Players Manchester United should sell before Carrick reshapes the squad
Manchester United go into the summer of 2026 with genuine momentum, third in the Premier League, Champions League football secured, and Michael Carrick closing in on the permanent manager’s role. However, underneath that optimism sits a wage bill loaded with players who contribute little and cost a fortune.
The players Manchester United should sell are not hidden secrets; they are Manuel Ugarte, Joshua Zirkzee, and Jadon Sancho, three names who, for very different reasons, have no real future at Old Trafford and need to leave immediately.
Manuel Ugarte has quietly become the club’s most expensive mistake
Manchester United paid Paris Saint-Germain £50 million for Ugarte in the summer of 2024, and the Uruguayan has struggled so much that Fabrizio Romano now puts the likelihood of his sale at 95 per cent. Carrick clearly doesn’t trust him, choosing to play Mason Mount in a deeper midfield role against Sunderland when Casemiro was out, which is a damning signal about where Ugarte stands.
At £120,000 per week, Ugarte is a luxury United cannot afford to carry into a new era. The club will likely take a massive loss on him, because freeing up the wage bill matters far more right now than recovering the full transfer fee.
Joshua Zirkzee has run out of patience and goodwill at Old Trafford
The Dutch forward cost United £36.5 million from Bologna, scored on his debut against Fulham, and then completely disappeared. Carrick has used Zirkzee only six times since taking over in January 2026, and reports from Italy suggest Juventus are leading the race to sign him.
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According to Italian outlet TuttoJuve, Zirkzee feels completely frustrated by the constant managerial changes and wants out. Starting just four Premier League games all season says it all. United have no reason to hold onto him, and selling him while Juventus are interested gives the club a clean break and extra cash to buy a much more reliable striker this summer.
Jadon Sancho’s chapter at Old Trafford ended long before anyone admitted it
His relationship with the club completely broke down under Erik ten Hag, and a new manager isn’t going to fix that. Plus, the Englishman was not back in form for Aston Villa, and hence, he is likely to leave the club for free this summer.
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The players Manchester United should sell this summer form a clear list, and Ugarte, Zirkzee, and Sancho sit right at the top of it. Carrick’s rebuild depends on selling them quickly, recovering whatever fees the market allows, and creating the financial breathing room to sign players who actually fit his system.
