Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney believes 10-15 players “need to leave the club” and that just two first-teamers should stay put.

At this rate, Man Utd are on course to have their worst-ever Premier League season, with Ruben Amorim’s side currently 14th in the division.

They are out of the Carabao Cup, put up a fairly meek defence of their FA Cup crown, and all their hopes lie solely on progressing in the Europa League – a competition they could be out of on Thursday at home to Real Sociedad.

Now, former Red Devils striker Rooney believes that only captain Bruno Fernandes and fellow midfielder Kobbie Mainoo should be retained at Old Trafford.

The ex-Plymouth Argyle manager said on Stick to Football: “They [Man Utd] look lost. They look scared. Bruno [Fernandes] is the one who keeps producing, he annoys you at times but keeps producing.

“They need massive changes to the squad, I think 10-15 players need to leave the club. Obviously, they can’t do that, but there is a mentality there where no one is taking responsibility [in the squad].

“I’d keep Bruno and [Kobbie] Mainoo. There’s a culture at the club where it’s too easy to lose games and the players just shrug it off and say ‘onto the next one,’ and all that nonsense.

“Just show some character and fight on the pitch. It’s bad watching, it hurts. Being from Liverpool but spending so many years at United, I want the team to do well, I’ve got my kids in the academy, and it hurts watching them.”

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Mainoo to be ‘forced out’ at Man Utd?

United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe said the club would have gone “bust at Christmas” had they not cut back on costs. This comes after they made 450 at the Manchester outfit redundant.

“In super-simple terms the club has been spending more money than it has been earning for the last seven years, including this year,” he said.

“If you do that for a prolonged period of time it ends up in a very difficult place, and, for Manchester United, that place ended at the end of this year.

“At the end of 2025, Manchester United would have run out of cash. There would be no cash at the end of this year. That is the first time we have ever said that in public, but that is the fact of the matter.”

As a result, reports suggest the INEOS owner has ‘declared war’ on new contract negotiations and that may force academy product Mainoo out of the club. 

The 19-year-old is yet to sign a new deal and due to these cost-cutting measures, big deals at the Red Devils will be ‘massively scaled back’. That could leave the youngster out in the cold.

Man Utd transfer roundup: Mateta interest confirmed, Casemiro upgrade?

TEAMtalk has revealed that United have shortlisted Crystal Palace star Jean-Phillipe Mateta as a transfer target ahead of the summer transfer window opening.

Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres, RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, and Mateta are among their list of targets. 

United are reportedly ‘willing’ to spend £51m (€60.7m, $66m) to sign Atalanta midfielder Ederson as head coach Amorim looks to bolster his midfield ranks.

The 25-year-old, who can play in a six, eight, or 10 role, could be seen as a replacement for Casemiro, who the Red Devils are trying to offload.

Finally, United have been offered the chance to sign Leroy Sane, with the Bayern Munich entering the last few months of his contract.

Before or after – who joined United first?