Five sales for Man Utd to make in the transfer window including England star and TWO goalkeepers

WITH three more signings still wanted by Manchester United, some players have to make way to make room. United are yet to negotiate a sale this summer as Napoli’s obligation to buy Rasmus Hojlund was part of the loan agreement struck last year. Man Utd boss Michael Carrick ideally wants three more signings Credit: Getty Youri Tielemans joined United in a swift deal Credit: Instagram / youritielemans A Manuel Ugarte sale is off the cards following his serious knee injury but a few of his teammates have got a fight on their hands to remain at United beyond the transfer window. Here are the five players who could be shown the door before the transfer window closes on September 1. Sign up for the Man United newsletter Thank you! Joshua Zirkzee Zirkzee is in limbo at United. They want to sell him and bring in a replacement but Benjamin Sesko is not match-fit and has not figured in their pre-season friendlies yet. With Sesko recovering from a shin injury, Zirkzee has been assured of starting roles in the first pre-season games. His inclusions have been by default. The 25-year-old’s only competitive start this calendar year was in a goalless draw at Sunderland in May – a week after Sesko aggravated his shin injury. Zirkzee was so blunt that the following week Michael Carrick reverted to the successful strikerless formation that yielded six wins from 11 games, excluding Sesko’s two ‘super sub’ winners. Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, Amad, Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount could all double as a false nine and all would arguably be preferable to Zirkzee. He has scored five Premier League goals in two seasons. United won’t get anywhere near to the £36.5million they paid for Zirkzee in 2024. Most read in Sport BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK The club would require £21.9m to avoid a loss under the squad cost ratio (SCR) and sustainability and systemic resilience laws that have replaced the profitability and sustainability rules. Returning to Italy would be logical for Zirkzee. He made a name for himself there with Bologna, the pace of Serie A is more suited to his skill set and Italian clubs are addicted to Premier League cast-offs. Marcus Rashford Italy and Zirkzee go hand in glove. United need a helping hand to offload Rashford permanently. Barcelona is a no-go after they opted for Anthony Gordon and there is not a standout elite European club in need of a winger on such a high salary. The sale of Morgan Rogers opened up a vacancy at Aston Villa, yet Rashford’s other former club chose his old United teammate Alejandro Garnacho. Garnacho has moved to Villa Park on a season-long loan with an obligation to buy for £43m next year. That is considerably more than the £26m option Barca had to buy Rashford and which he is still available for. So Rashford is running out of options but it would be rash of United to reintegrate him. He has publicly antagonised the club, be it approving of Garnacho for donning a ‘Rashford 9’ Villa shirt in an Instagram stunt or thanking the coaches at England, Barca and Villa for his World Cup call-up. There was no mention of Rashford’s actual employers, United. Barcelona snubbed Rashford Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Rashford started for England at the World Cup Credit: Getty As recently as this month, Rashford reiterated his wish for a transfer after his World Cup commitments had ended. Rashford has entered the final two years of his contract, is United’s highest-paid player but has not played for them since December 12 2024. It is a marriage of inconvenience. The placid Carrick could ensure there is a serene return to the fold. Carrick worked with Rashford for nearly six years as a player and a coach and United lack an out-and-out left winger, though Cunha and Patrick Dorgu have performed impressively under Carrick. Accommodating a squad player on £325,000 a week is not aligned with Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s business model, though. Reintegrating Rashford after he crossed former managers Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim would potentially set a dangerous precedent at United just when they are enjoying some stability. Altay Bayindir Even with their first and second-choice goalies on holiday, United have a packed goalkeeping department for pre-season. Bayindir should have returned this week after his three-week post-World Cup break. He did not play for Turkey, either. Yet the 28-year-old has not come back to United and there is little point in doing so. United have already signed a back-up ‘keeper in Karl Darlow ahead of Bayindir’s expected departure. Figures at Carrington have spoken highly of Bayindir’s professionalism and work ethic. But it is in the interests of all parties that he gets a permanent change of scenery after three years in Manchester. Vitek started against Rosenborg on Friday Credit: Getty Vitek was excellent on loan at Bristol City Credit: GETTY Radek Vitek Darlow, 35, has arrived on a free and the 40-year-old Tom Heaton signed a one-year renewal to support No.1 Senne Lammens. Vitek, 22, was a regular in the Championship last season, so he cannot be at United for the upcoming season. The Czech’s resale value has to be relatively high after he swept the board at Bristol City’s end-of-season awards. Vitek may have to wait a while longer as Darlow, yet to be involved in training, recovers from an injury and Lammens is still on his post-World Cup holiday. Diego Leon There have been a laughable amount of new additions to the United first team section on the club website. Dan Armer, Jaydan Kamason, Jim Thwaites, Jacob Devaney, Ethan Williams and the 15-year-old JJ Gabriel have been assigned first-team status on account of their pre-season participation. The academy sextet have been involved, unlike Diego Leon. Leon, 19, seems destined to be remembered as the forgotten signing of the 2025 summer as he has not trained with the first team this calendar year. Paraguayan Leon was introduced to United fans on the Old Trafford pitch last year and named in the pre-season tour squad. A year on, he has made the senior matchday squad four times and the most recent was in October. As young as Leon is, the chances of him forging a long-term career at United seem remote. United also have plenty of specialist and auxiliary left backs (Dorgu, Luke Shaw, Harry Amass, Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui). Cashing in sooner rather than later would be sensible. Comment now