Another clear-out is in the works at Man United, whose squad may have to be lighter than in recent seasons.
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United players line up against Leicester
United players line up against Leicester
Manchester United will attempt to break double figures for permanent departures this summer amid yet another squad overhaul.
Veterans Jonny Evans and Tom Heaton are likely to retire at the end of the season while Christian Eriksen and Victor Lindelof are set to be released.
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United want to permanently sell Marcus Rashford, Antony and Jadon Sancho to reinvest in a new goalscorer while Casemiro will be made available for transfer. Chelsea have an obligation to buy Sancho for between £20million and £25m but could pay a penalty clause not to make his season-long loan a permanent deal.
The Premier League's profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) effectively impose a valuation on non-academy players, with a player's price calculated by their transfer fee spread over the length of his contract.
United signed Casemiro for £60m on a four-year contract in 2022, so the club would require £15m to sell him and avoid a loss under PSR. Antony, bought for £81.3m in the same summer on a five-year deal, would cost £32.52m and Sancho would be worth £14.58m if United are still saddled with him.
The possibility of no European football next season would also force United to trim their squad. Participation in the Champions League or Europa League league stage guarantees at least eight matches.
When United last had a campaign devoid of European participation in 2014-15, they played only 44 games as they were thrashed 4-0 by MK Dons in the second round of the League Cup. United have already played 46 matches this term and are guaranteed to play at least 11 more.
There is uncertainty over the future of goalkeeper Altay Bayindir, who could seek regular football to increase his chances of starting for Turkey at the World Cup next year. United head coach Ruben Amorim also wants to recruit a new 'keeper.
United are expected to be in the market for a winger, having missed out on Chelsea-bound Geovany Quenda, and PSV Eindhoven have an option to sign left back Tyrell Malacia on a permanent basis. United could struggle to shift Luke Shaw as he has not started for the club in 13 months and has lined up nine times in 19 months.
Evans, 37, has not started for United in four months and last played on December 18. Heaton, 39 next month, has been sidelined since early February with an unspecified injury.
United chief executive Omar Berrada and technical director Jason Wilcox
United chief executive Omar Berrada and technical director Jason Wilcox
United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe claimed the club "won't be selling players because of the state we are in financially" amid doubts over the futures of Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho. Mainoo has not signed a renewal but his current deal has a maximum expiry date of 2028 and Garnacho was the subject of a rejected £40m offer from Napoli in January.
Garnacho has been repeatedly praised by Amorim for adapting to his demands. Midfielder Mainoo has missed nearly four months of the season through two separate injuries but showed promise as a playmaker when he scored in the 2-0 Europa League win at FCSB in January.
United must decide whether there is a long-term future for Joshua Zirkzee, signed as a support striker but now operating as a playmaker, and striker Rasmus Hojlund. United have a goal difference of -3 in the Premier League, having ended last season on -1.
Hojlund and Zirkzee have scored 14 goals between them
Hojlund and Zirkzee have scored 14 goals between them
Mason Mount has only played 33 times out of a possible 98 matches for United but could be reprieved as Amorim believes he could work well in his 3-4-2-1 system.
Senior sales could be supplemented by homegrown departures after Amorim stressed United have to improve selling youngsters that the club has developed.
United raked in £109.18m, including add-ons, for departures last summer. Since 2022, their most lucrative sales have primarily been academy players: Andreas Pereira, James Garner, Anthony Elanga, Dean Henderson, Mason Greenwood and Scott McTominay.