Three Manchester United players told to leave club

Liverpool's Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk (R) stands with Manchester United's Ivorian defender Eric Bailly (C) and Manchester United's English defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka (L) after the exhibition football match between English Premier League teams Manchester United and Liverpool FC at Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok on July 12, 2022. (Photo by MANAN VATSYAYANA / AFP) (Photo by MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP via Getty Images)

Manchester United are a team very much in transition.

Despite already bringing in three new senior players already this summer, including Christian Eriksen on a free transfer, Lisandro Martinez from Ajax and Tyrell Malacia from Feyenoord, manager Erik ten Hag is not done there.

Following on from his new side’s opening Premier League defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion, ten Hag has been quick to revisit the transfer market.

Although believed to be continuing in their efforts to sign Barcelona midfielder Frenkie De Jong, according to more recent reports from The Athletic and Sky Sports Italy, the Red Devils have registered their interest in Juventus’ Adrien Rabiot and Bologna’s Marko Arnautovic.

Read more: Pundit says Erik Ten Hag will be under pressure if one thing happens

However, while the 20-time league winners work on at least two more potential deals, according to ESPN, the club have also informed three players they’re surplus to requirements.

Defensive trio Axel Tuanzebe, Phil Jones and Eric Bailly have all been told to find new clubs before the summer transfer window closes at the start of next month.

Should the trio depart Old Trafford within the next three weeks, ten Hag would have successfully trimmed his centre-back options down, leaving him with Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof, Martinez and captain Harry Maguire.