Manchester United risk losing their best players if Jose Mourinho survives for the rest of the season and the mood around the club does not improve dramatically, reports Daily Mail.
The 3-2 comeback win over Newcastle on Saturday has raised hopes that Mourinho can turn a corner and keep his job at Old Trafford following a weekend of intense scrutiny over his future.
Another school of thought is it merely papered over the cracks at United that have been apparent for some time between Mourinho and some of his players.
Paul Pogba remains the biggest concern, with United’s record £89million record signing desperate to leave the club and join Barcelona as early as January despite being told he is not for sale.
The Frenchman has fallen out with Mourinho and been stripped of the vice-captaincy, although Pogba could still push for a move to Spain even if the manager is axed.
Luke Shaw is out of contract at the end of the season and it is understood the England defender has no intention of signing a new one if Mourinho is still in charge.
United have tried to instigate talks but Shaw has not forgiven the manager’s brutal criticism over the last two years despite reclaiming a first-team place this season.
Anthony Martial’s willingness to discuss a new contract in recent weeks is thought to be on the basis that he believes the Portuguese coach will not be at United much longer.
Martial has been at odds with Mourinho and was fined for going AWOL from the tour of the US in July. Both player and manager were open to a move this summer but the club’s hierarchy would not consider it. Martial’s contract runs out at the end of this season although United will trigger a 12-month extension if the 22-year-old does not agree new terms.
David de Gea is in the same situation and there are growing concerns over his reluctance to sign a new deal. United chief Ed Woodward met with De Gea’s agent Jorge Mendes, who also represents Mourinho, in London on Friday with the club believed to be offering a long-term deal worth approximately £275,000-a-week for a goalkeeper widely regarded as the best in the world.
But De Gea is understood to have concerns over United’s ability to challenge for major honours under Mourinho and is reticent about committing the best years of his career to the club. Despite the stirring win over Newcastle, United remain seven points adrift of the Premier League leaders having lost three of their opening eight games.
The club will also exercise the one-year option on De Gea’s contract to keep him until June 2020 if the two sides cannot reach agreement. However, they face being forced to sell both De Gea and Martial before then to prevent them leaving on free transfers.
Eric Bailly is another player facing an uncertain future after he suffered the humiliation of being substituted 18 minutes into the Newcastle game with United trailing 2-0. It was a huge setback for the Ivory Coast centre back, who has only just started to work his way back into Mourinho’s plans following a fall-out towards the end of last season.
Meanwhile, captain Antonio Valencia was axed from the squad after endorsing a social media post calling for Mourinho to be axed and will consider his future in January.
Other players out of contract at United this summer and unsure over their futures include Juan Mata, Ander Herrera, Ashley Young and Phil Jones.
Herrera would prefer to stay and sign a new deal but the club’s current terms have fallen short of his expectations and he has been offered a return to Athletic Bilbao in January.
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