adminLONDON. — Manchester United’s failure to land a marquee signing for manager David Moyes has not gone down well with the club’s owners. Sunday Mirror Sport understands that new vice-chairman Ed Woodward was expected to deliver at least one stellar name this summer — with Cristiano Ronaldo and Cesc Fabregas at the top of his hit-list.
Now the Florida-based Glazier family want an explanation as to why Woodward couldn’t land any of the club’s top targets — and also want answers about why the club’s pursuit of players descended into farce.
United’s only significant signing was £27.5million Marouane Fellaini.
But the fact the Belgian arrived from Everton just minutes before the deadline, for a fee that was £4m above a buy-out clause that expired at the end of July, has also not been well received by United’s prudent owners.
It has left Woodward facing a fight to repair his reputation, just a few months after he was promoted to become the club’s deal-maker following the departure of David Gill from Old Trafford.
He was tasked with bringing in at least one world-class player to help Moyes with the challenge of replacing Sir Alex Ferguson as manager.
And even boasted during United’s pre-season tour that there were limitless funds available.
Discussions about bringing Ronaldo back to Old Trafford took place at the highest level last season.
And the belief that the Portuguese star could be prised from Real Madrid was strengthened by his contract stand-off at the Bernabeu and the Spanish club’s world-record chase for Gareth Bale.
When those plans were shelved when it became clear Madrid would not sell, United turned their sights on Fabregas — only to have three bids for the ex-Arsenal midfielder rejected by Barcelona.
They will continue to monitor his situation at the Nou Camp with a view to a January approach.
Fellaini was on Moyes’ wish-list when he arrived, but there were names ahead of the Belgian. –The Mirror.
Online Reporter