What happened to Man Utd's three 'mood killers' with Erik ten Hag offloading two of them
Manchester United have had countless big names come and go in the transfer market, but three in particular were deemed to be a negative influence in the dressing room not too long ago
Manchester United have seen a host of big players come and go in recent times.
But there's three players the club were reportedly eager to get rid of due to having a "bad influence" on the dressing room. Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial were mainstays in the United side for several years, while Edinson Cavani also excited fans when he arrived from Paris Saint-Germain, yet all three were shown the exit door at United after turmoil behind the scenes.
It was previously reported how former interim manager Ralf Rangnick was looking to get shut of the trio due to them possessing a disruptive influence. They were also allegedly 'killing the mood' in the United camp.
So, what became of the players that Ragnick and his successor Erik ten Hag seemed eager to move on. Mirror Football takes a look.
Edinson Cavani
Cavani became a hit with the United faithful after he netted 17 times in his debut season at Old Trafford. However, a dismal second season saw the player not only give his number 7 shirt up to Cristiano Ronaldo but only play 15 games due to injury.
Things took a turn for the worse when on several occasions, it was deemed that Cavani effectively ruled himself out of games through injury, leaving United legend Paul Scholes to even brand him a “disgrace”. Rangnick grew impatient with the player and, along with Pogba and Martial, accused the 37-year-old of destabilising the atmosphere at United, according to German outlet Bild.
In May 2022, Rangnick bid goodbye to Cavani in a United shirt, with the player then signing for Valencia. The Uruguayan star lasted a season back in Spain before he joined Boca Juniors in Argentina.
Upon leaving, Cavani thanked United supporters but claimed that he "wanted to contribute more this season", referring to his second underwhelming campaign for the Red Devils.
Paul Pogba
Pogba, who had two stints at United, left to rejoin Juventus in the summer of 2022 after a difficult spell back at Old Trafford.
Jose Mourinho re-signed Pogba for United in a deal worth nearly £90m, with the star's mega-money move preceding what was meant to be a new fruitful period for the club post-Sir Alex Ferguson. What followed, however, was six years of managerial fallouts, disputes with team-mates and moments of tension with United fans.
Nevertheless, his fractured time at the club was punctuated with fleeting moments of brilliance. Pogba then returned to Juventus on a four-year deal after Ten Hag deemed him surplus to requirements. However, his time in Italy was beset with injury.
His career then took a turn for the worse as he was banned from football for four years. The midfielder tested positive for DHEA, a banned substance that boosts endogenous testosterone. Pogba and his camp have always maintained innocence and that the taking of any prohibited substance was never intentional.
In a statement he said: “I have today been informed of the Tribunale Nazionale Antidoping's decision and believe that the verdict is incorrect.
"I am sad, shocked and heartbroken that everything I have built in my professional playing career has been taken away from me. When I am free of legal restrictions the full story will become clear, but I have never knowingly or deliberately taken any supplements that violate anti-doping regulations."
Anthony Martial
Martial joined United from Monaco in 2015 and endeared himself to the United crowd when he scored a sensational goal on his debut against Liverpool in a thrilling 3-1 victory. The Frenchman spent several years at United where he scored 90 goals in over 317 appearances.
He remained a key player for his first few seasons at United, with his 23 goals in the 2019/20 campaign a career-best. However, dips in form and injuries plagued his final few years at Old Trafford.
His time at United was largely drama free - until he clashed with Rangnick. After being accused by the German of refusing to play, Martial hit back on Instagram.
"I will never refuse to play a match for Man United," he said. "I've been here for seven years and I never disrespected and never will disrespect the club and the fans."
The player joined Spanish side Sevilla on-loan for the second-half of the 2021/22 campaign, and upon his return, he never became a permanent figure in the side under Ten Hag.
He is now a free agent as he weighs up his next move, with Sky Sports reporting that a return to his homeland appears to be the most likely destination. Ligue 1 rivals Lyon and Marseille, who snapped up Mason Greenwood just a few weeks ago, are both interested in landing in the 28-year-old.
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