According to Manchester evening News - a prestigious news site about Manchester United, the team has up to 24 players in the final stages of their current contract. From this summer, M.U can look very different, not until a few years later when the Old Trafford team faces a new era.
Of the 24 players whose contracts are set to expire, five are due this summer, including Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata and Lee Grant. These names are identified as leading candidates who have just won a ticket out of Old Trafford. In addition, there are many other positions waiting to see if the team can manage to secure a ticket to the Champions League at the end of the season, then decide on the future.
In total, in the next 2 years, there will be up to 24 players whose contracts have expired, not to mention those who have been given an additional year of self-activation clause by the club. From young stars to veterans, a very strong change in personnel is about to take place.
Tahith Chong will expire at M.U this summer after returning from Birmingham on loan. Last summer, Cristiano Ronaldo, David de Gea, Luke Shaw, Marcus Rashford, Fred, Diogo Dalot, Axel Tuanzebe and Phil Jones all had their contracts expired. All the stars have a one-year activation clause, but it's unclear whether they want it.
That clause is not in Nemanja Matic's contract, so the Serbian midfielder is almost certain to leave Old Trafford.
In 2024, the story will be similar to the cases of Anthony Martial, Victor Lindelof, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Alex Telles, Eric Bailly, James Garner, Brand Williams, Hannibal Mejbri and Teden Mengi. They were all given an additional 1-year contract extension clause but were uncertain whether they wanted to stay.
Manchester evening News has released a survey to fans with this group of 24 players. Fans were asked whether the names above deserved to be extended or were capable of self-activating to stay. It is not surprising that names like Grant (8.1%), Mata (9.3%), Jones (11.1%), Martial (11.4%), Cavani and Lingard (13%) are voted to have the least such abilities.
Pogba has received a fairly high number of supports from the "Red Devils" fans with 24.9%, although the French midfielder's recent statements have clearly shown his frustration. He is facing many changes such as Real Madrid, PSG or returning to Juventus.
The remainder of the list were announced including Matic, Bailly, Wan-Bissaka, Tuanzebe, Chong and Heaton.
