The transfer season is the time of silly money

Wayne Rooney looks on during training at Maracana on June 1, 2013 prior to England’s friendly against Brazil in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The United striker has requested for a transfer for the second time in three years. (Getty Images)

But there are bargains to be had this summer, with United likely to take a face-value loss on several players, including Nani, Anderson and Bébé. That’s £45 million worth of talent now likely to command less than half the sum no matter how foolish the owners that take the trio off United’s hands.

Rooney – now on to his second transfer request – might command more than £20 million, but it is a sum nowhere near what might have been for a player who once aspired to become the world’s best. Getting through 90 minutes without puffing is the new goal. Or at least it should be.

Far cheaper is CSKA Moscow’s Japanese playmaker Keisuke Honda who is available on a free transfer next winter, but unlikely to tax the budget of even the smallest Premier League outfit – not with next season’s bottom team taking home more than £60 million in revenue from TV rights.

Honda holds rank over Kagawa in the national team, often pushing the United man out to the left, although neither impressed in Japan’s 3-0 loss to Brazil in Saturday’s Confederations Cup opener.

Elsewhere free agents Andrei Arshavin, Yossi Benayoun, Chris Brunt, Florent Malouda, Carlton Cole, Mark Schwarzer, David Bentley and even Roque Santa Cruz will attract some attention, although surely not at Old Trafford.

While any deal for Ronaldo is still a long-shot, despite the speculation-fuelled short odds offered by some bookmakers in recent weeks, United will spend something this summer. Moyes’ apparent identification of the Reds’ major weak spot – central midfield – is a blessing at least. He could hardly fail to spot the problem given how Everton have dominated the area in recent matches against United.

The solution to that particular problem seems unlikely to be either or both of the Barça pair Cesc Fabregas and the aforementioned Alacantara. Many Reds hope that it is not Fellaini either given Everton’s propensity to play football of the agricultural kind last season the Belgian in the side.

All of which leads to the conclusion that despite press reports United is still unlikely to spend silly money come silly season. Whatever the club’s new-found financial stability, despite £350 million of debt still loaded onto the books, this is still a business owned and run by the Glazer family.

Now that’s silly.