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The post-Sir Alex Ferguson period at Manchester United has been characterised by a hot-potch method within the switch market which has included a heavy outlay on gamers with little or no to point out for it.
United have comfortably spent greater than a billion within the decade passed by and have by no means come near successful both the Premier League or Champions League.
Whereas new supervisor Erik ten Hag did finish the membership’s six-year trophy drought final season, the membership have didn’t again him correctly out there, similar to all his predecessors.
Solely a few seasons in the past did United change their construction to call a brand new Director of Football, regardless that the submit went to John Murtough, who had no vital expertise in that function.
United’s missed alternative within the switch market
United have typically missed out on the cream of the crop as a result of delays and this time former scout Marcel Bout has revealed how Ten Hag might have had his two proteges with him on the membership if not for the lengthy traces of communication that exist at United.
The 61-year-old had initially joined the membership as an analyst when Louis van Gaal was in cost earlier than changing into a scout between 2016 and 2022.
As per the Dutchman, United had compiled a radical scouting report on then-emerging Ajax skills Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt however the membership by no means acted on that data.
Bout revealed that he had knowledgeable then-general supervisor Ed Woodward a couple of attainable collaboration with Ajax concerning the pair as former United legend Edwin van der Sar was dealing with affairs at Ajax again then.
“The 17-year-old Matthijs de Ligt was then taking part in for Ajax, later Frenkie de Jong adopted go well with,” he defined to Algemeen Dagblad (by way of Football Transfers).
“‘Guarantee that United makes a deal early on for these kinds of skills. Then you possibly can all the time allow them to develop for some time within the Netherlands,’ I mentioned.”
“I mentioned to Woodward: ‘Edwin van der Sar performed right here, now create a bridge to Ajax by means of him,’” Bout added.
After all, higher sense hardly prevails at United and the Reds by no means did are available for the pair till they turned world beaters and ultimately joined Juventus and Barcelona respectively.
De Ligt was moved on for €85.5 million in the summertime of 2019, whereas De Jong joined his dream membership for €86 million.
United’s flawed method wants to vary
“As a result of there are such a lot of forces at play inside United, you don’t make choices in any respect otherwise you make them too late. Isn’t {that a} disgrace?”
“A serious annoyance was the lengthy traces [of communication] inside United to make choices about attention-grabbing gamers. There are actually high gamers at different European high golf equipment that we had seen early on with the scouting employees.”
It’s well-known that Ten Hag is a large admirer of De Jong and wished him as his precedence signing when he got here to Outdated Trafford. Regardless of United’s greatest makes an attempt, the participant ended up staying on the Camp Nou.
United proceed to harbour hopes of a link-up between the midfielder and Ten Hag however at this stage, it appears unlikely. De Ligt, who had an detached spell in Serie A, has additionally been linked with United however he’s at the moment at Bayern Munich.
