Several Manchester United players could be placed on the chopping block as minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe reportedly targets four new signings.

Erik Ten Hag's start to his third season at the helm of the Red Devils has been far from smooth. He was handed a one-year contract extension by Ratcliffe earlier in the summer and has been backed considerably in the transfer market. Joshua Zirkzee, Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, Leny Yoro and Manuel Ugarte have all arrived as part of a window that saw nearly £200million spent.

Yet, despite an opening 1-0 win at home to Fulham, the next two fixtures have raised more unwelcome questions. A last-minute 2-1 defeat to Brighton was disappointing, while the 3-0 drubbing at the hands of bitter rivals Liverpool constituted an embarrassment for the Red Devils.

Now, INEOS and co. are seemingly preparing for the future, as per a report by the MEN, and they're set to target a new defender, midfielder, winger, and left-back - sending a warning to current players that their places may be in jeopardy. Mirror Football takes a look at who would be in danger should such recruits arrive.

Tyrell Malacia

After missing the entirety of the 2023-24 season, Dutch defender Malacia hasn't played for the Red Devils in well over a year after undergoing knee surgery, and it could very well be that he never does again.

The Dutchman arrived at Old Trafford in 2022, hoping to challenge for a first-team left-back spot. However, after making just a handful of appearances, he was forced onto the operating table and has now fallen out of sorts.

If Ratcliffe and United are eyeing a new left-sided defender, which is evidently needed given that natural right-back Diogo Dalot currently occupies the position, then a player like Malacia could be offloaded to make way.

The injury-ridden Luke Shaw, who has also been sidelined since the beginning of this campaign, is another candidate whose first-team minutes could be significantly reduced as the club supposedly looks to find a candidate who can lock down the position for some time.

Victor Lindelof

Versatile defender Lindelof has proven useful at United since arriving in 2017, having made over 250 appearances for the club during his time at Old Trafford.

However, this summer spelt bad news for the 30-year-old, as the arrivals of Yoro and De Ligt bumped him further down the pecking order behind the likes of Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez.

If a new defender is targeted, perhaps in the form of noted target Jarrad Branthwaite - whose £70m price tag proved too steep for United this window - then it would likely be Lindelof who is first to be sacrificed to make room for a new star.

The Swede was linked with a move away in the summer, with a range of options floated. That included a potential swap deal with Everton which would have seen Branthwaite go the other way. However, no move was realised and Lindelof will remain at Old Trafford until January at the very least.

Mason Mount

With a new midfielder reportedly on the agenda, a player like Mount could be another whose days are numbered at Old Trafford.

The Englishman arrived in 2023 in an initial £55m deal from Premier League rivals Chelsea but has failed to hit the ground running after suffering a series of unfortunate injuries. He started this season in promising fashion but once again succumbed to injury in United's second match against Brighton, with it now expected he will be out for a number of weeks with a hamstring injury.

Although the 25-year-old is still firmly in the prime of his career, his constant injury troubles may see him struggle to nail down a permanent place in the starting XI, which could ultimately see him sacrificed in the transfer market.

According to the Mail, Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze has emerged as a transfer target for United, and he's someone who's able to fill both the midfield and winger roles the club desires.

Antony

Another player who may see a replacement arrive is Brazilian winger Antony. The excessive fee that the Red Devils paid to secure Antony's signature – some £86m – has not been warranted thus far.

He has netted just five Premier League goals during his two seasons in England and went over a year without scoring in any competition before netting last term against Liverpool in the FA Cup.

It had been suggested that Old Trafford chiefs were willing to sell him this summer, although he remains on their books for the time being. While a move didn't materialise before the end of the English transfer window, Fenerbahce remain interested in Antony, according to reports, and could swoop before their own Deadline Day on September 13.