KEY POINTS

  • Selling Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard in the January window should be of utmost importance to Manchester United
  • Both players have expressed their desire to move, leaving two spots open for youth academy graduates to take advantage of
  • Ralf Rangnick must be able to sort out the mess his predecessor left him with to maintain focus on the Premier League title

With the January transfer window being only a few weeks away, Anthony Martial has joined Jesse Lingard as the two likeliest candidates to leave Old Trafford.

However, fans can allay their fears of the loss of talent as they already have younger and better versions of the two longtime Manchester United stalwarts.

The Manchester Evening News highlights the need for the Red Devils to move away from Martial and Lingard, despite the two players being beloved figures at the club.

Martial’s camp was on the receiving end of a public tongue-lashing from interim manager Ralf Rangnick recently after the 63-year-old German gaffer was asked regarding the player's agent going public with their transfer request.

“I don’t communicate with agents via the media and press. The player hasn’t spoken with me or us about it. To be honest, what his agent says via the media is not of that much interest to me. If he really has the wish to go to another club it should be the player who informs either the board or myself. I have never spoken about a player via the media and via agents,” said Rangnick in a presser.

As for Lingard, it is no secret that he has been angling for a move away from Old Trafford as he searches for regular playing time elsewhere in order to maintain his spot on the England national team.

The 28-year-old winger was thought to have a featured role with Manchester United this season after rejuvenating his career with West Ham United at the tail end of last season.

It would not come to be under then manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who opted to keep him on the bench except for some sporadic appearances.

Solskjaer’s relentlessness when it came to acquiring talent has produced a ton of unhappy campers on the squad and it is up to Rangnick to sort out the mess that his predecessor created.

Red Devils fans should not be disheartened with potentially losing the disgruntled pair as they have young talent on the squad that stands to benefit from playing with the first team and assures the playing time of new arrival Jadon Sancho moving forward.

Anthony Elanga, Shola Shoretire and Hannibal Mejbri have a shot at furthering their development with Martial and Lingard gone.

Sancho should also be able to play more confidently without having to worry with his playing time.

The January window presents Manchester United with a golden opportunity to start anew as they aim for a late-season comeback run to the top of the English Premier League.

Jesse Lingard
Jesse Lingard of Manchester United in action during the UEFA Champions League group F match between Manchester United and BSC Young Boys at Old Trafford on December 8, 2021 in Manchester, United Kingdom. Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images