Manchester United have shown improvement in the 2025-26 season under manager Ruben Amorim, but the Red Devils remain far from a consistent, trustworthy side, mixing impressive highs with alarming lows. As part of yet another rebuilding effort, captain Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford reportedly headline a list of 11 players United could offload to overhaul the squad.
Fernandes has been one of Amorim’s strongest supporters since the Portuguese coach arrived, backing him publicly through one of the club’s worst stretches in modern history. Now, even as the team’s undisputed captain, he could be entering his final months at Old Trafford.
According to The Sun, Manchester United are prepared to let Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte, Marcus Rashford, Rasmus Højlund, Casemiro, Jadon Sancho, Harry Maguire, Altay Bayindir, Joshua Zirkzee, and Tyrell Malacia leave. The potential mass exodus would create room in the squad and help clear several large contracts, allowing the club to rebalance its wage structure and pursue new signings.
Several of these players were expected to depart last summer but were unable to secure permanent moves. Rashford (Barcelona), Højlund (Napoli), and Sancho (Aston Villa) are already out on loan, and the question now is how much United can recoup for the group as a whole.
Rasmus Hojlund of SSC Napoli takes a penalty.
The situation is different for Mainoo, Ugarte, Bayindir, and Zirkzee, all of whom started strongly under Amorim but have struggled for minutes this season despite their quality. Malacia, who spent six months on loan at PSV last season, remained at Old Trafford and has yet to appear in a single match this campaign.
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Meanwhile, Fernandes, Casemiro, and Maguire remain key figures within the squad, but their age and sizeable salaries present an ongoing challenge for the club’s finances. With Casemiro’s and Maguire’s contracts set to expire at the end of the season, all eyes are on whether Fernandes, who has started every Premier League match this season, could follow suit after nearly leaving last summer to land in Saudi Arabia.
Amorim looking to rebuild the midfield
From wins over Sunderland, Liverpool, and Chelsea to surprising losses against Brentford and Everton, Manchester United have struggled to find consistency throughout the 2025-26 Premier League campaign. One of the biggest issues has been the midfield, with several players not fitting the demands of Amorim’s system.
As part of the expected overhaul, ESPN reports that Wolves stars João Gomes and André, Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller, and Atlético Madrid’s Conor Gallagher have now been added to United’s shortlist. Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, and Brighton’s Carlos Baleba were already summer targets, but Amorim has expanded his options as United, currently in 10th place, push for European qualification next season.
