Sources close to Manchester United have revealed that the club is gearing up for a significant squad overhaul this summer, aiming to accelerate progress on the pitch under the new minority owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
While United does have funds available for the upcoming transfer window, concerns about the club’s financial standing, particularly regarding compliance with profit and sustainability regulations, are expected to constrain the available budget.
Discussions on recruitment with Ratcliffe and INEOS director Sir Dave Brailsford have highlighted the necessity of offloading players to bolster the financial resources. Despite United recording their highest player trading profit since Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure in 2009 over the past year, additional player departures will be necessary this summer.
The futures of approximately 11 first-team players are uncertain, including the likes of Christian Eriksen, Raphaël Varane, Casemiro, Harry Maguire, Scott McTominay, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Victor Lindelöf.
In preparation for the summer transfer window, Manchester United is aiming to secure the services of a striker and a defender while also enhancing the overall quality of their squad.
Manager Erik ten Hag has expressed concern about the team’s performance decline in the absence of key players like Lisandro Martínez and Luke Shaw due to injuries.
Additionally, there is an acknowledgement that Rasmus Højlund has been relied upon to play more matches than initially anticipated due to a lack of alternative options.
Højlund, the 21-year-old acquired for £72 million ($91m) last summer, has already participated in 30 games this season, which is only four matches shy of his total appearances for Atalanta last season.
Despite demonstrating his capabilities at United with six goals in his last six games, the club is keen on managing his workload for the upcoming season.
They plan to achieve this by recruiting another player to help alleviate the burden on Højlund and reduce the necessity for him to start every game.