The upcoming summer transfer window is vital for Manchester United which means it should be extremely busy.
Erik ten Hag has done a great job in his first season to restore confidence and optimism to Old Trafford and finally end the trophy drought but the club is still a way away from where he wants it to be. United are 19 points behind leaders Arsenal and that is a lot of ground to make up if they are to launch a genuine title challenge, which will be the target for next season.
To get there it will take yet more smart - albeit expensive - work in the transfer market. Ten Hag has proven he is to be trusted in recruitment given the signings of Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez have been a driving force behind the side's transformation and Antony, Marcel Sabitzer, Wout Weghorst and Tyrell Malacia have all contributed positively as well.
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An elite-level striker to lessen the burden on Marcus Rashford, lead the line and be reliable in front of goal is the top priority and Harry Kane the prime target. It won't be easy nor cheap to prise him from Tottenham's grasp, though, even if he is approaching the final year of his contract.
But strikers of the calibre United need come at a premium and alternatives Victor Osimhen, Goncalo Ramos, Mohammed Kudus, Rasmund Hojlund and Randal Kolo Muani will all fetch eye-watering prices as well. United will be lucky if they only spend £80 million on their new frontman.
That will take up a massive chunk of the budget and there's also the new quality midfielder Ten Hag wants, to have another option on the same level as Casemiro and Eriksen. United want to be in the race for Jude Bellingham but even if they beat out Manchester City and Real Madrid there's no chance he's leaving Borussia Dortmund for anything less than £120million at best.
That's a massive outlay on just two positions and that's not all they will be looking to spend on. A new right-back, centre-back, goalkeeper and an additional midfielder and striker - perhaps getting Sabitzer and Weghorst permanently - could all be on the agenda too. That's an expensive summer and it's not helped that the ownership situation is currently in flux.
United will need all the funding they can get and it helps that they have a massive squad that is in need of a clearout. There are up to 13 players United could sell this summer in order to bolster their coffers.
It will have to be a change of departure for United, though, who have been hopeless at generating revenue from player sales for years, only managing to get fees for Daniel James and Andreas Pereira over the last two summers. Ten Hag wants the club to be more ruthless rather than keeping players around who aren't up to standards.
Five players have already been earmarked for departures ahead of the window opening. Captain Harry Maguire, the perenially injured Anthony Martial, full-back duo Alex Telles and Brandon Williams as well as centre-back Eric Bailly - providing he doesn't hit an appearance milestone which would turn his loan at Marseille permanent - will all be made available.
They are unlikely to be alone. United are expected to listen to offers for goalkeeper Dean Henderson which is hardly surprising given he burned bridges with the club in an explosive interview after sealing his loan to Nottingham Forest, as well as David de Gea's good form.
Ten Hag is also growing frustrated with Jadon Sancho, who is still yet to show anything close to the scintiliating form he was signed off the back of and is only getting into the starting XI due to injuries. It would be a shame to see United let go of such a clearly talented player despite his poor form but he would generate their highest fee for reinvestment.
The wings are the positions United are the most well-stocked in but Anthony Elanga and Facundo Pellistri are currently pencilled in for loan moves. Both have shown flashes of potential, Pellistri especially this season, so a loan is a smart play but they face serious competition to get into the team and if a good offer comes in - as long as a buy-back clause is inserted - one of them could be sold.
Midfield could also see some departures. Donny van de Beek has been sidelined for months but his struggles continued before his injury. His time at United was never helped by a lack of opportunity but even under his old Ajax manager, he wasn't able to recapture the form he showed in Amsterdam. It would make sense if he left.
There are currently no plans to sell Scott McTominay as he's United's youngest senior midfielder but Newcastle have shown interest and an offer for a player low down the pecking order may be too good to refuse.
Victor Lindelof has made rumblings about his future due to a lack of playing time so he is another potential exit but both he and Maguire won't be sold in the same summer. Aaron Wan-Bissaka could be sold as he, despite actually improving a lot, doesn't appear to be fancied by Ten Hag.
Fans will be exciting for the prospect of some star signings in the summer but continuing to refine and raise the standards of the squad through departures, as well as the extra cash that could bring in, will be important as well.
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