Rangnick: It’s in everyone’s interest for wantaway Man Utd players to perform

Ralf Rangnick has told any players looking to leave Manchester United it is in their interests to perform well for the remainder the season.

And the German, who has been appointed as interim manager until the end of the campaign, admits he would be happy if the knock-on effect of that is finishing fourth in the Premier League.

Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Edinson Cavani and Juan Mata are all in the final months of their contracts and could move on in the summer.

Rangnick, who will continue as a consultant at Old Trafford when his coaching stint ends, is not concerning himself with the long-term future yet but points out those players have a lot to play for.

He said: “In the end, it is a question of what do the players want and what the club sees, but these are not interesting topics and issues for us right now.

“Right now it is to get the best out of the season in the interests of the club, the fans, the current coaching staff and these players.

“Even if they want to leave at the end of the season, the chances to get a new offer from any club – including Manchester United – are much higher and bigger if they do well and play well and we are being successful.”

For Rangnick, success would be securing Champions League football for another season. United’s hopes of winning the Premier League have long since faded while they were eliminated from the FA Cup by Middlesbrough last week.

They are still involved in the Champions League this term but Rangnick is not setting bold ambitions beyond qualifying for it again.

“To be honest, everybody inside the club, including myself, would be happy if we would finish fourth at the end of the season,” Rangnick said.

“This is my full focus with my coaching staff – getting the best out of