It would appear that no one is safe at Manchester United at present, with INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe set to make sweeping changes to the playing squad at Old Trafford ahead of next season.
With rumours also rife regarding Erik ten Hag's tenuous position in the dugout, recent reports indicated that almost every member of the first team could be up for grabs this summer, excluding the youthful trio of Rasmus Hojlund, Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho.
That ruthlessness has already been laid bare following the news that World Cup winner Raphael Varane is set to depart following the expiry of his contract next month, the Frenchman leaving on a free after arriving on a £41m deal from Real Madrid in 2021.
The Red Devils are also seemingly set to take a loss on Varane's compatriot, Anthony Martial, with the £36m man coming to the end of his existing deal with no indication that an extension will be offered – while Saudi Arabia beckons for Casemiro.
Those are just a handful of the high-profile names who may well be on their way before 2024/25 kicks off, with United not only needing to lessen the wage bill, but also raise funds for new additions once the transfer window re-opens.
Among those who could recoup the club a relatively sizeable sum for Ratcliffe and co is Jadon Sancho, with time seemingly up for the exiled star in Manchester.
What Rene Meulensteen has said about Jadon Sancho
The Englishman is currently back on loan at Borussia Dortmund – whom he originally left to join United on a £73m deal in 2021 – following a public falling out with Ten Hag earlier this season, having since scored three goals and provided two assists following his return to Germany in January.
Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast on behalf of William Hill Vegas, former United assistant, Rene Meulensteen – who famously worked as a first-team coach under Sir Alex Ferguson for almost six years – believes that Sancho won't be coming back into the fold any time soon:
"It’s likely Jaden Sancho won’t play for Manchester United again. He was doing well at Dortmund before wanting a move to a big club, but for some reason, he came back to Manchester United and fell out with Ten Hag", the Dutchman began.
As Meulensteen alluded to, the 23-year-old hasn't delivered for the Red Devils to date after scoring just 12 goals and providing only eight assists in 83 games in all competitions, having not featured since August after hitting back at accusations from his manager over his training standards.
In some sense, the one-time Manchester City man has had the last laugh amid Dortmund's Champions League surge, having clearly benefitted from a return to familiar surroundings – as Meulensteen has suggested:
"Now he is back at Dortmund thriving in an environment he is comfortable with. It's strange why it hasn't worked out at Man Utd but you can see he has a lot of talent and will now be playing in a Champions League Final".
While the undoubtedly talented Sancho is still in the early stages of what could be a fruitful career in the game, one man who looks to be coming to the end is Casemiro, who could well be among those to depart the Theatre of Dreams this summer.
What Meulensteen has said about Casemiro's Man Utd form
Described as looking like he's "in Soccer Aid" by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp in recent weeks, the 32-year-old's form has taken a certified nosedive this season – so much so that the Brazil captain has been left out of his nation's Copa America squad for this summer.
For whatever reason, a player who Ten Hag hailed as the man to make the "difference" during his debut campaign has now become a significant issue, at a time when the club looks ever further away from the great days of Ferguson – now 11 years on from the last league title.
Reflecting on the contrast between the current set-up and the one under 'Fergie' – in relation to Casemiro's form – Meulensteen added: "It’s difficult to talk about individual players when it’s a team game and I look at my time at Manchester United under Sir Alex and we had a clear way of playing and all the players understood their requirements.
"You look at this current team and the stats show that they are not performing at the level they should be. They are conceding too many shots, they have a lot of defeats, they are losing at Old Trafford, they are struggling to make European Football. So it’s not surprising some players are receiving criticism. You look at Casemiro’s credentials and he has winners medals. He has won big tournaments, but something isn’t right."
Something isn't right, indeed, about the five-time Champions League winner, with it looking increasingly likely that he will be joining his former Madrid teammate, Varane, in exiting this summer.
Perhaps Sancho – who has been mooted for a permanent return to Dortmund – will follow suit.
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