Manchester United's summer transformation shows no signs of slowing down in the final four days of the transfer deadline.
Scott McTominay and Hannibal Mejbri are close to moves to Napoli and Burnley respectively, while long-time target Manuel Ugarte is also close to a move from Paris Saint-Germain, and United could be intriguing late in the window given Juventus and Chelsea's interest in Jadon Sancho.
By 11pm BST (6pm ET) on Friday, United could have brought in as many as five new players and said goodbye to at least 10 others, all in what the club hopes is an effort to significantly strengthen manager Erik ten Hag's squad and address problem positions.
Newly signed players
player | position | Signer: | Initial cost |
---|---|---|---|
CB |
reel |
GBP 52 million |
|
CF |
Bologna |
GBP 36.5 million |
|
CB |
Bayern Munich |
GBP 38.5 million |
|
R.B. |
Bayern Munich |
GBP 12.8 million |
|
DM |
Paris Saint-Germain |
Potential £42.3 million |
United's first summer transfer window under new co-owner Ineos's control of the club's football operations has been in stark contrast to previous seasons, with the club being quick to offload players deemed unnecessary for the first-team squad, increasingly on permanent deals rather than loans.
Donny van de Beek and Facundo Pellistri are two United players who have made more league appearances for their loanees than for their parent clubs. Both are now on loan to other teams on deals that offer an initial fee that can be increased with viable add-on options. Additionally, the club has sold Willy Kambwala and is looking to sell Hannibal as well. Both young players were once touted as potential first-team prospects but are now best placed to develop their talents elsewhere.
Both players' book values ​​will be further boosted by their academy graduate status and their sale (along with McTominay's imminent departure) will result in a 'net gain' in the club's accounts, aiding United's efforts to comply with Premier League and UEFA financial rules.
The sales of academy players such as Kambwala, Hannibal, Will Fish and Maxi Oyedele include the initial amount plus options to acquire. United have also included buy-back options and sell-on fees in the case of several players. If a player such as Kambwala develops enough for the club to bring him back straight away, or if he shows value to other teams higher up the pyramid, United can get additional money when they move on again.
Expenses
player | position | New Clubs | Proposed initial price: |
---|---|---|---|
lb |
Contract Expiration |
||
CF |
Contract Expiration |
||
CB |
Como |
Contract Expiration |
|
CF |
Monza |
Contract Expiration |
|
morning |
Girona |
£423,000 |
|
lb |
Benfica |
GBP 5.1 million |
|
RW |
Panathinaikos |
GBP 5.1 million |
|
CB |
Villarreal |
GBP 9.6 million |
|
CF |
Marseille |
GBP 25.2 million |
|
CM |
Legia Warsaw |
Depends on appearance |
|
CB |
Cardiff |
GBP 1 million |
|
R.B. |
West Ham |
GBP 15 million |
|
CM |
Burnley |
GBP 5.4 million |
|
morning |
Naples |
GBP 25.4 million |
It may not be the romantic image traditionally conjured up when talking about United's track record of developing and developing young players, yet in the summer of 2024 INEOS demonstrated a willingness to make tough decisions, from redundancies to cutting flexible working arrangements for office staff, regardless of the PR that comes with it.
McTominay, another Academy product, divided fans during his seven seasons with the first team but had the best year of his career in 2023-24, thriving in an attacking midfield role and scoring 10 goals in 43 appearances. The Scotland international was a favourite with Ten Hag and could easily be kept with an eye on signing a new contract in the future.
Instead, the club is considering parting ways with the 27-year-old, who is currently on the highest transfer market. An agreement in principle with Italy's Serie A side Napoli for around 30 million euros (£25.3 million, $33.5 million) would be a good deal for a hard-working, dedicated player who is not in the manager's best 11. Ugarte, 23, should step up and help strengthen United's porous central midfield.
Interestingly, United's summer of transformation fits into a general pattern of behaviour at clubs managed by Ten Hag.
Nine players left the Go Ahead Eagles during his time at the club in the summer of 2012. Seven were transferred from FC Utrecht in his first summer as manager in 2015, with a further six leaving permanently a year later. After taking over at Ajax in December 2017, four more were allowed to leave permanently in the summer of 2018, with further departures following 12 months later.
Although it has taken United longer than initially expected to carry out the summer selling activity that typically accompanies the hiring of a Dutch player, INEOS have been much more successful in this area than under the previous Glazer-dominated ownership regime, where it was difficult to move players at the right time and for the right money.
2024 is best thought of as Year Zero of the INEOS project, a year that will see widespread change on a tactical (how United plan to win matches every week), strategic (how the club transforms from a Europa League team into a title contender), logistical (how players arrive and depart) and financial level, and the early signs are promising.
“We all know last season we fell short of the standards required in the Premier League and Champions League but our brilliant FA Cup victory showed what the players and staff are capable of when they all work together and fulfil their potential,” United's new sporting director Dan Ashworth wrote on the team's official website in late July.
Ashworth takes up new role at club, new technical director appointed With Jason Wilcox and interim head of scouting Christopher Vivel in charge of the team, it is hoped that the summer transfer window, where they have had to make big signings and then struggle to sell players, will become a thing of the past.
“My job, together with Jason, is to create the right support structure and environment around Eric, the staff and the players to enable that,” Ashworth added. “Already, I sense a strong energy and determination around the group.”
Rather than continue putting off results and putting off problems this summer, United have faced some difficult situations within the squad.
INEOS is building something different at United and every piece counts, both coming in and going out.
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(Top photo: Scott McTominay and Hannibal Mejbri, Getty Images)