It’s been a dim start to the campaign for Manchester United, something which shouldn’t come as a surprise given the club’s poor net spend in the transfer window. Despite bringing in three promising signings, it seems that Woodward and the board were more than happy to let the likes of Ander Herrera, Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez go without seeking any immediate replacements.
Of course, this season was always going to be about shipping out the deadwood and rebuilding in the right way. Solskjaer made it very clear early on that he was intent on developing young homegrown talent out on the pitch, harking back to the long-term success enjoyed by the famous Class of ‘92. But whilst many fans are quick to support that idea, there’s also a sense that the team should still be competing for major honours in the meantime – and that means establishing the right blend of youth and experience.
Sure, the likes of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Daniel James and Aaron Wan-Bissaka could easily be long-term fixtures in the team, but United simply don’t have enough quality on the experienced end of the spectrum to be able to compete week in week out. Don’t forget that inconsistency is a natural characteristic among many up and coming talents, which is why it’s unfair to judge 20-year olds by the same standards of players in their prime. And outside of David de Gea, Harry Maguire and, at a push, Paul Pogba, which players could realistically be said to be in their prime right now?
With that in mind, we’re here to look at three positions that United desperately need to fill with experienced talent if they’re to stand any chance of success in the coming years.
Centre forward
Strength in depth is not a phrase you would use to describe United’s frontline right now. Whilst there are promising glimpses of link-up play between Rashford, Martial and James, the club’s failure to replace Lukaku with another 20-goal striker is proving to be a costly mistake. If we take a look at the latest Premier League betting odds at bet365 regarding this season’s top scorer, it speaks volumes that Rashford has the lowest odds for any United player at 50/1.
It’s clear the team needs a proven goal-scorer to bolster their attack and take the pressure of their young talent. Yes, Mason Greenwood does look promising but you can’t just throw him in the deep end and expect world-class performances straight off the bat. There’s been talk of bringing in the likes of Moussa Dembele from Lyon or Mario Mandzukic from Juventus – let’s hope it’s the former.
Midfield playmaker
Whereas young Scott McTominay is showing signs of becoming a very strong presence in the middle of the park, United are still missing a creative spark to link their midfield and attack. We need somebody that can thread killer balls, dictate the pace of attack and get on the scoresheet themselves once in a while.
Sporting’s Bruno Fernandes seems to be an ideal candidate for the role, a player who is both scoring and creating goals for fun over in the Portuguese league. The only thing holding us back is the financial side of things, with Ed Woodward making it clear that Manchester United will not spend over the odds when looking to sign top talent.
Full-back
Aaron Wan Bissaka has been a defensive revelation since joining from Crystal Palace in the summer, yet the squad still isn’t deep enough to deal with any potential injuries at left or right-back. With Luke Shaw seemingly always on the treatment table, that leaves us with Brandon Williams and Ashley Young to pick up the slack.
Whereas Williams is another promising talent, Young’s best years are long behind him. Despite his new role as club captain he offers nothing at either end of the pitch – and is another piece of deadwood that United need to look at offloading sooner rather than later.
With January just around the corner, it’ll be interesting to seem what movements United end up making. One thing’s for sure: there’s still plenty to do to get this season back on the right track.
