Manchester United may have only just exited one transfer window but they are already thinking about next summer’s.

When Sir Jim Ratcliffe purchased a minority stake in United, it was obvious that the Reds’ problems would not be fully solved in one window. Now, MEN Sport understands Ineos are looking to make a further four signings next summer to strengthen their squad further.

A centre-back, left-back, central midfielder and winger are all wanted with Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze high on the Reds’ shortlist. The England international predominantly features as an attacking midfielder but has been known to play on the flanks too.

So far this season, Eze has already managed to bag two goals in four appearances across all competitions. The 26-year-old will have a release clause valued at £68m in the summer that could be activated by United.

However, to do this United would first need to sell someone from their attacking midfield and wing to make room for Eze and abide by Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules. With this in mind, we asked our MEN Sport writers who they think should be sold to bring the Palace man in.

Tyrone Marshall

Eze is a versatile attacker who can play out wide or even as a No. 10 off the striker. That is Fernandes’ position at United but Eze would be another option there.

He isn’t likely to feature on the right much, but Garnacho can play down that flank and the one attacker United clearly need to offload next summer is Antony. He has now played just one minute in the previous seven games, dating back to last season, and the £85m winger is in flop territory.

United need to recoup whatever they can next summer for the Brazilian and use it to reinvest in the squad. Bringing Eze in with some of that money would be a wise move.

The England international is a player who thrills fans and gets people off their seats. He is a creative, free-spirited attacker and he would add far more to this team than Antony.

George Smith

If United are serious about signing Eze next summer, they should do so with a view to installing him as their first-choice left-winger. He is equally capable of operating as a No.10, but Bruno Fernandes is unlikely to be dislodged from that berth anytime soon.

With that said, Marcus Rashford is the most logical candidate to try and ship out to make way for Eze. However, that is a far easier-said-than-done task.

The former has struggled for form over the last 12 months and United did not completely dismiss the possibility of selling him in the most recent transfer window. If his poor form persists, it is likely they will give serious consideration to a sale at the end of this season.

It would be more realistic to target the sale of Antony, who has simply failed to live up to the billing at Old Trafford. Alejandro Garnacho has established himself as a right-wing option in 2024, meaning he and Amad are now ahead of Antony in the pecking order.

Garnacho is a player for both the here and now and the for the future for United, meaning he has the opportunity to make the right-wing his own. If he develops in the way everyone hopes and expects, United should not be needing to sign a superstar right-winger for a while.

On the left, however, Rashford’s struggles could force them into doing so, making him the most logical candidate to move on to make way for Eze, who has reached double figures for goals in each of the last two Premier League campaigns.

Jack Flintham

It is incredibly difficult to choose who United should sell to bring Eze to the club. After Scott McTominay was sold this summer, it is fair to say that nobody is safe and Rashford will be wary that two poor seasons in a row could push him towards the exit.

I still feel selling Rashford would be a mistake not least because we know what he can do when on form. That being said, perhaps a move abroad could do him the world of good and hand United a tasty profit in the process.

A more realistic sale would be to bid farewell to Antony. After coming in for £86m, the Brazilian has been far off the standards needed to make it at Old Trafford and it seems even Erik ten Hag has lost some patience in him.

United are guaranteed to make a loss if they sell Antony but he perhaps has less of an argument to stay in comparison to Rashford or Mason Mount.

Kieran Horn

There is a real case to be argued that selling any of Rashford, Mason Mount or Antony to make way for Eze should be done, but there is one clear standout.

The Reds are the latest Premier League club to be linked with the Crystal Palace star after he surprisingly stayed put at Selhurst Park over the summer. A release clause in the region of £65million is present in his contract and therefore a marquee sale will likely be needed for United to stay in line with profit and sustainability rules.

While Antony is arguably low down in the pecking order, with that has come a significant drop in his value. Mount was only signed last summer and struggles to stay fit consistently which likely means convincing a club to buy him would be challenge.

Based on that, Rashford should be the one sold. United will find it much simpler taking in hefty funds through his departure and he has not really justified his place at the club in the last 12 months. Prior to that, he was in spectacular form and therefore a big decision awaits United.

Selling him for a considerable fee can still be done, if sanctioned soon, waiting however risks his performance levels dropping further and thus his value doing the same. It’s understandable why United fans would be against this decision, but when Eze is the player coming in to replace him, that blow will likely be softened.

Jake Stokes

First and foremost, it must be pointed out that Eberechi Eze is an attacking midfielder, who thrives in the left-inside channel. Whether he’s cutting inside off the left-wing or pulling the strings in the middle of the park, he gravitates toward pockets in the half-spaces.

Therefore, assuming that the Crystal Palace star has been regularly monitored and Erik ten Hag would play him in his preferred position, there are only players a few players who could be moved as a result. On the left, there’s Marcus Rashford, who’s a different profile of player, Alejandro Garnacho, who often features on the right, and Jadon Sancho, who’s on loan at Chelsea.

In the number ten role, there’s Bruno Fernandes, who’s the captain, Mason Mount, who’s struggled to impress, and Christian Eriksen, who faces a somewhat uncertain future. Therefore, I can only see Eze replacing Sancho as an alternative option on the left.

Ultimately, regardless of whether United signed him or not, Ten Hag needs to offload Antony. Rashford must also step up and find his feet again otherwise the Reds will need to replace him too.

Josh Holland

Eze is the exact sort of player that Manchester United have to target if they are to wrestle back their status as one of Europe’s elite teams. Whenever I’ve watched him play, he screams world-class. Players like him, who create something out of nothing, come at a premium.

His arrival would mean United would have to make room for him in the attacking areas. Marcus Rashford is the obvious name to be considered amid his ongoing struggles of late, as is Jadon Sancho, who is set to depart permanently next summer.

Mason Mount and Antony are two other players who haven’t done enough to warrant a place in Ten Hag’s team. In fact, if United could sign Eze, these two would fall further down the pecking order.

However, if the England international did join, he would surely be a first choice player, which could spell bad news for Rashford.

Isaac Johnson

Eze has been played mostly as an attacking midfielder but can also play out on the left – and with Bruno Fernandes taking up that no.10 role, it would likely be that the England star is used out wide.

He would also be a great option to use in the middle should Fernandes, 30 as of yesterday, need rotating, although it would pose questions over Mason Mount’s ultimate role at the club.

If Marcus Rashford, now 26, has another turgid season then the player himself may well seek an exit to get his career going again. If so, that would solve the issue of who to offload in place of Eze.

After all, United are not going to be pushing Alejandro Garnacho, 20, out of the door. A Rashford exit is a prospect too early to call yet, and perhaps the right flank needs more attention first. Eze has only played on that side once in the past three campaigns.