United set for summer overhaul with Paul Pogba’s future in doubt

Manchester United crashed out of the Champions League with a whimper on Tuesday night, with a 2-1 defeat at home to Sevilla sealing their fate. Their early exit has heaped the pressure on manager José Mourinho, who is reportedly looking to make wholesale changes to his squad in the summer.

According to a report from the well-regarded Miguel Delaney, writing in the Independent, Mourinho wants four new faces at Old Trafford next season — with as many as seven facing an exit. Mourinho’s apparently looking to pair Eric Bailly with one of Samuel Umtiti or Toby Alderweireld, while he’s also on the lookout for what Delaney describes as a “controlling midfielder”.

The article claims that while United are hopeful that Mourinho’s initially shaky relationship with Paul Pogba has been patched up, “intermediaries have been involved in devising contingency plans” in the event it goes pear shaped. Marco Verratti and Toni Kroos are both mentioned as possible signings, with the latter a potential makeweight in any deal that would see David de Gea depart for Real Madrid. It seems set to be a busy transfer window.