Luke Shaw and Chris Smalling are the latest United stars to be linked with a Manchester United exodus following Jose Mourinho’s damning attack on the England internationals.

Shaw and Smalling told Mourinho that they were unable to play in United’s 3-1 victory over Swansea on Sunday and found themselves at the centre of furious backlash from their boss who questioned their willingness to play through pain.

During United’s 2-1 defeat to Fenerbahce on Wednesday, Shaw picked up a knock in the same leg that he suffered a horrific leg break in two places last September. Smalling, on the other hand, still claimed to be in pain from an injury he picked up last month.

Following his attack during the post-match press conference, it is believed that Mourinho reiterated his point to the players in the dressing room giving off the impression that the defensive pair may not have a future at the club.

“Jose had quite a few strong things to say. It left the players with the impression that they might be struggling.” A source inside the club revealed.

Shaw and Smalling could now join United flops Memphis Depay, Daley Blind, Marcos Rojo and Bastian Schweinsteiger as the players most likely to be axed by Mourinho as the 53-year-old continues to build his squad at Old Trafford.

Despite taking criticism from Mourinho last weekend, Smalling received two pain killing injections to feature in United 4-0 battering at the hands of Chelsea last month.

England interim boss Gareth Southgate, however has leapt to the defence of the pair after claiming they were both ruled out for upcoming fixtures against Scotland and Spain.

Chris Smalling scored in United's vicotry over Leicester at Old Trafford (Getty)

“Are they flaky? I don't know Chris well but that wouldn't be my impression, having worked with him,” Southgate said.

“Luke I know well and Luke's had a really tough injury. He was with us in September under Sam Allardyce and was feeling problems with the leg. There's clearly something.

“After an injury as severe as that, we've got to handle that with care. It's a difficult balance but that's where we have to trust our medical teams.”

Southgate understands that Shaw also has to overcome a psychological battle if he is to fully recover from traumatic injury.

“With any injury, any recovery, there are physical and psychological aspects to that,' he said. 'That is definitely part of the process of getting a player back into playing,” Southgate added.

“There can be different approaches towards that because sometimes you might need a nudge to say, ‘Come on, you can’. Every injury is different, every individual is different. I've not known players not play unless there is something.