This summer has certainly seen the most intriguing transfer
window in the 6 years since Sir Alex Ferguson left to spend more time with his
prize winning horses.
The greatest manager of the premier league era has cast a
huge shadow over our club, and after several false dawns it looks like we’re on
the verge of a real attempt at root and branch reform of the squad.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is clearly looking to emulate the
approach of his mentor Sir Alex, and it’s a bold, brave move - although no one
can be sure if it’s going to actually work.
Going for a clear profile of young, hungry, emerging British
players who have bags of potential but are not the finished product, is a good
way to get around the lack of value in the market, with huge fees being slapped
on bang average who are the finished product.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka
The club has just announced the signing of Crystal Palace
defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka on a five year deal for £50 million.
Wan-Bissaka is
21 years old, English, and was named the club’s best player last season - he’s
set to get £80,000 a week at United. Coming in as a right back as a replacement
for Antonio Valencia, he should help to bring some solidity to our defence,
which has been suspect for years.
Now all we need is at least one centre back, and there has
been an ongoing negotiations for Harry Maguire, with United making a £40
million bid that doesn’t come up to Leicester’s £65 million valuation.
City are
also in the running, and with a better squad and Champion’s League football,
they are sadly in a much better position to get the player.
Daniel James
Daniel James was the first big signing by any club during
the summer, and he is another young player that can give hope to fans after a
dismal season. Also 21 years old, he has learned under the tutelage of Ryan
Giggs as a Welsh player, and comes to us from Swansea.
The winger is again, not
the finished product, but has lots of potential, and could grow into the type
of exciting player that goes past defenders, with the ball at his feet.
Attracting a fee of £15 million with add ons likely to take
it to £30 million, he’s one of the cheaper signings we’ll be making, but yet
again, he only has 33 first team appearances to his name.
Wan Bissaka will be
the most expensive signing history to have less than 50 first team appearances
to his name. These are players that could become great, but right now they are
all potential.
Player Sales
With 2 signings under our belt it looks like there are a
handful still to go, and two possible sales - Lukaku and Pogba. The latter have
been rumoured for some time, with Lukaku publically coming out and making
overtures to Inter, and disrespecting us in the process.
I think a lot of fans wouldn’t be sad to see him go, despite
the fact he’s a decent back up striker. As Gary Neville said last season, there
are several players who look like they don’t want to be at United, and their
attitude has been a massive drag on the performance of the team.
Pogba is the main culprit when it comes to this type of
negative attitude, a player who has incredibly talented, but divides opinion.
Some think he’s more interested in his haircut and instagram following than
playing, and certainly his form has been inconsistent. He’s not the player
United hoped they had spent £89 million on.
He has produced great performances for France, and in Italy,
but he needs more quality players around him to thrive in that free role, and
perhaps cashing in on both him and Lukaku is the best answer for the team and
the individuals involved.
We can hope to raise around £150 million or more from
their sales, and this should help to fund the 4 to 5 more players that we need
to make a real impact on the first team.
Next On The Agenda
Summer is always a time for paper talk and speculation about
transfers, and we’re right slap bang in the middle of the window, with a lot
still to be decided.
Bruno Fernandes is a player that does look to be a likely
arrival, with the major bookmakers offering incredibly narrow odds on the
Portuguese player to arrive from Sporting Lisbon.
With Ander Herrera no longer
at the club, and Pogba possibly on his way, midfield reinforcements are
definitely needed, and the 24 year old player definitely fits the bill for what
is needed.
Scoring 31 goals from midfield is no mean feat, and with Liverpool
apparently ruling themselves out, it looks more and more likely he’ll sign
soon.
