Roy Keane got his wish with demand to axe 10 Man Utd players - with two big exceptions

Since retiring from football and moving into punditry, Roy Keane has never shied away from letting Manchester United players know what he thinks of them. In December 2023, he called for 10 players from his former club to be shown the door and has largely got his wish, though two stars have notably avoided the axe. When Keane made his remarks, United were floundering under Erik ten Hag . The Dutch boss had them sixth in the Premier League table with just 18 goals scored in their opening 15 matches, while their dismal Champions League campaign would officially end before Christmas . During an appearance on The Overlap , Keane was quizzed on whether United should retain or offload various first-team players. He placed 10 names in the sell column and — by the close of this season — only Harry Maguire and Diogo Dalot will still be at the club. Dalot, Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Raphael Varane and Jonny Evans were the five defenders the Irishman considered surplus to requirements. Varane departed in the summer of 2024, hanging up his boots a few months later following a brief spell at Como, while Evans and Lindelof both left at the conclusion of the 2024/25 campaign. FOLLOW OUR MAN UTD FB PAGE! Latest United news and more on our dedicated Facebook page In midfield, Keane wanted shot of Christian Eriksen and Sofyan Amrabat. Morocco midfielder Amrabat failed to secure a permanent switch after a year-long loan spell, while Eriksen is now plying his trade in Germany with Wolfsburg after being used sparingly towards the end of his three-year United spell. Further up the pitch, Keane was prepared to see Antony, Anthony Martial and Jadon Sancho all depart. Martial was let go in 2024 and Antony made a permanent switch to Real Betis 12 months later, having impressed on loan, while Sancho will need to find a new club when his contract expires this summer. Despite Keane's reservations, Dalot has demonstrated his worth through his adaptability. The Portugal international has operated at full-back or wing-back on the right and the left while his dependable fitness record means multiple managers have been able to turn to him at key moments. Maguire is another whose Old Trafford future hasn't always looked certain, with Keane stating in 2023 that the club "need better" at centre-back. However, the England international's performances under Michael Carrick have secured him a contract extension. The 33-year-old, who arrived in a big-money transfer from Leicester in 2019, recovered from injury just in time to shine in Carrick's first match as interim boss in January. He has been a consistent starter ever since and earned an England recall after more than a year in the international wilderness. "Harry represents the mentality and resilience required to perform for Manchester United," director of football Jason Wilcox said. "He is the ultimate professional who brings invaluable experience and leadership to our young, ambitious squad." Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.