The Red Devils have six players out of contract at the end of the 2021/22 season.
The winter transfer window has officially opened for business in the Premier League, leaving Manchester United in a tricky position.
Interim boss Ralf Rangnick has said his focus lies on the squad he has at the moment, claiming ‘it doesn’t make sense to think about future players’ regarding any January signings.
But while the German appears settled with his current options, he and the club have one matter that needs resolving this month in the future of six soon-to-be out-of-contract players.
Do they try to cash in now or let them go for free in the summer?
Here on Ace Football, we take a look at the six Manchester United players who have entered the final six months of their contracts.
Paul Pogba
We start with the most obvious Manchester United player, Paul Pogba.
The 28-year-old’s future has left fans divided given his inconsistent performances since returning to Old Trafford from Juventus for a club-record fee of €105 million in August 2016.
His agent, Mino Raiola, has recently said the midfielder has ‘many offers’ on the table, including a contract extension from United. He can, like the other five players on this list, begin talks with foreign clubs now.
Jesse Lingard
The 29-year-old hasn’t started a single Premier League match after an impressive spell on loan at West Ham.
Given his limited game, and the World Cup coming up this year, Lingard’s future is up in the air. Talks over a new Manchester United contract were put on hold in November. The player and club couldn’t agree on terms, leaving him free to sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club in January.
Edinson Cavani
Despite being a fan favorite, Edinson Cavani has struggled for game time this term. ‘El Matador’ has made seven appearances in the Premier League this season, starting only three times.
The 34-year-old Uruguayan may return to South America in the summer despite alleged interest from Barcelona earlier in the season. What is certain right now is that Rangnick has no intention of letting him leave in January.
Tahith Chong
The 22-year-old midfielder returned to Old Trafford in November from Birmingham City following a third loan spell.
Tahith Chong, who previously spent time on loan at Club Brugge and Werder Bremen, made 13 appearances in the Championship before a ruptured thigh tendon ended his time at St. Andrew’s.
Unlike the other five Manchester United players on this list, however, the club board has an option to trigger a year’s extension in the Dutchman’s current deal.
Juan Mata
Juan Mata has been a terrific part of the squad since a €44.73 million move from Chelsea in January 2014, but it appears his time is running thin.
The Spaniard turns 34 in April and he has rarely featured this season, having failed to play a single Premier League game.
Lee Grant
The former Derby and Stoke City goalkeeper joined the Red Devils in 2018 for €1.7 million. He has made just two appearances for the club ever since. His last one was in the Europa League in November 2019 in a 2-1 defeat to FC Astana in Kazakhstan.
Grant, who turns 39 later this month, is behind goalkeepers David de Gea, Dean Henderson, and Tom Heaton in the pecking order.
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