It has been a rollercoaster of emotions during the last few days for Manchester United fans, as they saw their team be obliterated by Sevilla in the Europa League but also come through in the FA Cup semi-final against Brighton & Hove Albion.

There is no doubt that Manchester United are struggling and running on fumes given the injuries that have occurred in the past two weeks, but there is a wider discussion to be had over the quality of depth in the squad. 

Heading into the summer market, the Red Devils will be looking to move on a vast number of players in order to continue the evolution under Erik Ten Hag.

Which Depth Players Are On the Way Out?

Phil Jones, Eric Bailly and Axel Tuanzebe’s contracts expire at the end of this season, which will free up around £500,000 per week off the wage bill. Anthony Martial, Brandon Williams, Teden Mengi and Fred, with contracts running until 2024, will be next in line for Manchester United to listen to offers for.

For Martial, as much as he fits Ten Hag’s system like a glove, the bottom line remains that he is not reliable enough to be counted upon at Manchester United for a run at the Premier League and Champions League. The Frenchman has shown his impact in games that he has played, but those are too few and far between to argue for keeping him around. 

There is no doubt that Manchester United will be looking to sign a new centre forward, most likely Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane, this summer, and so paying Martial’s £200,000+ wages remains far too excessive for his non-availability. 

For too many years in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, the Red Devils have lacked cutting edge and ruthlessness in the market. Instead, they have operated upon sentiment and emotion. 

After Jones returned to play a handful of games in 2019, Ed Woodward, the then-chief executive of the club, rewarded the English centre back with a new four-year deal. Since then, Jones has made five appearances in four years. A quite damning indictment on the old regime. 

It is about time that Manchester United took a grip on their future and shaped it as positively as they can. There have been fundamental areas of neglect over the past few years, and it is essential that Ten Hag is given the foundations he needs to operate successfully on. If they can make the right moves, they can boost their chances of success on all fronts with soccer betting sites.

Will The Club Move on Established Stars?

Two of the big talking points going into this summer will be the futures of David De Gea and Harry Maguire, the club captain. 

After their pitiful performances against Sevilla in the Europa League quarter-final, fans have once and for all turned their back on both and overwhelmingly believe they should be moved on in the transfer window.

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De Gea, who is currently top of the Premier League clean sheets table, is not a modern-day goalkeeper whichever way you look at it. While he might be a fantastic shot-stopper and get Manchester United out of trouble from time to time, his technical ability with a ball at his feet is subpar and not of the level required.

With the Spaniard’s contract running out this year, the club have reportedly offered a new deal on reduced terms of £200,000 per week – a reduction of around £150,000 per week. It is said that De Gea has rejected this deal and holds out for a better one, but the Red Devils’ management should not be offering one. 

When Pep Guardiola first joined Manchester City, he knew early on that he would need to replace Joe Hart because he did not suit his style of play. He wanted a goalkeeper who was comfortable playing out from the back and would remain calm under pressure. City were ruthless and axed one of their better players who had a close affinity to the club, but fans now look back on that decision as being a catalyst for high standards. 

Manchester United simply must do the same if they are to be considered among the favorites for major honours with soccer betting apps. It starts with removing De Gea from the number one position, bringing in a goalkeeper like FC Porto’s Diogo Costa, and giving Ten Hag the fundamentals to make his system work. 

Maguire might be the captain, but as shown last Thursday evening, the lack of leadership on the pitch by the England centre half is astounding. The first goal was a calamity in communication and decision making between the two of them, which further signalled their lack of quality. Maguire’s inability to organise his defensive unit throughout the night was another damning statement on his level of leadership.

While Victor Lindelof’s contract runs out in 2024, and Maguire’s in 2025, Manchester United should be keeping the former in the squad going into next season. There have seldom been times where the Sweden international has let the Red Devils down and he remains a very useful squad option to have when Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane are absent.

Manchester United should look to move Maguire on, which will not be an easy task given his high wages and huge transfer fee they laid out for him, but he has shown, once again, that he cannot reach the levels required to play for the Red Devils under Ten Hag.

It is time for Manchester United to become ruthless in assessing their squad and the limitations that come with it. If they do not, they will remain removed from the leading betting site favorites for the Premier League and will have missed the perfect opportunity to allow Ten Hag to work his magic.