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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Samuel Luckhurst

Manchester United have not missed any of the farewell five

The first-team section of the Manchester United website was updated on Friday night and Phil Jones is no longer on it. Manually typing the URL for Jones's profile into the search bar brings up an Error 404.

Axel Tuanzebe has been removed from the site, as have loanees Wout Weghorst and Marcel Sabitzer. David de Gea is not currently a United player but is listed as one.

There would be outcry from De Gea's loyalists if he was airbrushed from the United site. They are unlikely to have been at Wembley for his meek performance in the FA Cup final. You would struggle to come across a United fan there that day who is in favour of a renewal for De Gea.

July 1 effectively signals the new season. United actually play their first friendly on Tuesday week and fly to New York for their pre-season tour the following week.

Also read: Gagged on Zoom and late night emails - what it is like dealing with United players

It was a quirk of the early start last year that when Erik ten Hag oversaw his first training session he could have technically summoned Paul Pogba to Carrington as he was still under contract.

Mercifully, United had already bid farewell to their senior players with days remaining on their deals. Pogba received an inexplicably long goodbye - an 840-word paean - when he had spent the majority of his six years seeking an exit route.

For such a gifted talent, Pogba was seldom missed by United during his various injury lay-offs. Since he returned to Juventus, nobody at United has pined for Pogba and the end of the club's player-power era coincided with Pogba's second departure.

Another player with a tendency for getaways was Edinson Cavani. Once on the brink of attaining cult status at United, Cavani exploited the club's soft management with his sojourns in Uruguay and that would never be tolerated by Ten Hag.

Jesse Lingard, once a serious footballer and starter in a World Cup semi-final, has become a caricature of himself. Fifteen minutes after he plugged his online gaming team, Nottingham Forest confirmed they had released him after one forgettable year.

Lingard said this week: "Saudi Arabia are doing big things. In the next year or so, it will be one of the hot spots to go to."

Juan Mata was worthy of a glowing send-off after eight-and-a-half years with United. Mata had served his purpose as both starter, squad player and mentor and he started only three league games as Galatasaray won their first title in four years last term.

Nemanja Matic might have had merit as a squad player at United if he had remained for Ten Hag's first season. The United communications department erroneously communicated the length of Matic's contract, which made the announcement of his planned exit sudden.

Jose Mourinho was also unaware but soon signed Matic for the third time. Matic, 35 in August, was outstanding in a gruelling Europa League final that Roma lost on penalties to, of course, Sevilla.

If a United player is approaching the end of their contract they are almost certainly not going to be missed. Ander Herrera is possibly the only exception and the failure to sign central midfielders in the intervening years was costly, though the loss of Herrera was not a wrench comparable with the mishandling of Pogba in 2012.

The glut of leavers last year was hardly a ruthless act. United inexplicably discussed renewals for Pogba and Lingard while it was Matic's choice not to extend his contract. United wanted to keep Mata and ease him into an ambassadorial role. Mata was 34 and Cavani 35 when they played for United for the last time.

Mata was one of the last to leave Old Trafford after what turned out to be his farewell appearance at the stadium and he lingered in front of the away end at Selhurst Park on the final day of the 2021-22 season. His personality, professionalism, quality, class, and selflessness are missed but it was time.

As it is for De Gea.

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