Tomasz Kuszczak will hope his outburst this week has pushed him to the top of the list of the players to be shown the door from Manchester United in January.
But he is not the only one left wondering about his future at Old Trafford ahead of the transfer window.
Sir Alex Ferguson is set to make decisions on several members of his squad who have become surplus to requirements.
This year has already seen him administer one of the biggest overhauls of his time at United with veterans Paul Scholes, Edwin van der Sar and Gary Neville all retiring.
Mainstays Wes Brown and John O’Shea were also allowed to leave in the summer, while Gabriel Obertan was sold to Newcastle.
Bebe was sent on loan to Besiktas after failing to make the breakthrough following his high-profile £7.4m move from Vitoria in Portugal.
Dimitar Berbatov, Darron Gibson and Kuszczak were expected to join that long list. But despite remaining at the club, they have become peripheral figures this season.
Of that trio, only Berbatov has played any first-team football for United this term, making just one Premier League start, against Stoke in September.
Yet Ferguson must decide whether to take his last chance to cash in on the £30.75m Bulgarian, who is out of contract at the end of the season, or allow him to leave for nothing in the summer.
Mame Biram Diouf will also be of interest to several Premier League sides after his impressive loan spell with Blackburn last season, while Federico Macheda is in need of regular first-team football to continue his development.
Here M.E.N. Sport looks at the players on the brink at United and what the future holds for Fergie’s forgotten men.
Tomasz Kuszczak
Age: 29
Position: Goalkeeper
Potential clubs: Leeds
The Pole’s predicament is one of the most puzzling at Old Trafford. Ferguson has made it clear that the former West Brom keeper will not be considered as No.1 at United after signing David de Gea and Anders Lindegaard this year.
Kuszczak is even behind starlet Ben Amos and in limbo.
His reported comments this week – claiming he was being treated like a slave after a potential loan to Leeds was blocked – might just push him closer to the exit door.
A proposed move to West Brom in the summer came to nothing and a switch to a Championship side may well prove his best option.
Kuszczak will hope Leeds renew their interest in him in January – and that his outburst this week convinces Ferguson to cash in, rather than keep an unhappy player on the books.
Dimitar Berbatov
Age: 30
Position: Striker
Potential clubs: Galatasaray, Paris St Germain, Tottenham
The £30.75m record signing for United looked certain to be on his way out after being snubbed in the Champions League final defeat to Barcelona in May.
But despite being linked with Paris St Germain, the Bulgarian remains at Old Trafford – even if he is an increasingly peripheral figure.
He has now dropped behind Danny Welbeck in the pecking order and has started only one Premier League game this season.
Ferguson faces the biggest dilemma over Berbatov, having paid such astronomical money to sign him from Tottenham in 2008.
He could only get a fraction of what he paid for him if he sells in January – but it would at least represent some return on United’s initial outlay.
For Berbatov’s part, he has long claimed that he wants to end his career at Old Trafford – but he cannot be satisfied with such limited opportunities.
Galatasaray are the latest club to show an interest last season’s joint leading goal-scorer in the Premier League.
An offer in the region of £7m would surely be too good for United to turn down, but Berbatov may be tempted to hold out for a free transfer at the end of the season.
Darron Gibson
Age: 24
Position: Midfielder
Potential clubs: Sunderland, Aston Villa, Blackburn
The Ireland international spent the summer flirting with a move to Sunderland – but ended up being left on the shelf.
Now out in the cold at United, it has been a long fall from grace, considering his last appearance for the club was in the Champions League semi-final against Schalke.
Gibson’s career is in desperate need of a kick-start, with a new batch of starlets already overtaking him at United.
Tom Cleverley has become a pivotal figure in central midfield, while FA Youth Cup winner Paul Pogba is also being introduced into the first team picture.
Ferguson may yet splash out on another midfielder in January, which will only push Gibson further down the pecking order.
It remains to be seen if Steve Bruce will make another move for the player he was so keen to sign in the summer.
Blackburn and Aston Villa were also linked and could yet firm up that interest in January.
Federico Macheda
Age: 20
Position: Striker
Potential clubs: QPR, Wigan
This is a pivotal time in the development of the young Italian. Having made such a stunning impact to his United career with that incredible debut goal against Aston Villa more than two years ago, he was expected to have made the breakthrough by now.
Instead it is fellow starlet Danny Welbeck,who is now firmly part of the first team picture and Macheda should seek to follow the same model as his team-mate.
While Welbeck gained invaluable Premier League experience on loan at Sunderland last season, Macheda instead went back to Italy to endure a miserable spell at Sampdoria.
Ferguson once described the powerful striker as having the potential to become a star in the fashion of Cristiano Ronaldo – but he needs the 20-year-old to start producing.
With Will Keane looking so promising in the reserves, Macheda has pressure both in front of him and behind. Regular first team football is a must – and in the Premier League too.
Mame Biram Diouf
Age: 23
Position: Striker
Potential clubs: Cardiff, Cologne
The Senegalese striker always looked a peculiar signing when snapped up from Molde in 2009 – and he has hardly been given a look-in since.
He spent last season on loan at Blackburn and has most recently been linked with a temporary move to Cardiff.
It is difficult to see what future he has at United with Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez, Welbeck, Berbatov, Michael Owen and Macheda on the books.
He looks destined to join a list that include Manucho, Bebe, Zoran Tosic and Gabriel Obertan as Fergie punts that just didn’t pay off.
Who do you think could be on their way out of United? Have your say.
Comments
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I'd get rid of them all apart from Macheda and Berbatov, well short in that Dept, don't know what it is about Welbeck but he doesn't do it for me, Macheda possibly be loaned ?
John O'Shea gone? When did this happen. No one tells me anything?
Fergie don't you even think about letting Darron Gibson go. Him, Tom Cleverley and Ryan Giggs are the future of the ManU midfield engine room.
Come on United just one big push is all it will take to see off City. Those berties with ideas above their station need putting in their place.
UTIDLUHGHC
Hopefully Park,Carrick and Evans will be on thier way as well.
Fletcher Carrick and Anderson should be moved on, if Anderson hasnt improved by the end of the season.
All can go to free up space in the squad for our youngsters.
The most talent is Berbatov but I've also thought that he's a great player but wrong for United's style of play. Perhaps we could afford a luxury player if our midfield was stronger and dominated games but we know it doesn't.
I can think of others I'd move along in the summer if they don't shape up and earn the extraordinary wages players get paid these days.
A couple of names still missing from this list I feel!!!!!!!!!!!!
Im a big fan of Berba but thik he will go top scorer in league and one of our most if not most skillful players, still think Rooney/Berbatov is a great combination and I think Fergie has made a mistake alienated him, when you look at some of the players in our squad who at best can be called average its shameful a player of Berbas ability has been treated this way, If the club were serious about catching likes of Barca and Madrid and keeping up with City they would be rid of 3 out of Carrick/Fletch/Anderson/Gibson/Park and bring in 2 world class midfielders who could bring some consistency in that area leaving the others as backup, Diouf wont ever be a UTD player so would sell him, Macheda is a tough one seems to have bags of potential but progress slow so would keep him or loan him out, but for me Berba should still be playing regular football he wouldnt let us down, Chico/Wellbeck can be impact players for now neither contribute a lot over 90 mins. And of course we have the young lads coming through but there are no guarantees they can make it in the first team just yet and it is now we need to take action not in 1-2 years time when the others are out of sight
Carrick should be shipped out, along with Berba. Fergie clearly can't find a place for Berba and Carrick has at last been rotated out of the side for an extended period so we should sell while he's still a decent age. Gibson has to go, Diouf isn't good enough, KK likewise. And I dont see the point of Owen when we have young promising players coming up needing games
Kuszczak, Gibson and possibly Diouf may be sold but I can't see the others going in permanent moves.
There is no possibility we will sell Berbatov for £7m and he is not on a free next summer as United have a one-way option of a further year.
Macheda is 20 and has plenty of time on his side - a loan deal could work for him but we are not about to give up on him at that age.
If it was a case of choosing between A and B I would keep all of Kuszczak, Berbatov, Federico Macheda and Diouf - so long as Carrick , Fletcher and Gibson went. The problem, we can't emphasize this enough can we, is in midfield. But what is baffling is that someone always sidesteps this real problem area. Look at the positions of most of the players under threat? Strikers! Because someone is keen to protect his chosen two (Carrick and Fletcher) decent players in other departments will be sacrificed. I predict that no less than five first team players will leave between January and August. And two or 3 players will replace then. Alas, only one of those will be a CM. So you see, the thorn in the flesh will once again be ignored. I have already noticed that Ferguson is fast degenerating into a terrible decision maker and we are yet to suffer more under his management. For example Michael Owen will stay at the expense of Berbatov; Vidic will go while Evans stays. Nani might also go because we already have average Young.
How would I tackle the issue? Berbatov would stay until summer while all of Michael Owen, Gibson, Diouf and Kuszczak will leave in January. Coming to the problem area: for purposes of consistency I would initially rid one of Carrick and Fletcher in January. I would then get a temporary CM but one ready to kick the ball right away. For the first time ever I would strongly consider Joey Barton. Finally I would promote Morrison and Pobga. Cleverly and Anderson would play a key role. A world class CM would only be acquired in summer, not January. Particular interest would be placed on Spaniards or such-like technically gifted players. So by the start of the new season I would have ridden all of these: Berbatov, Owen, Diouf, Kuszczak, Gibson, Carrick and Fletcher. No less than 30m would realized from this auction.
I'm not sure why so many of you turn these comments into a "get rid of Carrick" rant.
I know he's not a world beater but if anyone really watches United the defence is much better with him in front of it than anyone else United have.
In these days of squad rotation and bench players someone of Carricks skills are highly valued. Some one who can play both defensively and play an attacking game (if anyone saw the last full game he played - best man on the field) when the manager requires him to do so.
I think quite often people don't seem to realize that he is playing to the managers instructions (he wouldn't be playing otherwise). We may not like those instructions but who does Carrick have to please to continue to be part of the squad.
Yes United definitely need some better midfielders, even if Cleverley does turn out to be world class they need more than one there, but you don't improve the squad by getting rid of the better squad players.
Anyway if you read some of the other football sites on the net United have nothing to worry about - they are about to buy 23 new midfielders (just so they can have a couple more than liverpool, I think) and 5 strikers - strangely no goalkeepers in January.
if saf signs sneider or another top class midfield then add carrick fletcher to the list early
season when cleverly was in before injury the team was play fast attacing football since the with the clown fletcher he has slowed the game down to boring also rio should
retired he has been great but 33 also vidic is not the power he was evra also young dlood has to come in with sneider the king pin ktd 9/21 am 10/11/2011
I think Hernandez is starting to show some of his youth and inexperience. He needs to get stronger and improve on holding the ball. Yes, he is a great poacher and can find the space but I think he's shown in the last couple of games that unless he's getting sent through, the flow often dies or slows down when he gets the ball. Berba just needs a run of two or three games in a row with the first team (Nani on the right, Young or anyone else on the left).
You forgot Evans, Park, Carrick, Owen
Owen should go ahead of Berbatov but if Berbatov doesn't get games we might as weoll sell him and get what we can for him.
I always liked Darren Gibson. He was a goal threat frim long range. Because he isnt getting games he should be shipped off though I hope it is a decision Fergie doesnt go on to regret. With regular games under his belt, he could develop into a good player.
...Mecheda really needs to go out on loan! Why does Ferguson have him at the club doing nothing?!
Despite all the complaints about midfield, the only thing that has really changed about it from last season is that Scholes is gone, and he did not play regularly. We did not play well last season either and Ferguson was critisized. What happened? We went on to win the league!
Im unsure about Fergusons decisions this season but he has proved us wrong before...Have faith!
Sir Alex, please get rid of Carrick, Fletcher and the other dead wood who don't do much for our club, especially Evans who always influences the game in a negative way for Manchester United, every tim ehe plays, allow Berbatov to play more often, he was afet all the leading goal scorer last season, we need to buy more decent players in January to compliment Rooney(super star), Giggs(master) welbeck, Jones etc, we need a mid fielder or 2 and at least 2 defenders to replace evans and ferdinand, who has out lived his expiry date, wqe have the funds, spend on good quality players so that we can make it 20 league titles this years and go forward to with the UEFA champions league title again this year, all the other clubs spent money and it isd paying off, so should we, I am your number 1 fan in South Africa, and I love my team, Glory Glory Manchester United, Gary Purcell