Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has no intention of selling Ashley Young despite the Englishman entering the final year of his contract.
The 32-year-old has been largely a bit-part player at Old Trafford, but Mourinho still seeks to utilise his versatility with the club competing on all four fronts next season. Young is currently recovering from a hamstring problem which he suffered during the first leg of United’s Europe League semi-final tie against Celta Vigo in May.
The Red Devils eventually beat the Spanish outfit across two legs by a 2-1 scoreline after which they clinched their title with a 2-0 victory over Ajax in the final in Stockholm. According to The Sun, Young remains a key part of Jose Mourinho’s plans for next season, although he will not be available for the first few months due to injury. The Englishman travelled alongside his teammates on their pre-season tour of the United States, and Mourinho has insisted that there should be a close bond between his players regardless of their fitness ahead of the new season.
Young has another 12 months left on his existing deal with the option of a year’s extension, and Mourinho is prepared to utilise his services for the upcoming campaign rather than discuss offers with his suitors.
Stoke City are one of the prime candidates to pursue Young this summer, but they are set to be disappointed with Mourinho reluctant to lose any more first-team players following the exits of Morgan Schneiderlin, Memphis Depay, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Wayne Rooney this year.
Mourinho has previously suggested that he would not have sold as many player as Louis van Gaal did during his time at Old Trafford, and he is prepared to stick with some of the old guard ahead of what could be an exciting season for the Red Devils. United have added the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Victor Lindelof to their first-team squad, and there could be further additions before the start of the new campaign.