In a seismic shift for Manchester United, five high-profile players; Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Jadon Sancho, and Tyrell Malacia among others have formally requested to leave the club ahead of the 2025/26 Premier League season, according to Manchester Evening News and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
The Red Devils have delayed the players’ return to pre-season training at Carrington until later in July 2025, allowing them time to explore transfer options, as confirmed by sources like Sky Sports and ESPN.
This unprecedented move, announced on July 4, 2025, signals a major squad overhaul under manager Rúben Amorim following United’s disappointing 15th-place finish in the 2024/25 campaign.
Marcus Rashford, a club academy product with 138 goals in 426 appearances, has lost his No. 10 shirt to new signing Matheus Cunha and spent the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa, where he scored four goals in 17 games.
His desire to join Barcelona, expressed last month, aligns with interest from the Catalan club, though United prefer a permanent sale over a loan.
Alejandro Garnacho, the 21-year-old Argentine winger, has also fallen out of favor, with his benching in the Europa League final fueling his exit request.
Despite 26 goals in 144 appearances, United have set a £70 million price tag, with Chelsea and Arsenal monitoring his situation.
Antony, who joined for £82 million in 2022, rediscovered form on loan at Real Betis, scoring five goals in 17 La Liga games, but United’s £32.8 million valuation to avoid a PSR loss has deterred a permanent move.
Jadon Sancho, after a productive loan at Chelsea with five goals and 10 assists in 41 matches, faces interest from Juventus and Borussia Dortmund, though Chelsea declined a £25 million permanent deal.
Tyrell Malacia, plagued by injuries, played 12 games on loan at PSV Eindhoven, but his loan failed to secure a permanent transfer.
The mass exodus, part of United’s rebuild, raises questions about squad cohesion as pre-season begins on July 7, with their first friendly against Leeds United on July 20.
