Manchester United have put their faith in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after a lot of speculation over the past few weeks. Following an impressive spell as a caretaker manager for the club, Solskjaer has earned the right to be the permanent manager for the next term. As Manchester United look to escape from the post-Ferguson era, there is certainly a buzz surrounding the stadium from the moment Solskjaer came into the picture. He had a significant impact in the short time as an interim boss, a period that saw them going 12 games unbeaten in the league while also knocking out PSG in the UEFA Champions League to qualify for the quarter-final stage.
Short passes, one-touch play and blistering counter-attacks, Solskjaer has done it all that United are known for. But it is the time that the hard work begins for the Norwegian. There are plenty of areas for improvement and he will be looking to stamp his authority on the squad by clearing off some players in order to make way for the new summer signings. Matteo Darmian looks all set to depart after a string of dismal outings for the club and so he is excluded from this list.
In our round-up to the speculations about the summer transfer window, here are five of the players that Manchester United would like to get rid off:
Antonio Valencia: One of the finest servants that the club has seen over the past few years is the Ecuadorian international. The right-back came into prominence under Mourinho's reign, showed experience, pace, skill, and power. Put his body on the line while also doing well going forward. Providing pinpoint assists for the likes of Lukaku and company to deal with. But due to injuries, he has seen his game time reduced this season and only has five Premier League games to his name. And in these games too, he has not been much influential as he may have wanted. Aged 33, it's not hard to see that he is well past his prime and United will be looking to offload him in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Alexis Sanchez: Much has been written and said regarding his transfer from Arsenal to Manchester United in January 2018. He was a part of the swap deal that saw Henrikh Mkhitaryan move to the Emirates. And many pundits and fans have come forward to claim that Alexis is the worst signing in Premier League history given his £500,000 wage per week. The Chilean international just has a mere three goals to his name in 29 Premier League games. He has not been influential, to say the least. His work has been a question mark from the start. In February, Ole stated that ‘I cannot do anything for Alexis’. Clearly stating that he is not in his plans for next year.
Phil Jones: One of those players who has been a backup for the better part of his Manchester United career. He is called upon only when one of the first-choice centre-backs is injured. He partnered Lindelof in few matches but with United set to spend big in the transfer window for a center-back, his chances look bleak. The former Blackburn Rovers man is quite injury-prone and this may also go against him. Being already down the pecking order behind Victor Lindelof, Chris Smalling and Eric Bailly; you can just see him out of the club in the summer.
Marcos Rojo: Many have questioned the abilities of the Argentina international to play for a big club like Manchester United. He is not great with his feet, let alone his heading abilities. It's fair to say that Rojo hasn't been of the desired quality. But he was versatile, playing in the center as well as left side of the defence and this came to his rescue over the years. He has just eleven top-flight appearances since the start of last year and came in games where both the center-backs were injured. He can be shown the doors to make room for a new signing this summer.
Nemanja Matic: One of the most impactful players in his first season at the club was Nemanja Matic. The Serbian international provided the stability that United lacked, winning the ball back and giving it Pogba to deal with it. But this season has seen a decline in his form, caught on the ball on several occasions and his passing hasn't been that great too. Now 30, arguably past his prime, United will be looking to offload him and this is the perfect time as he can still hold some value in the transfer window. With United on the hunt for a new central midfielder, he will be further down the pecking order.
