As rival clubs bolster their squads towards the beginning of another season, Manchester United remain largely inactive in the transfer window
Few minutes after Manchester United had, once again, lost a premier league game embarrassingly, this time, a 1 Nil loss at Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on the final day of the season, the club tweeted, much to the chagrin of the fans
“ Our season ends with a 1 Nil loss at Crystal Palace’.
For a club that has prided itself as the most successful in English football, this was largely unacceptable.
The 2021-2022 season which had started on a bright note with a thumping win against Leeds United, had ended with the Red Devils finishing 6th with 58 points.
That was some 35 points behind eventual winners, Manchester city.
Still smarting from embarrassing losses to teams like Liverpool, Brighton and Man City last season, many had thought the transfer window would be a fresh air for the injection of new talents, coupled with the eviction of old, rusty ones.
This statement of intent was highlighted by the club’s swift appointment of Erik Ten Hag, a young, brilliant manager who had just won the Dutch Eredivise with Ajax long before the season was over.
Although the club has been largely proactive with the announcement and transfer of its ‘unwanted players’, nothing substantial has been achieved in terms of incomings.
Paul Pogba, a divisive figure amongst Manchester United fans, has had his imminent departure announced by the club.
The player is speculatively on his way back to Juventus on a free transfer, the same way he joined them over four years ago.
Manchester United have also announced departure of Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard, just as AS Roma have acquired the services of Nemaja Matic.
While majority of these departures had been expected as a shake-up due to the announcement of a new manager, nothing has been said to come in.
For example, Manchester United’s attacking options have undergone scrutiny over the last few seasons.
Except for 37 year old Cristiano Ronaldo who scored an appreciable 24 goals and made 3 assists in all competitions last season, a combination of Edinson Cavani, Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Elanga all produced a total of 17 goals in all competitions.
This was less than the total goals scored by Liverpool striker, Diogo Jota (21) in all competitions despite starting from the bench in most games towards the end of the season.
:, qThe perception amongst Manchester United fans, and indeed several sport pundits is that club needs to inject fresh legs to their attack.
Manchester United have indeed been linked to quite some number of exciting attacking talents in Europe.
A major one was Benfica hotshot, Darwin Nunez, who scored 34 goals in 36 games last season.
Manchester United had courted Benfica over their star player for quite some time. But while they footdragged, their arch rivals, Liverpool walked into the deal, agreed terms and signed Darwin on a club-record breaking transfer!
It was later revealed that although Manchester United approached Darwin Nunez with a largely ‘better’ offer than that of Liverpool, Nunez was excited about the prospect of playing under Jurgen Klopp who he considers ‘the best manager in the world’, and is increasingly desirous of continuing to play in the Champions league. Manchester United lost out of Champions league qualification last season.
While the transfer of Darwin Nunez was considered a mega one involving a rival big club, many Manchester United fans can’t still wrap their heads around how the club has, presumably, lost out to Tottenham Hotspur in the protracted chase of 25 year old Yves Bissoma of Brighton.
News reports over the week has revealed that Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a 25 million pounds deal for the Brighton star.
A high-pressing, relentlessly pushing defensive midfield maestro, Yves Bissoma is known for his agility, pace , fluidity and clinical passing, something that has been largely missing in the midfield talents of Bruno Fernandes, Pogba, Fred and Matic all through last season.
With the low price tag, many had expected Manchester United to go all the way and recruit this young talent.
However, it appears that once again, that bid has hit the wall, giving way for another rival to poach a desired talent.
On the search for a well groomed midfield talent, Manchester United remain glued to expensive talents such as Declan Rice, who West Ham is not willing to let go for anything less than 150 million Euros.
According to Mark Noble, West Ham legend, Rice is even ready to commit to a new deal at West Ham. If that happens, Manchester United would have lost out on another prized midfield prospect.
Although many would say that the transfer window is still young, as it does not close until August 31, the concern of majority of fans has been the completed deals of rival clubs ahead of next season.
Liverpool have completed the signing of Fulham star, Fabio Carvalho.
Carvalho was the premiership player of the year last season, and was signed for a tiny sum of 8million pounds.
Liverpool have also added Darwin Nunez on a 75 Million Euros Deal and look well poised to sign Aberdeen Right Back, Calvin Ramsey.
For a club whose attacking options notched a combined over 100 goals last season, that is a huge declaration of intent.
The Blue side of Manchester has not been left out of the summer transfer bazaar.
The club has bought two attacking talents, Erlin Haaland and Julian Alvarez and has remained committed to buying a left back to bolster its options. Arsenal, Tottenham have all made one or two signings already in the summer.
With the Manchester United’s transfer team ostensibly dogged by the team’s non-qualification for champions league next season, many believe a change in recruitment strategy to incorporate adding less known but well proven talents, just as Jurgen Klopp did with the addition of Mohammed Salah and Sadio Mane is inevitable to the success of the team next season.
In either way, Manchester United know that for Erik Ten Hag to lead the desired ‘revolution’ and transformation of the team both on and off the pitch, several new legs are needed in all departments.
