leeroy
They are nowhere near crisis mode territory, contrary to what some of their online followers may suggest. United are one of the stablest Premier League clubs gearing up for the new season.
As underwhelming as United’s window has been (Chelsea benchwarmer, injured back-up goalkeeper, release-clause recruit), they have strengthened their squad and filled the void in midfield.
But United have not strengthened their starting side. The quirk of this summer is only one of their six targets, maybe two at most, would be considered a certain starter and a defensive midfielder is yet to arrive. When push comes to shove, United tend to blink. They have signed players on the last six transfer deadline days.
In the last two summers, the most important recruit was the last through the door. Senne Lammens cut the mustard. Manuel Ugarte did not.
Here is what United have to do in their final four weeks:
Sign a defensive midfielder
United got by without bolstering their midfield last year and were always bound to. They had no European football, so fewer matches meant fewer injuries. There were almost always four options to occupy the two roles in central midfield.
They cannot get away with that when they are guaranteed to play at least ten more games in 2026-27. Their only defensive midfielder is out injured until 2027 and United wanted to sell Ugarte before he was carried off in Mexico.
United have enquired about Aurelien Tchouameni again and that could still be a goer amid Real Madrid’s interest in Rodri. Carlos Baleba first beeped on United’s radar last year and would walk from Brighton to Manchester.
Manu Kone would feel too much of a knee-jerk move after some impressive World Cup games. United have recent form for that (Wout Weghorst and Sofyan Amrabat arrived on the strength of their 2022 World Cup performances) but that was on Dutchaholic Erik Ten Hag’s watch and pre-Ineos.
Sign a forward
At the risk of sounding like a Glazer mouthpiece, this is a position United could get away with not bolstering. Number nine Benjamin Sesko is recovering from a shin injury but Carrick won eight, drew three and lost none with strikerless sides.
Bryan Mbeumo has scored all five of his goals under Carrick from the centre forward role and was on target twice in the friendly win over Atletico Madrid on Saturday.
Mateus Cunha, Bruno Fernandes and Amad have played up top. Mason Mount could even fill in there. There is also Marcus Rashford to potentially consider. That is all without mentioning Joshua Zirkzee, dropped against Atletico in a move that seemed intended to consign him to United’s past.
It is baffling why United did not arrange a homecoming for Danny Welbeck, a shrewd bit of business by Chelsea, despite theirs and Brighton’s refusal to disclose the fee.
United sources have downplayed their chances of bringing in a striker and a midfielder. It is wise not to make promises in a window but they would not be able to dress it up if neither came in.
Sign a left back
After more deliberating than the New York client at the start of Planes, Trains and Automobiles, United have settled on a full back over a winger to strengthen their left-hand side.
Lewis Hall is their ideal target but United have been slow to react and Newcastle’s sales are about to break the £200m barrier with Bruno Guimaraes.
Then there is Newcastle’s aversion to selling to United. Andy Cole was the last player to leave the Tyne for Trafford and Geordies were so outraged that Kevin Keegan addressed them on the St James’ Park steps.
Like up front, United have plenty of specialist and auxiliary options at left back: Luke Shaw, Harry Amass, Patrick Dorgu, Diego Leon, Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui.
But Dorgu is viewed as a winger, Amass can leave for an acceptable fee and Leon, a pointless purchase, has spent most of his United career with the under 21s.
Find a home for Zirkzee
Whether United bring in a support striker in or not, it would be regressive just to keep Zirkzee.
The Dutchman is popular with teammates but so is Jordan Henderson on England duty. An injured cheerleader still did not merit a World Cup squad place.
United spent £108.5m on two strikers in successive summers and have spent successive summers since attempting to flog both of them. Rasmus Hojlund is gone but Zirkzee is a lingering reminder of how misguided Ineos were in their first summer in 2024.
Italian clubs have expressed interest in Zirkzee since his first window with United, sensing he was ill-suited to the Premier League. They weren’t wrong. Zirkzee has started one competitive game this calendar year and it was the only time United failed to score. His demotion against Atletico was the only significant event in an insignificant game.
Find a home for Rashford
However much the United communications department prepare Carrick for Rashford questions, there is no foolproof response to reintegrating the squad’s highest earner who has not played for the club in close to two years, has publicly antagonised them and publicly declared his wish to leave permanently.
Rashford and United should have been a happy and lifelong marriage but now it is one of inconvenience.
Rashford is out of options. His two former clubs have signed wingers he shared a dressing room with (Anthony Gordon and Alejandro Garnacho), he does not want to wind down in Saudi Arabia or Turkey and no storied European club could afford a £20m fee and his £325,000 weekly wage.
Yet it is in the interests of all parties that the window ends in a divorce. Or a separation, at the very least – Sun.
Online Reporter