Manchester United stars Antony, Jadon Sancho and Anthony Martial reportedly face being put up for sale in a mega January overhaul overseen by Sir Jim Ratcliffe. All three attackers are claimed to be at risk of the axe as incoming shareholder Ratcliffe plots major changes at Old Trafford.
The billionaire is soon set to have his bid to buy 25 per cent of the Red Devils ratified by the United board. As part of the purchase, INEOS – Ratcliffe’s petrochemicals giant – will take over the sporting arm of the stricken Premier League club.
Ratcliffe is planning huge developments at United and will supposedly begin as soon as January with a massive firesale of underperforming talent. Winger Antony has struggled since his £86million move from Ajax in 2021 and has failed to register a goal or an assist this season.
The Brazilian is reportedly at risk of being cut from United’s squad if Ratcliffe gets his way in January. Several other stars could also depart as Ratcliffe seeks to raise funds for new signings.
According to The Sun, Antony could be joined in heading for the exit by Sancho and Martial. Sancho has been exiled from the first-team squad by Erik ten Hag, and Ratcliffe seemingly has no plans to reintegrate the England outcast.
A bitter falling-out between the winger and his manager has seen him eat separately from his team-mates in the canteen. He cannot use the senior squad’s facilities at the club’s Carrington training base and has not played since August 26.
Sancho was linked with a move to Saudi Arabia late in the summer transfer window but, at 23, will surely want to continue his career in Europe. Still a highly talented forward, Sancho is likely to have plenty of offers in England and across the continent in January.
Meanwhile, striker Martial has struggled for consistency over the last few seasons and could finally be moved out of Old Trafford. The United No 9 has been replaced as the club’s first-choice striker by Rasmus Hojlund.
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Martial has scored just once in 14 appearances this season and has bagged only 18 goals for the club since the start of the 2020-21 season. The 27-year-old must leave United to reignite a career that has become stagnant.
The report adds that Ratcliffe will ‘seek answers’ over how United have burned through £1.4billion on transfer fees since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure, despite never truly coming close to winning the Premier League over the last decade.
United have earned a reputation for signing big-money flops since Ferguson retired. The likes of Antony, Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku have all arrived for fees well over £70m but United have not had a return on their investments.
