Before I came back at Old Trafford, I showed the board and the coach four Man Utd players who are the future of this club. They are world class star and we must not sell them. They end up selling the three of them”-Wayne Rooney told Man United to build the team around four players in 2022 but only one remains at the club

In 2022, Wayne Rooney, a Manchester United legend, laid out a vision for a team rebuild, suggesting that the club should focus on four key players. However, just two years later, only one of these players remains with the club, highlighting the drastic changes Manchester United has gone through during that time.

At the beginning of 2022, United found themselves in a tough spot. Under interim manager Ralf Rangnick, the team was struggling after the dismissal of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Rooney, who made an appearance on Monday Night Football on Sky Sports, shared his thoughts on how the team could improve. He emphasized the need to focus on a few key young players who, in his view, had the potential to help steer the club back to success.

Rooney mentioned four names he believed could be at the heart of a resurgent Manchester United: Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard, and Scott McTominay. He expressed optimism about their future performances, saying, “I think Jadon Sancho will be better next year, Marcus Rashford will be better next year.” He praised their talent and youth, adding that Jesse Lingard’s energy and quality could be an asset if he stayed with the team. Rooney also highlighted Scott McTominay’s solid contributions on the field, hinting at his importance to the squad.

Rooney stressed that the key to unlocking their full potential would be building their confidence. He remarked that the players needed to believe in their abilities and perform consistently at their best. At the same time, he recognized that whoever would eventually take over as the permanent manager would likely bring in new signings to further bolster the squad.

Fast forward to 2024, and of the four players Rooney highlighted, only Marcus Rashford is still at Old Trafford. The others have all moved on in various ways. Scott McTominay transferred to Italian club Napoli during the summer transfer window. Jadon Sancho, after a high-profile falling out with manager Erik ten Hag, was loaned out to Chelsea on the final day of the summer transfer window. Jesse Lingard, who left Manchester United in 2023 to join Nottingham Forest, has since moved on to play for FC Seoul in South Korea’s K League.

Even Marcus Rashford, the one remaining player from Rooney’s list, has had his share of difficulties. After a disappointing 2023/24 season, Rashford has struggled to find his best form in the current campaign, further complicating United’s troubles.

Meanwhile, Manchester United as a whole is facing significant challenges. Their 2024/25 season has gotten off to a poor start, and they currently sit in a lowly 14th place in the Premier League. Losses to Brighton and Liverpool before the international break have left the team in a precarious position. As they prepare to face newly-promoted Southampton in their next match, the pressure is mounting on both the players and the coaching staff to turn things around and bring some stability to a season that has started far below expectations.