Manchester United face paying players millions to leave this summer

Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Antony have contracts until 2028, which club are expected to subsidise even if they leave

Manchester United face the prospect of paying players millions to leave Old Trafford this summer, with buying clubs ready to exploit the need to offload players before the start of the Premier League season.

Alejandro Garnacho was the latest United player to make his feelings clear on his future at the club when he was pictured this week in the shirt of Marcus Rashford, who was frozen out by Ruben Amorim last season and loaned to Aston Villa.

Garnacho, Rashford and Brazil forward Antony have contracts until 2028, which United are now expected to subsidise even if they leave the club and are playing for a rival. Jadon Sancho will also be allowed to leave after loans in the last two campaigns.

It is understood that Chelsea and United discussed Sancho’s loan last season turning into a permanent deal, with the move collapsing over the the percentage of wages covered by United, who signed him for £73 million from Borussia Dortmund on a salary worth upward of £200,000 per week.

United will look to negotiate “salary recovery” from loan deals for their players, although intermediaries believe their bargaining power has been undermined by clearly wanting players off their books.

Rashford was not included in matchday squads by Amorim before his loan to Villa, which resulted in an England recall. He made clear his desire to play for Barcelona last week in an interview with a Spanish broadcaster. While the likes of Tottenham Hotspur are looking for a winger, at the moment Barca appear the priority.

Garnacho’s shirt antics came after Amorim told him he could find a new club at the end of last season, while Antony was loaned out to Real Betis for the 2024/25 campaign.

Betis have been interested in a further deal for Antony. Interestingly, Spanish sources say United have been talking to Betis about owning some of his registration rights, which is effectively a sell-on clause if the £82 million signing from the Erik Ten Hag era is sold at a further date.

It remains to be seen whether the out-of-favour players would go on tour to America. In 2019, Romelu Lukaku appeared set to leave United but still toured with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad.

Rasmus Hojlund’s future has also appeared uncertain amid interest from Inter Milan. The Denmark striker is another player with a 2028 contract, with the option of a further season like Antony. Sancho has one year left on his deal at United but the club can trigger a one-year extension which would prevent him from leaving for free next summer.

Antony’s deal to Betis saw the Spanish side cover 84 per cent of his salary, while Rashford had 75 per cent covered by Villa but that could have risen to 90 per cent depending on performances.