There are four Manchester United players who are now in the last few months of their contracts.
Things are looking up for the Red Devils, not least after positive results against rivals Manchester City and Liverpool in the Premier Leaguebut also after getting past Arsenal in the third round of the FA Cup last weekend.
Reuben Amorim is starting to make an impression on the team, and in the summer transfer window they will have to make big decisions about who to keep, as well as bringing in a number of new faces.
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These four United players are out of contract the campaign has come to an end, but will any of them get extensions?
1
Christian Eriksen
Contract expires: June 30, 2025
There is a harsh reality when it comes to Christian Eriksen: United now look a better and more balanced team when he is not named in the starting line-up.
The Dane has been a good servant for the Red Devils since arriving from Brentford in 2022, but time is now catching up with him and he is far from the force that shone for Tottenham for so many years.
At 32, the midfielder is unable to cover the ground as he once did, with his dwindling levels of pace alongside Casemiro making them a disastrous pairing in the middle of the park, as has been shown in too many games in recent years.
Eriksen’s current contract with United expires at the end of June, and given his lack of ability, it would be a surprise if the club decided to offer him a new deal.
In Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo, the Red Devils now have stronger and younger options in midfield, and keeping him on big wages makes no sense.
The summer seems to be the right time for all parties to agree that a move is the best decision for Eriksen, allowing him to spend the rest of his career elsewhere.
2
Jonny Evans
Contract expires: June 30, 2025
Jonny Evans’ levels of commitment to United can never be questioned, with the Northern Irishman enjoying an illustrious career spanning two separate spells at Old Trafford, making over 200 performances.
Now 37 years old, it is clear that the centre-back does not represent the future at Old Trafford and is far down Amorim’s defensive pecking order behind Lisandro Martinez, Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro and Harry Maguire.
Evans’ contract expires in the summer and it would be a big surprise if the club kept him beyond that point given his age, team status and the fact that he is making money £65,000 a week.
With at least five players superior to him at the back, it would not make sense to sign him to a new contract at this advanced stage of his career.
3
Tom Heaton
Contract expires: June 30, 2025
It’s easy to forget at times that Tom Heaton is still a United player given the lack of minutes during his second spell at Old Trafford, but he signed a one-year extension last year.
The 38-year-old returned to the club from Aston Villa back in 2021, helping the domestic quota with the Red Devils, but did not make a single Premier League appearance in that period.
Actually, only two starts his turn came in that period, as well as one cameo appearance in the Champions League in the 2021/22 season.
Like Evans, Heaton is an aging figure who will not play any key role in United’s promotion, so it makes sense to end his time at the club at the end of the season.
A younger domestic alternative could be brought in if needed, and the Englishman can end his career or find another club to play out his final days.
4
Victor Lindelof
Contract expires: June 30, 2025
When Victor Lindelof arrived at United in the summer of 2017, it appeared they had signed one of the most exciting young centre-backs in European football. While the Swede enjoyed some good times for the Red Devils, things didn’t go his way.
Unfortunately for the 30-year-old, injuries and form have too often prevented him from being an indispensable figure for United, and he now finds himself in a similar position to Evans, despite being seven years his junior.
With Martinez, De Ligt and Maguire impressing in the back three under Amorim, and Yoro looking like an outstanding long-term prospect, it’s hard to see where Lindelof will fit in.
With his current contract set to expire in June, letting him enjoy a new challenge elsewhere seems like the right decision.
Since mid-January, the defender has only succeeded 59 minutes activity in the Premier League this season, he hasn’t started a single game in the competition and even without injury, he would probably still be warming the substitutes’ bench most weeks.
Unfortunately, Lindelof will be remembered as a footballer who did not reach his potential at United, which is not his fault, but offering him an extension now would be a strange decision.
In fact, the output in January is even discussed in some circles, which would have its advantages, allowing the Red Devils to receive a fee for the Swedish international.
