Manchester United is staring down the barrel of a financial disaster, with five out-of-favor players Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, and Tyrell Malacia yet to find new clubs despite being axed from new manager Rúben Amorim’s plans.
According to The Guardian, Amorim has excluded all five from preseason training for the 2025/26 campaign, creating a deadlock that is damaging the club’s reputation and finances.
The quintet is estimated to cost the club over £700,000 per week in wages, with Antony (£86M) and Sancho (£72M) among the most expensive signings in United’s history. Amorim’s no-nonsense stance has intensified pressure on United’s transfer negotiators, who now face stiff resistance in moving these players on.
Despite initial hopes of recouping £160 million £40M for Rashford, £25M for Sancho, £30M for Antony, £60–70M for Garnacho, and £10M for Malacia the reality of the 2025 summer transfer market is proving bleak.
- Chelsea rejected a permanent deal for Sancho, reportedly willing to pay a £5M penalty rather than the £25M transfer fee.
- Aston Villa declined to activate a £40M clause for Rashford after failing to qualify for the Champions League.
- Barcelona has expressed interest in Rashford but lacks the financial flexibility to proceed.
- Real Betis cannot afford Antony’s fee.
- Juventus dropped out of talks for Sancho due to their own financial issues.
With no Champions League revenue and serious cash flow problems, co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has warned of potential bankruptcy by Christmas 2025 if drastic changes aren’t made.
Adding to the strain, United may be forced to subsidize wages for loan deals, much like last season when the club paid between 25% to 50% of the salaries for Rashford and Antony during their loan stints at Aston Villa and Real Betis, respectively.
Unless significant sales occur soon, Amorim’s ability to bring in quality reinforcements this summer could be severely compromised.
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