Two years ago, Manchester United lost 1-0 to Rosenborg in a forgettable pre-season opener. They're back in Trondheim this week — already beaten by Wrexham in Helsinki — and the squad that shows up barely resembles the one that left Norway defeated in July 2024.
Six starters from that XI are gone. Two more could follow before the window closes. That kind of turnover doesn't happen by accident. It happens when a club has spent the last 24 months in structural freefall, cycling through managers and identities with alarming speed.
Who's Left — And Who Isn't
In goal that day was Radek Vitek, who is technically still at Old Trafford — though for how long is unclear. "At the moment, I am still here, but we will see," the Czech keeper said after the Wrexham match. He wants first-team football. United can't offer it. That equation usually has one answer.
The back four has been completely dismantled. Aaron Wan-Bissaka left for West Ham and was relegated with them in May. Will Fish is at Cardiff, who just earned promotion to the Championship. Jonny Evans retired and came back as a coach. Sam Murray signed with Carlisle and is now a free agent again.
In midfield, Mason Mount is the one survivor — though "survivor" is a loaded word for a player whose injury record contributed to him missing England's World Cup squad. Casemiro left when his contract expired and has joined Inter Miami. Hannibal went to Burnley in August 2024, scored some minutes at Turf Moor, and now sits in a relegated side that might cash him in.
Up front, the two academy players — Ethan Williams and Ethan Wheatley — are still around. Then there's Marcus Rashford.
The Rashford Question
Rashford is back at Old Trafford this summer after Barcelona let their purchase option expire. The Spanish club took him on loan, looked at him for a full season, and decided against making it permanent. That's a significant signal.
There's still reported interest in the 28-year-old, and Michael Carrick — barely four months into the job — has to decide whether Rashford fits his vision or represents a distraction he can't afford. Given United are already chasing their first pre-season win and have looked short of ideas in what we've seen so far, getting the Rashford call wrong could set the tone for the whole season.
United's attacking options market should be shifting in real time based on that decision. A squad that has shed this much experience in two years cannot afford to mishandle its most high-profile remaining name.
