Manchester United have been busy this summer, adding Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Karl Darlow to their ranks. However, Premier League squad rules look like complicating their future plans unless they can make some sales.
Current squad composition
Santos and Tielemans arrived for more than £80m between them while Darlow joined on a free transfer from Leeds. There have also been exits - Casemiro and Andre Onana notable among them - but there could still be complications when it comes to naming their 25-man Premier League squad for the new season.
League rules mean that 25-player allowance needs to be made up of 17 non-homegrown players and eight who qualify as homegrown. The latter category doesn't need to be players trained by United specifically - English and Welsh-trained players will also count, including new goalkeeper Darlow.
Under-21 exemptions
Players aged 21 or under (born on or after January 1, 2005) don't get counted against either allowance but age threshold means United players born in 2004 no longer qualify as part of the Under-21 exemption for the 2026/27 season. Patrick Dorgu now takes up a non-homegrown slot, while Dan Gore and Toby Collyer occupy homegrown berths.
Gore featured against Wrexham in Saturday's pre-season friendly but could still be moved on despite an impressive performance, as might Collyer after ending last season out on loan. Goalkeeper Radek Vitek - also classified as homegrown - is anticipated to depart despite appearing at the weekend.
Non-homegrown and homegrown lists
Alongside Dorgu, the non-homegrown group currently stands at 15 and features new arrivals Santos and Tielemans. The group is rounded out by Senne Lammens, Altay Bayındır, Noussair Mazraoui, Matthijs de Ligt, Lisandro Martínez, Diogo Dalot, Manuel Ugarte, Bruno Fernandes, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, Joshua Zirkzee and Benjamin Sesko.
To qualify as homegrown, a player does not need to be British as long as they have spent three seasons on an English or Welsh club's books by the end of the season in which they turn 21. This means winger Amad, who arrived at United as a teenager, is eligible to occupy one of the homegrown places.
Amad is among 11 homegrown players aged over 21, alongside the previously mentioned Gore, Collyer and Vitek as well as Tom Heaton, Karl Darlow, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Marcus Rashford and Dermot Mee. That said, a number of those individuals may well have moved on from Old Trafford before the campaign kicks off.
Potential changes and flexible slots
Vitek, Gore and Collyer are possibly the most likely to exit, with Vitek already indicating a desire for regular first-team football. Should all three depart, it would still leave United with eight homegrown players while freeing up two additional slots for non-homegrown recruits.
The non-homegrown quota could still rise. Bayindir may join fellow goalkeeper Onana in the Turkish Super Lig, while United might yet choose to omit Ugarte from their 25-man squad if his serious injury sustained on World Cup duty means he wouldn't play anyway.
So, while the number of available places might appear limited at present, there is every possibility it can expand. There is already room for Manu Kone amid speculation linking the France midfielder, while new signing Tynan Thompson won't count towards any quota as he is under the age of 21.
Matters could become complicated should another one of those homegrown players depart, however, with Rashford amongst those with an uncertain future. More exits could potentially prompt United to sign another homegrown player if they wish to fulfil their complete quota of 25 players in their official Premier League squad.
