Erik ten Hag must be ruthless with Manchester United tour squad for USA

When Manchester United fly off to New York this week there might be some disappointed players having to stay behind in Carrington rather than heading to the Big Apple.

Erik ten Hag took 31 players on his first tour a year ago, to Thailand and Australia, and a similar number are expected to go this time around, but that presents a few problems for the Dutchman.

Only Zidane Iqbal and Ethan Laird have left Old Trafford so far this summer, but there are more senior fringe players who clearly have no part to play for Ten Hag next season, but who haven't yet departed. United need to trim their bloated squad but Ten Hag will also need to be ruthless with his selections this week.

The four-game tour of the United States offers an ideal opportunity to bed in the senior players, working on fitness and shape for next season, while also running the rule of a handful of the promising youngsters within the squad. There can be no room for carrying players who will be playing their football elsewhere come the end of the transfer window.

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It was a slightly different story a year ago when Ten Hag had only one new arrival to take in Tyrell Malacia, so this will be a first tour for Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and Antony, as well as Mason Mount. Eric Bailly, Alex Telles, Axel Tuanzebe and Tahith Chong were all taken to Thailand and Australia when it seemed clear they had little future at the club.

Tuanzebe and Chong have since left United, but Bailly and Telles remain. They are two players who must surely have no part to play