The SEVEN Man Utd players out of contract in 2025: Good time to sell or keep on board?

TEAMtalk takes an in-depth look at the seven Manchester United stars who will be out of contract in the summer of 2025 and discusses whether now is a good time to cash in or keep.

After Manchester United’s 3-2 victory over Newcastle in their last home fixture of the 2023-24 season, Raphael Varane and Antony Martial waved goodbye to the fans inside Old Trafford.

The pair will depart the Red Devils when their contracts expire at the end of the season, with the club’s new regime – led by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe – deciding not to offer the injury-prone duo new deals.

And United’s overseers are on course to face similar decisions of whether to retain or release big-name players next summer, with seven current first-team stars on contracts that are due to expire in 2025.

So TT has taken a look at what the future holds for each player…

Harry Maguire

It feels as though Maguire as already lived several lives at Old Trafford.

After arriving in an eye-popping £80 million deal from Leicester City in 2019, the England centre-back initially impressed, an ever-present in the Premier League in his first season and showing the kind of leadership, aerial dominance and ability to play out from that back that would make him a foundational part of the United defence for years to come.

But then Maguire’s form tumbled. A slew of costly errors eventually saw him dropped from the starting line-up and replaced as captain by Bruno Fernandes. His future with the 20-time champions looked in jeopardy.

This season, though, amid a spate of defensive injuries, Maguire has stepped in and largely been a reliable performer. Few would still rate the 31-year-old as a central figure in any success United are envisioning under their new leadership, but he is a player who has re-established his worth at the club.

There is a one-year extension option in Maguire’s current contract, which would tie him to the club until 2026. At this stage, they’d be wise to trigger it, despite being linked with numerous replacement options.

Scott McTominay

A graduate of United’s storied academy, McTominay did not break into the club’s first team with the hype that has surrounded many of their hotly-tipped prospects down the years. And the Scotland international has already surpassed any reasonable evaluation of his potential upon his senior debut back in 2017.

Manchester United’s Scott McTominay applauds

Now 27, McTominay has settled into a rotational role at Old Trafford. Few would regard him as having the quality on the ball to justify a starting berth when United are at full strength, but the 6ft 4ins midfielder has carved out a niche for himself as a surprisingly proficient scorer, whether as a substitute or starter, with a career-best 10 goals in all competitions this season.

McTominay is far from untouchable in the squad overhaul Ratcliffe and co. are instituting at present and the Stockport-born player has been the subject of interest from West Ham in the recent past. But if only to protect his market value, United should ensure his contract doesn’t dwindle.

Christian Eriksen

Signed from Brentford on a free in the summer of 2022, Eriksen was one of Erik ten Hag’s earliest pieces of business and, for long stretches last season, he looked like being one of the manager’s wisest moves.

This term, however, the Danish playmaker has begun to look weary, lacking the athleticism and mobility to keep pace in the Premier League. He started 25 league games for the Red Devils in 2022-23. This season, he has started just 12, a figure that would likely have been lower were in not for the number of injuries Ten Hag has had to contend with.

With his role having diminished and in light of Kobbie Mainoo’s emergence, and with United expected to make further midfield additions this summer, a parting of ways at some point between the end of the current campaign and when Eriksen’s contract expires next year would likely suit all parties.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

The 26-year-old right-back hasn’t lived up to expectations since a £50 million move from Crystal Palace five years ago.

A strong one-on-one defender who has a useful knack for making last-ditch tackles when needed, Wan-Bissaka has always been a highly capable defender, dating back to his breakthrough at Selhurst Park as an untested teenager.

Yet the deficiencies that were present in his game when United signed him are still there. He remains an under-developed attacking proposition, making him somewhat one-dimensional and out of step with the demands of the modern full-back.

With a clunky first touch, a lack of fluidity with the ball at his feet and an inconsistent delivery from wide, he has managed just eight Premier League assists since joining the Red Devils in 2019 and has been strongly linked with an exit.

But while Wan-Bissaka might not be the long-term solution at right-back, he has value as a useful squad player who can handle tough defensive assignments and even fill in at left-back if required, as he has at times this season. Provided his wages aren’t bank-breaking, United would be justified in keeping him beyond his current deal.

Victor Lindelof

Another player who has failed to justify his price tag, United signed Lindelof from Benfica for £30 million in 2017 and the Swede has never fully established himself as the bedrock of the

United backline – a fact evidenced by the subsequent expensive purchases of Maguire, Varane and Lisandro Martinez in the same position.

United are rumoured to be in the market for a centre-back again this summer and any new arrival would push Lindelof further down the pecking order.

The 66-cap Sweden international has battled hamstring, groin and ankle injuries over the past two seasons, limiting him to just 14 Premier League starts in each campaign. With the defender turning 31 just days after his contract is set to expire next summer, United’s higher-ups might be reluctant to extend his Old Trafford stay.

Amad Diallo

Alongside Mainoo’s breakthrough and the form of Alejandro Garnacho, the late-season breakout Amad is enjoying has been one of few bright sparks in a tumultuous campaign for United.

The Ivory Coast international signed for United from Atalanta in 2021 in a shock deal worth up to £37.5 million. After loan moves to Rangers and Sunderland to further his development, the 21-year-old returned to Old Trafford ahead of the current campaign, but he figured only sparingly until after the turn of the year.

A match-winning cameo in March’s dramatic FA Cup quarter-final victory over Liverpool sent Old Trafford into raptures, but still the electric winger struggled for meaningful minutes in Ten Hag’s team.

Successive starts recently against Arsenal and Newcastle, however, the latter of which including a stunning first Premier League goal, have given a glimpse of Amad’s immense potential. United have the option to extend his contract for a further year. They should exercise that option and quickly work towards tying him down long-term.

Willy Kambwala

Were it not for their horrendous luck with injuries this season, United and Ten Hag would likely have been a lot more cautious in blooding Kambwala into the first-team environment.

The 19-year-old Frenchman, who was signed from Sochaux in 2020, already has eight Premier League appearances under his belt, including a start against rivals Liverpool at Old Trafford.

Though still evidently raw and a work in progress, Kambwala has shown plenty of potential. Whether he develops into a first-team star remains to be seen, but locking him down to a long-term contract is a logical step.