Wayne Rooney once had a vision of Manchester United’s future (Image: Rio Ferdinand Presents)
Wayne Rooney once identified four players he thought Manchester United should build their team around – yet none of them remain at the club today. The Old Trafford legend has been vocal about the club’s condition since departing in 2017.
Whilst Rooney, who celebrates his 40th birthday today, was instrumental in the United squads that secured multiple Premier League crowns and a Champions League triumph in years past, the top-flight outfit have spectacularly declined since his time. It was back in 2022 when the former England skipper felt that for glory to return to Old Trafford, United needed to construct their side around four specific players, following the naming of Ralf Rangnick’s successor that summer.
Speaking on Sky Sports, he said: “I think [Jadon] Sancho will be better next year, Marcus [Rashford] will be better next year. They’ve got good young players. I think Jesse Lingard should be playing for them because he brings energy, brings quality. Scott McTominay’s done well.
“So they do have some good young players, you just have to get some confidence and get them believing that they’re good players and perform at the best level. And then obviously, whoever the new manager is, I’m sure he’ll bring his own players in and build that through.” Whilst four players have subsequently left the club, either on a permanent basis or via loan deals, we examine how their circumstances have altered following their departure from the Theatre of Dreams.
Jadon Sancho
It feels like an eternity since Jadon Sancho was lauded as one of the globe’s most promising young talents. After a highly successful spell at Borussia Dortmund, the ex-England star made his move to Manchester United in a £72.9million deal in 2021.
Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho have been sent out on loan by Manchester United (Image: Getty)
Despite his extraordinary talent, things didn’t quite pan out for the winger who grappled with form throughout his entire stint at Old Trafford and also had a falling out with then-manager Erik ten Hag. Following an unfruitful loan period at Chelsea last season, which did culminate in a UEFA Conference League victory, the Blues chose to pay United a £5m penalty fee due to their decision not to sign him permanently.
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Sancho was among five players informed by Ruben Amorim this past summer that they were surplus to requirements at the club, leaving him free to join Aston Villa on loan until the end of the season. In yet another footballing home, the 25-year-old has so far played a minor role under Unai Emery with just eight minutes of Premier League action to his name.
Marcus Rashford
Alongside Rooney, Marcus Rashford has been identified as the future of Man United ever since his triumphant debut against Danish club Midtjylland in 2016 where he netted twice. He then followed that up with another brace just days later in his Premier League debut against Arsenal.
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The England forward has experienced a rollercoaster journey with his childhood club, with the lows matching the highs. Following a disappointing 2023/24 season where he netted 22 fewer goals than the previous season, Rashford’s performance continued to decline under Ruben Amorim before he was ousted from the club in late 2024 and subsequently loaned to Villa earlier this year.
Like Sancho, Rashford was also advised to part ways with the club in the summer, with Barcelona securing him on-loan with an option to make the deal permanent for £26million. He has since become a pivotal player for Hansi Flick, contributing eight goals and assists in 11 matches across all competitions – the highest among the squad of the current La Liga champions.
Jesse Lingard
The 32-year-old made his mark at Old Trafford during the 2015/16 campaign and racked up the majority of his 232 appearances for the club over the next four years. It was during this period that Lingard became a regular for England and despite departing United on loan in January 2021 to join West Ham, he scored nine goals in 16 league matches in what was the most prolific goal-scoring season of his career.
He returned to Manchester the following season but managed just one league goal in 30 matches before leaving the club to sign for Nottingham Forest in what turned out to be a disastrous one-year stint at the City Ground as he failed to notch a single goal or assist in 17 league matches. In 2024, Lingard made the decision to leave English football and signed a two-year contract with K League club FC Seoul.
Scott McTominay
Arguably the only player on this list who has found genuine success since leaving United, Scott McTominay has gone from strength to strength since joining Napoli. The Scotland international was always a regular at United but consistency was an issue for the midfielder.
After his departure was sanctioned by Ten Hag in 2024, the 28-year-old delivered the Serie A title back to Naples in just his first season at the club where he was voted the league’s MVP.