According to a report by GiveMeSport on Sunday November 1, 2026, following their most recent loss to Chelsea, Manchester United's already disastrous campaign has taken a turn for the worse, with rumors circulating that multiple veteran players may be leaving Old Trafford before the season ends.

United have lost their first nine Premier League matches, including 2-0 at Stamford Bridge, marking their worst start to a season in forty years.

Michael Carrick's squad is now in 17th place, just one point clear of the drop zone thanks to goal differential. As the club's problems escalate, the surrounding atmosphere gets progressively more uncomfortable.

United had a promising first half against Chelsea, but they were much worse in the second half. Before Lisandro Martinez was sent off for giving up a penalty and Morgan Rogers scored, there was too much space for Martinez to advance. After that, Cole Palmer scored from the penalty spot to give Chelsea the win, 2-0.

Reports suggest that four senior Manchester United players may also be nearing the end of their tenure with the club, even though focus is shifting toward Carrick's anticipated departure.

Football Insider reports that a major squad clear-out is imminent, and that players like Bruno Fernandes, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, and Marcus Rashford are among those expected to depart within the next few months. Rumor has it that all four will be leaving before the season ends.

If United were to lose these seasoned players, according to football finance expert Stefan Borson, the club could save a lot of money on salaries.

Since some of these players are nearing the end of their careers, he said that releasing Fernandes, Shaw, Maguire, and Rashford could help reduce the club's wage obligations.

Borson did bring up the financial difficulties of replacing key first-team players, though. He cautioned that top-tier players are increasingly demanding transfer fees of around £100 million, which could lead to exorbitant costs for replacements.

To stay competitive, United would need to make outstanding recruiting decisions, he said, but they could avoid spending substantially in that market.

Martinez, whose contract is up for renewal next summer, was strangely omitted from the list of four players allegedly facing potential departures.

Joe Cole, a former Chelsea midfielder, voiced his disapproval of the defender's dismissal in the match against Chelsea and hinted that the player's time with Manchester United may be coming to an end.

Cole cast doubt on Martinez's decision-making throughout the incident, stating that United's defender had a history of getting himself into dangerous situations.

The Argentine has voiced his displeasure with the club's transfer policy during Jason Wilcox's tenure.

Martinez questioned if United had signed enough players to compete at the highest level after their 2-0 Champions League loss to Atletico Madrid. Additionally, he acknowledged that he was hoping for a larger investment during the summer transfer window.

With several key players under scrutiny and performances falling short of expectations, Manchester United may be in for another season of upheaval come season's end.