Five players who could leave Man Utd on a free transfer in 2022 | OneFootball

After a successful summer transfer window, Manchester United will now focus on trying to keep some of their current stars.

The likes of Bruno Fernandes and Luke Shaw are reportedly set for new contracts, while some players face an uncertain future at the club.

We’ve taken a look at five United players who currently have less than a year left on their contract.

Paul Pogba

Pogba famously left United on a free transfer in 2012 before returning to Old Trafford four years later in an £89million deal.

He has divided opinion since returning to United for a second spell, with critics questioning why he has struggled to consistently replicate the form he showed at Juventus.

But the France international has silenced his critics in recent weeks, registering seven assists in his first four Premier League games in 2021-22.

According to Sky Sports, Pogba has been encouraged by the arrivals of Cristiano Ronaldo, Raphael Varane and Jadon Sancho and could now sign a new deal.

However, the midfielder is reportedly demanding as much as £500,000-a-week to extend his contract and continues to be linked with a return to Juventus.

“Pogba’s contract expires next year. We will talk to Manchester (United) and see,” agent Mino Raiola recently told Italian TV channel Rai Sport.

“For sure Turin has remained in his heart and he cares a lot about these things. The possibility of returning to Juventus is there but it also depends on Juve.”

Jesse Lingard

After falling out of favour under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Lingard joined West Ham on a six-month loan deal in January 2021 in search of regular first-team football.

The England international rediscovered his best form at the London Stadium, registering nine goals and five assists in 16 appearances for the Hammers.

Despite being heavily linked with a permanent move to West Ham, he decided to stay at United and fight for his place in the team.

But the 28-year-old is yet to start for United in 2021-22 and is currently behind the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Jadon Sancho in the pecking order.

According to The Times, Lingard has rejected a contract offer from United over concerns about a potential lack of playing time this season.

“He’s got this season left on his contract, the club is talking to him and his dad and we see him as a Manchester United player in the future,” Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said in September.

“Jesse has come back into us after a great spell at West Ham. He’s shown his qualities and is back in the England squad, he scored goals for England and we really want to see the best of Jesse this season. We support him and want to keep him here with us. He’s a red through and through.”

Edinson Cavani

Cavani left PSG at the end of 2019-20 before joining United on an initial one-year deal, with the option to extend that for a further season.

The 34-year-old wasn’t always fit and firing during his debut season, but he proved a useful addition with 17 goals in all competitions.

Despite his impressive form, he was reportedly unsettled in England and looked set to return to South America with Boca Juniors.

The Uruguay international eventually decided to sign the one-year contract extension with United but this looks set to be El Matador’s final season in Europe.

“If Cavani tells our vice president ‘I want to play for Boca, I want to feel what it is to score a goal with Boca’s shirt’, do you think it’s not important?” Boca Juniors board member Jorge Patrin Bermudez told ESPN Argentina in July.

“And if he tells you, ‘I don’t care how much I earn, I want to feel it before I retire’, isn’t it important? He spoke many times with [Juan Roman] Riquelme and we’ll be waiting for him.”

Juan Mata

Having joined United from Chelsea in January 2014, Mata is now into his ninth season at the club.

The Spain international is a hugely popular member of the squad and has provided United fans with some moments of magic, including that brace at Anfield.

But he now finds himself on the fringes of the first-team under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, making just nine Premier League appearances since the start of 2020-21.

The 33-year-old will find first-team opportunities even harder to come by in 2021-22 and has been regularly linked with a return to La Liga.

Lee Grant

Despite only making two first-team appearances in his first three seasons at United, Grant signed a one-year contract extension in July 2021.

The 38-year-old goalkeeper will continue to work towards his coaching badges during 2021-22 and could move into that role when he hangs up his gloves.

“I’ve got really great options at this football club to progress and the club have been so, so great with me in doing that,” Grant told United’s official website. “Richard Hartis and Craig [Mawson], who are obviously my go-to people in terms of my goalkeeping aspirations and learning, they’ve been great with me.

“Of course, beyond that, I’ve got the first-team coaching staff and the manager, who have been really, really good in terms of allowing me to explore my coaching ideas, but also giving me those opportunities.

“A big thank you to the Academy as well, because they’ve been great with giving me opportunities to coach. So I’m really really thankful for that and I’m hoping that I can continue to do that over the next 12 months.”