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There are still two months of the season left but Manchester United began preparing for 2016-17 as far back as January, when they touched base with Jose Mourinho's representatives.

Should he replace Louis van Gaal, Mourinho will not have the luxury of inheriting a burgeoning squad like he did at Chelsea, Internazionale or Real Madrid. Those squads required tweaks whereas United's might have to be dismantled.

Van Gaal has taken a chainsaw to United's dead wood but plenty is still lingering and at least 11 players should be shown to the Old Trafford departures' lounge in the summer.

Phil Jones

A man whose second touch is an injury, Jones has been at United five years in the summer and he peaked within his first month at the club, back when he drew scarcely believable comparisons with Duncan Edwards.

Jones is a decent defender but he has inherited Louis Saha's 'Mr. Glass' nickname, to the extent has suffered 27 separate injuries since he joined United.

United will try and sign a central defender in the summer and there is an argument two should come in. Factor in Axel Tuanzebe and RoShaun Williams' emergence, as well as Chris Smalling and Daley Blind's decent campaigns and it is logical to jettison Jones.

Out of contract: 2019

Marcos Rojo

United scouted Bruno Martins Indi earlier this season and were prepared to sell Argentine Rojo in the winter transfer window before he suffered a dislocated shoulder in November.

Better at left-back than centre-back, during Rojo's absence the left-backs Cameron Borthwick-Jackson emerged and Joe Riley showed promise on his two outings. Luke Shaw will be fit again next season while Daley Blind's best position is at left-back.

Rojo's passion is commendable but his fitness at the start of the season was embarrassing and he still struggles to complete 90 minutes. United's need for central defenders ensures he is unlikely to return to the middle, too.

Out of contract: 2019

Wayne Rooney

It epitomises David Moyes' reign that when Sir Alex Ferguson left him the task of dotting the is and crossing the ts on Wayne Rooney's sale the Scot made a hash of that, too.

Ferguson noticed during Rooney's efficient 2011-12 season he was past his peak. Since then, Rooney has done little to merit the extravagant pay rise he received for flirting with Chelsea, having fluttered his eyelashes at City in 2010 and also earned a wage hike.

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Rooney was indispensable in 2010 but disposable in 2013. Moyes and Van Gaal both failed to revive him and, despite a decent start to this calendar year and his captaincy credentials, the striker has endured the worst campaign of his career and Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford are close to bypassing him.

Rooney, 30, could earn at least £500,000-a-week in China and his departure would allow United to overhaul the attack.

Out of contract: 2019

Adnan Januzaj

He's a boy who can do anything, United fans sing, but Adnan Januzaj has suggested that is anything but the case since his exciting breakthrough season.

Van Gaal has not used him anywhere near often enough in his best position on the right flank and the Belgian is more talented than the ever-present Jesse Lingard. However, Januzaj's questionable attitude has contributed to his malaise at United and they need a proven winger in the summer.

Out of contract: 2018

Nick Powell

Out of contract in the summer, it is remarkable the Crewe-born forward even played again under Van Gaal after his dismal display at MK Dons last season.

A talented player, a combination of luckless injuries and arrogance should bring Powell's United career to an end after four years.

Out of contract: 2016

Antonio Valencia

Out of contract next year, Valencia has enjoyed six genuinely good months in the last five years since his return from a broken leg.

Downgraded from a winger, the United full-back has become an unremarkable and listless footballer who has earned the unflattering nickname 'Turn-Around Toni' from some United fans, such is his unadventurousness.

United need to sign a right-back in the summer and have plenty of alternatives in Matteo Darmian, Guillermo Varela, Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Ashley Young.

Out of contract: 2017

Marouane Fellaini

Nicknamed 'Bog Brush' by RedIssue thanks to his bushy noggin, Fellaini has contributed to some of the highlights under Van Gaal (Spurs, Anfield and City last season) and, in an advanced role, could be an asset.

United, though, need to aspire to become a genuine force again and that means buying players capable of taking them back to the perch they settled on under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Fellaini's physicality has beefed up a lightweight squad but United need a cleverer midfielder who won't attempt to maim an opponent every time he strides out onto the pitch.

Out of contract: 2018

Paddy McNair

One fanzine wrote in December McNair was one of the standout performers during United's winter of discontent, which was something a man as deluded as Van Gaal would usually say.

McNair has done remarkably well just to play for the United first-team. Chosen over Tom Thorpe against West Ham last year, he pulled off that goal-saving header at the death and placed Romelu Lukaku in his pocket the following week but, since then, he has looked so out of his depth he is in need of armbands.

Out of contract: 2017

Tyler Blackett

Like McNair, Blackett has over-achieved by playing for the seniors. A beneficiary of Van Gaal's right-foot-left-foot centre-back fetish, he has been culpable for goals in almost half the games he has played for United.

Still on loan at Celtic, he has played once in five months for the Scottish Premiership champions and, in his second last appearance, was substituted having come on in the ninth minute.

Out of contract: 2017

Will Keane

Like Powell, few United fans would have expected to see Keane in the first-team again. Given a chance at James Wilson's expense, the injury he suffered while coming a width of a post away from his first United goal at Shrewsbury typified his luck and he might not play again this season.

A serious knee injury in 2012 effectively killed Keane's auspicious chances of forging a career at the club.

Out of contract: 2018

Sam Johnstone

Unfortunate not to start the campaign ahead of Sergio Romero, the 2011 FA Youth Cup winner is still yet to make his United debut and is far too good a goalkeeper to be warming the bench for another year.

Out of contract: 2017

Victor Valdes

Any hope of Valdes reigniting his United career should Van Gaal depart is extinguished by his contract's expiry date. It ends in the summer and the club almost certainly will not renew it, having disregarded him to the extent he was not invited to the United 4 Unicef charity dinner in November.

As one United suit said at the start of the season, there is more chance of us journalists starting in goal than Valdes.

Out of contract: 2016

Who should replace Van Gaal?