Manchester United are facing a potential overhaul this summer with Alejandro Garnacho heavily tipped to leave Old Trafford, but concerns have been shared that the club are in danger of isolating several other stars
Comments
Sport
11:33, 13 Jun 2025
Alejandro Garnacho looks on in the rain while in action for Man United
Alejandro Garnacho looks to be on his way out of Manchester United
(Image: Getty Images)
Shaun Wright-Phillips believes Manchester United are in danger of alienating their youngest stars if they sell-to-buy this summer.
The former Manchester City and Chelsea midfielder has cited Alejandro Garnacho's situation as he faces an uncertain future after falling out of favour with Ruben Amorim. Wright-Phillips is concerned that United are also isolating Kobbie Mainoo, 20, in the same way, with the youngster struggling to fit into Amorim's system.
The former winger believes that Mainoo, an academy graduate, and Garnacho, who cost the club £420,000, could be viewed as prime real estate. The United hierarchy is happy to let the pair go for a handsome sum to ease Profit and Sustainability Rules fears.
Marcus Rashford, another academy player, also looks set to bank United a substantial figure this summer. With the Red Devils facing something of a financial black hole, after their disastrous season saw them miss out on European football, they're going to require significant sales to swell their transfer kitty. United have already signed Matheus Cunha from Wolves for £62.5million.
Wright-Phillips believes that the Red Devils are now in a state of flux, wanting to cash in on players who were once hailed as the club's future.
Kobbie Mainoo looks dejected and puts his hand to his head while playing for Man United
Kobbie Mainoo could also be facing an uncertain future at Man United(Image: Alex Caparros - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
"I don't think they should be getting rid of key players like that," he told Betway. "Because the same thing in many ways has happened to Kobbie Mainoo without even saying anything. He's just not been playing either and he was that golden child, as well, about a year ago.
"It's either that or they're trying to raise money from players they've not had to pay for. Because some of their selling, I'm not really understanding."
Garnacho was limited to just 20 minutes in United's Europa League final defeat by Tottenham. The 20-year-old now finds himself on the brink of an Old Trafford exit with teams such as Chelsea and Napoli linked with the Argentinian for around £50m-£60m.
The young winger hit out after the humbling loss in Bilbao, branding United's season "s**t" and adding that he would wait to see what his future holds. Wright-Phillips believes that Amorim and United have poorly handled Garnacho's situation.
Former Manchester City star Shaun Wright-Phillips talks on television
Former Manchester City star Shaun Wright-Phillips has concerns over players such as Kobbie Mainoo
"It's a hard one because I do think he's a fantastic winger," Wright-Phillips added. "I like wingers that try and take on their defenders, entertain, because that's what I based my game off – entertaining the crowd, trying to make the full-back's life hell. Garnacho does that in multiple ways.
"He was obviously hurt by the decision not to start him in the final, which, to be honest, I didn't understand either, considering he had started all the other games and played really well in most of them."
He continued: "But before the game, the manager's seen something tactically different – whether it worked or didn't work. When he brings him on, that's when the game changed, and it was more United than Spurs, because he was causing them all sorts of problems.
"It obviously hurt him deeply, and I think the manager should have just pulled him aside and said, 'Look, I know you were hurt, but you could have just come and said it to me, you didn't have to go public. But he's gone public. I just think there's a better way for the manager and the club to handle it.'"