Manchester United has become a club that is perpetually in need of one player to fill a gaping hole in the squad that will elevate the team to the next level.
The never-ending cycle often goes like this:
“Manchester United is just one right winger away from winning the EPL Title.”
“Manchester United only needs a 20-goal-a-season striker to be EPL Title contenders.”
“If Manchester United can get a defensive midfielder, they will be up there competing and winning the big titles.”
It does not end. It is hilarious.
One thing that significantly influenced such a mindset in the last 3–4 years at least is the appearance of progressive squad building.
I say “appearance” because, in hindsight (which is 20/20), one can see how subpar and deceptive the structure of acquisitions was.
Players and style of play were not optimally complementary to each other, but because the team repeatedly found a way to go far in Cup competitions and finish well in the league, the perception grew that the team just needed one more player in one position to compete for big titles.
I believe events between last season (2021–2022) and now have terribly exposed the limitations in how the club conducted its squad building in the last few years.
The club basically tried to build mansions and skyscrapers on mere sands. It was only a matter of time before the edifice crashed. Sometimes, crashes like this start with leaking roofs.
It is hard to explain how the club signed Sancho (the right winger the club supposedly needed to compete), Varane (the serial winning defender that can inject a winning mentality into the progressing squad), and Ronaldo (a prolific goalscorer and serial winner that should take the club to the promised land) in one summer and followed it up with its worst season in Premier League history.
In one summer, the club literally did the things (reinforced the squad with three high-profile players in three different positions) that fans and pundits assumed were needed for the club to start competing for major titles.
So, where is the club now? What are the demands for the team? What does this present team need to elevate from its present state?
For starters, I think it’s safe to say that we have graduated from the mindset that the club needs a saviour (or a player) to become a serious team that will consistently contend for the big titles. Those who haven’t graduated are like willing Jon Snows.
From my assessment as a fan, these are the following things Erik ten Hag and his employers should execute with precision this summer:
- Be ruthless with sales: This needs to happen if the club, in its current financial state, wants to compete for the talents available in the market. The club’s ability to sell is mediocre. It is in the mud. To catch a glimpse of how bad it is, you only need to look at the club’s net spend in the last 5 years. It has been horrendous. This summer presents an opportunity to start a culture of making gains out of assets. Right now, there are players in that squad that will fetch a good price to fund one or two summer targets. Do away with the emotional “ifs” and “buts” with certain players and just put them up for sale.
- Sort out the quality of the midfield: Whatever the summer strategy Erik ten Hag and his employers have laid out, the quality of the midfield has to be the number one priority. I want to see a situation where Christian Eriksen isn’t the first and second-choice central midfielder in the team. I want to see the man sharing duties as an attacking midfielder with Bruno. In essence, the club needs to get two competent midfielders that will complement the ideas of the manager.
- Striker(s). A reliable and long-term striker has been a popular need for a few years now. To be fair, this is a department that the club has tried to prudently fill by acquiring the services of veterans [Ighalo, Cavani, and Ronaldo.] in the last 3 years. It is now time to have stability in that position. The absence of a reliable striker has limited the team this season.
The aforementioned three should be top of their strategy as they continue to build this squad.
Are those the only issues that need to be addressed this summer? Of Course, No!
EtH and his people have to be decisive with both the Right Back (RB) and Goalkeeping (GK) positions. There are question marks about the quality of the options in those departments. Question marks about whether the present options are what the club needs for the present and future.
Dalot and Aaron Wan-Bissaka (AWB) each have one year left on their contracts. Also, the contracts of David De Gea (DDG) and Tom Heaton are expiring this summer. There are decisions to be made and the ball is well placed in the club’s court. The club may not get a better time to get rid of any of the guys that have not convinced the manager.
This summer won’t be straightforward for the club and fans might need to be extremely patient. There will be several things to contend with as the club tries to execute its strategy. Things like the uncertainty around the ownership of the club and market forces.
Whatever happens, the club should not compromise on the three priorities I mentioned earlier. Other issues can be resolved with time as the team progresses.
Oh…How good would it be if the club manages to deal with 80–90% of the issues plaguing the squad? Dreamy!
