Ralf Rangnick reportedly said three Man Utd players were 'mood killers', two have since left
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Ralf Rangnick reportedly claimed three Manchester United players, two of who have since left the club, were 'mood killers' during his time in charge.
Rangnick was appointed interim manager for the second half of last season following the decision to sack Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in November 2021.
Despite promising a new style of play and radical changes, Rangnick guided United to sixth in the Premier League with their worst-ever points tally in the competition.
Initially set to take up a consultancy role at the end of the campaign, Rangnick instead left United altogether to take charge of the Austria national team in June.
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The appointment didn't work on several levels. What he did do was shine a light on United's ageing and bloated squad in perhaps his defining moment as manager.
Rangnick claimed United needed up to 10 new players after being taken apart 4-0 by bitter rivals Liverpool at Anfield back in April.
He put together a list of players United should sign, including Erling Haaland and Christopher Nkunku, although all that went out the window when Erik ten Hag arrived.
On that list were players he believed United needed to part ways with to start a rebuild. Bild claimed Rangnick identified two forwards and a midfielder who had too much influence in the dressing room.
Among those were Paul Pogba and Edison Cavani, who departed for Juventus and Valencia upon the expiry of their contracts that year.
Pogba's last game for the club ended up being that game at Anfield when he left the pitch less than 10 minutes in due to injury.
Cavani, meanwhile, lost his shirt number to Cristiano Ronaldo and scored just two goals all season.
The other player Rangnick wanted to part ways with was Anthony Martial. He did get his wish, albeit temporarily, with Martial joining La Liga outfit Sevilla on a season-long loan.
Martial has since returned to United and struggled with injury. He's still managed to score three Premier League goals, although his last came in October.
Ten Hag decided the 27-year-old would suit his style of player over Ronaldo during pre-season. United's congested fixture list means Martial hasn't been able to feature in every game.
"It is not about us not relying on him," Ten Hag told reporters earlier this month. "His physical load is not, at this moment, so high that he can play every third day a game of 90 minutes. So I have to manage that together with him.
"We are on a thin line at the moment because the qualities of Anthony Martial are so important right now to our game. His movements, his ball security, the pressing, let's not forget that. We need that profile to be a threat."
United have bolstered their forward line in January by adding Wout Weghorst on loan from Burnley.
Featured Image Credit: BeanymanSports3/YouTube & Alamy
Topics: Ralf Rangnick, Manchester United, Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial, Edinson Cavani
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