It’s been a more frustrating start to life at Manchester United than new manager Erik ten Hag would have hoped for.
Many of his United squad return from pre-season next week, and the Dutchman would have ideally liked to have had at least a couple of new arrivals joining them, but that at present seems unlikely.
The club have of course identified several targets - including Barcelona ’s Frenkie de Jong - however it seems a deal for him and others are still some way off from being completed.
But while there are more questions than answers when it comes to potential incomings at the club, the plan in terms of outgoings does at least seem to be more clear.
Although it has been a slow start, it will still more than likely be a big summer for United in terms of expenditure, and balancing the books with player sales will be key.
Ten Hag may be expected to hand a clean slate to many of the United squad with a view to assessing them individually himself, yet there are five players who he’s already deemed surplus to requirements.
According to reports, Eric Bailly, Phil Jones, Axel Tuanzebe, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Brandon Williams have all been made aware that their futures lie away from Old Trafford. United had the worst defensive record of any side in the top seven last season, and it’s clear Ten Hag feels none of that quintet of players will be able to offer anything to improve them in that department in the next campaign.
All have endured forgettable recent periods, though for different reasons. Each of Wan-Bissaka, Bailly and Jones were members of the squad last season, though the form of the former was constantly under scrutiny, leading to him being dropped from the side in the closing months of the campaign.
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With Ten Hag’s favour to rely upon his wing-backs to massively contribute from an attacking point of view, it’s easy to see why Wan-Bissaka isn’t in his long-term plans.
It’s also easy to see why Bailly and Jones aren’t going to play any role in this new era at the club too given both managed a combined eight Premier League appearances between them last season, despite United’s struggles at the back.
In search of more regular minutes, Tuanzebe left on loan in January to join Serie A side Napoli after spending the first half of the season at Aston Villa, but he struggled to make an impression in Naples and managed just one appearance for the Italian side. Williams also went on loan, making 26 Premier League appearances for Norwich who conceded an eye-watering 84 goals en route to suffering relegation.
Again, it’s easy to see why neither are considered to be at a level that will be required to succeed within Ten Hag’s side next season.