If Manchester United Need to Raise £100M Transfer Kitty, Who Should They Sell?
As the summer approaches, the typical ramp-up of stories linking Manchester United to players all around the world has begun.
From underwhelming suggestions like Ivan Perisic, per Manchester Evening News, to wildly ambitious targets like Neymar (per Spanish publication Sport, h/t the Telegraph), the rumour mill is up and churning.
Most of these transfers will likely be funded by United's huge commercial revenues.
There have been financial hits lately, though, with the Brexit vote impacting United's figures. The Guardian report a net debt increase for the Red Devils of 27.1 per cent after currency-market changes in the wake of the referendum.
Potentially missing out on the Champions League next season would have a considerable effect on their bottom line thanks to the specifics of their deal with Adidas, with BBC Sport reporting that they stand to take a hit of over £20 million if they do not qualify for Europe's top-tier competition next season.
Of course, the Red Devils are still rich, but if they wanted to sell some players to raise a transfer kitty, who would be in the firing line?
We decided to line up a few potential sales that could raise Red Devils manager Jose Mourinho some spending money for the summer ahead...
Chris Smalling: Approx. £25 Million
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Running Tally: £25 million
The biggest potential fee for a player who could be reasonably considered surplus to requirements at Old Trafford might be earned through the sale of occasional stand-in captain Chris Smalling.
He has two years left on the contract he signed in 2015, meaning he could command a decent sale price. He has been an England and Manchester United centre-back for a long time now, and at 27, he should have plenty of miles left on his clock.
Indeed, he should be hitting the peak of his career, but unfortunately, the last year or so has seen him regress from the excellent form he hit in 2015. The goal United conceded against Middlesbrough saw a typical Smalling mistake at the heart of it as he swung the wrong leg at the ball, consumed by the panic of the moment.
At 27, and with the leadership duties he is assigned, Smalling should be the senior, calming voice in United's back line—the heir apparent to Rio Ferdinand—but instead, he seems to bring worry with him everywhere he goes.
He could thrive on a less-pressurised stage, though.
He is a good defender, commanding in the air, capable of putting in the odd superb tackle. In his United purple patch—which ran approximately from his return from suspension after being sent off against Manchester City in November 2014 to his injury in February 2016—he was the best centre-back at the club.
The Red Devils would benefit from an upgrade now, though, and his sale could raise some of the money needed to buy one.
Marouane Fellaini: Approx £20 Million
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Running Tally: £45 million
In January, United triggered a clause to extend Marouane Fellaini's contract until the summer of 2018, per the club's website.
That decision was an obvious one to take, because it means that if the big Belgian does leave the club this summer he will command a fee, rather than being allowed to leave for free.
Of course, Mourinho might decided to keep the utility midfielder around to fill out his squad and bring on late in games to cause mischief, but if they are looking to raise some cash, the sale of Fellaini could be a good move.
The approximate price here is based on just how useful the former Everton man could be for a mid-table Premier League club. With what will be nine seasons of English domestic top-flight experience under his belt, there is no doubt that he is a good fit. If his contract had longer to run, the fee would be higher still.
While his technical limitations make him not quite good enough to thrive at United, there are plenty of teams who would benefit from his presence, particularly if he is deployed in the attacking-destroyer role in which he does his best work.
Plus the buying club would be getting access to the one in around 10 games where it all clicks for Fellaini and he turns into a world beater. Those performances would seem a bargain at £20 million.
Luke Shaw: Approx £20 Million
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Running Tally: £65 Million
Luke Shaw's value at this point should be a lot higher than £20 million, but it will be hard to convince any potential buyer that United are reluctant to sell. After all, Mourinho's actions could not have made how little he values the England left-back much clearer.
At one point, it looked like Shaw would be United's go-to player for that position for a generation to come, but between the broken leg he suffered against PSV Eindhoven in last season's Champions League and Mourinho's evident reluctance to trust him, that dream has died.
The estimated price tag is based on how much United managed to extract out of Lyon for Memphis Depay—a decent percentage of the price for which they had bought him for in spite of how far his stock had fallen during his time at Old Trafford. They would presumably be able to do the same with Shaw.
It would be sad if he was sold, but for now, that looks almost inevitable.
Matteo Darmian: Approx £15 Million
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Running Tally: £80 million
It is easy to forget that Matteo Darmian's first few games in a United shirt were impressive. It is easy to forget that because so few of the games he has played since have been.
The Italy international would still command a reasonable fee for a move back to Serie A, where his excellent reputation was earned in Torino's colours.
Unlike Shaw's potential departure, few would mourn Darmian's return to his home country. It would be a move that could benefit all parties since he would play more regularly: The buying club would get a proven performer in that league, and United would recoup a fee for a player who has not worked out.
Of course, numbers in full-back positions would be a little low if both he and Shaw left, but alternative provisions need to be made anyway if United want to be serious about challenging for top honours.
Adnan Januzaj: Approx £15 Million
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Running Tally: £95 million
"The boy who can do anything," as his chant goes, Adnan Januzaj's United career has not gone in the direction anyone would have hoped.
Former manager Louis van Gaal could never quite figure out what to do with the Belgium international. Januzaj endured an unsuccessful loan spell at Borussia Dortmund.
Mourinho arrived and sent him on loan to Sunderland, where he has been a solid performer—averaging 1.9 key passes per 90 minutes of league football in a poor side, per WhoScored.com—but nothing close to a world beater.
A move to, say, La Liga, could be a tonic for the skilful young forward, who still has bags of potential. It seems unlikely that Mourinho will hitch his wagon to Januzaj's star, given how unproven he still is. A £15 million return—a similar fee to that received for Memphis—would seem in order and get us close to the £100 million total figure.
Wayne Rooney: Significant Wages Freed Up
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Running Tally: £95 million, plus room in the wage budget.
As anyone who has ever spent time playing Football Manager knows, room in the wage budget is as good as money in the transfer kitty.
And while selling Wayne Rooney might not bring in much in the way of a fee, it would get at least a percentage of his reported £300,000-per-week wage packet off the books, which would effectively make up the last £5 million needed here.
It is obvious that Rooney is now surplus to requirements, and if United strengthen their attack in any way in the summer, that will be even more evident. The club captain has given excellent service to the Red Devils, but his time has now passed. He should get to spend the twilight of his career somewhere he can be of more value.
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