Man Utd transfer latest: Reds hit wall in selling players to raise transfer fund

Manchester United’s summer rebuild under INEOS and Rúben Amorim is facing a major stumbling block — the club’s ongoing struggle to move unwanted players out the door.

Despite ambitions to reshape the squad, United have recouped just £105 million in player sales over the past five seasons, a figure dwarfed by rivals like Chelsea and Manchester City, both of whom have regularly generated £200m+ in outgoing transfer income.

That disparity is now being felt more than ever, with Financial Fair Play (FFP) limits tightening and United looking to raise funds for new signings.

Several high-earning players remain on the books with little interest from other clubs. Jadon Sancho and Tyrell Malacia are just two considered surplus to requirements, but United are finding it difficult to attract serious offers due to a combination of high wages, poor form, and injury concerns.

In the case of Marcus Rashford, the club is open to selling for around £40 million, yet few teams are willing to commit that amount — even Barcelona are only exploring a loan.

There is also a concern within the club hierarchy that past contract extensions have created inflexible wage structures, making offloading fringe players more complex.

United’s failure to embed strong resale value across the squad — a key strength of clubs like Brighton — is now seen as a structural flaw.

While INEOS are attempting to overhaul the recruitment and sales process with a new sporting department, including Jason Wilcox, and meaningful changes will take time to reflect in the market.

For now, United must either accept cut-price deals or risk carrying bloated wages into another season.

Until players are sold, United’s ability to push forward with marquee signings remains limited, and Amorim may have to work with a more modest budget than initially hoped.

The pressure is on — not just to buy, but to sell smartly. And that’s something United have failed to master for far too long.