We are out of Europe and the Carabao Cup, so only have the PL and FA Cup to service, and by the end of the January window it may just be the PL, who knows...
Priority number #1 should be trimming down the squad considerably, to cut the deadwood, free up wages and provide a pathway for youth players into the first team.
In our history a strong academy typically results in a strong first team. Let's give the kids opportunity.
By only playing one match per week, we can look to find some consistency on the pitch with our first choice players spending more time in training together and lining up with similar XIs game on game, instead of heavy rotations, which will build chemistry.
Team for the remainder of 23/24 season:
SENIOR / BENCH / YOUTH
GK: Onana - Bayindir/Heaton - Vitek
RB: AWB - Dalot - Nolan
RCB: Maguire - Evans - Kambwala
LCB: Martinez - Shaw - Bennett
LB: Reguilon - Malacia - ???
DM: Amrabat - Mainoo - Oyedele
CM: Mount - Hannibal - Gore
AM: Fernandes - Shoretire - Hansen
RW: Antony - Amad - Forson
LW: Garnacho - Pellistri - Mejia
ST: Hojlund - Rashford - Hugill
For Sale/Out of Squad:
D: Varane, Lindelof
M: Van de Beek, McTominay, Casemiro, Eriksen
F: Martial, Sancho
The reality is we probably won't be able to shift out 8 players in January, but the more we can clear out, the better.
The new CEO has a reputation for streamlining the squad, and Ratcliffe has noted he wants to focus on the academy, which is what we need tbh.
Trim the fat, get the core playing together for 6 months and bolster that in the summer.