Erik ten Hag wants to sell four more Manchester United players after Eric Bailly departure

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag wants to offload four more defenders before the transfer window closes after Eric Bailly agreed to join Marseille on loan.

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The Red Devils are working frantically to improve their squad before next week’s deadline, with the club working on a £79million move for Ajax winger Antony as well as looking to bring in a new back-up striker.

But it is not only new signings that are taking up Ten Hag’s time, with the Dutchman also keen to trim his squad over the coming days.

United have an enormous roster of players and, particularly in defence, are looking to shift players off the wage bill – even if it means accepting a big loss.

They have agreed a season-long loan deal with Marseille for Bailly which includes a mandatory buy clause if the French side qualify for the Champions League or he plays a certain number of games.

The Ivory Coast international’s wages will be covered in full by Marseille and they will be able to purchase him for a fee of around £6m – a massive loss on the £30m United paid six years ago.

According to The Telegraph, Bailly is not the only player Ten Hag is willing to let go in a cut-price deal, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Brandon Williams, Phil Jones and Axel Tuanzebe all set to leave in the coming days.

Wan-Bissaka has been heavily linked with a return to old club Crystal Palace and could cost just £10m – a £40m loss compared to what United paid just three years ago.

But even at that price point Palace are dragging their heels, with the Eagles preferring to re-sign the right-back on loan with the option to buy him outright at the end of the season.

Should Wan-Bissaka leave, there had been suggestions that Williams would take on the role