5 players who could be sold by Manchester United this summer

BLACKBURN, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 19:  Connor Mahoney of Blackburn Rovers is chased by Matteo Darmian of Manchester United during The Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round match between Blackburn Rovers and Manchester United at Ewood Park on February 19, 2017 in Blackburn, England.  (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Darmian(R) has struggled for game time this season

#2 Chris Smalling

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 29:  Chris Smalling of Manchester United in action during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Manchester United and Wigan Athletic at Old Trafford on January 29, 2017 in Manchester, England.  (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
Smalling is a shadow of the player he was under Moyes

Under Louis van Gaal’s reign, Smalling was easily Manchester United’s best defender. He looked to have finally reached the heights that Sir Alex Ferguson predicted when he bought him from Fulham in 2010.

Now at 27 years old, the England centre-back has seemingly regressed as a player. Mourinho likes a ball-playing centre back, but that is clearly not Smalling. He does not possess the technical ability to play out from the back and looks incredibly skittish when being closed down by the opposition’s attackers.

When in the mid-to-late twenties, you would expect a centre-back to be coming into his prime and be a stalwart in the heart of your defence. Smalling is not a reliable defender and has made some calamitous mistakes this season. It is time for the club to move him on and bring in either a world-class central defender or one who has the potential to become one.

Fee: £15m (two years left on his contract)

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