners, Casemiro’s exit would shave a considerable amount off United’s £331million wage bill.

Kobbie Mainoo (2027)*

The 19-year-old is the present and future of United’s midfield, although he could be tied down for longer. Mainoo has three years plus one remaining on his deal, signed 14 months ago. Talks over a new contract are yet to open.

Christian Eriksen (2025)

Eriksen enters the final 12 months of a three-year deal after seeing his playing time steadily decline since joining, with only 14 starts last season and four since the turn of the year. “I have had a conversation with Erik that I am unhappy with the situation and that I want to play as much as possible, but that I am available and must be available for the team,” he said in March.

Without an extension clause, Eriksen is unlikely to command a significant fee. United need to decide whether they are better off keeping the Denmark international, even if that means losing him for nothing next year.

Scott McTominay (2025)*

McTominay’s reinvention as a battering ram off the substitutes’ bench, playing further up the pitch and arriving late in the box to score crucial goals, dug United out of plenty of holes last season. The 27-year-old is in a similar position to Maguire: having come close to leaving last summer, he has since proved his worth and now has a year plus one remaining. A decision on his long-term future can wait, but not for long.

Bruno Fernandes (2026)*

Fernandes’ importance cannot be overstated but the United captain has sought assurances over his place in the INEOS-led project and has stopped short of ruling out a departure. Fernandes and his representatives held talks with United officials at Carrington last month, wanting to know more about the club’s level of ambition. Those talks ended positively, with an expectation he will stay. If an offer arrives that United have a financial need to accept or if Fernandes wishes to leave, an exit cannot be ruled out. Fernandes, who turns 30 in September, has two years remaining on his deal, with the option of a third.

Mason Mount (2028)*

His first year in Manchester was a false start, disrupted by hamstring, calf and muscle injuries, but Mount also lost his starting place to McTominay. No other player is in greater need of a clean slate and that should come next season. After signing a five-year deal last summer, there is plenty of time for the £55million signing to come good.

Hannibal Mejbri (2025)

Hannibal spent the second half of the campaign on loan at Sevilla where he played only 101 minutes. Sevilla declined to take up their £17million option to sign him. United triggered a one-year extension in December and will lose him as a free agent, having signed him for £10million as a teenager, unless new terms or a sale are struck over the next 12 months.

Donny van de Beek (2025)*

After recovering from a serious knee ligament injury, the 27-year-old was mainly confined to the sidelines until joining Eintracht Frankfurt on loan, where his eight Bundesliga appearances went by without completing 90 minutes. He was also left out of Frankfurt’s squad for the Europa Conference League. The chances of Van de Beek reviving his career at United are slim. Another loan or a permanent exit is more likely. The midfielder has rejoined his old agency, Players United, which oversaw his move to Old Trafford.

More on United’s future under INEOS…

• Ratcliffe’s admiration for Manchester City
• Brailsford’s story, part one: The rise of Mr Marginal Gains
• Erik ten Hag and Louis van Gaal: A warning from United’s history

Forwards

Antony (2027)*

Even Ten Hag’s patience with Antony was wearing thin last season. While his work out of possession sometimes goes unappreciated, the 24-year-old’s goals and assist numbers over his two seasons at Old Trafford are not those of an £86million winger. United are not actively looking to sell Antony but he falls within the bracket of players they would be willing to consider offers for.

Amad (2025)*

Amad’s 121st-minute winner against Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals was arguably the highlight of United’s season, certainly before beating Manchester City in the final at Wembley, but his opportunities were limited: first by a knee injury, then by Ten Hag’s preference for others on the right. If Amad is to be a part of United’s long-term future, a contract will need to be negotiated.

Facundo Pellistri (2025)*

One of the United squad’s more successful loans out last season, Pellistri scored two and assisted two in 15 La Liga games for Granada. The 22-year-old failed to make a positive impact when he started United’s opening Champions League group-stage game, a 4-3 defeat to Bayern Munich in September, and it was a similar story in his other, fleeting opportunities. With Amad ahead of him in the pecking order, another loan or a permanent exit would be no surprise.

Marcus Rashford (2028)

Rashford’s contract does not include a one-year extension clause. Last summer’s renewal was a reward for the best individual season of his career, putting him in the same bracket as United’s highest-earners, but inconsistent performances followed. United are not openly looking to sell Rashford but — like Fernandes — he is not considered off-limits if they receive a substantial offer and he expresses a desire to leave. United’s preference is to keep the 26-year-old.

Alejandro Garnacho (2028)

Despite only signing his long-term deal recently, the 19-year-old and his representatives are keen to renew and improve his terms — and United are open to doing so.

Jadon Sancho (2026)*

Short of the mother of all climb-downs, Sancho’s differences with Ten Hag are unlikely to be resolved and at least another season spent away from Old Trafford awaits. A permanent sale at an asking price of £40million is United’s preference, with interest from Bundesliga and Serie A clubs.

Rasmus Hojlund (2028)*

A total of 16 goals in all competitions was a reasonable return for a 20/21-year-old centre-forward in his first year in English football. Following the departure of Anthony Martial, United are exploring a deal to sign Bologna’s 23-year-old striker Joshua Zirkzee. The burden of leading United’s attack would be lifted from Hojlund should he join, but his minutes could also be affected.

Mason Greenwood (2025)*

Despite Ratcliffe leaving the door open for Greenwood to return, securing a permanent departure is United’s focus. Juventus, Napoli, Lazio and Valencia are all interested. All options remain open, including a return to United, but securing a £40million fee is the priority and would give the Old Trafford hierarchy more room to manoeuvre in the transfer market.

Ethan Wheatley (2026)

As a memorable season ended with United’s under-18s lifting three trophies, Wheatley was the one member of Adam Lawrence’s side to make his senior debut, making three substitute appearances towards the end of the campaign. Wheatley signed his first professional contract in January, which runs until 2026. The Stockport-born striker is likely to remain on the fringes of the first team as a third-choice centre-forward while gaining experience in the under-21s, before potentially going out on loan.

Additional reporting: Guillermo Rai

(Top photos: Getty Images)

Mark Critchley is a football writer for The Athletic, covering Manchester United and Manchester City. Mark joined after five years as The Independent's northern football correspondent. Follow Mark on Twitter @mjcritchley