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With questions around Erik ten Hag's position as Manchester United boss continuing to mount, former Red Devils midfielder Nicky Butt has been speaking exclusively to BBC Radio Manchester about the Dutchman's position and when the club should tell him if he still has a future at Old Trafford or not.
Image source, Getty ImagesBBC chief football news reporter Simon Stone says a rebuild at Manchester United will "take time" despite indications of a squad overhaul in upcoming transfer windows.
Stone reported on Monday that United's hierarchy are willing to listen to offers for virtually all their first-team squad this summer as Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos look to turn the club back into challengers for major honours.
"You look down the list and think if you were building a new club which players are integral to building a team that could compete with Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City at the top of the league," Stone told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast. "It's not a long list.
"You don't want to lose exciting youngsters [Rasmus] Hojlund, [Alejandro] Garnacho or [Kobbie] Mainoo. [Andre] Onana came in for big money last year. Bruno Fernandes is the captain. But there's not many players in that list that you think you could build a title-winning team around."
Despite United being open to offers, Stone is sceptical about their ability to secure the right deals for outgoing players.
"Over the past few years Manchester United have been absolutely terrible at selling players. Just because they're listening to offers it doesn't mean they'll be accepted - and even if they're accepted it doesn't mean they can do the right deals to get players out of the club," he added.
"There's a realism at United. You have to temper what a clearout would look like. There's a lot of players on this list that United could well do without, but I don't know whether it's realistic to think you could sell them all in one summer, or even two summers.
"This is going to take time. United are also constrained by Financial Fair Play regulations so there is a limit on what they can spend.
"What people will look for next season is a significant improvement on this season. That doesn't seem like it will be too hard."
We asked for your opinions following comments on BBC Radio Manchester's The Devils' Advocate podcast that Manchester United's football this season is some of the worst fans have seen at Old Trafford.
Here are some of your comments:
Roger: I have supported United since 1957 and this is the worst I have seen them play. They are moving the ball too slowly and often backwards, and many players just do not look interested. I think the coaching must be at fault.
Peter: The worst thing about Erik ten Hag's side this season is the mental frailty of the individual players - the exceptions being Martinez, McTominay and Garnacho. We have a captain who sulks and does nothing to lift his team when we concede bad goals. But the last months of Moyes' team were hopeless - far worse, with no invention or moments of hope.
Chris: Worst football in my lifetime and I’m 43 years old! We can’t seem to avoid the cycle of hiring and firing managers who initially have some success then can’t get a tune out of our supposedly top quality players. It’s a Catch-22 - get rid of Ten Hag and a new boss is left with a lot his signings and a huge job to change the team!
David: As bad as United are playing at the moment - and let's be honest, it's dreadful - I do have some sympathy for Ten Hag. He really hasn't had a settled team at all this season and regularly has four or five of his best players missing. Then add the fact some of the players he relies on are strolling around nonchalantly. Look at the U18s now and there's hope.
Kevin: Ralf Rangnick was correct when he said two years ago the United squad needed open heart surgery and every position strengthening. Unfortunately, Ten Hag's transfer dealings, with the exception of Martinez and Hojlund, have made the team worse.
Ryan: Ten Hag needs to stay as Manchester United manager. Do not sack him - give hime the chance to sign some players in the summer transfer window. We need players like Jarrad Branthwaite, Kieran Tierney, Edmond Tapsoba, Jeremie Frimpong, Joao Gomes and Pedro Neto.
Nigel Rothband
Fan writer
Despite losing to Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final a couple of weeks ago, there is still much to celebrate at Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola completed 300 games as City manager at the weekend. He has won 221 of them at a win percentage of 73.6%, which is far higher than any of the other league's coaches.
Rodri continues his incredible winning run in a City shirt. Sunday’s win over Nottingham Forest means it has been 449 days and 70 games since he has been on the losing side.
In previous seasons City have put together some impressive runs at the end of the season to ensure they go on to win the league title.
In 2019, they put together 14 consecutive wins. In 2022, they were unbeaten in their last 12 games. And in 2023, they went on a 12-game winning run.
City are on a 19-match unbeaten run at the moment.
With just four games to go, and with no Champions League distraction, there could be even more to celebrate by the end of the season with an unprecedented fourth league title in a row.
Nigel Rothband can be found at The Man City Show podcast, external
Alex Turk
Fan writer
If Manchester United’s lacklustre performances and results do not cost Erik ten Hag his job this summer, his confusing public defences might.
"We are one of the most dynamic and entertaining teams in the league at this moment."
Those are the words of the United boss after Saturday’s 1-1 draw against relegation-threatened Burnley at Old Trafford.
United have failed to win seven of their past nine Premier League games, beating Everton and Sheffield United at home during that run.
Dynamic? The fact Ten Hag's side has only beaten three teams by more than a single goal in the league this season suggests otherwise.
Entertaining? Sure. But not in the way United fans desire.
Fumbling a 3-0 lead against Coventry City in the FA Cup semi-finals was entertaining for the neutral - as were the collapses against Copenhagen, Galatasaray and Chelsea.
Perhaps Ten Hag has come to realise the mental fragility of his squad after squabbles with big-name players like Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo, to name a couple.
He will no doubt have his squad in mind when painting a certain picture after underwhelming displays.
However, fans need honesty, and Ten Hag is currently losing more than he is gaining.
Alex Turk can be found at the Stretford Paddock, external
Pat Nevin
Former Scotland and Chelsea winger
Image source, Getty ImagesI was at Old Trafford watching some old-school tactics at the weekend. Both Manchester United and Burnley played wide open 4-2-4 formations, leaving vast areas of that huge pitch patrolled by only three of four players. Edwin Hubble would have been spooked by that much space.
I thought those tactics had gone extinct at the end of the last century but the they reappeared via Erik ten Hag and Vincent Kompany, like a couple of dodos blinking into the Salford sunlight.
In truth, it was an entertaining, if slightly bizarre watch. The standard of finishing was truly awful and that sort of display against a better team would have led to carnage.
What underlines the size of the rebuild needed is that United drew against a bottom three club at home and were not the better side for large parts of the game. And crucially, this was not a great shock.
For Burnley, a single point was bordering on a disappointment on the day, but this is now only one defeat in the past eight matches. If they could just cut out the schoolboy defensive errors - it was Sander Berge not Ante Muric costing them two points this week - they might just sneak out of the danger zone.
Now that Everton and Brentford are officially safe, and Sheffield United are relegated, the Biblical line actually works, And Then There Were Three.
Two of the Nottingham Forest, Luton Town and Burnley trinity will be damned to the nether world.
With the form Burnley are showing they may just be favourites to shock everyone by rising on that final day against Forest.
Pat Nevin was writing for the BBC Football Extra newsletter
Following the news that Manchester United are willing to listen to offers for virtually all their first-team players BBC Sport is asking you for your opinions on which players should be kept and who should be sold.
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter Simon Stone has been answering your questions.
David asked: For Manchester United and Erik ten Hag, is there a chance that a mutual separation suits all parties now as other big clubs are looking for a manager, Ineos likely want their own manager and it has been a really poor season?
Simon replied: I do not see that as particularly likely. Ten Hag has given every impression recently of fighting to stay in his job. Manchester United remain one of the biggest, most attractive jobs in the world. Why would you give up on that?
The matter will not be his to decide, clearly. Ineos, through Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Sir Dave Brailsford and Jason Wilcox, will have the final say.
However, if United do decide a parting of the ways is needed, Ten Hag will get a decent job.
He did well at Ajax and many would say the Old Trafford hotseat is an impossible one to excel in during his time at the club.
Marcus Rashford might find his options limited if he chooses to leave Manchester United, with Paris St-Germain cooling their interest in the forward. (i), external
Ajax are keen to reappoint Erik ten Hag as manager if he is sacked by United this summer, although no decision is expected on the Dutchman's future until the Old Trafford side play Manchester City in the FA Cup final on 25 May. (Mail), external
Meanwhile, United are still planning to appoint Dan Ashworth as sporting director this summer, with the expectation that a deal over compensation will be agreed with Newcastle United soon. (Football Insider), external
