Two Defenders Set To Leave Manchester United At The End Of The Season
Manchester United need to cut ties with multiple players to ensure Erik ten Hag can reinforce his squad without significantly increasing the wage bill at Old Trafford.
The abundance of central defenders at Carrington means no other position is expected to see more departures. In Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane, Harry Maguire, and Victor Lindelof, Ten Hag has four reliable centre-back options at his disposal.
Martinez and Varane have established themselves as the side’s first-choice pairing in the heart of defence. While Maguire and Lindelof will have to decide between accepting to sit on the bench in important games or leaving in search of a more prominent role.
Both Maguire and Lindelof are guaranteed starters for England and Sweden respectively, but after the international break, they will again have to wait for the unavailability of first-choice stars or a Cup fixture for Ten Hag’s call.
However, not every defender at United has that choice, with the future of some already decided.
According to ESPN, Phil Jones and Axel Tuanzebe are set to leave the club in the summer. The duo’s contracts expire at the end of the season and United have no plans to extend their stay.
Both players have struggled with injury problems, having not featured under Erik ten Hag for a single minute. Tuanzebe left United to join Stoke City on loan in January.