According to reports, Manchester United will offer Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane, and Casemiro for sale during the January transfer window.
After facing a great deal of pressure in his role as United’s manager in recent weeks, Erik ten Hag is prepared to adopt a brutal strategy when the transfer window opens in January. The Dutchman knows that in order to succeed, he must rebuild his team over time, but the short-term pressure has been reduced after Wednesday’s 2-1 victory over Chelsea.
With the ratification of his £1.3 billion deal for a 25% stake in United, Sir Jim Ratcliffe will soon assume sporting leadership of the team. Furthermore, according to The Independent, Ten Hag is eager to make an impression by considering bids for well-known players like Varane, Sancho, and Casemiro.
It is not surprising that Sancho would make a move during the transfer window, as the £73 million winger is currently out of Ten Hag’s lineup after a highly publicised fallout. However, the rumour that Varane and Casemiro, two former Real Madrid players, have been placed on transfer suggests a shift in United’s strategy.
August 2022 saw United shell out £60 million to acquire Casemiro from Real Madrid. The seasoned midfield player signed a four-year deal worth £300,000 per week. Although he was heralded as a transformational signing in his first season, he has had some difficulties this year and is presently sidelined due to injury.
Meetings with the club hierarchy earlier in the year saw Ratcliffe single out Casemiro, who has previously accused United of spending “dumb money” on players. Younger players, who have more potential and resale value, are what the INEOS billionaire would like the team to focus on.
Varane battled to maintain his fitness during his time with United after joining from Real Madrid for £34 million in the summer of 2021. Ten Hag claims he missed the victory over Chelsea due to a sore back and hasn’t started since the 1-0 victory over Copenhagen on October 24.
These three are among United’s highest-paid players, and Ten Hag recently downplayed the likelihood of several new players joining the team in January, implying that sales must come before purchases. They signed Rasmus Hojlund, Mason Mount, and Andre Onana for more than £170 million in the summer of 2022, and Casemiro, Antony, Lisandro Martinez, and Tyrell Malacia for more than £200 million in the same summer.
