Manchester United have seemingly excluded two first-team players from being selected as options on the back of the shirt for the 2025/26 home kit.
Manchester United have just released their new home shirt for the 2025/26 season; the shirt “takes inspiration from our iconic stadium, Old Trafford”, says the official statement from the club.
“There is an abstract sleeve graphic in different shades of red to showcase the various elements of the pitch, stands and tunnel,” while the collar changes to a black and white V-neck design. “A final nod to the club’s rich heritage is a ‘Theatre of Dreams’ sign-off on the back of the collar.”
Jurgen Rank, the senior design director at Adidas, said: “The colour red is fundamental to the club’s DNA. There have been many different expressions of it over the years and, for this season, we wanted to do something a little different, using the sleeves as a canvas.”
“The abstract graphic stays true to the club’s DNA while providing an innovative look and feel to an otherwise classy and classic jersey.”
With the excitement over the new shirt, fans have been eager to get the new kit with their favourite player on the back. However, some fans may be left disappointed to find two first-teamers have been excluded from the options list.
Antony and Sancho unavailable on new shirt
Antony, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho have all been on loan for the second half of the 2024/25 season, with all three looking like they could leave the club permanently this summer.
Rashford and Sancho both had buy clauses in their loan contracts, but Aston Villa and Chelsea haven’t chosen to activate their options, meaning the three wingers will return to Old Trafford this summer.
Rúben Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system means that neither of the three loanees fit the tactics, as all prefer to play out wide, but two players appear to have already been excluded from next season’s plans.
When fans have looked to buy a new shirt for the 2025/26 season on United’s website, they will have found that a Rashford 10 shirt was available for purchase, but Antony 21 and Sancho 25 were not available to be bought.
Perhaps, Jason Wilcox and the transfer team have already decided on the futures of Antony and Sancho, but they may remain open to keeping Rashford because of his form under Erik ten Hag and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Garnacho set for similar fate to Antony and Sancho
While Rashford’s performances at the club in previous years could see him be given another chance under Amorim, Antony and Sancho look set to be moved on this summer and Alejandro Garnacho could be set to join them.
Garnacho openly criticised Amorim after the Europa League final, as he was annoyed for being dropped for Mason Mount. The Portuguese manager made it clear to the players that Garnacho won’t play for him again, with a brutal 12-word message.
With the signing of Matheus Cunha already confirmed and Bryan Mbeumo wanting to join the club, there may not be space for Garnacho at the club, as he will have to compete for minutes with the two new signings, Bruno Fernandes, Mount and Kobbie Mainoo.
If Rashford returns to the club, he is more likely to be competing for the No.9 spot, as he did at Aston Villa, especially with the poor form in front of goal from both Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee last season.
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