Man Utd informed to axe 15 gamers by Wayne Rooney with Ruben Amorim plan already lined up
Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has called for a huge overhaul of the current squad, claiming that 10-15 players need to be sold and that almost the entire squad is not good enough
Wayne Rooney has torn into the Manchester United squad, insisting that nearly all the players aren’t up to scratch to wear the club’s shirt.
Since their last title in 2013, which marked Sir Alex Ferguson’s exit, the Red Devils have been on a downward spiral. This season has proven incredibly challenging, with the team stuck in 14th place and on track for their worst-ever Premier League finish.
Under Ruben Amorim’s watch, United have scraped together a paltry five league wins since he took over in November, and Rooney believes that the squad needs a total revamp. On Sky Bet’s Stick to Football podcast, he was asked if there was any light at the end of the tunnel for the current team.
He replied: “No, I don’t think so. They 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].” Rooney then singled out just two players he’d keep from the current line-up.
“I’d keep Bruno and [Kobbie] Mainoo,” he said, adding: “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.”
While Rooney is keen for a major shake-up at Old Trafford, Amorim has let slip that he’s already got plans in place for the 2025/26 season. The next summer transfer window is shaping up to be a make-or-break moment for United, as they look to mould the squad to their gaffer’s game plan.
But they’ll have to play their cards right, especially after co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe dropped the bombshell that the club was on the brink of running out of funds later this year if they hadn’t started making major changes behind the scenes. Speaking to the press, Amorim said: “We have a clear plan to address next season. Of course, we have Europa League also and you can reach the Champions League – you never know.
“It’s far from this moment, but you never know – you can change the preparation for next season. We have a plan, we know what to do. We know that we are in a difficult moment, but the most important thing again is to have a plan, and to know what to do and to know what kind of players you need to bring.”
When quizzed about whether his strategy might include offloading star players, he didn’t dismiss the chance of headline acts leaving the squad. The manager continued: “We’ll see, in this moment we’re just focused especially in this competition that can change everything. So let’s focus on the game tomorrow.”
The Red Devils are all set to battle it out for a place in the Europa League quarter-finals on Thursday evening as they welcome Real Sociedad to Old Trafford. With the stakes high after a tense 1-1 stalemate in the first leg, it’s all to play for.
