Despite the astonishing comeback against Newcastle United in the last Premier League game week, questions still arise as to the direction 13-time Premier League champions Manchester United are currently moving in under manager Jose Mourinho. It was, after all, the Red Devils’ first win at home since the opening day of the new Premier League season, stretching back to five games. They remain eighth in the English top tier table, lagging behind rivals Manchester City, Chelsea, and Liverpool.
Manchester United now have a fortnight’s reprieve with the international fixtures taking place, and the club need to turn their attention to the pressing problem, not only of their manager’s future, but the possibility of an entire starting XI potentially leaving next summer.
Astonishingly, a full starting line-up have their contracts expiring at the end of the season, and though this is, admittedly, an assemblage of star performers and several currently left out in the cold, it is no doubt a fundamental issue of the utmost concern to both the board and fans.
United will be wary of such clubs as rivals Arsenal, who found themselves in the predicament of being held to ransom of some of their star assets during a tumultuous time for the club. United would themselves profit from the Gunners’ negligence to bring star Chilean Alexis Sanchez to Old Trafford at the beginning of 2018.
For United, much-maligned defensive mainstays Chris Smalling and Phil Jones are likely to leave, having joined exactly a year apart towards the end of Sir Alex Ferguson’s tenure, from Fulham and Blackburn Rovers, respectively. Together they make up 15 years of service to the Red Devils.
The best performing player this season, Luke Shaw, also finds his contract completed but his standout appearances in red so far this year in his resurgence in the starting XI will no doubt see the club desiring their hardest to keep the young English left-back. Shaw has managed his first career goal as well as receiving a call-up to the national squad.
Perhaps most worrying for United fans is the possible departure of arguably the best goalkeeper in the world, David De Gea, recipient of a record four Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year awards. Though United have the option to extend his contract for another year, this may preempt having the sell the Spain number one on, having turned down extortionately high-priced bids from Real Madrid in the past. Letting Dave go for free is unthinkable.
Another player to put money on heading for the Old Trafford fire exit is stalwart Antonio Valencia The winger-turned-rightback has hit the headlines recently for all the wrong reasons, naively ‘liking’ an Instagram post that called for his manager to go.
Though Valencia swiftly apologised, he was subsequently dropped from the squad entirely for United’s next fixture against the Toon. The Ecuardorian has been at the club since 2009, after being bought from Wigan Athletic, and was made captain at the beginning of this season by Mourinho; the recent animosity between the two that seems to be fuelled means there is likely to be another skipper come 2018/19.
No player has seemed to generate such debate as Anthony Martial. The Frenchman started off his United career in galactically sparkling form with a sizzling goal over Liverpool back in 2015, weeks after an unprecedented move from AS Monaco. The forward, who is still only 22-years-old, has however often flattered to deceive and, though a fan favourite, may see his future elsewhere following his omission from the France World Cup squad this summer.
Ander Herrera, who seems to bleed United whenever he plays, has been devoid of starts this season; the Spaniard has managed a little over two hours of game time in all competitions so far. His compatriot Juan Mata arrived at Old Trafford at the start of 2014; the back-to-back winner of Chelsea’s player of the year being allowed to leave by the Blues-then manager, Mourinho.
You can see the full XI who could potentially leave Old Trafford below. These are certainly concerning times to be a Manchester United fan.
