Man Utd transfer failures showcased through Casemiro signing

22 Aug 2022 20:40 BST
3 min read

Manchester United have splashed the cash on Casemiro, however a move for the Real Madrid midfielder has highlighted the incompetence surrounding the club's transfer business.

The 30-year-old has officially been unveiled at United in a £60 million move after he accepted their proposal which sees him double his wages on a five-year-deal.

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While the Brazilian is undoubtedly an elite upgrade and plugs a hole that United have struggled with for a number of years, the signing shows that the club have not learnt from past mistakes.

Man Utd are still choosing to masquerade as a Champions League club by throwing obscene money and long-term contracts at ageing superstars instead of embracing their need for a rebuild.

There still seems to be an obsession with big reputations and names, shown by the fact Man Utd have been linked with more than 20 players since their 4-0 loss to Brentford, all of whom have different profiles indicating the club may not know quite what they want.

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Former interim boss Ralf Rangnick claimed the club would need 'open-heart surgery' in his assessment of the playing squad last season but United have signed just four players so far this summer.

Erik ten Hag stressed the need for at least five new signings upon his arrival at the start of the summer and articulated that his vision would take multiple years to execute.

Man Utd also wasted time trying to pursue players who have no interest in playing for the club, such as Frenkie de Jong, hoping to convince them with huge wages.

The Red Devils chose to re-sign Cristiano Ronaldo last summer despite the ageing superstar not suiting their play-style and now the club are unable to find any takers for the want-away veteran.

They have had a host of bad experiences when prioritising high-reputation players over suitability yet they pushed for Casemiro in a bid to cling onto Champions League football.

Meanwhile they allowed talented, young and affordable players to join other clubs, such as Matheus Nunes who signed for Wolves in a £42.5m move despite being admired by Manchester City and Chelsea.

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Man Utd could have taken a leaf out of Liverpool's book after they appointed Jurgen Klopp in 2015 and allowed the German to conduct a multi-year rebuild which saw them finish 8th in his first season.

Klopp brought in sensible signings such as Georginio Wijnaldum and Sadio Mane in his first summer instead of pushing for bigger, more expensive names, and his long-term vision proved successful due to the board supporting his plan.

It appears the Man Utd board and Ten Hag do not seem to be on the same page, and the club may live to regret their resistance to change and could end up with more failures going forward.