Incoming Leny Yoro freshens up the defence, a new midfield partner alongside Kobbie Mainoo, and a RETURN for Jadon Sancho... how Man United could line up next season
- READ: Man United beat off competition from Liverpool to land Leny Yoro
- Erik ten Hag is looking to freshen up his squad as they seek improved displays
- LISTEN to It's All Kicking Off! EUROS DAILY : Why did Gareth Southgate's side look so exhausted?
After a disastrous campaign that almost cost Erik ten Hag his job, it is no surprise to see staff on and off the pitch getting a refresh.
Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rene Hake will bring fresh voices in the coaching team, while Joshua Zirkzee has arrived from Bologna and generational talent Leny Yoro looks set to arrive from Lille.
United finished eighth in the Premier League last season - their lowest top-flight finish since 1989-90 - and failed to qualify for the Champions League.
A drastic injury crisis robbed Ten Hag of his best XI for much of the campaign, leading to them conceding 58 goals - 15 more than last season - and keeping just nine clean sheets.
But with Ineos fully controlling football operations now with Dan Ashworth and Omar Berrada in positions of power, there is hope times are changing at United. Mail Sport looks at how they could line-up by the time they kick off the new season against Fulham...
Erik ten Hag (middle) is looking to freshen up his Man United side in search of better results
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GOALKEEPER - ANDRE ONANA
Goes into the season as the undisputed No 1.
It took around six months for the former Inter Milan shot-stopper to find his feet and that is far from easy under the bright spotlight at United.
There were a number of high profile errors from the Cameroonian - especially in the Champions League - but he said himself that he has found a rhythm off the pitch and that has helped him turn a corner.
'It took me six months or seven months not to play good just to feel good,' he said back in March.
'It was a difficult time for me. Now I'm feeling a bit better. Everything was new, it was difficult for me to feel at home because of so many reasons. Now I'm feeling good.
'For me, the most important thing is to be set, to be happy and I will shine.'
Fans will expect a much more stable campaign this time around.
Andre Onana struggled in his first season but now he is settled and happy he can shine
LEFT-BACK - LUKE SHAW
It is now 10 years since Shaw moved to Old Trafford from Southampton and one of the overriding frustrations has been his setbacks with injury.
He missed the run-in - including the FA Cup final - following injury against Luton Town in February and only started for England in the Euro 2024 final, where he was able to show his quality in limiting the influence of Lamine Yamal.
Ten Hag will be crossing his fingers that he can keep the left back - easily the highest quality option in the squad in that position - fit for the entire campaign.
Shaw, too, is motivated to right some wrongs of the past.
'For me, I've not achieved what I set out to do,' he told the club website recently.
'I've still got very high ambitions on what I want to achieve here and, of course, that's winning the Premier League and the Champions League.
'I'm not settled yet with that, so I've still got to strive to reach those ambitions.'
Luke Shaw will hope he can maintain his fitness and be a key piece at left back for Ten Hag
CENTRE BACK - LISANDRO MARTINEZ
Fresh off winning Copa America in the US, Martinez will return to United buoyed by a successful summer that he will hope can transfer itself to the Premier League with his club.
The Argentine is far and away United's best defender and they look a different proposition with him in the line-up.
His link-up with Shaw - when both have been fit - has impressed fans, but they haven't seen that combination anywhere near enough.
Three major injury setbacks meant that Martinez made just 14 appearances for United last season, with a metatarsal issue the most notable in causing a three-month absence.
But with a clean slate to start 2024-25, and a major trophy in the cabinet, many, including Ten Hag, will be banking on Martinez to hit the ground running.
Lisandro Martinez struggled with injury last season but looked back to his best with Argentina
CENTRE BACK - LENY YORO
What a coup this would be.
Despite interest from Real Madrid and Liverpool, Yoro now looks to be heading to Old Trafford in a real statement of intent from Ineos.
Yoro is flying to England to have a medical and finalise personal terms over a move to United worth up £52m.
Lille accepted United's offer of £42m plus £10m in add-ons for the 18-year-old French centre back last week, but there were concerns that Yoro's preference was to join Real Madrid.
However, United have moved swiftly to get the deal done and are hopeful of signing him on a five-year contract with the option to extend it by another 12 months.
Yoro is incredibly highly rated across Europe and United view him as a foundational piece for their youthful rebuild, which already has key pieces in place with Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund.
Manchester United are closing in on £52m move for Lille defender Leny Yoro this summer
RIGHT BACK - DIOGO DALOT
One of the bright spots in a largely miserable 2023-24 was the quality and consistency of Diogo Dalot.
While others around him wilted, Dalot, who slotted in on both the left and right-hand side, got stuck in and it was no surprise to see him crowned Players' Player of the Season.
No player bettered his appearance total last season and his robustness endeared him even more to Ten Hag in a season where it felt like they were contending with a mountain of injuries every single week.
Comfortably got the beating of Aaron Wan-Bissaka in the stakes for the right back slot .
Diogo Dalot established himself as one of Man United's most important players last season
CM - MANUEL UGARTE
One of the biggest areas of concern for United last season was the level of protection in front of the back-line - or lack of protection.
Casemiro found himself isolated and then overrun on multiple occasions and he could well be moved on to Saudi Arabia this summer.
The Brazilian did little to inspire much confidence in the latest pre-season defeat to Rosenborg - which left Ten Hag fuming - and so interest in Ugarte makes sense.
While United have yet to make a formal approach for Ugarte, it is understood he is one of the options being considered for that position alongside Kobbie Mainoo.
Ugarte, 23, only joined PSG from Sporting Lisbon in a £51million deal last summer, but the French club will consider offers if they can recoup the majority of the transfer fee.
A defensive midfielder is a priority move for United this summer and in Ugarte they would have a young player with potential re-sale value down the line who can slot straight in and play at the top level.
The player is said to be attracting interest from Italy, Germany and at least one other English club.
Manchester United are showing interest in signing PSG midfielder Manuel Ugarte (pictured)
CM - KOBBIE MAINOO
If he wasn't already, his exploits at Euro 2024 with England have only solidified that Mainoo should be the first name on the team-sheet.
The 19-year-old is mature beyond his years and was fully deserving of his Premier League debut last November. Ever since he's thrived and not looked back.
Mainoo is already at such an impressive level and he has the total trust of Ten Hag - but he is only going to get better.
Upon news of Ten Hag being kept on, Mainoo expressed his delight.
'Happy to be building with him,' he said. 'He's already got two trophies so hopefully there is more to come.
'It is nice to have that peace of mind that we know which manager we are going back to next season.
'I'm so grateful to him that he put so much trust in me and believed in me to play in the team and I can't thank him enough.'
Kobbie Mainoo was a shining light for United having made his breakthrough into the first team
LW - ALEJANDRO GARNACHO
The bleach-haired 20-year-old ran himself into the ground last season and, like Mainoo, showed Ten Hag that he can be a starter week in, week out at the top level.
Garnacho is only going to get better and he is now looking to build on a campaign where he managed 15 goal involvements, something no other Premier League teenager reached across all competitions this season.
Comfortable on the left side or the right, Garnacho is a direct runner who gets fans off their seat and brings the thrill of United wingers of old.
He hit 50 appearances for the first time in his career last season and that should stand him in good stead to stay the pace for what is set to be another gruelling campaign on the back of Copa America glory.
Starting 41 of his 50 appearances last season, Garnacho has the trust of his manager and he will now target bettering his 10 goals and five assists with much more expected from Ten Hag's charges in 2024-25.
Alejandro Garnacho enjoyed an outstanding season, capped by his goal at Wembley
CAM - BRUNO FERNANDES
This isn't even up for debate.
While much more is expected from Mason Mount this season, Fernandes is United's best player and also their captain.
Fernandes consistently lead by example and in his first season as captain nobody could fault his determination to get the sinking ship back on track.
He won his third Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award in five seasons and finished the campaign with 15 goals and 13 assists across all competitions, the most (28) of any United player last season.
There are question marks over a whole host of players but nobody is pushing for Fernandes to drop out of this side.
Bruno Fernandes continued to deliver even in a sub-standard Manchester United side
RW - JADON SANCHO
While there is the option to put Antony on the right or move Garnacho to this side and play Marcus Rashford on the left, it would be quite the story if Sancho was to come back into the fold.
Sancho returned to training at United last week after calling a truce in his rift with Ten Hag.
Sancho refused to apologise to Ten Hag for effectively branding his manager a liar over the reasons for his omission from the squad at Arsenal last September and he was forced to train and eat on his own for fourth months before rejoining Borussia Dortmund on loan in January.
The 24-year-old had struggled at Old Trafford following a £73m from Dortmund in 2021, but rediscovered his form back in the Bundesliga and impressed in the German's club's run to the Champions League final where they lost to Real Madrid.
The chances of Sancho returning to United appeared to have all but disappeared when Ten Hag signed a contract extension earlier this month but the pair have drawn a line under the incident and with a lack of suitors, it is not beyond possibility that Sancho could get a fresh start in this youthful United side.
Jadon Sancho (middle) returned to Manchester United training last week at Carrington
Sancho has called a truce with Ten Hag (right) following their dramatic fall-out last season
ST - RASMUS HOJLUND
There is a growing feeling that Hojlund will take on the responsibility of the vacant No 9 shirt and while Joshua Zirkzee has arrived to provide some stiff competition in attack, Hojlund will back himself to do even better in his second season.
It was a rough start to life in England for the Dane but he soon found his groove and finished the campaign with 16 goals, making him the club's top scorer.
With Van Nistelrooy working with him day in, day out to improve his decision making in front of goal, there is real optimism at United that Hojlund can take a big step forward this season.
NOTABLE SUBS: Joshua Zirkzee, Mason Mount, Marcus Rashford, Harry Maguire
Man United could potentially line up with this XI at the start of the 2024-25 season
