The quadruple substitution that Fulham made in the closing stages of their FA Cup capitulation at Old Trafford on Sunday was notable for Manchester United, beyond it being the desperate last throw of the dice for their opponents.
Two of the players involved, one going off and one coming on, were the only first-team players sold by United in the previous two seasons. They were footnotes to this chaotic afternoon, but also examples of what the club should be doing more often.
There was a sense United did well to bank a potential £10million for Andreas Pereira in the summer, but the midfielder has been one of Fulham's best players this season. His value has rocketed, but there are no regrets at Old Trafford. He has impressed because he has taken a step back. United got what they could for him.
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A year previously they had brought in £25million from Leeds United for Daniel James. This was a rare example of the club selling a player for a profit. It was a wise move. James has struggled at Elland Road and his loan spell at Fulham is proving to be pretty unfulfilling. The sale looks increasingly like brilliant business for United.
That's not a phrase you write down very often. As good as a deal as it was, the more telling aspect of this story is that that duo are the only players sold for any kind of fee in the last two windows. It's an area where United have been consistently weak.
They splashed the cash this summer, backing Erik ten Hag to the tune of £225million, but offset that spending spree with just that Pereira deal and a £1.5million fee from Birmingham City for academy graduate Tahith Chong. It helps to explain why United are navigating choppy waters when it comes to financial fair play rules and why Ten Hag could only rely on loans for Marcel Sabitzer and Wout Weghorst in January.
But there will be a desire to spend again this summer, with a striker likely to take a significant chunk out of the budget. Whoever owns the club is going to be aware there needs to be more sales to fund that business, which will put pressure on United's transfer department to bring in fees for some of their fringe players.
The three senior players out on loan this season are all likely to depart. United's goalkeeping department remains in a state of flux and as it stands David de Gea, Tom Heaton and Jack Butland have deals that expire in the summer. Dean Henderson has surely burnt his bridges, however, and the only chance he stays is if he is told he will be the first-choice goalkeeper, which seems unlikely.
Alex Telles has made 29 appearances for Sevilla, but the 30-year-old has made only 17 starts, and Eric Bailly's 17 appearances for Marseille are unlikely to be fulfilling the criteria that would force the Ligue 1 club to make that move permanent. United might find willing buyers for Henderson, an English goalkeeper, but drumming up a market for Telles and Bailly might be harder.
There could be further departures this summer, with Ten Hag still overseeing a bloated squad. Harry Maguire looks like a prime candidate to leave. He won't attract even half the £80million the club spent on him but could pursue first-team football to keep hold of his England place and remains a saleable asset.
Donny van de Beek has had a torrid time since moving to Old Trafford and if United sign another midfielder this summer he could also be open to offers and is another player that could at least attract a reasonable fee.
That quintet might be the five most likely to leave, but there are other possibilities. Scott McTominay has been on Newcastle's radar and Aaron Wan-Bissaka's improved form might only put him in the shop window.
But whoever and how many United decide to sell realistically comes down to the numbers. Pereira and James are success stories when it comes to sales, but more must follow this summer.
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