Manchester United Football Club
In a major announcement on Friday, it was announced that eight players have been released from their contracts with the club and that they are saying goodbye to the team, however, three players, including Mata, are still actively negotiating new contracts with the club and are expected to remain with the team.
Among the batch of players who bid farewell to the team, former Argentina international goalkeeper Romero is undoubtedly the brightest star among them. Despite Romero's desire to return last season, Manchester United rejected Everton's offer of a full-pay loan and insisted on a £10 million buyout fee, causing Everton to eventually give up on bringing him in. Romero's wife, Eliana Gueljo, has expressed her displeasure at this, believing that United have disrespected a decorated player.
Romero didn't get any appearances last season, but United still had to pay him £70,000 a week. Now that Romero's contract is up, rumor has it that Everton and Juventus of Serie A are interested in him. United fans are hoping that the former top two goalkeeper will find the ideal new owner.
Joining Romero in leaving the first-team squad is Portuguese national youth keeper Joel Pereira, who failed to prove himself during his loan spell. Roma, coached by Jose Mourinho, are currently considering signing the fellow goalkeeper on a free.
The other six players released were all from the youth camp, including Jacob Kearney, Mark Elm, Istin Hughes, Anau Puigmal, Max Taylor and Aliou Traore. Of these, Puigmal, from Salon Espanyol, is better known, having made his name with a strike against Barcelona's youth team, and having come under the spotlight at the Camp Nou after joining United. Now, he is about to be released from his contract by United, with Almeria of Spain interested in signing him. Traore, from France, who spent last season on loan at Caen in Ligue 2, had been seen as the new Pogba and is now left looking for a way out. Defender Taylor, on the other hand, is known to United fans as a fighter who beat testicular cancer.
Along with the official announcement of eight departures, United also confirmed that they are in talks with three players whose contracts are due to expire - Spanish midfielder Juan Mata, 33, Premier League Kobe Lee Grant, 38, and young goalkeeper Paul Woolston. In addition, youth player Dermot Mee was able to stay in the team after the club activated his contract extension clause.
Mata joined United in the 2014 winter window for a then team-high transfer fee of £37.1 million, winning the UEFA Cup, FA Cup and League Cup for the Red Devils. His contract also expires at the end of this month, with a one-year right of first refusal to extend. United boss Solskjaer said Mata's stay or departure is in his own hands.
Manchester United are willing to extend Mata's contract, but the latter will have to accept a pay cut as well as no guarantees of playing opportunities. Currently, Mata's weekly salary is 120,000 pounds. This season, Mata has only 18 appearances in United, including only 6 Premier League starts, and he hopes to get more games before the end of his career. Mata's old club Valencia are interested in inviting him back, and he will make his choice later this month.
If the elder Grant extends his United contract, it signals that perhaps one of last season's two top rotation starters, David De Gea and Dean Henderson, will return to the team this summer. Because Solskjaer has booked Aston Villa free agent Tom Heaton, the 35-year-old former United youth goalkeeper will act as a number two when he returns, Grant will be the third keeper, and one of De Gea and Henderson will not play in the starting lineup or opt for a move in this regard.
