It’s an international fortnight and with back pages to fill, the media has been full of stories about a mass exodus from Old Trafford this summer as Jose Mourinho cleans house of his underperforming stars.
According to various media outlets, as many as nine United players could leave Old Trafford this summer. Those nine are expected to include: Daley Blind, Chris Smalling, Luke Shaw, Michael Carrick, Marouane Fellaini, Juan Mata, Ander Herrera, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Anthony Martial.
That is a lot of names, but are they quality names. I don’t think so and here is why.
Will Not Be Missed
Daley Blind: Blind has not started a Premier League match for United since September 2017 and it clear that Mourinho does not rate him.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic: Ibra has been injured most of the season and like Blind has rarely played.
Michael Carrick: Similar to Ibrahimovic, Carrick has missed most of the season due to illness/injury and has barely been in the first team squad this season.
Conclusion: Blind, Carrick and Zlatan are three squad players who rarely play. If they leave and or retire this summer they will not be missed.
Play But Not Good Enough
Chris Smalling: Mourinho has given Smalling chance after chance to impress and he has failed to take them. Smalling continually makes mistake at crucial parts of a match and is one of the major weaknesses in United’d back-four
Luke Shaw: Mourinho has tried the good cop and bad cop routine with Shaw, but nothing has worked. He is not consistent enough for Mourinho and it is time to let him go.
Ander Herrera: Herrera was one of United’s better players last season, but the arrival of Nemanja Matić and rise of Scott McTominay have made Herrera expendable.
Marouane Fellaini: Fellaini is not my favorite player, but for some reason Mourinho loves him and appreciates the physical strength he brings to the team. Fellaini is expected to leave on a free transfer this summer.
Juan Mata: Mourinho only trusts him for about 70 minutes, but his Mata’s versatility to play multiple positions makes him a useful squad player. But is he and Jesse Lingard too similar to keep both?
Conclusion: No surprise that we have heard for months that United want to upgrade this summer at center-back, left-back and center-midfield to replace Samlling, Shaw and Herrera. They are simply not good enough anymore
Would Be Missed
Anthony Martial: Martial is by far the best player on this list. Still only 22, Martial has scored 36 goals in 136 appearances for United and has shown that he has the ability to be a potential superstar. The challenge for Mourinho is how does he fit Sanchez, Lukaku, Rashford and Martial all in the same line-up.
Nine players on Mourinho’s exit list and in my opinion only one of them would be missed – Anthony Martial. Do you agree or disagree United fans?
