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Following a disastrous 2013-14 campaign, in which Manchester United sank to their lowest position in the Premier League, the club began afresh under a new and enigmatic manager. Much has been said about the need to rebuild – both the club and the spirits – with the club briefing the media that a war chest of £150 million would be made available for the summer transfers.
It’s fair to say that most long time supporters of the club were skeptical of the club’s ambitions in the transfer market and even doubted if the amount quoted was available, given United’s debt servicing. But as the long and gruelling transfer window slammed shut on September 1, the fans cannot complain about money not being spent.
United have spent a whooping £160 million in one transfer window buying some very exciting talent. But most sections of the media would chalk Manchester United up in the ‘losers’ list for the summer transfers.
Defence
The window began with departures of three pillars of Manchester United’s success; Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, and Patrice Evra – each having done a club a great service and leaving behind shoes that are too large to fill. Of the three, one feels that perhaps Vidic should have been retained, because despite the fitness issues, Vidic’s ability to organize the defence would have been vital for bedding-in of the young defenders in the team.
A decision that was taken by the much maligned and faulted David Moyes, does not help the fact that the club did not go out and buy a top class central defender in the transfer window. Luke Shaw, the new left back from Southampton, despite his premier league experience, is not the finished product. New centre back, Marcos Rojo arriving from Sporting Lisbon was a fall back option after the deal for Thomas Vermarleen failed. But the entire policy begs the question if either Rojo or Vermaelen were options good enough to lead the Manchester United backline.
When it became apparent that Mats Hummels would not leave Borussia Dortmund, a deal for Mehdi Benatia could have been struck before he was snapped up from Roma by Bayern Munich. United wasted plenty of time negotiating with Vermaelen and not having a better option or plan B to fill the hole in the defence. However, having complained so much of the policies, both Rojo and Shaw are very fine additions to the squad. They may not be the finished products, but they are talented enough to grow into the role desired of them.
Midfield
Mancester United’s midfield has been a growing problem for nearly a decade now. It is a result of bad transfers, utter neglect and failure of young players from fulfilling the expectations. Save for Michael Carrick there was not one midfield player worth note in the squad. Every summer United gets linked with world class central midfielder only for the saga to rage on whole of the summer transfer window and collaping with a whimper at its end.
This summer was not much different, except for the fact that United did buy a genuinely exciting central midfielder, Ander Herrera from Atheletic Bilbao. The player had been tracked by Sir Alex Ferguson. But David Moyes and Ed Woodward made a final day mucked up attempt at signing the player, through ‘imposters’, the previous summer.
This time however the deal was done without any drama. Herrera is a good player, who alongside Michael Carrick can do a decent job. But he is not a box-to-box midlfielder. United sorely miss the presence of a midfield general in the ilk of Roy Keane, and Arturo Vidal of Juventus fitted the bill. There was long period of summer courtship between the club and the player, but the club finally did not commit to the deal for the player. The story goes that United were willing to spend on the player but the concerns over his knee injury keeping them from finalzing their offer – lessons learned from Owen Hargreaves transfer.
United also bought for British record transfer fee, Angel Di Maria from Real Madrid. A player who is at the top of the game from a top club. While many say that Di Maria was not what United needed, I would like to point to the fact that given alternatives of Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young on the wings, any United fan would love Di Maria. He is a player fit to wear the number 7 shirt for the club. He can also play in the midfield. Buying a player who was the man of the match in the last Champions League final, for any position where you have mid-table choices, is definitely a very, very happy sight for all fans.
The other player bought in summer, who would play in the midfield is Daley Blind from Ajax. He starred for the Dutch in the World Cup and is definitely a good addition to the side. He is a midfielder in the style of Michael Carrick. He has good passing range and positional sense to play a defensive midfield role. But he would have to rise to the challenges of the physicality and pace of the Premier League. Some have called him the Dutch John O’Shea, for his ability to play at centre back, left back and midfield. He would be a useful cover for all three positions.
United have also seen the departures of Nani and Tom Cleverley (both on loan) along with the retirement of Ryan Giggs. marouane Fellaini’s injury keeps him at the cluband they failed to find a club for Anderson who continues to draw wages for growing fat. Overall, the midfield options have been bolstered, but not to the levels desired. The gap between the desire and reality have been huge due to the neglect of ages.
It would take more than one transfer window to plug the midfield holes. One does envisage Van Gaal attempting a transfer for Roma’s Kevin Strootman in January, given that he successfully recovers from his injury. The manager rates him highly having worked together at the national level. At 24, Strootman might make United’s midfield whole again. But that must wait until winter.
Attack
Manchester United’s most controversial signings however happened at more advanced positions. United completed a deadline day loan transfer for Monaco’s Radamel Falcao. A player reportedly courted by Real Madrid, Manchester City and Arsenal, but ending up at Manchester United. Since the club already boasted an attack headed by Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney with Juan Mata behind them, it begs the question exactly why they brought in another striker.
Falcao fills the number 9 jersey at the club which has remained vacant since Dimitar Berbatov’s departure. The loan fee of £6 million and a substantial wage packet for a season of Falcao, is undeniably a gamble, one akin to the Van Persie transfer. But if Falcao scores like his track record suggests, the fee and gamble may not matter.
But this also means that one of the four of Van Persie, Rooney, Falcao and Mata would be played out of position, or worse, on the bench. It is a luxuary and a gamble which may or may not work.
United meanwhile have shipped off Javier Hernandez on a loan deal to Real Madrid, Shinji Kagawa was sent back to Borussia Dortmund, while they have sold off homegrown striker Danny Welbeck to Arsenal. Kagawa hopefully would revive his career at Dortmund. Chicharito’s loan is understandable, with the player out of form and out of first team football at 26. But choosing Real Madrid, where might find first team football equally difficult to come by, is baffling. In losing Chicharito, there is an ounce of sadness, given his love for the club.
But the greatest loss and perhaps the most baffling transfer is that of Danny Welbeck to Arsenal; a Manchester boy, Welbeck, ending up at London chasing first team football. It seems pretty insane that United is selling a player at a position where Arsenal most wanted replacements. It might be Welbeck’s goals that might keep Manchester United out of the top four. Hidden in it is also the failure to groom a home grown player’s career. It however clears the path of young James Wilson, but more uncertain seems the role of Adnan Januzaj. After the Paul Pogba episode, it would be sad to see United losing another young homegrown player only for him to flourish elsewhere.
Youth Policy vs Spending
But the clamour of United moving away from its youth policy is short sighted. Players like Tyler Blackett, Reece James, Adnan Januzaj and James Wilson all remain a part of the team and may get a chance this season, with failures and deadwood out of the way. One must also note that despite all the fanfare about United’s academy, they have not produced a truly world class player since the Class of ‘92.
That may change soon. But United cannot keep waiting for it. Fourteen players have been shipped out of Old Trafford this summer, many of whom are the deadwood gathered from the Ferguson years, while five good players have come in. It seems that the rebuilding process have begun in earnest.
The media and rival fans would drum up spending ‘silly’ money, not buying to address the issues requiring attention etc. But that should not distract fans from realizing that the club have bought very high quality players unlike the past.
Manchester United’s Vice Chairman Edward Woodward, much maligned for how he handled transfers last summer, has delivered in this window, spending a lot cash as promised. But the club’s transfer policy lacked structure. Many transfers seemed like fall-back options or opportunistic. Transfer policy based on the need of the squad went missing yet again. But it was not a shame like last summer’s humiliation.
Woodward, an astute accountant, must learn the footballing side of the job and deliver as per the club’s needs. He did overpay for most transfers. But with Glazers pocketing most of United’s profit, I’m sure supporters would mind overpaying. With the Adidas and Chevrolet deals, the financial situation of the club looks improved. Supporters will be hoping for more spending on players in the transfer windows to come.
In June any United fan would have taken the list of acquisitions that have happened this summer. It was an early Christmas for United fans and hopefully it would bring joy, points and trophies.
