The last United squad not to have any European football to play
The last United squad not to have any European football to play
The last time Manchester United had a season devoid of European football was also one of the last in-person squad photos the players assembled for.
Looking back at that line-up in September 2014, the squad is larger than necessary for a season where United played a meagre 44 domestic matches. Ben Amos, Anderson, Jesse Lingard, Andreas Pereira and Anders Lindegaard are four inclusions by default.
Amos and Lindegaard did not play all season. Pereira and Anderson each played twice and Lingard once. United got Amos, Anderson and Lindegaard off the books in 2015.
Jonny Evans, Tyler Blackett, Robin van Persie, Angel di Maria, Rafael da Silva, Radamel Falcao, Darren Fletcher and Adnan Januzaj had gone when the squad reassembled in front of the Scoreboard End a year later. United had the luxury of cutting their losses on misfits and past-its without any financial ramifications back then.
Ruben Amorim would probably scoff at the recommendation of 27 senior professionals. United are provisionally aiming for 26, which does not seem like much of a difference but is a logical number.
Three of the 26 would be goalkeepers, so whittle that down to 23 outfield players and you have two XIs and three players as cover.
Van Gaal actually used 38 players in his first season, a number skewed by the wholesale changes he made for the shocking League Cup thrashing by MK Dons in early August. Saidy Janko, Reece James, Marnick Vermijl and Nick Powell were all one-and-done for the campaign that balmy night.
Injuries also forced Van Gaal's hand. Paddy McNair did not have his own Wikipedia page when he made his debut against West Ham United 11 days after the first team's class photo. Evans, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones were, of course, all out injured and Blackett suspended. Tom Thorpe, on the bench, came on to play 111 seconds and remained stranded on Nelson.
Including the auxiliary options Noussair Mazraoui and Luke Shaw, the only survivor of the Van Gaal squad, Amorim has seven centre backs to pick in his back three next season. Few would have Shaw in the United second XI, never mind first XI.
Patrick Dorgu and Harry Amass are raw options on the left wing but they are a manageable pair for a sparser season. The versatile Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot are alternative options. Shaw's 27 appearances out of a possible 112 fixtures in the past two seasons place him at the back of the pecking order at centre half and left wing.
Amass and Dorgu would be raw options on the left wing
United are light in midfield. Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo can both play there and the former may well transition to a deeper role for the latter years of his competitive club career.
But the specialists are Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte, Casemiro and Toby Collyer. Amorim seems to consider Mainoo as an option further afield, Ugarte was dropped for the Europa League final, United have tried and failed to shift Casemiro and Collyer's three starts have come against teams from Romania, Scotland and League One.
Matheus Cunha, Amad and Mason Mount are three natural fits to go into the two 10s behind the striker. The absence of a new striker is glaring but United wanted one as early as this month before Liam Delap opted for Chelsea over Cheshire.
Cunha is already at United and they want Mbeumo
Bryan Mbeumo is multi-functional and only Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland outscored him in the Premier League last term. Mbeumo is an attacker but has to be the upgrade on the right wing.
United held discussions with the representatives of Sporting winger Geovany Quenda before he too chose Chelsea. Quenda is a left-footed winger by trade. As is Mbeumo.
Six United players broke the 50-appearance mark in a 60-game season in 2024-25. Mbeumo started in 45 consecutive Premier League games for Brentford and completed 90 minutes in all but two. United already have durable players who can complete the entirety of one match once a week, which has to further reduce the core squad size.
Amorim watches Mbeumo
Joshua Zirkzee's form and rapport with supporters comfortably trump Rasmus Hojlund's this calendar year, even though the Dutchman missed nine of the final ten games. As an alternative '10' or a support striker, Zirkzee has more merit as a squad player than Hojlund, who was dropped by Denmark coach Brian Riemer this month after one goal in 15 games for the national team.
Chido Obi's exposure at first-team level since February and his development in the youth team make it logical to keep him in the building next season. He is a purer striker than Zirkzee and often looks more natural than Hojlund.
Obi, Collyer and Shaw would be the logical 'cover'. Two academy graduates still learning their trade and the longest servant who has outstayed his welcome but is unsellable.
Obi has a role to play for United next season
There is a clear plan for United to streamline their attack and mould it in Amorim's image, but considerable fat to cut off. Hojlund, Marcus Rashford, Antony, Jadon Sancho and Alejandro Garnacho is a weekly wage bill north of £1m.
And United would not want any of them in a squad photo.
Possible United squad 2025-25
Goalkeepers: Andre Onana, new goalie, Tom Heaton
Defenders: Diogo Dalot, Noussair Mazraoui, Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro, Lisandro Martinez, Ayden Heaven, Luke Shaw, Harry Amass, Patrick Dorgu
Midfielders: Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte, Casemiro, Toby Collyer, new midfielder
Forwards: Bryan Mbeumo (?), Amad, Mason Mount, Matheus Cunha, Chido Obi, Joshua Zirkzee, new striker