Manchester United have a host of players out on loan this season, with very different futures.
Some are away temporarily with their next step already agreed while others are getting experience in the hope they can become first-team stars at Old Trafford.
Here, The Athletic takes a look at how each of United’s players plying their trade elsewhere are faring this season and where their futures may lie beyond this campaign…
Andre Onana (Trabzonspor)
The 29-year-old goalkeeper has just one clean sheet in his last 14 Super Lig games and has been rather inconsistent out on loan at Turkish club Trabzonspor, but they are understood to be very happy with the Cameroon international who has played 21 games since arriving in September. Trabzonspor want to keep him beyond his season-long loan but feel the fee United would command will be prohibitive.
The club’s Vice President, Zeyyat Kafkas, told Turkish site Gunebakis last week: “The price offered by Manchester United for Andre Onana’s purchase was in the €45-50million range. Onana’s intention is to continue playing for a club in Europe if not in England. His family also thinks that way. However, if the circumstances change, the situation will change.”
Trabzonspor are comfortably third in the table and Onana’s focus, for now, is on helping the club qualify for Europe.
Radek Vitek (Bristol City)
Signed last summer as cover for injured No 1 Max O’Leary, Vitek came in and refused to give the shirt back, producing a string of fine performances. O’Leary has now ended 20 years at the club by joining West Bromwich Albion. Barring an injury around the turn of the year, it has been an outstanding season for the goalkeeper they’ve nicknamed ‘The Wall’.
The 21-year-old went viral with a stunning save against Ipswich Town back in January and has kept nine clean sheets so far this season. But Bristol City have won just three of their last 12 games in the Championship and have fallen off the pace in the play-off chase. Nevertheless, Vitek could be back up or competition for Senne Lammens next season.
Radek Vitek ousted established Bristol City No 1 Max O’Leary (Ed Sykes/Getty Images)
Harry Amass (Norwich City)
The defender had an outstanding first half of the season out on loan at Sheffield Wednesday. Despite the Yorkshire club’s struggles at the bottom of the Championship, Amass impressed in a left wing-back role but it was decided a change in January was needed given the situation and uncertainty at Hillsborough.
With interest from numerous clubs, it was decided a switch to Norwich City would suit best. Amass made just one appearance — in a 2-1 win over Championship leaders Coventry City — before the 18-year-old suffered a serious hamstring injury in training. He is battling to play again this season and will return to United for the new head coach to assess before a decision is made on his future.
Toby Collyer (Hull City)
It has been a difficult season for the 22-year-old midfielder. The first half of the campaign was spent on loan at West Bromwich Albion but fitness issues and form meant he managed just 12 appearances in the Championship before a calf issue meant he returned to United early. A decision was made to send the midfielder back out on loan in January, with Hull City landing the former Brighton & Hove Albion academy player until the end of the season.
However he once again suffered an injury — this time to his hamstring — which has limited his chances of regular football. Collyer is now back fully fit and eager to get some more minutes under his belt before returning to United in the summer where he will hope to impress.
Sekou Kone (FC Lausanne-Sport)
The midfielder, 20, suffered a serious head injury during a U21s game for United against Tamworth in the National Cup back in August which saw him ruled out until November. He went out to Switzerland to train with the INEOS-owned FC Lausanne-Sport in January and it was decided he would spend the rest of the season on loan there.
However, there was immediate disappointment for the Malian when he was not included in their Europa Conference League squad and therefore missed their defeat by Czech side Sigma Olomouc. Kone has just started one Super League game and made five appearances in total. It has not yet been the experience he will have wanted but he has impressed in his brief time on the pitch.
Dan Gore (Rotherham United)
Gore is having a good season in League One, starting 24 games for Rotherham, which has been a huge boost after injury blighted a six-month loan spell at the same club last season. The midfielder is well-liked at Rotherham but, as he is set to be 22 in September and his contract at United expires in May, a decision on his long-term future is expected soon.
Dan Gore (right) has managed more regular football in his second spell at Rotherham (Pete Norton/Getty Images)
Ethan Williams (Falkirk)
A loan spell in Scotland started positively for the 20-year-old midfielder, who provided two assists on his second appearance, then scored a goal and created another against Kilmarnock in November. However, he has fallen out of favour with the Scottish Premiership side since, and has not started a league game so far this year.
Jacob Devaney (St Mirren)
Devaney was a standout performer in the first half of the season for United’s U21s before a chance arose for the Republic of Ireland U21 international to play senior football. The 18-year-old midfielder started strongly with five starts in a row at defensive midfield but has since dropped down to the bench for the Scottish Premiership side.
Jadon Sancho (Aston Villa)
The 25-year-old winger has made 18 Premier League appearances but only seven starts, which illustrates his standing within Unai Emery’s squad. He has started six out of eight Europa League games and has contributed one goal and one assist in all competitions. The England international has shown flashes of his best but is still lacking consistency. His contract at United expires this summer, although the club hold the option to extend for a further 12 months. He is expected to depart.
Rasmus Hojlund (Napoli)
The Denmark striker, 23, has looked more comfortable playing in Serie A with nine goals from 24 appearances. That matches his tally from 2022-23 for Atalanta before he moved to United. That season he notched 16 in all competitions, which he matched in his debut campaign at Old Trafford following his £72million move. He has 13 in all competitions this season, which has been a disappointing one for the reigning Serie A champions. They exited the Champions League at the group stage and are 11 points behind league leaders Inter with 10 games to go.
Hojlund has scored three goals so far in 2026 and with 13 in all competitions will need to find that scoring touch again to beat his previous best season tally of 16. Napoli have a £38m obligation to buy Hojlund should they qualify for the Champions League. They’re currently third in the table, five points clear of fifth-placed Roma.
Marcus Rashford (Barcelona)
The England forward is enjoying life in Spain even if not as a regular starter, but he is still making an impact with the La Liga giants. He has 10 goals and 10 assists in 38 appearances for Barcelona (23 starts). He may have just three goals and two assists since the turn of the year but Hansi Flick’s side are chasing La Liga and Champions League glory with Rashford playing a part in both.
Barcelona have a £26m option to make the 28-year-old forward’s loan permanent in the summer. They want to keep him and Rashford wants to stay. There has been no change in United’s stance having agreed to the option to sell and they’re not willing to renegotiate the fee at this stage.
Rashford has 20 goal contributions for Barcelona this season (Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
Enzo Kana-Biyik (FC Lausanne-Sport)
Signed last summer from Le Havre and sent out to the INEOS-owned club to get first-team experience, he has made 23 appearances across the Swiss Super League, Cup and UEFA Europa Conference League. Just one goal and one assist for the 19-year-old forward so far but there is an acceptance that he has plenty of developing to do.
Ethan Wheatley (Bradford City)
The 20-year-old striker spent the first half of the season on loan at League One Northampton Town where he scored three goals in 25 appearances before United activated a break clause in the loan deal as they felt he would be better served with at a team higher up the division. Wheatley went back out on loan to promotion-chasing Bradford City. He is yet to score but has started four games now — including the last three — after building his fitness back up following an injury.
Ethan Ennis (Fleetwood Town)
The 21-year-old forward has six goals and five assists across 37 appearances for League Two Fleetwood Town in a strong loan spell. He scored a stunning goal against Luton Town in the FA Cup back in December and won Fleetwood’s player of the month in January, predominantly playing out wide. His contract at United expires this summer and he will attract interest.
James Scanlon (Swindon Town)
Started well with a fine goal on his second appearance and full debut after a January move to League Two but the 19-year-old Gibraltar winger has fallen out of favour with Ian Holloway’s side. Not helped by competition in the attacking positions and Swindon’s stuttering form. Contract expires this summer.
Gabriele Biancheri (Rotherham United)
Caught the eye with five goals and three assists for the U21s in the first half of the campaign, the 19-year-old striker headed to the League One side in January. He has faced a real battle for time on the pitch so far with just 53 minutes across five appearances with a side fighting to stay up.