Man Utd make decision on Mason Greenwood future as club plan summer clearout

Greenwood and Jadon Sancho are set to be put up for sale but Marcus Rashford will only be sold if there is a huge bid for the England international

Richard Jolly
Senior Football Correspondent
Tuesday 30 April 2024 05:51 EDT
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Manchester United are looking to sell Mason Greenwood and Jadon Sancho as they contemplate a clearout to raise funds for summer signings.

United are open to offers for much of their squad because, while new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has shown a willingness to invest, they are limited in what they can spend by Profitability and Sustainability Rules after expensive purchases in the last two summers, so they have to sell.

However, they would only let Marcus Rashford go if there is a huge bid and if the forward wants to leave, with United’s priority being to restore him to the form that saw him score 30 goals last season.

Greenwood has scored eight goals on loan at Getafe and any money from his sale would count as pure profit under PSR regulations. Former chief executive Richard Arnold had said the forward had no future at Old Trafford after he was charged with attempted rape, assault and controlling and coercive behaviour. While police subsequently dropped those charges, United conducted an internal investigation and there was a backlash when the club planned to bring him back.

While Ratcliffe appeared willing to reconsider when he said in February that United needed to “make a decision” on “the facts, not the hype”, the 22-year-old will be put up for sale this summer.

So will the £73m buy Sancho, who is out on loan at Borussia Dortmund after falling out with manager Erik ten Hag. The England winger was not allowed to train with the first team for four months after refusing to apologise for a social-media post criticising the Dutchman.

United are also willing to sell Donny van de Beek, who is on loan at Eintracht Frankfurt, plus youngsters Hannibal Mejbri, who has been borrowed by Sevilla, Facundo Pellestri, who is at Granada and Brandon Williams, who is with Ipswich.

They would consider bids that meet their valuation for the majority of their squad but Alejandro Garnacho, Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Hojlund are considered off limits. A group of other players – including captain Bruno Fernandes, Diogo Dalot and Luke Shaw – are also expected to stay.

It means United could be receptive to approaches for £85m buy Antony, though it is likely they would have to take a huge loss on his purchase price, Mason Mount, who has struggled in his first year at Old Trafford, or Casemiro, who has shown signs of decline in his second season in Manchester.

Mason Greenwood has been on loan at Getafe in Spain this season
Mason Greenwood has been on loan at Getafe in Spain this season (Getty Images)

United accepted an offer for Harry Maguire last summer and rejected ones for Scott McTominay that fell short of their assessment of the Scotland midfielder’s worth.

Both have played key parts this season but are among a group of players whose contracts expire in 2025 and who United could lose on free transfers if they do not sell this year. Among them, Christian Eriksen and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are likeliest to leave if an appropriate bid comes in.

United have already confirmed that forward Anthony Martial will leave when his deal expires at the end of the season. Raphael Varane is likely to follow, with United so far not opting to trigger the extension to his contract. There is very little chance they will take up their option to buy Sofyan Amrabat after his unsuccessful loan from Fiorentina.

United, who can find it difficult to sell some of their players because of the wages they are paid at Old Trafford, are expected to target a centre-back and a centre-forward in the summer.

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