Mourinho sacking effects key Man Utd quintet as club nail down firm transfer plan

Oli Fisher 19 Dec 2018 4:36 PM

Five Manchester United players are reportedly ready to consider their future at the club following Jose Mourinho’s sacking.

United shocked the footballing world on Tuesday by calling time on the Portuguese’s two-and-a-half years at the club, having overseen their worst start to a Premier League season.

Mourinho lifted the Europa League, EFL Cup and Community Shield in his first year at the club before finishing runners-up in both the league and FA Cup, but things have unravelled since the start of his third campaign at the helm.

The club have acted quickly to bring in a caretaker: Molde boss and United hero Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will steer the ship until the end of the campaign and will be joined by first-team coach Mike Phelan, who will work alongside Michael Carrick and Kieran McKenna.

This decision has caused five senior United players to reconsider their uncertain Old Trafford futures, with Calciomercato suggested that Matteo Darmian, Antonio Valencia, Marcos Rojo, Paul Pogba and Alexis Sanchez are all apparently happy to see the back of Mourinho.

Pogba was benched by Mourinho for recent fixtures against Arsenal, Fulham and Liverpool, and Solskjaer will face a challenge to get the World Cup winner to rediscover his form.

The other four have also repeatedly been linked with United exits over lack of playing time, with Darmian vocally expressing his desire to return to Italy.

However, it is believed that all signings and sales will be blocked under Solskjaer’s tenure due to his caretaker status, and that key decisions over the squad will not be made until a long-term appointment is announced.