Manchester United are reportedly listening to offers for Alexis Sanchez, Chris Smalling, Marcos Rojo, Phil Jones, Jesse Lingard and Diogo Dalot as they look to generate funds for possible new arrivals this summer.
Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has warned supporters that it may not be ‘business as usual’ in the transfer market due to the financial repercussions of the coronavirus crisis but the club are expected to press ahead with plans to strengthen their squad.
Borussia Dortmund and England sensation Jadon Sancho remains Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s number one target, with a right-sided attacking player at the top of United’s wishlist, and the Red Devils are also intent on bolstering their options at centre-back and up front.
Seven first-team squad members have passed through the exit door at the Theatre of Dreams since Solskjaer took over the reins from Jose Mourinho back in December 2018 and as many as six more players could follow suit over the coming weeks.
According to The Telegraph, Sanchez, Smalling and Rojo – who have been on loan at Inter Milan, Roma and Estudiantes respectively – are deemed surplus to requirements and have all been put up for sale by the Old Trafford giants.
The report claims Jones, Lingard and Dalot are also considered ‘dispensable’ as Solskjaer prepares to wield the axe in a major overhaul.
The Red Devils are currently paying £175,000-a-week towards Sanchez’s enormous wage packet despite the Chilean last making an appearance for the club well over a year ago.
United chiefs are desperate to remove the forward from the wage bill and are also open to the prospect of Smalling leaving for good after his impressive season-long loan spell at the Stadio Olimpico.
Discussions have taken place over a potential £21million agreement which would see the central defender join the Serie A outfit permanently in 12 months’ time.
England international duo Lingard and Jones have done little to convince Solskjaer that they have a future at Old Trafford and have made just 11 starts between them in the Premier League this season.
Dalot, meanwhile, who Jose Mourinho hailed as ‘the best young full-back in Europe’ when he arrived from Porto in 2018, has fallen since down the pecking order significantly, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Luke Shaw and Brandon Williams all impressing this term.
It’s believed Lingard could raise the highest funds from the six players put up for sale and teams from the Premier League and overseas are closely monitoring the midfielder’s situation.
Gary Neville is convinced United are heading back in the right direction under Solskjaer and claims his former club are just ‘three of four’ quality signings away from being able to compete with Liverpool and Manchester City for the Premier League title.
‘This team is a lot more likeable than the one which was here two years ago when you thought United’s recruitment had lost direction,’ the ex-United right-back recently told Sky Sports.
‘But there is still some work to be done in the transfer market to get this team to a title-winning team – which has to be Manchester United’s ambition.
‘There is more needed and a lot more needed. Three or four players of high quality of the Bruno Fernandes type to get them to the point where they can challenge.’
