Make no mistake about it, Manchester United are a team in flux.

Winning 3-0 in the Carabao Cup might have papered over the cracks somewhat, but the problems that were exposed during the 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace still remain.

The fact of the matter is that United have handled the summer transfer window pretty poorly and fans are near enough in agreement that signing Donny van de Beek simply isn't enough.

Tough summer for United

The latest reports suggests that the Red Devils are still looking to sign a right winger and left-back, though there's a collective frustration that a new centre-back doesn't seem to be a priority.

That, and the fact their right-winger of choice could prove to be disappointing with a move for Jadon Sancho looking increasingly unlikely amidst Borussia Dortmund's lofty demands.

However, it's not all about bringing in swathes of players, United also need to prioritise ditching the deadwood and it's fair to say their squad is bogged down with plenty of fringe players.

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Deadwood needs to be sold

Their centre-back and central midfield ranks in particular could do with a spring-clean and it could help liberate the funds that would make summer spending that little bit easier.

So, bearing that in mind, we decided to take the unenviable decision of stepping into Ed Woodward's shoes and seeing who United could part ways with this summer.

In the end, we settled on eight players - complete with their transfer values, courtesy of transfermarkt - who we think United can afford to lose, so check them out down below:

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1. Sergio Romero

Transfer value: £2.52 million

Romero has been a fantastic servant for United and remains one of the world's best back-up goalkeepers, it just happens that the Red Devils have found themselves an even better one.

Dean Henderson will be the chief support to David de Gea this season and the fact Lee Grant has featured on the bench this week suggests that Romero is already halfway out the back door.

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2. Phil Jones

Transfer value: £6.30 million

Look, it's so easy to poke fun at Jones when his facial expressions and defensive errors make him an internet meme, but that doesn't take away from the fact his United career has completely stalled.

Jones only made eight appearances last season, hardly covering himself in glory during them, so it makes sense for all parties involved that the 28-year-old seeks a new challenge elsewhere.

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3. Chris Smalling

Transfer value: £18.00 million

To be honest, I'm actually of the opinion that United could get a lot out of keeping Smalling this summer, especially after Victor Lindelof dropped a disasterclass in the Crystal Palace defeat.

Nevertheless, I'm not blind to the fact that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer doesn't see him in his plans and there's a good chance for United to make some cool money from Smalling this summer.

It won't be anything bank-breaking, but it could be enough to massage their funds to bring in a new left-back before the deadline and perhaps a fresh centre-back by this time next year.

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4. Marcos Rojo 

Transfer value: £7.20 million

It's pretty astonishing that Rojo is still a United player because, to tell you the truth, the Argentine has hardly been in the picture at Old Trafford since Jose Mourinho's first season at the club.

Just 27 appearances over the last three seasons paves a pretty clear roadmap for Rojo to be shown the door, especially when United have such a logjam in their defensive ranks.

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5. Juan Mata

Transfer value: £8.55 million

We take absolutely no pleasure in putting Mata forward because, simply put, he's one of the most standup guys in all of sport, it's just that his United career has been petering out for some time now.

Even while scoring a penalty in this week's win over Luton Town, the Spaniard simply didn't look at the races and United have enough squad depth in their midfield to secure an exit stress-free.

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6. Jesse Lingard

Transfer value: £15.75 million

Let's get this straight, Lingard has been one of United's most underrated players over the last few months and his woeful record of Premier League goal contributions is largely false advertising.

That being said, there's not a clear route in the starting XI for United right now and with the likes of Tottenham potentially wafting around £20-30 million, it could be a deal that suits everybody.

This works for United in terms of raising funds to help meet Borussia Dortmund's valuation for Sancho and not because Lingard is in anyway not good enough for the club anymore.

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7. Andreas Pereira

Transfer value: £14.40 million

Simply put, the United midfield is absolutely stacked right now and it's hard to see where Pereira gets himself a game with Bruno Fernandes, Paul Pogba and Van de Beek all on board.

Combine that with the fact Pereira struggled to make an impression when given ample game-time last season and it makes sense to reluctantly cut the chord with the academy graduate.

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8. Daniel James

Transfer value: £17.10 million

This seems harsh and it feels harsh because there's no denying that James has incredible potential and most importantly of all, he seems like a really sound lad.

However, sadly, the Welshman has only showed United quality in fits and starts, only scoring four times during his debut season, which is worrying when the club are angling for a new right winger.

It's certainly worth keeping James around if they can't get their man out wide, but with United looking pretty hellbent on spending there, it makes sense to cash in on James this summer.

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To put those sales into context, it would raise United a staggering £89.82 million if they collected the players' transfer value each time, which would go a long way towards purchasing Sancho.

Obviously, it goes without saying that the world of transfers isn't as simple as that, but selling just half of these players would be a shrewd move for the Red Devils if the right deals came up.