Manchester United face a stark financial reality as they try to offload five first-team players who have expressed a desire to leave the club this summer. Manager Ruben Amorim left Marcus Rashford, Antony, Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho and Tyrell Malacia out of his pre-season plans, and the club could suffer a combined loss of up to £213m on their original transfer fees.
The most high-profile departure is Rashford, who has joined Barcelona on a season-long loan with a £26m option to buy. That figure is a massive drop from the £100m valuation United placed on him last April and even less than the £40m quoted to Aston Villa. Garnacho, initially valued at £70m, has seen his asking price slashed to £40m after interest from Chelsea and Napoli.
Antony, signed for £82m from Ajax, impressed on loan at Real Betis but a £40m permanent move was deemed too expensive for the Spanish side. Sancho, who cost £73m in 2021, has attracted a £15m offer from Juventus as he enters the final year of his contract. Meanwhile, Malacia, a £13m signing from Feyenoord, needs to generate £3.22m to avoid a PSR loss after his loan at PSV Eindhoven ended without a permanent deal.
Despite the potential financial hits, Amorim has left the door open for the players to return if no suitable offers materialise. “Some players have to find a new place to have more space in the team and other players clearly show they want a new challenge,” he said. “We are just allowing these players to have time to think and to decide.”
