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Top 5 players Manchester United must upgrade for Champions League football next year

By Rucker Haringey

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MARCH 20: Winning goalscorer Marcus Rashford of Manchester United (R) and team mates Anthony Martial (C) and Timothy Fosu-Mensah celebrate victory after the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester City and Manchester United at Etihad Stadium on March 20, 2016 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MARCH 20: Winning goalscorer Marcus Rashford of Manchester United (R) and team mates Anthony Martial (C) and Timothy Fosu-Mensah celebrate victory after the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester City and Manchester United at Etihad Stadium on March 20, 2016 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images) /
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MARCH 09: Memphis Depay of Manchester United in action during a first team training session, ahead of their UEFA Europa League round of 16 match against Liverpool, at Aon Training Complex on March 9, 2016 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Matthew Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – MARCH 09: Memphis Depay of Manchester United in action during a first team training session, ahead of their UEFA Europa League round of 16 match against Liverpool, at Aon Training Complex on March 9, 2016 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Matthew Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images) /

1. Memphis Depay

Perhaps no player has been more of a flop at Manchester United this year than attacker Memphis Depay. He came to Old Trafford with expectations of being the club’s savior and has been crushed under the weight of those high hopes.

Shockingly, 24 Manchester United players have a higher Whoscored.com player average than Memphis on the season. His two goals in 23 Premier League appearances just haven’t been good enough for a player of his talent. United cannot afford to trot out an attacker who can’t provide them real offensive input so often next season.

For the record, I don’t think Memphis is a lost cause by any means. He hasn’t lost all of his ability over the course of one season. While I’m not certain he’ll ever fulfill his vast potential due to his mental approach to life and football, he’s a player worth hanging on to.

Whoever the manager is at United next season, they should relegate Memphis to a very small role at the beginning of the season. He could still be a regular participant in Cup matches and contests against lesser Premier League opponents, but he shouldn’t be risked against any elite competition. That might allow him to regain his confidence if he can find a run of form against minnows. That’s the only way he’s ever going to become an effective player at Old Trafford.

Related Story: Memphis Depay may get his manager sacked

At any rate, United cannot sit on their hands and hope that Memphis is going to magically regain his form next season. They need to go out and purchase a wide man to play opposite the very talented Anthony Martial. If Memphis regains his scoring touch then you have a solid attacking midfield rotation. If not, you’e only searching to find a substitute as opposed to a key offensive cog.

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