‘Not just financial reasons’ – Man United want Sancho out says finance expert
Man United are “highly likely” to bring in more players this summer regardless of whether they can sell the outcasts of their squad.
That is according to football finance expert Dan Plumley, who exclusively explained to Football Insider the circumstances surrounding the Red Devils’ “bomb squad”, and how their futures would impact this summer’s recruitment.
Ruben Amorim has made very clear who is, and who is not, in his plans at Old Trafford next season.
Marcus Rashford has departed to join Barcelona on loan, but before his exit, he was one of five members of a unit described as the “bomb squad” who had been exiled from training and asked to report for duty after the first team had finished for the day at 5 pm.
Four now remain, and they are Antony, Tyrell Malacia, Alejandro Garnacho, and Jadon Sancho. Between them, they cost the 20-time champions of England a combined £168million [transfermarkt] in transfer fees alone.
Man United’s financial position has been a hot topic, largely thanks to a series of interviews co-owner Jim Ratcliffe gave at the beginning of 2025, where he outlined just how much the club was struggling.
Ruben Amorim focusing on Man United ‘culture’
Despite Ratcliffe’s suggestions that the club are in a difficult position, Plumley previously explained to Football Insider why Man United were in a better place than many thought.
The Red Devils use two different companies to file their accounts, and Red Football Ltd, the company whose accounts are submitted to the Premier League and UEFA, only recorded a pre-tax loss of £36.2m last year.
Speaking to Football Insider following Rashford’s move to Catalonia, Plumley outlined why the club were so keen to move on from Sancho and his fellow outcasts, highlighting the desire to change the club’s “culture”, as opposed to a desperate financial need.
When asked if the “bomb squad” needed to be sold before United could continue doing business this summer, he said: “I don’t think it’s that desperate. I think with those players, it’s twofold.
“With the way the squad is and the way the club’s actually shaping up, yes, they are some of your biggest earners, and you will put Sancho and Rashford at the top of that.
“But it’s more about the kind of cultural piece underneath that of where United want to go and the manager setting that tone.
“They are clearly players that he thinks he doesn’t want, and ultimately, that’s the second factor within all of this.
“You’ve got the cost element, but you’ve got the composition of the squad element as well. It doesn’t appear to me that it’s desperate to sell those players for purely financial reasons.
“I think it’s twofold in terms of selling those players does have a financial benefit, but it also is what the manager wants to do with that team.
“I think it’s highly plausible that you could see more incomings into United this summer without those players leaving, but it’s pretty clear that on the other side of that, they want to get those players out of the club, not just for financial reasons, but this is also another big upheaval of a squad and almost like starting fresh again, isn’t it?
“But how many times have we said that about United over the last few years?”
Tottenham interested in Alejandro Garnacho
Whilst there has been little movement regarding Sancho, plenty of teams are showing interest in his exiled teammate.
Tottenham are readying a move to sign Garnacho as a Son Heung-min replacement, former United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider.
However, Spurs’ interest in the Argentine winger is dependent on the two clubs being able to agree on a price tag, as the North London club will struggle to spend big on the youngster.