MANCHESTER UNITED are staring down the barrel of another long, painful and expensive squad rebuild.
Years of lackluster recruitment have bitten the Red Devils with a string of horror performances, culminating in the sacking of Erik ten Hag earlier this season and the club's worst start to the season in 35 years.
Poor signings also mean there is little flexibility in the market for Ineos transfer chiefs to sign players to immediately take Ruben Amorim's squad to the next level.
That's part of the reason why every player has been made available for transfer, including the trio of Rasmus Hojlund, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo, who were made untouchable less than a year ago.
Tough decisions will be made in the coming weeks and next summer, with some players struggling to fit into the system, others simply not being good enough, or others lacking desire.
Ahead of last summer's window, SunSport gave our verdict on the entire Man Utd squad, but now that a host of changes have been made and the winter transfer window is open, we've taken another look at the men's squad.
Andre Onana – Stay
Despite being guilty of some erratic performances, Andre Onana remains a world-class goalkeeper and United would struggle to find a better player on the market.
The defense has started to look more solid in recent weeks as Amorim has had time to coach the structure into the team, and hopefully that will translate into clean sheets in the future.
Altay Bayindir – Stay
After a dodgy performance against Spurs in the Carabao Cup, Altay Bayindir proved he was a penalty hero against Arsenal in the FA Cup and was deservedly named man of the match.
He is on minimum wages at Old Trafford and his penalty-saving performances would be crucial in cup competitions. Should remain a solid No. 2 unless a serious bid comes in for him that yields a profit.
Tom Heaton-Ga
Tom Heaton has plenty of experience but should be given the opportunity to hang up the gloves and move into coaching this summer as there are some very capable goalkeepers in the Under-21s who can fill the third-choice role.
The 38-year-old commands noticeably higher wages than Bayindir, so even if it's only a small cut, it makes sense given United's austerity plans.
Noussair Mazraoui – Stay
Noussair Mazraoui, the best signing of the summer window so far, has proven to be everything Man Utd needed and more.
Versatile, reliable and passionate, whether he plays full-back or centre-back, it is a no-brainer to keep the Moroccan.
Diogo Dalot – Stay
Diogo Dalot is a true Jekyll and Hyde player for United, capable of fantastic games and consistent performances before a total lapse in concentration costs him and the team dearly.
Like Mazraoui, his versatility makes him an invaluable player at United at the moment, but he needs to cut silly mistakes from his game if he wants to be part of the team's long-term planning.
Leny Yoro – Stay
After an injury in pre-season, Leny Yoro has taken some time to bed down, but he has already produced some fantastic moments in a Man Utd shirt, including his lung-busting run to save a Liverpool shot in the second half. -2 draw at Anfield earlier this year. month.
At 19, he will only get better and while too many expectations should not be placed on him yet, early signs suggest he could be a mainstay in defense in the coming years.
Harry Maguire-Ga
The last time we made this list, Harry Maguire was one of our top defensive options to sell, but since Amorim came into the back three, the England international has hardly put a foot wrong.
The problem with Maguire is that while he is perfectly suited for a back-three, he turns 32 in the summer and only has one year left on his contract, so if a serious offer comes along he will unfortunately have to be sold.
Matthijs de Ligt – Stay
Matthijs de Ligt has been very inconsistent since his arrival in the summer. Capable of heroic last-ditch tackles as he did at Arsenal and also capable of some very foolish passages of play, such as his handball against Liverpool.
In many ways the Dutchman looks like a younger version of Maguire and given a little more time in bed he should improve even further.
Lisandro Martínez – Stay
Has really started to grow into the Amorim system in recent games after a very sticky form.
He is one of the team's best progressive passers in the build-up phase and has the tenacious mentality this team needs to improve and work its way up.
Victor Lindelof-Ga
It looks like Victor Lindelof will leave the club when his contract expires this summer.
The Swede has been a loyal servant, but he probably should have been sold last summer.
Jonny Evans – Ga
Like Heaton, Jonny Evans is a player with an abundance of experience and undoubtedly a real treasure and teacher behind the scenes.
However, he lacks the mobility to excel in Amorim's back three, unless perhaps as a centre-back. Although his injury record this season now indicates he should likely make the transition to coaching.
Luke Shaw-Ga
It is said that availability is one of the best skills, and that is incredibly true of Luke Shaw.
World class at his time and is clearly still capable of reaching those levels, as evidenced by his less than full fitness with England at the European Championship. But he's simply not available often enough to keep him.
Tyrell Malacia-Ga
Tyrell Malacia is still recovering his competitive sharpness after his two-year injury layoff, so it's a bit harsh to pass judgment on him so quickly.
The current concern is that United will need to aggressively recruit specialist left-backs in the summer, and Malacia doesn't seem entirely comfortable playing there so far.
Manuel Ugarte – Stay
After his first few games, questions were raised about him. But under Amorim, Manuel Ugarte has once again become the linchpin of his midfield.
He knows the system inside and out and is one of the Premier League's most skilled ball winners. It would be madness to consider selling it next summer.
Kobbie Mainoo-Stay
Despite reports that Chelsea and Bayern Munich want to sign the 19-year-old, Kobbie Mainoo should be one of the few truly untouchable stars at the club and his contract situation should be resolved as soon as possible.
He has quality and aspects to his game that many other midfielders don't possess, and with improvements from the stars around him he and Ugarte should be able to form an effective partnership for many years to come.
Casemiro – Ga
Casemiro unfortunately seemed to lose his legs as he entered his second season with Man Utd. And with the 3-4-3 system demanding even more from him, it's clear he simply doesn't fit what the club needs going forward.
It would also help the club's financial objectives if he were sold as his huge £375,000-a-week wages would be taken off the books.
Christian Eriksen-Ga
Like Casemiro, Christian Eriksen simply doesn't have the mobility to cover the ground his role requires.
His contract expires this summer and should expire after three seasons of loyal service.
Toby Collyer – Stay
Academy graduate Toby Collyer, who possesses the energy required to play in midfield, could be the effective rotation player Amorim needs to rotate the core of his team without losing mobility.
He will need to work on his ball game, but the 21-year-old has time to work on that.
Mason Mount – Stay
Ex-Chelsea star Mason Mount seems tailor-made for the 3-4-3 system. He played his best football there for the Blues and Amorim was already enthusiastic about him and his knowledge of the game.
But he continues to be plagued by injuries and must be given one more chance to prove his fitness before a final decision is made to put him up for sale.
Bruno Fernandes – Stay
The club's captain, Bruno Fernandes, has come in for a lot of criticism since he was given the armband for his erratic decisions and his patience.
Yet he remains by some distance the best player in the team and shows the mentality that the team needs to improve. Moreover, United's most famous captain of the Premier League era, Roy Keane, was not exactly cold-blooded.
Anthony – Ga
There is a clear case to be made that Antony is perhaps the worst signing in Premier League history, with games passing him by too often and quality lacking when he is involved.
That said, he has improved in some brief cameos while playing as a full-back under Amorim. But unless there is a plan to learn the position and become a specialist, he has to move on.
Marcus Rashford-Ga
It wasn't supposed to end like this. Once the darling of Old Trafford and Carrington, Marcus Rashford's comments admitting he wanted a new challenge were likely the final nail in the coffin for his future at Man Utd.
There is a player with class if he can find the motivation to love his football again. A sale to a rival should be ruled out for fear of exactly that, while a sale abroad should be targeted and pushed by the club.
Amad Diallo-Stay
Has really enjoyed his role as a right number 10 in the 3-4-3 or as a right wing-back.
Amad Diallo was one of the team's best players this season and was therefore rewarded with a new contract.
Alejandro Garnacho-Ga
Alejandro Garnacho is perhaps the toughest star on the list and has a ton of talent to elevate him to world-class status. But recent off-field problems and poor form have cast doubt on his future.
If, as reports suggest, there is a big offer of £60m from the likes of Napoli, it will be a tough decision. Although it may be the club's financial situation that ultimately decides.
Rasmus Hojlund – Stay
Man Utd still need a striker and it is clear to see. Currently, Rasmus Hojlund needs time to develop into the kind of striker you can rely on game in game out.
Reports suggest that United want to sign Viktor Gyokeres, who is similar to Hojlund in many ways. Therefore, it may be better for him to remain as a backup option and perfect his craft under less pressure.
Joshua Zirkzee-Ga
Joshua Zirkzee has certainly been inconsistent for United so far. He's had some games and moments where he looked impressive, and others where he just wasn't good enough.
He has a very unique profile, which puts him at the top in the right system. Only United will probably never play the right way for him to really excel.
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