With 10 Premier League games remaining Sir Jim Ratcliffe has instructed Erig Ten Hag to offload six first team players in the Summer

With 10 Premier League games remaining, Manchester United’s top-four fate is out of their hands.

Despite returning to winning ways with a 2-0 win against Everton on Saturday, United are at the back of a three-horse contest for the final top four berth. Aston Villa’s 4-0 defeat of rivals Tottenham Hotspur has narrowed the gap to eight points from eleven, although United are still catching up.

Securing Champions League status for next season will be critical to Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s aim to rebuild the club on track. Participating in Europe’s premier club competition will provide significant financial benefits and make United a more appealing offer in the transfer market.

It implies that the ten remaining challenges between United and the finish line will all be critical. Prior to the victory against Everton, Ten Hag called each of his team’s previous 11 games as cup finals, and his attitude is unlikely to have changed.

However, regardless of where United finishes this season, changes in M16 are on the way. According to the Manchester Evening News, United are anticipating a record number of sales over the summer window, with the club aiming to become more proactive in the seller’s market.

A slew of players on the outside of Ten Hag’s first-choice starting XI, as well as one or two more who could assist balance the books in the fight against Financial Fair Play [FFP] laws, must move on. Those anticipated departures will undoubtedly leave gaps that must be filled.

It is widely acknowledged that United must make changes to their squad this summer, both in terms of depth and enhancing Ten Hag’s first-choice XI. United set out a list of positions they wanted to strengthen as early as September, but it’s possible that more have since been added.

United planned to reinforce at right-back, centre-back, central midfield, and attack on the first list. As the season has progressed, it is not unreasonable to speculate that a new left-back may be on their radar, given the number of injury complaints on that side of the back four.

Diogo Dalot has taken the main role at right-back in recent months, but United’s interest in Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong suggests the Reds still want to strengthen that position. Looking at the defensive line as a whole, only Lisandro Martinez is assured an automatic starting spot in Ten Hag’s strongest XI, ruling out the left-sided centre-back position.

Lisandro Martinez at the Etihad Stadium, sporting a Manchester United tracksuit before of the latest derby match.
Manchester United has badly missed Lisandro Martinez for extended periods of time this season. (Image by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images.)
United have had numerous centre-back combinations this season and have yet to decide on Raphael Varane’s future. Harry Maguire, despite his progress, might be sold, as could Victor Lindelof.

Moving to midfield, United must find a long-term replacement for Casemiro. Kobbie Mainoo has established himself as a mainstay, making him difficult to dethrone, while Bruno Fernandes remains in pole position to retain his position as head architect at No.10.

There have been suggestions that Mainoo may become Casemiro’s successor, allowing Mason Mount to return and try to reignite his United career after an injury-plagued first season. However, Mainoo is developing into a forward-thinking, progressive midfielder with the potential to become a formidable No.8.

Rasmus Hojlund was bought from Atalanta in August with the intention of becoming United’s long-term striker, indicating that the club is unlikely to pursue a big-name No.9 in the summer. At this point, nothing is guaranteed in terms of vast areas.

The right-wing remains a long-term issue, with neither Jadon Sancho (signed in 2021) nor Antony (drafted the next year) making applications to claim that position. Alejandro Garnacho is the most obvious candidate, but at 19, he is not assured a starting spot every week, especially with Marcus Rashford’s disappointing showing this season and frequent links with Paris Saint-Germain.

Andre Onana, like Martinez, Mainoo, Fernandes, and Hojlund, appears to have secured his position in the starting XI. Everything else is uncertain.