da supremo： Jose Mourinho is still shaping his Manchester United squad into one that has his fingerprints all over it. One window isn’t really enough to overhaul years of underachievement, and the Portuguese coach surely knows that now.
da bwin： Players need to come in and players need to move out, then Mourinho can really start building a team worthy of playing at the Theatre of Dreams.
One tactic that may prove prudent to follow is engaging with Chinese clubs, to see if any of Asia’s big spenders want to buy some of the ‘talent’ that doesn’t have a future under Mourinho.
With Oscar having joined Shanghai SIPG and John Terry rumoured to be another target rumoured to be leaving Stamford Bridge in big money deals, why not explore the option of shipping out players to the Far East to maximise the value of outgoing transfers?
There are plenty of players on big wages in Manchester that are unlikely to become key players in the coming seasons, after all.
Here are FIVE players that Man United should be looking to sell to Chinese Super League sides in January…
Marouane Fellaini
Fellaini’s spell at Manchester United has been far from successful and under Mourinho, the relationship between player, fans and club is only becoming more dysfunctional.
The midfielder has only made eight Premier League starts this season and hasn’t started a game since early November. On top of this, any time he does take to the pitch, he doesn’t look particularly assured.
Likely on big wages, moving him on in January should be a priority and even better if it’s for big money.
Bastian Schweinsteiger
A global superstar who has won almost everything in the game, if there’s one name in the Manchester United squad with the iconic status to attract China’s big money, it’s Schweinsteiger.
His transfer from Bayern Munich hasn’t worked out and despite remaining popular with the fans, he is firmly out of Mourinho’s future plans.
The German legend’s only appearance in Man United colours this season came in a short cameo from the bench in the EFL Cup, which is quite a change in fortunes for the man who ran the show at Bayern Munich for so long.
One last big payday is deserved.
Ashley Young
Another player who has made fewer than five starts under Mourinho, Ashley Young’s time at United is limited. The winger has never quite shown the form he did for Aston Villa since his move to United and at the wrong side of 30, he has no long-term future at Old Trafford.
His 30 caps for England may convince a CSL club to sign him for status alone and he’d no doubt make an impact in a far inferior league.
If United can get decent money for him it’d be good business considering how out of favour he is at the club right now.
Memphis Depay
Memphis Depay is another player going nowhere fast under Jose Mourinho. The winger has only started one game this season and that was in the EFL Cup.
Despite that, he’s a player with talent and any club coming in for him is getting an effective winger when he’s at his best. A Netherlands international, he certainly has the reputation required to pique the interest of the Chinese Super League clubs looking to splash the cash.
Morgan Schneiderlin
Another international with well-known name recognition that is likely to attract interest from plenty of clubs, Morgan Schneiderlin must know his Manchester United career is almost up.
Arriving in 2015 after an incredible rise from League One with Southampton, the Frenchman has struggled to make the step from St Mary’s Stadium to Old Trafford.
His only starts for United this season have come in the Europa League and those performances haven’t been enough to convince Mourinho to make him part of his first team plans.