ROBBIE SAVAGE’S MAN UTD MASTERPLAN WITH 15 EXITS & SEVEN SIGNINGS INCLUDING TOTTENHAM STAR

New brooms sweep clean, as the saying goes, and there is talk of a wholesale clear-out at Manchester United this summer.

With few exceptions, most of the United squad is allegedly up for sale, or at least the club will listen to offers for a large portion of the first-team squad.

Now that co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s refit is nearly complete behind the scenes, the team looks like undergoing major surgery.

United have under-achieved for a decade because there has been no consistency in their recruitment, no ethos which is integral to the way they play.

Ratcliffe’s makeover may yet include a change of manager, with Champions League football next season now beyond Erik ten Hag’s reach, but whoever is in charge in August, there needs to be a clear transfer policy, and a clear pathway from the academy to the first team.

So who stays, who goes and who should United be trying to sign this summer?

These things are not always delivered to order, but if it was down to me, I would be looking at shipping out a dozen, maybe up to 15, of the current first-team squad.

And high on my shopping list would be Bayer Leverkusen wing-back Jeremie Frimpong and attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz; Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise; Tottenham centre-back Micky van de Ven; Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella and striker Lautaro Martinez; and Newcastle centre-forward Alexander Isak.

Not all of those players will be handed to United on a plate, and in many cases their clubs will fight tooth-and-nail to keep them.

But they would all bring the virtues of pace, youth, dynamism and quality required at Old Trafford.

Too many of United’s signings in recent years have been past their best, or cresting the hill, when they should have been looking at longer-term investments.

Isak has been a star performer at Newcastle, with 23 goals in 36 appearances in all competitions.

Along with Van de Ven, a left-sided centre-back with pace to burn, he should be a priority.

And Olise looks destined to play for a bigger club than Palace, so United need to play their hand sooner rather than later.

Who would I keep of the current United squad?

Goalkeeper Andre Onana, full-backs Diogo Dalot and Luke Shaw, centre-backs Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire and Alvaro Fernandez (who was loaned out in haste in January) are all keepers. I would also keep Willy Kambwala, although he is still young and a work in progress.

But I would let Victor Lindelof, Raphael Varane, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jonny Evans and Tyrell Malacia go.

In midfield, I would keep Kobbie Mainoo, Scott McTominay, Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo - but Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, Sofyan Amrabat, Mason Mount, Donny van de Beek and Facundo Pellistri would leave.

And up front, I would keep Marcus Rashford - he’s a Manchester boy who cares about United, and it’s only last season that he scored 30 goals - along with Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund. And I would bring Jadon Sancho back from his loan at Borussia Dortmund in a heartbeat.

But it’s time to part company with Anthony Martial, Antony, Mason Greenwood and Shola Shoretire.

Yes, it would be harsh to let Mount go after a season disrupted by injury, but it may be best for all parties if United tried to recoup a chunk of their £65million outlay on him.

And although Maguire has his critics, I have liked his commitment - and he stayed loyal to the cause when West Ham came calling for him last August.

Those lists - staying and going - amount to a lot of upheaval, and amid that scale of change United may not get instant success.

But when they are 26 points off the pace in the Premier League, and finish bottom of a Champions League group containing Copenhagen and Galatasaray, the case for big changes at Old Trafford is powerful.

And I suspect Sir Jim’s broom has only just started its clean sweep.

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2024-05-03T16:05:51Z dg43tfdfdgfd