Man Utd plan ‘record-breaking transfer exodus’ with Red Devils ‘to accept’ bid for midfielder

Joe Williams
New Man Utd co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe
Sir Jim Ratcliffe poses outside Old Trafford.

Man Utd are ready to make it a record-breaking summer of transfer departures and Donny van de Beek could be the first out, according to reports.

The Red Devils have been criticised over the last decade for their poor recruitment record with Man Utd wasting millions on terrible signings.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure from Old Trafford in 2013 signalled the start of a lean period for the Red Devils with the club unable to challenge for a Premier League title since.

They have won one FA Cup, one Europa League and one League Cup in the 11 years since Ferguson’s departure and recruitment has been blamed for many of their issues.

But new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe – who finally completed a deal to buy 25 per cent of Man Utd from the Glazers last week – will now be given control of footballing operations and is planning a big overhaul.

Ratcliffe has already brought in Omar Berrada from arch-rivals Man City as the club’s new chief executive and he plans on adding Newcastle’s Dan Ashworth as their new sporting director.

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There are many players who have been brought in for big money and not pulling their weight at Old Trafford and now the Manchester Evening News claim that Ratcliffe is ‘planning for a squad exodus to break double figures in the summer transfer window’.

Ratcliffe and his team ‘have identified several sellable assets’ as well as a number of players set to leave on free transfers in the summer with their contracts coming to an end.

Raphael Varane, Anthony Martial, Tom Heaton, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindelof, Facundo Pellistri, Sofyan Amrabat, Casemiro, Mason Greenwood, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Donny van de Beek, Hannibal Mejbri and Antony are all mentioned as potential departees.

And The Sun point out that if Man Utd ‘manage to offload all 14 players it would be the biggest ever exodus of first-team players in one summer’.

Van de Beek could be one of the first out the door with Football Insider insisting that Man Utd are ready ‘to accept’ offers for the Dutchman this summer and the Red Devils ‘will sanction his departure if their valuation is met’.

The Netherlands international is on loan at Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt and the German side have an option in his contract to buy the midfielder for £9.4m plus an additional £2.5m in potential add-ons.