Gary Neville has named four Manchester United players who must be sold this summer, as the club gears up for yet another rebuild - a ritual that’s become as routine as discovering new lows in recent times. The 2024/25 campaign was particularly grim, though, with performances veering from forgettable to downright unforgivable.
United finished their Premier League season at a historic low - their worst since the 1973/74 relegation year - and couldn’t find redemption in Europe either, falling 1-0 to Tottenham in the Europa League final. As a result, they’ll be without European football for the first time since the bleak David Moyes era over a decade ago.
Clearly, major changes are looming at Old Trafford. But with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the INEOS regime enforcing cost-cutting measures that border on dystopian, and over £1 billion in Glazer-era debt hanging overhead, United must sell before they can buy. Neville believes he already knows the first four names set for the chopping block.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot, Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta and Newcastle United chief Eddie Howe Related
Every Premier League Club's 2024/25 Season Graded
Liverpool and Nottingham Forest will be happy while Manchester United will be wondering what's gone wrong.
Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford in action for Manchester United
The Red Devils have made a swift start to the summer transfer window, which opened on Sunday, by confirming the signing of Matheus Cunha from Wolves after triggering his £62.5 million release clause. They’re also confident of securing a deal for Bryan Mbeumo, expected to follow for around £50 million.
This attacking duo spells bad news for Marcus Rashford, who fell out with manager Ruben Amorim before being loaned to Aston Villa in January. Now, he appears both unwanted and surplus to requirements. “I would say for Marcus' sake and for United's sake that it feels like that path has come to an end,” Neville told The Mirror, commenting on the situation.
It would mark a bittersweet conclusion to Rashford’s time at the club. A boyhood Red Devil who joined the academy in 2005, he departs as one of United’s finest homegrown talents - scoring 138 goals in 426 senior appearances.
Antony
Antony celebrates for Manchester United
Antony joined Man United in 2022 for a staggering £86 million from Ajax, but his dream move quickly turned sour. Despite making 96 appearances, the 25-year-old has registered just 12 goals and five assists - a far cry from the impact United expected from such a high-profile signing. His struggles only deepened under new boss Amorim, and while questions over his future had been brewing for some time, a successful loan spell at Real Betis showed he was better off elsewhere.
Unable to meet the physical demands of English football, Antony thrived in La Liga, becoming something of a poster boy for Betis. He notched six goals and six assists in 26 appearances, proving a much better fit for the more expressive, technical style of Spanish football. A permanent move now seems not only possible - but incredibly likely.
Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, and Antony of Manchester United. Related
Manchester United's 2024/25 Squad Ranked
Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro all feature as we rank Manchester United's players into six categories.
Jadon Sancho
MixCollage-01-Oct-2024-11-01-AM-1447
Completing the trio of players who went out on loan and found success elsewhere last season is Jadon Sancho - one of seven players who clashed with former boss Erik ten Hag and never managed to rebuild the relationship with the club. His stint at Chelsea began brightly, with a string of impressive performances and what felt like an assist in nearly every game.
Though his form tapered off in the final months, there’s little chance of a third shot at redemption at Old Trafford. Sancho seemed to accept his United exit long ago, having spent much of his early time away from the club publicly criticising it. "I feel a little bit similarly with him, as I do with Marcus. I'd be a bit concerned that Chelsea haven't made the noises that they're going to keep him," Neville said about the former Borussia Dortmund wonderkid.
"Again, Manchester United have to make sure they part ways with him and, from Jadon's point of view, he has to make sure that he parts ways with Manchester United."
Alejandro Garnacho
garnacho man utd
At just 20 years old, Alejandro Garnacho’s market value is currently around £37 million. However, with a move to Chelsea looking increasingly likely - especially after he recently named Stamford Bridge as his preferred destination - Man United could fetch significantly more, particularly given they’re negotiating with the happy-go-lucky Todd Boehly regime at a Premier League rival.
The search for a new club began after Garnacho was benched for the Europa League final by Ruben Amorim. The Argentine was made to warm up for 20 minutes at the start of the second half, only to be given just 19 minutes of actual game time - a decision that sparked a major fallout between him, Amorim, and his agent brother. Tensions came to a head when Amorim reportedly told Garnacho during a training meeting to start looking for a new club.
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt (correct as of 03/06/2025)