It was a hectic first transfer window of the summer for new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag as six new players walked through the Carrington gates.
The summer splurge and players brought in were expected considering the size of the rebuilding job undertaken by the Dutchman.
And the job is far from over, as a couple more windows will be needed to put the house in order considering how bloated and unbalanced the current team is.
As well as negotiating transfer deals, the club must also decide on the future of up to 10 first-team stars whose contracts expire in 2023.
Contract status
The contracts of the three goalkeepers: David de Gea, Tom Heaton and Martin Dubravka end in 2023.
The Slovakian is expected to return to Newcastle United, while the future of the remaining two remains up in the air, especially United’s number 1s.
In defence, first-team regulars like Diogo Dalot, Luke Shaw will become free agents in 2023, while contracts will also end for fringe stars like Phil Jones and Axel Tuanzebe.
Midfielder Fred, attackers Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho also become free agents next summer.
Erik ten Hag confirms Man United’s plan for out-of-contract players in June: “We are talking to them about extending contracts, but we are in control because we have an option on all the players and we will exercise those options.” ???????? #MUFC
Rashford and Dalot are not going free. pic.twitter.com/k89KSBVzyf
– Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 11, 2022
Interestingly, with the exception of Tuanzebe and Garnacho, United have the option to activate an additional year on his contract if they see fit in a bid to protect his value.
And Ten Hag has indicated that the club will do just that and refuse to let any player leave for free and will avoid giving foreign clubs the chance to steal their players.
ETH dispels fears
“We are talking with them to extend the contracts, but we are in control because we have an option on all the players and we will exercise those options,” the coach said, as broadcast by Fabrizio Romano.
While keeping the option is a wise move, the club’s horrendous operation has once again been exposed with so many players ending their contracts at the same time.
Players like Dalot, Rashford, Shaw and Garnacho are essential to the way Ten Hag wants to operate and have received a lot of interest from other clubs as well.
Why the club did not act before is a logical question. Hopefully the club can agree a long-term deal with most of these players as soon as possible.
