There has been lots of talk this week about
whether Radamel Falcao is staying at Old Trafford
beyond the end of the season - but there are many more Manchester United players whose futures are uncertain.
Eighteen United players who have played in the Premier
League for the club are out of contract this summer, or within 18
months.
Not many of them have warranted a new deal with their
performances this season and I am not surprised there is talk of another
big clear-out by manager Louis van Gaal, rather than a rush to offer
them new deals.
Since he took charge at United last summer, Van Gaal has got rid of 15 players either permanently or on loan.
He has more decisions to make about who stays and who
goes as he continues to rebuild his squad, but there are 10 players who I
don't think should be offered a new contract.
Out of contract at the end of 2014-15
Seven Manchester United players are out of contract in the summer of 2015
Tyler Blackett, from youth
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Age: 20
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Defender
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PL starts 2014-15: 6
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Injuries meant Van Gaal gave him his debut and it is
hard to judge him properly at the moment, with so much upheaval in the
United defence. However, you do not play for United at such a young age
if your manager does not believe in you.
VERDICT: KEEP
Did you know? Blackett made his debut in Van Gaal's
first competitive game in charge of United, playing on the left of a
three-man defence in their 2-1 home defeat by Swansea on the opening day
of the season.
Paddy McNair, from youth
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Age: 19
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Defender
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PL starts 2014-15: 7
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Thrown in for the same reasons as Blackett, and has had to deal with the same issues. Again, one for the future.
VERDICT: KEEP
Did you know? In nine league games this season,
McNair has played in nine different three- or two-man central-defensive
combinations.
Michael Carrick, £18m from Tottenham in 2006
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Age: 33
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Midfielder
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PL starts 2014-15: 11
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Carrick is the oldest outfield player in United's
squad, but his role does not rely on pace or covering a lot of ground.
He is still one of their best midfielders - great on the ball and a
calming influence when he plays. Worth another year.
VERDICT: KEEP
Did you know? United have won 63.6% of Premier
League games with Carrick in their starting XI this season, compared
with 30% without him.
Tom Cleverley, from youth
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Age: 25
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Midfielder
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PL starts 2014-15: 18
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Aston Villa have the chance to buy him for £7m this month as part of his loan deal but I think his price has gone down
since he moved there in September.
There will not be a queue of clubs for him in the summer.
VERDICT: CAN GO
Did you know? Cleverley has started 17 Premier
League games for Villa this season, and one for United, but is yet to
score or provide an assist.
Darren Fletcher, from youth
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Age: 30
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Midfielder
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PL starts 2014-15: 4
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After missing so much football because of his illness, I
am sure he now wants to play regularly and he is not going to be able
to do that at United. If I was him, I would leave, and I am not
surprised
there is plenty of interest in him.
VERDICT: CAN GO
Did you know? Fletcher has only played more than 45 minutes in three league games this season, and has not done so since August.
Anderson, £20m from Porto in 2007
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Age: 26
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Midfielder
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PL starts 2014-15: 0
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Only still at the club because they cannot get rid of him.
VERDICT: CAN GO
Did you know? Anderson played just 40 minutes for
United in the whole of 2014. He came off the bench for 20 minutes in
United's 4-0 League Cup defeat by MK Dons on 26 August and did the same
in the 0-0 draw with Burnley on 30 August.
Radamel Falcao, season-long loan from Monaco
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Age: 28
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Striker
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PL starts 2014-15: 7
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He is expensive - his wages are £265,000 a week and turning his loan into a permanent move
would cost United £43.5m in the summer.
His injury record and fitness is a concern but I would still keep him because, if he has got over
the serious knee injury he suffered in January last year,
he is undoubtedly a world-class striker.
I don't think United will sign him though - the writing was on the wall when he was
left out of the squad for Sunday's defeat by Southampton,
which I thought was the wrong decision.
He needs to play regularly - if he does that he will
produce. If he doesn't play week in, week out, there is no point signing
him permanently.
VERDICT: KEEP (BUT I DON'T THINK UNITED WILL)
Did you know? Falcao has played the full 90 minutes just twice in his 12 appearances so far for United.
Out of contract at the end of 2015-16
11 Manchester United players are out of contract in the summer of 2016
David De Gea, £18.9m from Atletico Madrid in 2011
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Age: 24
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Goalkeeper
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PL starts 2014-15: 21
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Has developed into one of the best goalkeepers in the world. United should make it a priority to get him
tied down on a new deal as quickly as they can.
But the problem might be if Real Madrid do come in for him - if
they do, it might be very difficult for United to keep him.
VERDICT: KEEP (IF THEY CAN)
Did you know? Of PL keepers to play a minimum of 15
games this season, De Gea ranks third in terms of his save-to-shots
rate (73.42%), behind Swansea's Lukasz Fabianksi (75.56%) and Aston
Villa's Brad Guzan (74.16%).
Victor Valdes, free transfer in 2015
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Age: 33
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Goalkeeper
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PL starts 2014-15: 0
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Valdes turned 33 on 14 January but is still young for a
goalkeeper. Van Gaal said the former Barcelona keeper joined this month
as a number two
but says he will
fight to be number one.
In an ideal world, United would keep hold of De Gea and Valdes - I know I would - but who knows whether that will happen?
VERDICT: KEEP
Did you know? While with Barcelona, Victor Valdes won six La Liga titles and the Champions League three times.
Anders Lindegaard, £3.5m from Aalesund in 2010
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Age: 30
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Goalkeeper
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PL starts 2014-15: 0
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Has slipped further down the pecking order with the arrival of Valdes.
VERDICT: CAN GO
Did you know? Anders Lindegaard's last competitive
game came in Man Utd's 4-0 away win against Newcastle United on 15 April
2014.
Phil Jones, £17m from Blackburn in 2011
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Age: 22
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Defender
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PL starts 2014-15: 10
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With Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand leaving in the
summer, he had the chance to step up and grab his place at centre-half
by the scruff of the neck. He has not done that. A good player, but not
good enough for United.
VERDICT: CAN GO
Did you know? United have won 20% of PL games this
season with Jones starting, compared with 72.7% without him in the
starting XI.
Chris Smalling, £7m from Fulham in 2010
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Age: 25
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Defender
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PL starts 2014-15: 10
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A great athlete but not a good enough footballer. Also switches off too often.
VERDICT: CAN GO
Did you know? Smalling has made more clearances (76) and blocks (8) than any other Man Utd player in the PL this season.
Jonny Evans, from youth
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Age: 27
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Defender
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PL starts 2014-15: 8
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As with Jones and Smalling, I don't think what Van Gaal
has seen of Jonny Evans this season is going to make him rush out and
give him a new deal. He is the best of those three on the ball but he is
not a commanding centre-half and Van Gaal is not going to think he can
build his team round Evans at the back.
VERDICT: CAN GO
Did you know? Evans has averaged a pass every 1.24
minutes in the PL this season, the best rate of any defender in the
top-tier (min 450 mins played).
Rafael, £2.5m from Fluminese in 2008
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Age: 24
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Defender
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PL starts 2014-15: 6
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Can lose concentration defensively but offers a lot
when he goes forward. I would buy a new right-back but keep Rafael as a
squad player.
VERDICT: KEEP
Did you know? Rafael ranks in the top 10 for
dribbles by PL defenders this season, embarking on a dribble every 34.53
minutes, the ninth-best figure for a defender (min 450 mins played).
Ashley Young, £17m from Aston Villa in 2011
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Age: 29
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Wing-back
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PL starts 2014-15: 11
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This time last year, he was one of the players
I thought should leave United
but he has turned things around and has been one of United's best performers as a wing-back this season.
VERDICT: KEEP
Did you know? United have lost only once in the
Premier League this season with Young in the side (W6 D6 L1), with that
defeat coming on the opening day against Swansea.
Nick Powell, £3m from Crewe Alexandra in 2012
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Age: 20
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Midfielder
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PL starts 2014-15: 0
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His season-long loan at Leicester
has been cut short,
and he did not play for them much either. Needs to drop down to the Championship and get some games.
VERDICT: CAN GO
Did you know? Powell made three substitute appearances, totalling 40 minutes, in three months with the Foxes.
Robin van Persie, £24m from Arsenal in 2012
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Age: 31
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Striker
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PL starts 2014-15: 20
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I am torn. He is a legend of the Premier League but
will turn 33 soon after his Manchester United contract ends in the
summer of 2016.
Unlike with Carrick and Valdes, who are both older than Van Persie, age is a factor here because of his position.
I would keep him next season because he has definitely still got a lot to offer.
But after that, his age might mean his best days as an
out-and-out striker, who has relied on his reactions and pace while
playing on the shoulder of the last defender, are behind him.
Van Gaal must decide whether to offer Van Persie a new deal
So the end of his current deal might be the time for
him to move on, and think about a lucrative move to somewhere like the
MLS in the United States.
He has had an amazing career but there will be no sentiment from Van Gaal either when the decision is made.
VERDICT: CAN GO
Did you know? Van Persie has scored 56 goals in 96
games in all competitions for United and his strike-rate of 0.58 goals
per game puts him fourth in the club's all-time list behind Tommy Taylor
(0.69), Ruud van Nistelrooy (0.68) and Denis Law (0.59).
Javier Hernandez, £6m from Guadalajara in 2010
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Age: 26
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Striker
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PL/LL starts 2014-15: 2
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Van Gaal has already
sent him out on loan,
and he has not featured much for Real Madrid this season. Hard to see a way back for him at Old Trafford.
VERDICT: CAN GO
Did you know? Hernandez has played just eight times
for Real Madrid this season in La Liga, and only one of those has been a
start (vs Levante in October).
Rebuilding will not be cheap
I said
at the start of January 2014
that Manchester United must spend £200m to rebuild their squad to
the standard that once made sides visiting Old Trafford feel helpless.
With David Moyes signing Juan Mata for £37m soon after
that, and his successor Van Gaal spending £150m in the summer, they have
almost spent that amount already but it still feels like a lot of work
needs to be done.
Van Gaal needs to rebuild the centre of his defence and
sign another midfield player, so you are looking at another £100m or so
on top and it is clear that his rebuilding job has only just begun.
