Manchester United is reportedly looking to sell seven players during the January transfer window to facilitate Declan Rice’s signing.
According to the sources, who quote the Sun, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is intent on downsizing his team, and Anthony Martial, Jesse Lingard, Donny van de Beek, Phil Jones, Eric Bailly, DiogoDalot, and Alex Telles could all be cut during the January transfer window.
The Old Trafford club intends to negotiate with the aforementioned players before the winter transfer window opens in January.
As per the source, following Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival, Martial is pondering his future, while Lingard, who was guaranteed by Solskjaer that he will fit into United’s plans this season, is keen on returning to West Ham United, where he spent last season on loan.
After joining Monaco as a 20-year-old in 2015, the Frenchman scored 17 goals in all competitions, including a magnificent goal against Liverpool on his debut, demonstrating his promise right away. Apart from a remarkable 23 goals in all competitions in 2019-20, though, Martial has struggled to find the back of the net in recent seasons, scoring just four Premier League goals last season, his joint-lowest total in his six years at the club.
Lingard’s best season as a United player came in 2017-18 when he scored 13 goals and played a key role in England’s journey to the World Cup semi-final in Russia.
But, after two underwhelming seasons, he was loaned out to West Ham, where he rekindled his Premier League career alongside Rice, scoring nine goals and providing five assists in just 16 appearances while also helping the Hammers qualify for Europe.
Lingard was interested in returning to West Ham permanently this summer, but Solskjaer told him that he would be a part of his first-team plans. The 28-year-old has only played 28 minutes in the league this season, and he gave Young Boys a late-gasp victory in a Champions League encounter last week, so he appears to be out of the long-term picture.
Meanwhile, Van de Beek, a Netherlands international, has only played five minutes in the Premier League. Despite his professionalism, positive attitude, and strong work ethic, and Solskjaer making the appropriate noises regarding the former Ajax midfielder’s physical and mental adaption to the Premier League, the 24-year-old could depart the club as well.
Meanwhile, the arrival of Raphael Varane appears to have harmed Bailly and Jones’ chances of making the first team.
Despite the Ivorian signing a new three-year contract in April, the out-of-favor combination is unlikely to see much first-team action, with Varane and captain Harry Maguire the first-choice partnership and Victor Lindelof providing backup.
Jones hasn’t featured much in the last two seasons due to injuries and a lack of form, but Axel Tuanzebe, who is on loan at Aston Villa, and highly-rated youngster TedenMengi could be considered adequate backup options.
Back-up full-backs DiogoDalot and Alex Telles are both said to be available for sale by Solskjaer. Rice has been a long-term goal for several clubs, including Manchester United and Chelsea, and the Manchester Evening News reports that the England international is the Red Devils’ favored summer signing.
Rice will face United when West Ham hosts the Red Devils at the London Stadium on Sunday.
