What Manchester United could look like if Paul Pogba and Cristiano Ronaldo left and the £250m transfer craze sees Declan Rice and Tottenham goal machine Harry Kane

Manchester United are gearing up for a summer of substantial change on and off the pitch.

With caretaker manager Ralf Rangnick set to become a consultant, the Premier League side are on the hunt for a new boss with Erik ten Hag and Mauricio Pochettino among the favorites to take the managerial job on a permanent basis. .

Whoever is in the next term dugout is likely to oversee a notable first-team overhaul with two star players in particular facing intense scrutiny over their futures.

Paul Pogba is a man who looks increasingly likely to leave the club this summer, which is likely to happen according to former striker Wayne Rooney.

The French midfielder is out of contract at the end of the season, and with no extension agreed and Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus and Barcelona keen, it means a replacement could be needed.

Cristiano Ronaldo is another who could be set for a busy few months.

The Portuguese star has enjoyed a good season for United, but with the Red Devils currently on track to miss out on a Champions League spot next season, speculation has been building up over Ronaldo’s plans as he looks to extract every ounce of potential from the last years of his career.

This means changes could be afoot in two key areas of the team.

What Manchester United could look like next season

With two key areas likely to be prioritized, United could see a broadly similar side to this tenure.

Goalkeeper David de Gea, along with defenders Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane and Alex Telles have apparently been the club’s most popular picks in recent weeks, meaning they will be in contention to start the season.

With Pogba likely to move on, supporters could see a new face play in central midfield alongside Scott McTominay or Fred.

Rangnick has already identified the type of player needed as he sees a lack of physicality as the problem.

“Anytime there was body contact we were too often second,” he said after the 1-1 draw with Leicester. “It’s something we need to improve for the rest of this season, but even more for next season.”

West Ham talisman Declan Rice has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford but a potential £150m fee could make a move difficult to pull off.

Leeds United’s Kalvin Phillips and Monaco’s Aurélien Tchouaméni have also been linked, with both players having potentially more profitable middle-of-the-park solutions.

Bruno Fernandes has signed a new contract and looks to be a vital player next season, while Jadon Sancho and Anthony Elanga are starting to find their feet and look like players who could be long-term options for the club in wide areas of play. ‘attack.

On offense, things get a little interesting.

If Ronaldo leaves the club, United will need to bring in a brand addition to lead the line.

Harry Kane has been linked with a move to Old Trafford, with The Athletic claiming the striker would be open to the move with a reported asking price of around £100m.

Patrik Schick, Darwin Nunez and Alexander Isak have also been linked with a move, something which could be pursued given Edinson Cavani also looks set to leave Old Trafford.