Hypothetically, if we actually went for major changes to the squad which players would you desperately like to retain?

I would take this question a step further and ask who from the squad would City Liverpool or Chelsea want/need to improve them as this is the level we need to aim for as unfortunately we need to accept we are nowhere near any of them and asking this question is the simplest way to evaluate our squad going forward. All 3 teams play different in style so for example Liverpool could take Varane and Fred ( alongside Fabinho and Henderson he would be so much better ) to fit their system and maybe Bruno in the false nine for Firmino/Jota. City I’m really struggling to improve…maybe Bruno false nine or fully fit Varane for Laporte. Finally Chelsea…Greenwood for Werner and at a push Shaw at left back/wing back.
 
Tom Van Persie said:
He's a player I can see ending up at Liverpool.
Click to expand...
Exactly the sort of signing they'd make.

We desperately need that kind of dogged energy in the team. We've been missing it since we had the likes of Park, Hargreaves, Rooney, Tevez. People forget just how much desire that team had.

I know the links to this Alvarez lad are tentative but I'd take the two of them in a 4-3-3. The likes of Alvarez, Mason, Jadon/Rashford could be a great fluid front 3 ahead of Bruno. Add a top cdm and we'd be cooking.

Laird to come in at RB next season and maybe a new LB/CB.
 
Last edited:
De Gea.

Maguire/Varane.

McTominay/Bruno.

Sancho/Greenwood/Rashford/Ronaldo. Cant really fault Cavani either.
(Well aware the first 3 dont work well with Ronaldo either).

Thats it. If we were to sell anyone else in the morning I wouldnt give them a second thought.

(Dont have anything major against Dalot and Telles to be honest but theres probably better out there.)
 
Desperate to keep? Mason, that's it.

Wouldn't mind keeping Sancho, Bruno, Varane, Shaw and the kids.

The rest I'm either fine with losing or desperate to see the back of.
 
Bruno and Greenwood.

Bruno because when he has been at his best over the past few seasons he has been in the top few players in the world. Obviously, that has dropped off the last 6-8 months but no outfield player has been as good as he was for united for a sustained period since probably RVP in his first season.

Greenwood, because beyond Haaland the number of great strikers under 30 is less than you can count on 1 hand. Greenwood has the potential to be one of them. We need to be playing him up top so we can maximize the chances of him becoming one of them. Because if we don't sign Haaland where is our next striker coming from? I suspect however he will go the same way as Rashford and Martial and mainly be played on the wing and end up becoming a mediocre winger.
 
Giggsy13 said:
Ridiculous. He plays for the badge, cares about the club, we need more of him and less of the others.
Click to expand...

Nothing ridiculous about not rating McTominay.

What's ridiculous is anyone desperate to keep a midfielder who wouldn't start for any team in the top half of the table or most of the teams in the bottom half.
 
Idxomer said:
Nothing ridiculous about not rating McTominay.

What's ridiculous is anyone desperate to keep a midfielder who wouldn't start for any team in the top half of the table or most of the teams in the bottom half.
Click to expand...

You clearly did not watch our early teams under Fergie. Along with the stars you needed players with the work rate and commitment of McTominay. Jog on if you disagree, it doesn’t matter what you think or believe anyways, as any manager with sense would keep McT in the squad as a rotational player at the very least.
 
Last edited:
Desperate to keep? None!

Would like to keep:
Bruno
Maguire
Lindelof
Varane
Shaw
DDG
McT
Fred
Rashford
Greenwood
Sancho

That’s it. Rest can leave for all I care.
 
Varane, Greenwood, Rashford, Fernandes, De Gea, Shawberto (Not Shaw), Amad, Elanga, Garner, McTominay, Hannibal, Sancho.

Those must stay. The rest may depart.

Magiure has gone from "Statesmanlike" (Debut) to decent, to great, to contender for worst season by a Manchester United player of all time. He's been directly responsible for several goals against, losing the ball in non-dangerous situations and overall become a genuine liability.

Shaw gets a pass, because there is a great player in there as we know, but lord knows what's going on this season.

I've loved few players of this game more than I love Ronaldo, but unless we get a midfield that can provide for him, he's not going to be effective
 
The players that must go in January: Pogba, Martial, Lingard, Mata and Bailly. Bring in a CM and CB in January and look into another CM, striker and fullback in the summer.

Current squad players that we must retain- Henderson, De Gea, Varane, Dalot, McT, Rashford, Greenwood, Donny, Bruno, Ronaldo Sancho and Elanga.

Players I could care less about stay or go: Shaw, Maguire, Heaton, Fred, Matic, Bailly, Jones, AWB, Telles, Lindelof.

We’re in a whole lot of trouble imo. This is a damaged squad and we need a miracle worker to fix it.
 
For me, Greenwood & Sancho should be the future stars of this club, but they need to be coached, managed, developed and supported by World Class personnel around them.
Bruno is proven to be top draw, but needs to get his finger out, and similarly with Rashford.
We know Rashford has talent, but I feel that is just being wasted by poor coaching, average teammates and a general malaise of mediocrity clouding the club.
I still pray that he can get his football back on track.

Varane is a class act, as is De Gea, definitely worth keeping both of them in my opinion, and I'm a bit undecided on Shaw based on current form, but perhaps I should give him benefit of the doubt based on last season.
So for me, that's 7 players that I would seriously retain from a squad of what, 30 senior pros..?? And even those 7 need to up their game considerably.
I'm struggling to think of anyone else that I'd call essential to a successful future.
 
I don't think that major changes are ever possible at this level, certainly in a single window. Too hard to shift our players and too expensive to recruit them. Besides I don't believe that major changes are required. We need a leaner squad than we have now with a couple of midfield additions and I genuinely believe we'll be much stronger for it.

Absolute key players for me are:

DDG
Shaw
Maguire
Varane
McTominay
Greenwood
Bruno
Sancho
Rashford

Not necessarily all as starters, but as a framework for a squad. I wouldn't be too upset should anyone outside of this group be moved on.
 
Henderson

Wan Bissaka
Maguire
Shaw
Varane
Dalot

McTominay
Fred
Bruno

Greenwood
Sancho
Cavani (until end of season).
 
Greenwood
DDG
New signings ( Sancho and Varane)
That’s about it.
 
Bruno, Mason and Rashford (albeit I'd like him to just be a squad player). Sancho and Varane to a lesser extent, mostly because they've just arrived.

I think with literally everyone else I'd be fine with them being sold, even if they weren't players I'd sell.
 
Sancho
Greenwood
Amad
Rashford
Bruno
McTominay
Varane
Henderson

I'm basically done with the rest, and Rashford and McTominay are probably surviving based on being local academy products who have had performances of a much higher standard than we're currently seeing.

Shaw and Maguire are weird ones as they've dropped off a cliff this season after the euros, but again their standards were much better last season
 
Sad state that I'm actually becoming not arsed about Greenwood. Think his attitude on the pitch is rubbish, albeit one of the most talented players we've had come through in a long time.

I'd still keep him, Bruno, Sancho (because he's only just came, not really because of his performances), De Gea/Henderson (not arsed either way), Varane, Elanga and Amad.

Ronaldo would have been in there had he been younger or we were further along, but alas.
 
Sancho, Varane, Greenwood. Maybe McTominay and Lindelof as backups.

Even if you don't consider playing ability, our squad is a seriously unlikeable bunch of twats. Remind me of a Tottenham team from the early 2000s.
 
Bailly, Lingard, VDB and Henderson should be first out the door for the negative influence and leaks which always seem to centre around these 4.

The ones I would definitely keep would be

Ddg, Dalot, Varane, Lindelof, Shaw, McT, Fred , Bruno ,Greenwood Sancho and all the youngsters on the fringes.

Maguire seems to be buckling under the pressure of being a United captain, Rashford's body language is terrible, AWB and Telles are average, Cavani and Ronaldo too old and Martial's already signed out
 
While obviously the likes of Greenwood and Sancho are no brainer if you were basing off this season alone only DDG wouldn’t be replaceable
 
Sancho, Greenwood long term must keeps.

De Gea, Bruno, Varane, Shaw all significantly worth keeping, but replaceable and potentially upgradable if required.

The rest are either on the verge of retirement, capable squadies, players with potential/usefulness in the right setup, or dead weight. Cba to categorise them, and most fit into more than one category. But none who would be indispensable.
 
Hard to say as you would need to know who the moaners are first and get shut.
Saying that not many as we have a weak mental and technical playing style.
So if you are talking about next season.
De Gea
Verane He has come into a toxic environment and we havent seen the best of him.
Greenwood
Bruno
Ronaldo if he can perform at a decent level.
Sancho. Again he has come into a toxic environment and we havent seen the best of him.
Amad no blame
Pellestri no blame
Any other youth as no blame.
 
How anybody is including McGuire is blowing my mind. The slowest footballer that’s ever lived
 
I would like to see us start afresh and part ways with players that bring too much drama to the club so

Move on -

Martial - sulker
Henderson - if he doesn't want to be here let him move on, it can't be that hard to find a competent new number 2.
Matic - there have been rumblings of him being problematic.
Ronaldo - it is not going to do any manager any favours of not being able to drop him without it creating drama and no player should be treated bigger than the club.
Cavani - he seem hesitant to stay on this season and is injured far too often
Pogba - comes with the same issues as ronaldo.
Bailly - he wants out so let him move on, he's injured all too often anyway.
Mata - waste of spot in the squad.
De gea - a bit controversial but his stock has risen again and could be a good time to sell him and feel he holds us back in a lot of ways outside of shot stopping.
Bissaka - awful player
Pereira - just move him or loan him out again.

Keep -
Beek - in fairness to him I can understand his frustration with such little playing time.
Rashford - he has not been the same for some time but he doesn't cause drama and is still young enough to hopefully get his career back in track.
Greenwood.
Fred
Mctominay
Dalot
Shaw
Telles
Sancho
Maguire - just don't make him captain or an automatic 1st choice without earning it.
Varane
Lindelof
Jones- if he can stay relatively fit until the end of the season.
Fernandes - maybe we can see the best of him again without him having to be Ronaldo's shadow.
Diallo
 
There are some good players and I’m not suggesting getting rid of everyone but I don’t think there’s a single player I’d be devastated to lose except maybe De Gea.
 
Ronaldo, Mason, Sancho, Bruno, McFred, VDB, Varane, Shaw, Dalot, Lindelof, Tuanzebe.
 
Talent is not enough to represent United. I want to see will and desire in a United player. Heaton, Jones, Bruno, McTominay, Fred, Ronaldo, Rashford, Greenwood, Cavani, Sancho, and Elanga have shown that during this horrible season. There are some young players I haven't mentioned, but that's only because they've rarely featured.

I wouldn't mind if De Gea, Henderson, Lindeløf, Bailly, Maguire, Shaw, Wan Bissaka, Pogba, Lingard, Andreas, Donny and Martial left. They've all been joyriding for far too long.
 
Bilbo said:
I don't think that major changes are ever possible at this level, certainly in a single window. Too hard to shift our players and too expensive to recruit them. Besides I don't believe that major changes are required. We need a leaner squad than we have now with a couple of midfield additions and I genuinely believe we'll be much stronger for it.

Absolute key players for me are:

DDG
Shaw
Maguire
Varane
McTominay
Greenwood
Bruno
Sancho
Rashford

Not necessarily all as starters, but as a framework for a squad. I wouldn't be too upset should anyone outside of this group be moved on.
Click to expand...

Why are major changes not possible? I hate people saying this, we had Ole saying it himself with "a process". People keep banging on about the level of Pep and Klopp and just look at the number of players they bought in for there very first window and those they both sold and loaned out with a view to selling. You say major changes arent needed yet you can only name nine key players for us out of a squad of thirty five and not even all of them do you feel are starters
 
pratyush_utd said:
Greenwood
DDG
New signings ( Sancho and Varane)
That’s about it.
Click to expand...

Would pretty much agree with this.

Greenwood is the only one I would be gutted to see leave, as still think he has everything in his game to be a world class 9 or 10 over time, seems wasted on the wing for me even though doing well.

DDG I would agree with too, he isnt Van de Sar or Schmeichel but he has been one of our best players for a lot of his time here, bar a couple of poor seasons and has been getting back to that level this season.

Sancho and Varane have undoubted ability, neither has done well so far and no guarantee they will do, seen lots of talented players fail here, but they do deserve time.

I would possibly add Shaw to the list as he had injuries and a manager in Mourinho that really treated him badly, he has done well since then and his "a" game is quality, needs to keep some consistency though liek last season.

I would add Cavani if it wasnt for his age, niggling injuries and the fact he never looks to have settled as he has the right attitude, quality and consistency, but he wants to go and respect his wishes.

As for the rest, there are a few I think should stay that I dont even like such as McTominay as I think they are valuable squad members....but not really fussed either way.

Outside of that I think we have a lot of talented but not as talented as they have been made out to be and certainly not consistent enough in games or over periods of time to be labelled with the easily bandied "world class" that I either want to leave or really wouldnt be too fussed if they did, Id even include Fernandes in that list personally, as great as he has been at times, he frustrates the hell out of me....bar the first two or three games of the season, he has been dreadful the last two months of last season and the vast majority of this, world class players arent generally gash for six months unless its injury related, not at his age, really think he needs competition, maybe someone like Hannibal as all the talk of him being undroppable has been wrong for a fair time for me
 
Bastian said:
Apart from the youth that haven't been given chances (Mejbri, Laird, Garner, etc.) I'd say Mason and Bruno. I think I'd not be desperate to retain anyone else. Happy with quite a few more, but not desperate for them to stay and then a host of players I think don't work for various reasons.
Click to expand...
I agree but Id add DDG and Shaw.
 
Møllemanden said:
Talent is not enough to represent United. I want to see will and desire in a United player. Heaton, Jones, Bruno, McTominay, Fred, Ronaldo, Rashford, Greenwood, Cavani, Sancho, and Elanga have shown that during this horrible season. There are some young players I haven't mentioned, but that's only because they've rarely featured.

I wouldn't mind if De Gea, Henderson, Lindeløf, Bailly, Maguire, Shaw, Wan Bissaka, Pogba, Lingard, Andreas, Donny and Martial left. They've all been joyriding for far too long.
Click to expand...

Surprised you add DeGea? I mean I know he had a couple of awful seasons and people wanted hm gone a year or so ago, I was pretty much feeling that myself.....but joyriding? He had been one of our best players year in year out til the bad spell and has been the only player in the whole side consistently showign the right quality week in week out this season.

Yet you name players that have played literally half an hour in Heaton and one game in 3 or 4 years in JOnes as te obvious examples. I agree with your sentiment about will and desire, should be the bare minimum in any top footballer (yes I know this day and age often is lacking). But we are not Millwall, we are Manchester United one of the worlds biggest clubs, there has to be the ability and level of quality performances too consistently.
 
We will of course keep most of them - things are never quite as bad as they seem and replacing an entire squad is not financially viable. That being said, I'm struggling to warm to this group of players and largely find myself indifferent to the fates of most of them.

I'd keep Greenwood, probably Sancho and Varane. Bruno will hopefully return to something approaching his normal form when Ronaldo inevitably fecks off this summer.

I think we'll need to replace De Gea if we ever want to be a top side, but he's one of our only decent performers this season, so he can stick around for a bit in my view.

That's probably about it, which is depressing really.
 
Norman Brownbutter said:
Wouldnt be bothered about a single one of them leaving. I dont really feel any connection to any of them like I have many other players in the past.
Click to expand...

Yes though being older dont look at footballers worshipping them lik ethe days of Bryan Robson and Huges for example and of course we are in a diffeent world now with social media etc.....but Im not far off your views myself.

I know of course a part of it is the amazing man management of Ferguson but where are the likes of Rooney, Beckham and Giggs, hugely talented players that added to the quality, have the right mindset and work tirelessly defensively to add to the attackign intent. Where are the solid pros like Bruce, Neville who love work so much to be the best they can be and lead within the dressing room, the warriors like Robson, Keane and Ince and the players that love the club like Evra, Schmeichel from abroad or the players with true magic on the ball liek Cantona, Scholes.

The only tireless workers with quality are Cavani who hasnt settled in the country and wants to leave and Fernandes who personally I find wildly inconsistent quality wise. I dont see solid pros in this side bar maybe McTominay but that would be like saying I had a connection to John o'Shea, nothing more than a squad player that cared for the club. We dont have a single warrior in this side or true leader. Bar maybe Mata who personally wasnt thr right fit in the first place, players that love the club....erm maybe DeGea and Ronaldo, even they both tried to leave or did and as for true magic we only et brief glimpses from Pogba and Fernandes and lots of inconsistency and really really sloppy play in between, neither (and both have been at times) deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as the likes of Cantona and Scholes.

i have supported the club for over 40years and always will, but like you Ive found it hard to feel a real connection to the vast majority of the players the last few years. Didnt want us to sign most of them in the first place and not been wrong on them either on the whole. And its nothing to do with success...Ron Atkinson was the manager when I chose to support the club
 
Infra-red said:
We will of course keep most of them - things are never quite as bad as they seem and replacing an entire squad is not financially viable. That being said, I'm struggling to warm to this group of players and largely find myself indifferent to the fates of most of them.

I'd keep Greenwood, probably Sancho and Varane. Bruno will hopefully return to something approaching his normal form when Ronaldo inevitably fecks off this summer.

I think we'll need to replace De Gea if we ever want to be a top side, but he's one of our only decent performers this season, so he can stick around for a bit in my view.

That's probably about it, which is depressing really.
Click to expand...

T|hings are as bad as they seem. We have had two decent seasons in the last seven or eight, one of which was last year, which for me was skewed by other challengers being poor that year for various reasons. We have a squad of 35 players, some of which have been here a long time and have been nowhere near challenging for the title or champions league in any season.

We have one of the best stadiums in the world that has been neglected, one of the biggest net spends over the alst few years and highest wage bills in Europe, yet here we are and the majority of fans are struggling to name a five a side team within our squad of players they really dont want to go....it is that bad

I do think thankfully this summer there will be quite a lot of changes. There will be a new manager, there are likely to be quite a few outgoings as there is quite a high probability several if not all of Bailly, Lingard, Pogba, VDB, Martial, Mata and Cavani actually choose to leave let alone some of our fringe players liek Tuanzabe, Chong, Williams, Pereira and Chong who have come through the youth system. Thats 1/3 of the current squad already before even mentioning other names people would liek to see go.

The only stumbling block with a few coudl be wages elsewhere, but a few are out of contract.

I dont agree on it no tbeing financially viable either if we were shrewd. There are players such as Romagnoli, Kessie, Zakara, Kamara to name but a few that could be free transfers this summer and there are lots of talented younger players in other countries, that shoulodnt cost a fortune.....plus we do have the possibility of filling out players leaving with more prominent squad roles from our youth players such as Hannibal who have barely made a place on the bench.

I genuinly think there are 15/16 players we could move on this summer, make five shrewd signings, only maybe one being a big signing (In cm Rice/Bellingham/DeJong/Tchounamei for example). The overall net spend wouldnt be much at all if we did it cleverly, actually pretty much zero or below taking in the trikking of the squad and wages saved from quantity and a few big earners leaving.....and then we woul dhave a squad of 25 still
 
You must log in or register to reply here.