At Man United, awarding unjustified contracts has succeeded in decreasing standards, making players unsellable, and raising pay. This year, they have a chance to start fresh.
1. In the summer, a number of United players were released from their contracts.
Manchester United's ridiculously high fee for Daniel James from Leeds was so stunning that it was mentioned on Ed Woodward's previous conference call.
United stands to profit 100 percent on James, who was purchased for £15 million up front and sold for £30 million. Surprisingly, he is United's joint-fourth highest-selling player, behind only Angel di Maria, Romelu Lukaku, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
In the midst of constant criticism of United in a seller's market, this breakdown of sales over 17 years and four managers gives Woodward a break. United appears to have forgotten to set up their own stall when browsing boutiques, and could lose tens of millions of dollars this year.
There's the undeniable mitigation of the Covid-19 epidemic, which has thwarted Paul Pogba's transfer in the last two summers. In the summer, clubs were patient and frugal, and Newcastle are dominating the current window by throwing money at the relegation problem.
A little over two years ago, Woodward was unconcerned about Pogba's predicament, citing the one-year extension United had yet to activate. That has merely postponed the inevitable: a free transfer to follow up on Pogba's free transfer from United a decade ago.
Jesse Lingard was lulled into a false feeling of security by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's ambivalence and sentimentalism. You could not quite tell if Solskjaer was maintaining Lingard's resale value or considered him a genuine squad asset when he spoke glowingly about him at the start of pre-season. Turns out Solskjaer did not know, either. Lingard has been stuck in limbo since New Year's Day of 2020, having yet to make a Premier League debut for United.
'He turns 29 in December, he hasn't started in the league in 18 months, we've got plenty of attackers, we're signing Sancho, and he's out of contract in under 12 months,' a candid head of football would have overridden Solskjaer. 'We're going to sell.'
Lingard was not the only United player who felt mislead by Solskjaer. When Diogo Dalot was outside the Carrington castle, he was never explicitly told he was second-choice right-back.
The players were perplexed by Solskjaer's decision to start James over Lingard two days before his transfer to Wolves, and voiced pity for Donny van de Beek, allegedly an excellent coach but only starting two league matches in 2021 - both in May and both meaningless warm-ups.
Lingard, a smarter footballer with a stronger pedigree, was eminently sellable if James could get £25 million in the summer. On deadline day, West Ham signed Nikola Vlasic for £25.7 million. Lingard continues to make his way into West Ham's Instagram DMs, but it is expected that he will finish the season at United.
If Anthony Martial has even a semblance of a profitable loan spell, United must sell while the iron is still hot, unless Solskjaer's permanent successor intends to start Martial on a regular basis.
Dean Henderson, Eric Bailly, Phil Jones, Axel Tuanzebe, and Donny van de Beek all require decisiveness. It's time for Andreas Pereira to cut the cord. If United are to sign an all-action full-back, simply releasing Brandon Williams would not be enough, even if Aaron Wan-Bissaka would not be selected by Newcastle.
2. Wan-Bissaka is insufficient.
Lingard, Pogba, Edinson Cavani, Juan Mata, Lee Grant, and Tahith Chong (who is listed in the first-team section of the club website) all have contracts that expire in June, with Chong being the only one with the option of an extension. Chong's last competitive appearance for United was in August 2020.
Trying to keep any of them would be a waste of time. Lingard isn't mentioned, and Pogba had planned to leave United midway through his six-year contract. He has shown little interest in signing a new contract and continues to be a mercurial midfielder.
Pogba believes he has squandered his prime years at United, winning only the League Cup and the Europa League. United are still second-best in the Premier League and are not regarded significant Champions League hopefuls. Whatever happens between now and May, there is no logical reason for Pogba to stay, and there is no reason for the club to even want to keep him.
3.Scarves featuring Paul Pogba are unlikely to be sold on Warwick Road and Sir Matt Busby Way next season.
Pogba had no regrets about rejoining United after initially preferring to move to Real Madrid in 2016 until his agent Mino Raiola urged him otherwise. Pogba will turn 29 in March and will either spend his 30s in Spain (his wife Zulay is from Spanish-speaking Bolivia) or back in Turin with Juventus. Pogba's eldest son will begin school next year, and his education will be taken into account when making a decision.
Mata is 33 years old, whereas Cavani is 34. Both players celebrate birthdays before their contracts expire, and Michael Carrick was the last existing United outfield player aged 34 or older to obtain an entirely new contract. Mata, who has not played in the league this season, may call time on his eight-year contract before the winter window closes. Grant's contract extension, at 38 years old, was as absurd as Mike Phelan's.
United, on the other hand, cannot spend a year without renewing key players: Bailly, Pereira, Jones, Rojo, and Smalling. It has increased the asset sheet's value while also making certain players unsellable and inflating wages. It's poor business to see Pogba, Lingard, Sergio Romero, and Ander Herrera leave for no fee.
Certain players' remuneration made them complacent (Martial, Lindelof, De Gea), and that comfortable culture is to blame for United's woes. The next manager would walk through Carrington's double-glass doors to find the decks cleared, which would be an enviable position.
An overweight team is set to embark on a much-needed diet. Just don't expect to make a lot of money.
As of July 1, 2022, the following is a possible United lineup:
De Gea, Henderson, and Heaton are the goalkeepers.
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