Man United fans here in the Transfer Tavern are hoping their team doesn’t end up with an Arsenal-type of situation come the end of the season, with plenty of contracts coming to an end.

Juan Mata, Ander Herrera, Daley Blind, Marouane Fellaini, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Michael Carrick are all out of contract at the end of the season, along with the rejuvenated Ashley Young.

Indeed, the stand-in-skipper reportedly wants to get contract negotiations going before time runs out, a story that’s divided opinion amongst our Red Devils.

The 32-year-old English winger, now plying his trade as a full-back of course, is entering his seventh year with the Red Devils after making his move from Aston Villa back in 2011.

Many of our punters love what Young brings to the table when he plays but our Landlord disagrees. With the ageing converted full back’s chances being few and far between in recent years, he thinks it’s time to move on.

Here’s three reasons why our Landlord might be right.

Lack of Opportunities

Even though he’s worked his way back into Mourinho’s thinking in recent games, you have to think it’s only a matter of time before the stopgap player can still be of real value.

Another transfer window could see a backup right back drafted in and the left back position sorted out, with Luke Shaw and Marcos Rojo coming back into the fold. At that point, it’s hard to see where Young fits in, unless a barrage of injuries happens again.

Utility Players don’t last at United

Phil Neville, Darren Fletcher and John O’Shea all had the ability to play many positions along the two back lines of the team. Still, all three (plus many more) have gone on to joining mid-table clubs in search of more regular first-team football.

Ashley Young is now regarded as one of those players, not by choice but because of the quality Man United have on the flanks, he’s had to adapt his role.

With Mourinho preferring two specialists in each position, Young may be seeing the Old Trafford exit door come summer.

Personal Ambition

At the age of 32 and not a first-team regular in a young and exciting squad, Young may want to move on in order to see his career out with first-team action.

Seeing as he’s been a bit part player for several seasons, he must get be getting frustrated at constantly warming the bench.

With his list of injuries in the past years adding to his lack of ability to gain any type of momentum, he’d be better suited to a club where he’s first choice, rather than scrapping for places.