Manchester United Announce Official Retain List for 2024
According to an official list communicated to the media by the Communications Department at Manchester United, United has released several players from both the academy and the senior team. The club shared details on several new deals offered to players and those who have been released ahead of an important season coming.
First Team Departures
As announced earlier, Anthony Martial will be departing the club after nine years that saw him showing glimpses of his potential but was unable to cash the talent mainly due to his injuries and inconsistent form. The Frenchman leaves the club for free ahead of the summer transfer window while fellow Frenchman Raphael Varane is also leaving the club after culminating his three years at United with an FA Cup trophy.
Academy graduate Brandon Williams is also set to leave the club after the youngster was unable to make a place for himself at the club. The young right-back made 51 appearances for the club and saw himself being loaned out on occaisons for game time but was unable to secure a permanent place in the United squad.
New Contracts
Discussions are currently underway for a potential new contract for Johnny Evans and goalie Tom Heaton. Johnny Evans saw a fair share of minutes in the first team during the last season as United faced defensive woes because of injuries to key defenders. Forward Omari Forson has also been offered a new deal but as per reports from Manchester Evening News, the youngster has turned down the contract and is set to move on a free transfer.
Academy Departures
The academy sees promising forward Charlie Mcneil seeking new pastures while Marcus Lawrence and Kie Plumley also depart the club. Talks are in place for Shola Shoretire for a new contract but the discussions remain open in that regard. Benfica have exercised the buy clause to take Alvaro Fernandes on a permanent transfer.
The Verdict
The list sees some promising players leaving the club including Alvaro Fernandes and Omari Forson. While the club was unable to offload players with the likes of Martial, to secure some return on the player's value, it is still enough to get them off a hefty wage bill.
After suffering a high number of injuries at the back, it is quite understandable why United would like to keep Johnny Evans for an extra season for his reliability and experience. Overall the retained list is a good mix of youth and experience and would be interesting on who else will leave the club during the transfer window.