Manchester United are set for a summer of change with eight first-team players potentially leaving Old Trafford

Manchester United are bracing themselves for another transformational transfer window following their recent progress. A raft of senior exits are anticipated that could generate upwards of £100million, available for reinvestment.

Last summer’s substantial outlay of a little more than £200m may have stretched the club’s finances somewhat. Nevertheless, United could secure their most considerable income from player sales in a number of years, with eight or more first-team players potentially departing.

Among those, the moves appearing most certain at this stage are the free exits of Jadon Sancho and Tyrell Malacia. Brazilian midfielder Casemiro has also already confirmed his departure despite remaining a valued starter.

Sancho is extremely unlikely to secure a new contract after his loan spell at Aston Villa concludes, while left-back Malacia has similarly failed to progress after spending the latter half of last season on loan at PSV. Consequently, his four-year stint looks set to end having made merely 10 senior appearances for United over the past three campaigns.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

While Michael Carrick, or whoever secures the permanent managerial position, may regret seeing Casemiro leave, his departure in particular does bring some tangible benefits. Notably, his £350,000-a-week salary will liberate substantial room on the wage bill and permit another marquee signing to arrive.

The same applies to Sancho, who still has 20 per cent of his almost £250,000-a-week wages covered by United during his stint at Villa Park. A comparable arrangement exists for £300,000-a-week earner Marcus Rashford, though United are anticipating a considerably greater financial return once his loan spell at Barcelona concludes in June.

Barca must now negotiate a price for Rasfhford after the £26m purchase clause in his contract recently expired. Interestingly, this could work in United’s favour, as another interested party may be prepared to exceed the stipulated fee should he move on elsewhere.

The other loan United are hopeful will generate significant funds involves Rasmus Hojlund. Napoli sporting director Giovanni Manna described the £38m deal as “a formality” back in December, with the Italians likely to fulfil one condition of the arrangement by securing qualification for next season’s Champions League.

England’s 2026 World Cup kits

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

Various Prices

England Official Store

Buy Now on England Official Store

England and Nike have launched the new home, away and goalkeeper kits to be worn at this summer’s FIFA World Cup. You can get free delivery on all orders with the code: ENGFREEDEL

The Red Devils may need to work considerably harder to find takers for the likes of Manuel Ugarte, Joshua Zirkzee and Andre Onana. Ugarte, 24, has struggled to justify his £50m valuation since arriving at United from PSG in 2024, though his age and profile ensure he will attract interest.

Likewise, Zirkzee attracted considerable attention from Serie A clubs during the January transfer window. United opted to rebuff those advances while Carrick settled into his role as interim manager, but the Dutchman’s prospects at Old Trafford show little sign of improving.

Finally, Onana’s time in Manchester looks to be drawing to a close following Senne Lammens’ emergence as United’s first-choice keeper. And despite impressing during his loan spell at Turkish outfit Trabzonspor, all indications point towards United seeking to offload the Cameroonian and draw a line under his stint at the club for good.

On a more positive note, a promising period in the Super Lig may help to reignite outside interest in Onana. However, United will likely have to accept selling the goalkeeper for considerably less than his £44m fee.

Manchester United have seven players who have featured in the first team out on loan this season

13:00, 30 Mar 2026

Manchester United have turned a corner this season on the pitch. After a disappointing start under Ruben Amorim’s management, Michael Carrick’s appointment has led to the Reds making a charge for the Premier League’s top four. As we head into the final stretch of the season, United are well placed to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Carrick’s side have a six-point cushion on fifth place Liverpool although finishing fifth could still be enough to make the Champions League, depending on how English clubs do in Europe between now and the end of the season. Such form has meant the Reds have not missed any of their first team players who are out on loan.

In total, seven players who have featured for the first team in some capacity, have been loaned out over the course of this season. With this in mind, MEN Sport has taken a look at each of them and weighed up what the club should do this summer.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

Andre Onana

After the Grimsby disaster, Onana needed to leave. He has spent the campaign on loan at Trabzonspor and has not done anything there to suggest he should be kept by United.

Senne Lammens is a more than capable first choice for now and the future. Onana’s wage means he would be too expensive to be a back-up to the Belgian.

Trabzonspor have suggested it would be out of their price range to sign Onana permanently. But a United departure must be agreed this summer.

Our verdict: Sell

Jadon Sancho

Sancho’s time at United is up. The loan spell at Aston Villa – whether impressive or not – was not going to change that. As it happens, the winger has struggled in a good season for Villa. United would not look to reintegrate him into the first team and it is a sad end to what was such a promising signing at one stage. His deal expires at the end of the season and that should be the end of this chapter.

Our verdict: Release

Marcus Rashford

Like Sancho, it seems the hope of keeping Rashford has gone. His form has slowed at Barcelona but he has still posted good figures. Ten goals and 13 assists this season is not bad and United do need a left winger. However, too much has happened to repair the relationship between the forward and the club. Selling him to Barcelona for £25m would be best for all parties.

Our verdict: Sell

Rasmus Hojlund

This decision has been taken out of the hands of United. Napoli are under the impression they will sign him in the summer after reaching the criteria for a buy clause.

One of the criteria is believed to be if Napoli qualify for the Champions League, Hojlund would sign permanently. They are eight points clear of fifth place Juventus so that seems likely to be reached.

If, for some reason, Hojlund returns to Old Trafford, United must look to sell him. There should be plenty of suitors in Italy and he is now behind Benjamin Sesko and Bryan Mbeumo in the pecking order.

Our verdict: Sell

Ethan Wheatley

Wheatley gained a taste of first team football last season when he spent the second half of the campaign on loan at League Two club Walsall. He did not score but earned himself a loan move to League One Northampton Town last summer.

In the first half of this season, he scored three goals in 22 League One appearances before joining fellow League One club Bradford City in January. Wheatley has made 11 appearances for the promotion chasing side but has yet to score for them.

The 20-year-old may not make it into the United first team but has a contract until 2028. Maybe another loan move at the top of League One next season would give him further opportunity to progress.

Our verdict: Loan

Toby Collyer

It has been an unfortunate season for the 22-year-old. Like Wheatley, Collyer has had two loan spells this season at West Bromwich Albion and Hull City.

The stint in the Championship with West Brom was cut short due to injury but did not stop promotion-chasing Hull from signing him in January. Collyer has had a bit-part role with the Tigers so far but with the play-offs a possibility, the defensive midfielder has a chance of gaining more minutes as the season wears on.

Collyer deserves another shot at the Championship when he is fully fit. Next season will be huge for him as United weigh up whether to give him a new deal or not.

Our verdict: Loan

Harry Amass

Amass suffered his first major injury of his career following his debut for Norwich City against Coventry. Before that, the 19-year-old made himself a man in demand with a great spell at struggling Sheffield Wednesday.

He picked up the player of the month award for the Owls and looked to relish the chance to play regular senior football. The teenager may return from injury before the end of the season.

Should he return to fitness, there will be a temptation to keep Amass at Old Trafford next season and see how he performs with the first team group. It could also allow Diego Leon a chance to taste European football with a loan of his own.

Our verdict: Keep

Ruben Amorim was forced to step in to prevent two of his Manchester United players from coming to blows

It’s almost a year to the day since Ruben Amorim briefly channelled Tommy Shelby to deliver a blunt message to his Manchester United players: “NO. F***ING. FIGHTING.”

During the first leg of United’s Europa League clash with Real Sociedad last season, Rasmus Hojlund and Diogo Dalot nearly came to blows after Dalot failed to square the ball for Hojlund when the striker had the chance to tap in the opener.

Already enduring an 18-game goal drought, the Dane reacted furiously to the missed opportunity, flinging his arms skyward before unleashing a volley of stern words at his team-mate. Dalot snapped back, and for a moment the dispute threatened to boil over, but tempers eventually cooled.

After the game, Amorim urged his players to keep a lid on the hostilities. “The important thing is to move on and not be fighting,” he said.

Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings

“I’m just imagining Diogo didn’t know for sure that Rasmus had the advantage and he felt that he had a lot of time to think of the play. It was a clear position, Rasmus did really well, Dalot did really well, but the decision was not the best.”

The flashpoint was ultimately overshadowed when Joshua Zirkzee fired United ahead early in the second half. The advantage proved short-lived, however, as Real Sociedad levelled from the penalty spot moments later. United would have the final say in the tie though, cruising to a 4-1 victory in the return leg at Old Trafford, with Dalot among the scorers.

Twelve months on, the trajectories of Hojlund and Dalot have looked markedly different. After managing just four Premier League goals in 32 appearances last season, United appeared to cut their losses with Danish striker, investing £74million in Benjamin Sesko during the summer window.

Hojlund was subsequently loaned to Napoli for the season, where he has rediscovered his scoring touch. He currently leads the club’s scoring charts with 13 goals in all competitions, while former United midfielder Scott McTominay sits second with 10.

At the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Hojlund is averaging a league goal every 0.4 games – a notable rise from the 0.2 he managed at Old Trafford. He remains under contract at United and is due back in Manchester at the end of the season, but with Sesko finding his rhythm, the prospect of Hojlund still being at Old Trafford come summer transfer deadline day appears increasingly remote.

As for Dalot, he has remained a constant in United’s starting XI despite the managerial turbulence. The Portugal international was a trusted lieutenant under Amorim, most often deployed as a right or left wing-back.

Since Amorim’s departure in January, interim head coach Michael Carrick has shown similar faith. After reverting to a back four, Carrick has restored the 26-year-old to his natural position at right-back, where his consistency and tactical discipline continue to make him a reliable option.

In total, Dalot is closing in on 250 appearances for Manchester United, having cemented his status as a first-team regular over the past five seasons.

Rasmus Hojlund failed to live up to expectations at Manchester United and has enjoyed his loan spell at Napoli thus far

Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund appears primed to join Napoli permanently in the summer after spending this season there on loan. And the Italian club will reportedly insert a hefty release clause into his prospective new contract.

United shelled out a total of £72million when they purchased Hojlund from Atalanta in 2023. He had just produced a 10-goal campaign in Italy and hopes were high he could develop into a prolific marksman.

However, things simply didn’t work out at Old Trafford. Over two seasons, Hojlund managed only 14 Premier League goals and quickly fell out of favour when Ruben Amorim took over from Erik ten Hag. With Benjamin Sesko brought into the club last summer for £73m, he departed for Naples.

There, the 23-year-old has turned over a new leaf and has 12 goals to his name so far this campaign, more than he managed the entirety of last term. Napoli have a specific obligation to buy Hojlund at this season and the Dane was sent a telling message before he left United.

Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings

Buy-out clause and £38m obligation

Inserted into Hojlund’s loan move is a £38m obligation to buy the striker that is triggered should Napoli qualify for next season’s Champions League. They sit third in the Serie A table with 12 games remaining.

Reports also suggest that even if Antonio Conte’s side miss out on qualifying for the competition, they would endeavour to purchase Hojlund and have an option to do so.

It seems to be a case of when rather than if Hojlund leaves United for good this summer and Napoli have even supposedly crafted a plan for the striker’s anticipated contract.

According to the Daily Mail, the club will insert a £74.3m buy-out clause in Hojlund’s deal and consider his signing a formality. Sporting director Giovanni Manna reportedly sees no reason why the permanent transfer will not happen in the next window.

Manchester United message

Before he bid goodbye to Old Trafford, Hojlund admits United made it abundantly obvious why an exit was on the cards with their parting message.

He told Sports Illustrated: “United made it quite clear for me that I wasn’t part of the plans for this year coming into the season and with no European football and that sort of thing.

“I’m young, I have to play football and for that reason, I think this was also a good opportunity for me. Napoli saw an opportunity to go and get me and as soon as I heard the interest from them, I made it quite obvious for my camp and for the people around that I only wanted to go there.”

On his first interactions with manager Conte, Hojlund added: “It was a quite short conversation. But a very, very good one. I think we were both quite clear that it was a good step for me. I think we [are] suited, it was a good match.

“I think he’s an incredible coach. I’ve only seen him do good things almost everywhere he’s been so obviously that was a big part of it. When he calls you, you just have to say yes.”

Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

£49

£35

Sky

Get Sky Sports here

Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.

Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games this season, an increase of up to 100 more.