Quartet who started UEL final to be axed

Manchester United could begin their summer rebuild with as many as eight sales, with a report claiming four players who started the Europa League final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur are already on the chopping block.

After a dire Premier League campaign in which they have lost 18 out of 37 games, everyone involved with Man Utd was hopeful they could salvage their season by winning the Europa League. Not only would the trophy have given head coach Ruben Amorim a major boost, but it also would have put United in next season’s Champions League.

Qualification for the Champions League can be worth more than £100million (€119m / $134.5m) to a club of United’s stature, but they sadly will not be getting that revenue.

Brennan Johnson scored the only goal in Bilbao as Spurs piled more misery on United, winning their first trophy in 17 years in the process.

There is already plenty of speculation over who might leave Old Trafford this summer. Amorim has said he will walk away from the club if they want him to, though United chiefs are understood to still be backing him as part of their long-term project.

Captain Bruno Fernandes has also hinted he might be sold to bring in crucial funds, with Saudi club Al-Hilal interested in a statement deal for him.

But according to GIVEMESPORT, four other players who made Amorim’s starting eleven in Bilbao are more likely to head out the exit door than Fernandes.

Amorim ‘is ready to sanction the departures of Casemiro, Andre Onana, Luke Shaw and Rasmus Hojlund’, it is claimed.

The quartet are thought to be on a combined £935,000 a week, so offloading them would take significant pressure off United’s wage bill.

Amorim has been ‘surprised’ by Hojlund’s struggles up front given he originally joined United in a whopping £72m deal.

Amorim has ‘made it clear to the United hierarchy’ he wants a lethal striker to be signed as Hojlund’s replacement. The Red Devils had been hoping to land Liam Delap from Ipswich Town, but that move has been plunged into doubt now they have no European football to offer.

Both Shaw and Onana have been criticised for Johnson’s winning goal, and the defensive pair are at risk of being axed too.

Shaw has only made 12 appearances this term due to injury problems, while Onana has been blasted on numerous occasions for the poor mistakes he has made in goal.

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Amorim in Casemiro U-turn?

If this report is to be believed, then Amorim has performed a harsh U-turn on midfielder Casemiro.

The Brazilian was excellent on United’s route to the final and seemed to earn Amorim’s full trust, though he could not continue that dominant form against Spurs, which proved costly.

In terms of where those players could go next, Saudi Arabia is a likely destination for Casemiro and Onana.

Italian clubs feel Hojlund could get back to his best by returning to Serie A. Fabrizio Romano has confirmed Inter Milan, Juventus and Napoli are all keen on the Dane.

This report comes after it emerged on Thursday that four other players are in line to be sold by United.

INEOS chiefs aim to secure £90m (€107m / $121m) from the sales of Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Antony, all of whom are currently out on loan.

The Telegraph report that United are also warming to the sale of Alejandro Garnacho and will accept a bid worth around £60m (€71m / $81m) for him this summer.

Chelsea and Napoli will likely be put on alert by this news, as they are big admirers of the 20-year-old winger and have previously made contact for him.

Garnacho seemed to have gotten back into Amorim’s plans recently, though he has spoken of his frustration at not making the starting lineup for the final.

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