Manchester United have extended the contract of four players while leaving out David De Gea.
The Red Devils face a list of top players running out of contract next summer.
Erik Ten Hag has continually reiterated the need to sign more players and beef up the squad.
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo exited the team before the World Cup after his contract was terminated, with Ten Hag keen on replacing the vacuum left in the team.
Now, the Premier League giant faces another mass exodus, with key first-team players running out of contract.
This has prompted the club to immediately trigger contract extension clauses for the affected players.
The list of players involved in the contract extension are Marcus Rashford (England), Diogo Dalot (Portugal), Luke Shaw (England), and Fred (Brazil).
Marcus Rashford has evolved into a key player for the Red Devils since he broke into Manchester United’s first team under former manager Louis Van Gaal.
His contract was set to expire after the current 2022/23 football season. Rashford has been linked to a PSG move, with the Ligue 1 giant reportedly interested in signing the England youngster.
They had reportedly sent the club officials to England to meet with the representatives of the player to discuss a possible deal.
Manchester United was stuck in contract talks with the youngster before he departed for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The England forward would have been free to enter into contract talks with potential suitors from January 1 after he entered the last lap of his contract at Old Trafford. Hence, Manchester United had to make a smart move to trigger the contract extension and stem off potential interests from other clubs in the January transfer window.
The contracts of Luke Shaw, Diogo Dalot, and Fred have also been extended by the club. The three players have not started regularly for Manchester United this season after Erik Ten Hag signed the likes of Tyrell Malacia for the left-back role and Casemiro for the midfield.
However, Ten Hag considers them crucial to the team. He uses the players occasionally in the Premier League, Europa League, and other competitions.
David de Gea Left Out
De Gea is a key name that Manchester United has left out of the list of players with extended contracts. It is still unclear whether the team wants to enter into negotiations before triggering a contract extension or pursuing straight contract renewal, as there is no official statement from the club to that effect.
As things stand, David de Gea’s contract expires on June 30, 2023, and there are reports the club is planning for his replacement at the club. This means De Gea will be free to enter into contract talks with other clubs from January 1.
