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A deadwood dilemma

A deadwood dilemma

BBC News3 days ago
Manchester United are trying to make ends meet by offloading their so-called "deadwood" but it will not be easy without losing a lot of money.‌These players are getting blanked by Ruben Amorim. They are not training with the first-team squad and not joining the A team for the pre-season tours.This treatment is intended to force them out and it often does, but it can have the opposite effect.The wages alone of Antony, Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford, Tyrell Malacia and Jadon Sancho are estimated to be about £1m a week. This is a serious drain on resources but the players will not care a jot.Rashford's £17m-per-year salary may be covered by his loan to Barcelona this season, but remember that this once extremely valuable asset apparently can't now be sold for a cent.When they feel badly or unfairly treated, footballers are not averse to digging their heels in and refusing to move unless everything suits them perfectly, especially financially.United have to pay them until they move or their contracts run out, so they are in no rush.Those players haven't asked to leave so from their perspective it is the club that is breaking the agreed contract, not them.The argument usually follows: "You don't want me, so why don't you pay up my contract in full and I will leave with a smile on my face?" And a bad back carrying all that dosh no doubt...These face-offs will be resolved in time but United do not have a strong hand in negotiations. Few other clubs will pay top prices for apparently damaged goods, especially with those huge wages.This summer's buys have been impressive by United so far, but they need more and that could be scuppered unless those unwanted players are carefully removed.Sign up to read more from Pat Nevin in his Football Extra newsletter
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