Manchester United have made it clear: the club wants stability, and it starts in goal. Reports from England suggest that United are now pushing to secure Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, a bold move that would reshape the squad and send a clear message—no position is safe if you’re not performing.
But here’s the catch: the club is already drowning in high wages and expensive flops. To bring in Donnarumma, United must cut dead weight, and the list of potential departures is raising eyebrows.
The first and most obvious candidate? Anthony Martial. Once hailed as the next Thierry Henry, Martial has become the symbol of United’s wasteful spending. Injury-prone, inconsistent, and earning close to £250,000 a week, Martial’s time at Old Trafford looks finished. Selling him would free up significant salary space, but finding a buyer is easier said than done.
Another name being mentioned is Jadon Sancho. His ongoing rift with Erik ten Hag and lack of impact on the pitch has made him surplus to requirements. United spent over £70 million to bring him in, but Sancho’s wages and off-field drama have turned him into more of a liability than an asset. Clearing him out could be essential if the club truly wants to reshape its wage structure.
Harry Maguire, despite being a lightning rod for criticism, surprisingly remains on the chopping block too. Though he recently fought his way back into the starting XI, the defender still carries a massive £190,000-a-week paycheck. For a player many fans still see as unreliable, United might finally cut ties to make room for Donnarumma’s arrival.
Goalkeeper André Onana is another controversial name whispered in corridors at Carrington. Signed just last summer for £47 million, the Cameroonian has failed to convince fans that he is the long-term answer between the posts. While it’s unlikely United would completely abandon the Onana experiment so soon, moving him on to secure Donnarumma would not be shocking given the ruthless tone coming from the board.
Even fringe players like Donny van de Beek and Scott McTominay are being linked with exits, as the club desperately seeks to balance the books. Van de Beek has never settled, while McTominay—though still effective in bursts—remains one of the few sellable assets United could cash in on quickly.
For fans, the possible arrival of Donnarumma is both exciting and controversial. On one hand, he is a world-class goalkeeper with proven experience at the highest level. On the other, the shake-up required to make the deal happen means some familiar faces will almost certainly be forced out.
Manchester United have talked for years about rebuilding, but the Donnarumma chase feels different. This is not just about signing a player; it’s about ripping up the old structure and finally admitting that loyalty to underperforming stars has cost the club too much. The big question now: will United truly be ruthless enough to send Martial, Sancho, or even Onana packing? Or will this just be another transfer saga that ends in disappointment?
