How Man Utd could line up if all wantaway stars get their January transfer wish - The Mirror

Ralf Rangnick will be worried about a mass exodus amid growing unrest at Man Utd, with more than a dozen players potentially prepared to leave Old Trafford in January amid the club's growing crisis

Manchester United's interim manager Ralf Rangnick faces the biggest challenge of his fledgling Old Trafford career, with more than a dozen players at risk of leaving the club.

As exclusively revealed by Mirror Sport earlier this week, Rangnick is aware of cliques developing within the squad, while a number of players remain frustrated by a lack of minutes under the new man.

As many as 13 players have been named in reports that they are ready to leave, amid ongoing frustrations at the goings-on in Manchester.

The group includes senior players out of contract in the summer, including Paul Pogba and Edinson Cavani, as well as those on the fringes of the first team like Donny van de Beek and Jesse Lingard, plus goalkeeper Dean Henderson - desperate for regular action to keep his World Cup dream alive.

Other named players include Anthony Martial, Juan Mata, Eric Bailly, Phil Jones, Nemanja Matic, Fred, Diogo Dalot and Axel Tuanzebe.

Join the transfer debate! Who should Man Utd sell this January? Have your say here.

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Altogether, it means that, in defence, United's departures might not cause too much damage.

Just one member of the starting back four from the defeat against Wolves is among the group looking to move on, and the list of unhappy players ought to make Rangnick's decision easier for him.

There will be some concerns when it comes to replacing the attacking threat of right-back Dalot, with competition for Aaron Wan-Bissaka likely to be required if he moves on, but Jones and Tuanzebe haven't been part of the picture for a while.

Henderson and Bailly are looking to leave precisely due to a lack of minutes, leaving things fairly straightforward if Rangnick wants to persist with his favoured 4-2-2-2 approach, with Harry Maguire and Raphael Varane continuing in the middle and Luke Shaw and Alex Telles competing for a spot on the left.

Similarly, Rangnick will not be short of options in attack even if, as has been suggested, both Cavani and Martial pack their bags.

Neither player has been a regular this season and, while Cavani has impressed when called upon, a regular run of games for Mason Greenwood or Marcus Rashford as part of a front two with Cristiano Ronaldo is unlikely to hurt.

Similarly, Lingard's role in a 4-2-2-2 would not be as one of the forwards, so a potential return to West Ham looks unlikely to put too much of a dent in the attacking cast list, but there may be concerns in midfield based on the identity of those primed for an exit.

While Lingard might not be the biggest loss, these things are, of course, cumulative.

Pogba, Mata and Van de Beek have not always been involved, for a variety of reasons, but Matic and Fred have featured more - in part due to the absence of others.

Losing all six midfielders might not be all that likely, given United's previous struggle to even offload players who want to play elsewhere.

However, a scenario that forces Bruno Fernandes into a deeper role alongside Scott McTominay where he can't contribute as much in an attacking sense is one which the club will want to avoid.

There are pros and cons to what could be a significant clear out, and there are certainly positives in having a more streamlined squad to pick from.

Rangnick would still have room for some rotation, and his use of Anthony Elanga since taking over suggests he's not averse to giving some of the younger players at the club a chance.

However, the situation lays bare United's need to strengthen in the middle of the park, whether or not their disgruntled players stick around.

Amadou Haidara and Boubacar Kamara continue to be linked with United, who haven't added a defensive midfielder to their ranks since Fred arrived from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2018.

Pogba, Lingard and Mata are all out of contract in the summer, and the youngsters given minutes in United's last Champions League game might not quite be ready to play a significant role just yet.

Still, with many at Old Trafford hoping Rangnick's appointment would set the club up for longer-term stability on the pitch, a window or two of change might not be the worst thing in the world.