£31m Man Utd star ‘expected’ to leave as Amorim green lights return to former club

Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof is understood to have lined up a return to a former club as the Red Devils’ second-longest serving player nears an Old Trafford exit – and the Swede is one of four players Ruben Amorim has already decided to wave farewell to.

The Red Devils splashed out £31m to bring the centre-half to Old Trafford from Benfica back in summer 2017, and back in the days when Jose Mourinho was the Manchester United manager. A loyal servant to the club who is now in his eighth season at Old Trafford, Lindelof has racked up some 270 appearances during his time in England.

However, in recent times, Lindelof has had to become accustomed to a bit-part role at Old Trafford and has fallen down the pecking order, making just 11 appearances in all competitions this season.

And while he recently returned from a spell on the sidelines, he only managed one minute in the win over Ipswich Town and then another 67 minutes off the bench during Sunday’s FA Cup defeat to Fulham.

The defender also missed a spot-kick as Marco Silva’s side went on to win a shootout 4-3 and qualify for the quarter-finals.

And with his contract due to expire at the season’s end, Amorim is reported to have told the 30-year-old that he will be free to find a new side once the current campaign ends.

As per The Times, ‘it is expected’ that Lindelof will move overseas, and the newspaper reports that he is high on Benfica’s ‘shortlist of targets’, with the defender ‘interested in a return to Estadio da Luz’.

IN-DEPTH 🔴⚫ Every Premier League player out of contract at the end of the current season

Amorim has big decisions to make with the trio also due to leave Man Utd

With Amorim looking to stamp his authority on his squad this summer and find players better suited to operating in his preferred 3-4-2-1 formation, it is expected there will be another high turnover of players this summer.

However, with the club wary they will need to operate within the means of the Premier League’s strict Profit and Sustainability Rules, chief executive Omar Berrada and new director of recruitment Christopher Vivell will need to keep a close eye on the finances.

To that end, Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been on a mission since stepping into Old Trafford over a year ago to reduce the club’s annual expenditure, with a number of high-earning stars shown the door and with difficult decisions behind the scenes also made at the club, including making 250 members of staff redundant.

Despite all that – and as they look to get creative to fund Amorim’s summer rebuild – some big-name stars could yet be shown the door, including both Kobbie Mainoo and or Alejandro Garnacho – neither of whom have managed to show their best under the Portuguese coach.

Three other stars destined to leave Old Trafford though are veteran trio Jonny Evans, Christian Eriksen and Tom Heaton – all of whom also fall out of contract.

Eriksen is reportedly a target for his former club Ajax as well as teams in Belgium, though Saudi Arabia could yet appeal to the 140-times capped Denmark star.

Evans, meanwhile, and Heaton could both consider retirement.

Man Utd transfer latest: Barca star eyed; Ipswich, So’ton stars linked

Meanwhile, United are reportedly plotting a huge move for Barcelona star Marc Casado this summer, with Amorim playing a crucial role in the pursuit and with his mammoth transfer cost coming to light.

Elsewhere, United have been urged to sign two stars who could get relegated this campaign.

And a former Red Devils star, who played in the Sir Alex Ferguson era, thinks United should pursue stars of both Ipswich Town and Southampton to improve their fortunes.

Finally, with Vivell expected to have a big say in United’s summer recruitment drive, we have taken a look at 10 of the best transfers he has pulled off and once he will hope to replicate at Old Trafford.

QUIZ: How much do you know about United’s big sales down the years?