Ole Gunnar Solskjær took over a sinking ship at the end of 2018, with the mood around Carrington described as ‘toxic’ at the time. The squad was bloated and players were unfit, which later resulted in a dramatic loss of form at the end of the season.
The manager has revamped the squad since and the amount of work that has been done in the two-and-a-half years since has nearly gone unnoticed. As many as 9 of the first-team players included to face Liverpool in José Mourinho’s final game have left the club and a new, likable team has been built.
But some of the unwanted players remain at the club and in order to take the next step and win titles, Ole Gunnar Solskjær needs to make sure that they are off the wage bill in the future.
Andreas Pereira
There was great hope for Pereira when he broke through in the youth academy. He was handed his first-team debut by Louis van Gaal and has been sent on loan three times. After a successful first loan at Granada, the midfielder has struggled at United, Valencia and Lazio. He simply hasn’t been good enough.
There is reason to stick with the Brazilian, he has great technique and can deliver a good set-piece but the cons outweigh the pros and it is unlikely that he will ever challenge for a starting berth. Pereira will not struggle to find suitors, but United can fund deals for fresh faces with a potential sale.
Diogo Dalot
Much like Pereira, expectations were high when Manchester United signed Dalot from Porto in 2018. José Mourinho gave the full-back chances to impress in his first season but as time went on, it became clear that United were looking at a new right-back.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s arrival at the club has closed the door on Dalot’s future at Old Trafford and their pursuit of Kieran Trippier makes it even more unlikely. AC Milan are reportedly keen to keep Dalot for a second loan, but it’s in Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s best interest to cash in on 22-year-old.
Dalot’s current contract runs until 2023, which means that should United grant him another loan, there is a great possibility he runs down his contract upon his return.
Jesse Lingard
Now, this is a controversial one. Many have been calling for Lingard to return to United after his successful loan at West Ham. The midfielder’s career was at a crossroads in January but a truly spectacular run of form has seen him win Goal of the Month, Player of the Month and two England call-ups.
It’s one of the great comeback stories of the Premier League and if he returns to United, it will have been deserved. The sticking point is that Lingard has just one year remaining on his contract.
Lingard’s form for West Ham has sparked interest from a number of Premier League clubs as well as teams abroad but United can’t risk losing him on a free transfer.
Read more: Manchester United alerted as Premier League rival in talks for £35m midfielder
