Manchester United are poised to sanction a clear-out in the January transfer window, with four first-team stars reportedly on the chopping block.
The Daily Mail reports that football director John Murtough jetted off to Saudi Arabia earlier this month to solicit potential suitors for United’s unwanted stars.
Exiled United star Jadon Sancho is among four players the club is eager to cut loose when the transfer window re-opens in January, alongside Anthony Martial and ex-Real Madrid pair Raphael Varane and Casemiro.
Sancho hasn’t featured for the Red Devils since August after falling out with manager Erik ten Hag and would welcome a chance for a fresh start away from the Theatre of Dreams.
The 23-year-old still has two and a half years on his contract with United, so despite their desperation to get the English star off their bloated wage bill, they’d be eager to recoup a significant fee for his departure.
United paid £75 million to lure Sancho to Manchester, but the trajectory of his career has seen stock plummet, meaning the club is less likely to get a reasonable fee from European sides.
That leaves the free-spending Saudi Pro League (SPL) as United’s last resort, but the reported meeting between Murtough and SPL representatives has yielded no fruit.
United are not as desperate to cut Varane, Martial and Casemiro loose. They’ll listen to offers for the trio but will refrain from forcing them out of the club.
Harry Maguire’s resurgence has left Varane out in the cold, with Ten Hag also preferring Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans to the experienced France international.
Casemiro’s performances had witnessed a significant decline in the opening part of the season, and the Brazilian hasn’t featured in Ten Hag’s matchday squad since picking up a knock in October.
Martial’s contract at Old Trafford runs out at the end of the season. There’s an option for United to extend his stay by 12 months, but reports suggest the club have no plans to activate the clause.
