Some of the stars Manchester United have allowed to leave in recent years were once earmarked to be the future by none other than Wayne Rooney
06:00, 24 Oct 2025
Wayne Rooney on The Wayne Rooney Show
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Wayne Rooney had an idea of four players Manchester United should have built the club around(Image: The Wayne Rooney Show/YouTube)
Wayne Rooney once named four players he believed Manchester United should build around - but all of them are now no longer at the club. The Red Devils icon has been outspoken on the state of the club since his departure in 2017.
While Rooney, who turns 40 today, was a key player for the United teams that won several Premier League titles and a Champions League years ago, the top-flight side have dramatically fallen from grace since his era.
It was in 2022 when the ex-England captain believed in order for success to return to Old Trafford, United must build their team around four players in particular, upon the appointment of Ralf Rangnick's replacement that summer.
Speaking on Sky Sports, he said: "I think [Jadon] Sancho will be better next year, Marcus [Rashford] will be better next year. They've got good young players. I think Jesse Lingard should be playing for them because he brings energy, brings quality. Scott McTominay's done well.
"So they do have some good young players, you just have to get some confidence and get them believing that they're good players and perform at the best level. And then obviously, whoever the new manager is, I'm sure he'll bring his own players in and build that through."
While four players have since departed the club, either permanently or on loan, we've taken a look at how their fortunes have changed upon their exit from the Theatre of Dreams.
Jadon Sancho
It seems like a lifetime ago when Sancho was heralded as one of the world's best young talents. After a hugely successful stint at Borussia Dortmund, the former England star joined the Red Devils in a £72.9million deal in 2021.
Despite his immense talent, it just never worked out for the winger who struggled with form throughout his entire tenure in Old Trafford while also falling out with then-manager Erik ten Hag.
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 21: Jadon Sancho of Aston Villa during the Premier League match between Sunderland and Aston Villa at Stadium of Light on September 21, 2025 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
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Jadon Sancho is a contender for Manchester United's worst-ever signing(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA, Getty Images)
After an unsuccessful loan stint at Chelsea last season that did result in winning the UEFA Conference League, the Blues opted to pay United a £5m penalty fee as a result of not signing him on a permanent deal.
Sancho was one of five players told by Ruben Amorim this past summer that they had no future at the club, leaving him free to join Aston Villa on loan until the end of the season. In yet another footballing home, the winger has so far played a bit-part role under Unai Emery with just eight minutes of Premier League action to his name.
Marcus Rashford
Alongside Rooney, Marcus Rashford had been earmarked as the future of Man United ever since his successful debut against Danish club Midtjylland in 2016 where he scored a brace. He then followed that up with another brace just days later in his Premier League debut against Arsenal.
The England forward has had plenty of highs for his boyhood club but the lows have been equally impactful. After a dismal 2023/24 season where he scored 22 fewer goals than the season prior, Rashford's form continued to dwindle under Ruben Amorim before he was banished from the club in late 2024 and subsequently sent on loan to Villa in January earlier this year.
SEVILLE, SPAIN - OCTOBER 05: Marcus Rashford of FC Barcelona looks on during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Sevilla FC and FC Barcelona at Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on October 05, 2025 in Seville, Spain. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
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Marcus Rashford has returned to form at Barcelona(Image: Fran Santiago, Getty Images)
Like Sancho, Rashford was also instructed to leave the club in the summer with Barcelona signing him on-loan with an option to make the deal permanent for £26million.
He's since become a key player for Hansi Flick and has contributed eight goals and assists in 11 games across all competitions - the highest among the squad of the reigning La Liga champions.
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Jesse Lingard
The 32-year-old made his breakthrough at Old Trafford in the 2015/16 campaign and made the bulk of his 232 appearances for the club in the next four years. It was during this time that Lingard became an England regular and despite leaving United on loan in January 2021 to sign for West Ham, he netted nine goals in 16 league games in what was the best goal-scoring season of his career.
Jesse Lingard playing for FC Seoul
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Jesse Lingard left English football in 2024 to sign for South Korean side FC Seoul(Image: MB Media/Getty Images)
He returned to Manchester the next season but scored just one league goal in 30 games before leaving the club to sign for Nottingham Forest in what was a disastrous one-year stint at the City Ground as he failed to register a single goal or assist in 17 league games.
The decision to depart English football came in 2024 when Lingard signed a two-year contract with K League club FC Seoul.
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Scott McTominay
Arguably the only player on this list who has found genuine success since leaving United, Scott McTominay has gone from strength to strength since joining Napoli. The Scotland international was always a regular at United but consistency was an issue for the midfielder.
Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour celebrate Napoli title success last term
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Scott McTominay has established himself as one of Napoli's key stars since leaving Old Trafford
After his departure was sanctioned by Ten Hag in 2024, the 28-year-old delivered the Serie A title back to Naples in just his first season at the club where he was voted the league's MVP.