The ability to plan ahead has not always been Manchester United’s strong point in the transfer market.
Their habit, under Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho, of making the latest signatures on the day of the deadline, did not paint the image of a club whose plans were accurate and considered. Think about Radamel Falcao and the £ 6 million loan fee. Think of Alexis Sanchez, a deal for which United is still counting the cost.
Even the most recent acquisition of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the expiration day loan expiring in January for Odion Ighalo from Shanghai Shenhua, was full of panic, barely the result of weeks of meticulous planning – no matter what the Old Trafford officials. The alternative was Josh King.
However, there were examples at the other extreme of things: the 804 full-backs that United allegedly tracked down before Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s landing last summer. And the negotiations for Bruno Fernandes told you that United really wanted the Portuguese director, yet he was willing to pay a commission much lower than that mentioned by Sporting.
There is however a good compromise to be reached and there is no doubt that United must start planning several transfer windows in advance to bring together a team able to challenge for the Premier League title. Their rivals have done the same for several years.
This is particularly important given the nature of this summer window, which was opened a few days ago and has already seen the pressure exerted on United. Manchester City’s future move for Bournemouth central defender Nathan Ake and the success of Chelsea’s first deals for Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech – with Kai Havertz pending – prompted United to act quickly. Fast deals are good deals in this transfer climate.
Everyone is familiar with the idea that United wants to sign Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho and that the situation turned out to be similar to the Fernandes saga that took place in January. Dortmund has its price and it’s up to United to meet him. The shouts of “announcing Sancho” from fans on social media won’t disappear until they do.
But in the long run, it won’t just be a right-wing big top that benefits United. With Ighalo expected to return to China in January and doubts about Paul Pogba’s long-term future, as well as the fact that Nemanja Matic is thirty years old, it is clear that United must look to other areas such as the defensive midfielder and the center forward.
And despite the hype about numerous purchases and the pressure of business from other clubs, coronavirus has had a financial impact on even the biggest clubs like United. Ed Woodward has firmly stated that this summer will not be “business as usual” for United, so perhaps it is January 2021 and summer 2021 that will see further purchases for Solskjaer.
The Norwegian used the words “the trip” to describe his plans for United. He has constantly reviewed his team over the past 18 months, seeing the sale of unwanted players of equal importance for revenue. United is not a club that must generate funds by selling players, but their team must remain balanced.
Therefore, a structured approach to transfers seems reasonable. Two or three signatures this summer, another in January and two more next summer and suddenly Solskjaer would have had the exact team he wanted.
This summer is not the time to judge transfer transactions too harshly. If United can emerge with Sancho, they will be happy. But the pressure will be on performance and relocation reports in the next 12 months. It never stops.
.
