If it were up to the supporters, not many first-team regulars would see the end of this season but Erik ten Hag’s hands are tied as the Dutchman attempts to get the best out of what he has.
It must, however, be said that he has assembled the bulk part of the current first-team squad but there is very little to be convinced by.
Last season, the manager was showered with praise for his recruitment as Lisandro Martinez and Christian Eriksen were among the players to immediately steer United the right way.
This summer’s arrivals have found it far more difficult and there are already question-marks over the futures of some of them. Of the seven players who arrived over the summer, only three have joined the club on deals that will see them remain at the club for the start of next season.
There are also doubts over some of the longest-serving players in the squad and some of them are playing for their futures between now and the end of the season – we take a look at three.
Marcus Rashford
The 26-year-old enjoyed the best season of his career last season as he broke the 30-goal barrier for the first time, meaning he has scored 20 or more goals in three of the last four seasons.
This season, he has struggled to hit the ground running and unfortunately, it’s gone too far to be excused as a brief run of poor form.
He has scored just one goal from open play this season and although it may be a cop-out, it doesn’t look good for your form to fall off a cliff straight after signing a bumper contract extension.
It’s no secret that Rashford has admirers elsewhere, with Paris Saint-Germain holding a longstanding interest in the winger. At United, he is no longer a permanent fixture in the starting lineup, with Alejandro Garnacho putting up a real fight for that left-wing position. It is telling that when they are both playing, Garnacho is preferred on the left and Rashford is either pushed onto the opposite flank or down the middle.
Harry Maguire
A lot can be said about Maguire’s four years at Manchester United – going into this season, he experienced perhaps his most turbulent period.
The England star had two horrendous seasons back-to-back after the European Championship in 2021, with a summer exit this year looking likely.
A move never materialised, despite United accepting a bid from West Ham. Months later, Ten Hag will be happy to have kept him.
You can’t say he has redeemed himself just yet but being the latest recipient of the Premier League Player of the Month award certainly speaks for his improvement.
Despite all of that, he is still playing for his future. At the end of this campaign, he will have just one year remaining on his deal and a decision must be made.
Scott McTominay
Remarkably, the midfielder is United’s top scorer in the Premier League with five goals. There is no denying that there are certain aspects to his game that no other midfielder at the club is able to replicate.
His weaknesses are, however, difficult to look past. Ten Hag wants his side to dominate possession and break the opposition down with the ball, as opposed to the end-to-end style McTominay thrives in.
That is where McTominay struggles and far too often, he is a passenger and leaves his midfield partner stranded, which in turn results in United being wildly overnumbered in midfield and overrun.
Like Maguire, McTominay was also the subject of intense interest from West Ham over the summer and it’s fair to assume that Ten Hag would have sanctioned a departure if a replacement was signed.
Just like his former captain, he has also played himself into the side at the time of writing but it feels more like a temporary solution than a long-term play.
