Erik ten Hag could sell Harry Maguire, Fred and Anthony Elanga in a desperate bid to free up funds for more Manchester United arrivals this summer.
The Dutchman has already spent half of his £120million budget after Mason Mount became their first arrival of the window in a £60m move from Chelsea. The England international has signed a five-year contract and will earn a reported £240,000 per-week during his time at Old Trafford.
Having got Mount over the line, Ten Hag is now ready to move on to other targets. Signing a new goalkeeper is said to be a priority for United following the expiration of David de Gea's contract on June 30. Andre Onana has been lined-up as a potential option, although the Red Devils could be priced out of a move.
This is because Inter Milan will demand around £60m for Onana, which would take up the rest of United's summer transfer kitty. But there is an expectation a compromise could be reached after United saw their opening bid of £35m rejected by the Serie A side.
Whilst United continue to chase Onana, Ten Hag is prepared to cash in on three players as he tries to free up even more funds for further signings. According to the Guardian, the former Ajax boss is ready to sell Fred, Elanga and club captain Maguire this summer.
Despite impressing towards the back end of last season, Fred, 30, could be sold as he enters the final year of his contract. The Brazilian is still valued at around £30m and has attracted interest from the likes of Fulham this summer.
Meanwhile, Elanga is expected to leave United this summer after struggling for game time last term. The Swede made just eight starts in all competitions in 2022/23, with three of those coming in the Premier League. Everton and Borrusia Dortmund have both showed interest in the winger.
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As for Maguire, his situation is far more complicated. The 30-year-old is going to be harder to sell this summer after he received a pay rise as a result of United qualifying for the Champions League. In line with the rest of the squad, Maguire was rewarded with a considerable wage increase following last season's third-place finish.
Both Maguire and Ten Hag are open to parting ways. However, the centre-back's increased salary means he will measure any prospective move against the potential loss of income, as well as weighing up whether it would be the correct football decision ahead of Euro 2024.
United, who signed Maguire from Leicester for £80m in 2019, are prepared to take a massive loss on a player who has made 175 appearances in a Red Devils shirt over the past four years.
