Man Utd Rebuild: Defense the Key to a Top-Four Challenge

In late December, Manchester United welcomed a new owner – British businessman Sir Jim Ratcliffe. He acquired a 25% stake in the club for $1.6 billion and pledged an additional $300 million for its development.

Man Utd fans are eagerly anticipating the summer transfer window and are hoping for an active transfer campaign from their club. The new sporting director for Manchester United is Dan Ashworth, who has previously worked successfully at Newcastle and Brighton. 

His adept transfer policies at these clubs resulted in significant progress and improved results. Ashworth aims to reinforce Manchester United without overspending on unnecessary players, which has been a major issue for the club in the last decade.

As of late July 2024, Manchester United remains one of the most active clubs in the transfer market, having spent over €100 million. Manchester United’s experiences and Chelsea’s catastrophically unsuccessful transfer policy in recent years suggest that the quality of players acquired matters more than the amount of money spent.

Today, we discuss Manchester United’s completed transfers and evaluate the prospects of new signings.

Beyond Onana: The Urgent Need for a Solid Man Utd Defense

Last season, Manchester United struggled defensively in the Premier League, allowing many scoring opportunities. André Onana’s strong performance as the goalkeeper and the opponents’ poor finishing saved Man Utd from disastrous consequences in the league. 

However, in the Champions League, the team finished last in a group with average teams like Copenhagen and Galatasaray.

Many of Man Utd’s defensive issues stemmed from the lack of a top midfielder and top-class center-backs. Injuries to Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro, along with a conflict between Erik ten Hag and Raphaël Varane, left United with limited options in defense and the holding area.

Players like Jonny Evans, Harry Maguire, and Sofyan Amrabat frequently made positional errors in defense, leading to goals conceded in nearly every match.

As a result, the team made a significant transfer this summer, signing Leny Yoro to strengthen the defense. Yoro is known for his ability to read the game and operate effectively in a high defensive line, a quality highly valued by Ten Hag based on his experience at Ajax.

However, the addition of Yoro alone may not be sufficient to address the defensive issues, especially given Martinez’s recurring injuries. 

Man Utd is considering Jarrad Branthwaite and Matthijs de Ligt as potential backups for Yoro. Branthwaite is a left-footed center-back with good passing ability, but minimal experience playing in a high defensive line. On the other hand, de Ligt, a right-footed center-back, excels in a high defensive line and is being pursued in ongoing transfer negotiations.

In addition to defensive concerns, left fullbacks Tyrell Malacia and Luke Shaw are injury-prone, posing potential challenges for the upcoming season. 

On the right wing, there are considerations to sell Aaron Wan-Bissaka and acquire a replacement, potentially Noussair Mazraoui, who may join West Ham. As a result, Diogo Dalot is expected to be the team’s primary right fullback for the new season after an impressive performance last season.

Manchester United Desperately Needs a Defensive Midfielder to Support Mainoo

One of the main revelations in the English Premier League last season was 18-year-old English supertalent Kobbie Mainoo. This young player demonstrated an outstanding ability to progress the ball through passing and dribbling and also averaged 2 tackles per game, which is an impressive result.

However, Mainoo’s individual efforts are not sufficient to hold the defensive line together. Manchester United needs another player, preferably a high-level defensive midfielder who can work alongside Kobbie Mainoo in the center of the pitch.

We have previously discussed Manuel Ugarte, who could provide United with significant defensive support in the holding midfield position. He seems to be an excellent option for the English club, with the potential to become one of the best players in the Premier League in his position.

If Man Utd fails to acquire a top-class defensive midfielder, the team will have minimal chance of breaking into the Champions League zone next season. Casemiro appears fatigued and injury-prone, making him unreliable, and Manchester United simply lacks other good options for this role.

United’s Wing Wizards: No Need to Spend Big This Summer?

The biggest debate surrounding Manchester United this summer revolves around who will play on the flanks in attack. With Jadon Sancho’s return to the main squad and Amad Diallo’s progress, competition for positions on the flanks will be more intense than last season.

In other words, it may not be necessary for Man Utd to purchase new wingers.

Fernandes Indispensable, Simons Surplus to Requirements

Bruno Fernandes remains a crucial player for United in the attacking midfielder position. Therefore, the rumor about the potential 100 million euro transfer of Xavi Simons seems completely unrealistic. 

Simons is unlikely to be able to challenge Fernandes for the playmaker role, and his abilities as a wing forward are certainly less effective. Even if Bruno Fernandes were to be injured, Mason Mount, Jadon Sancho, and Christian Eriksen are capable of performing well in his absence.

Can Højlund and Zirkzee Justify Man Utd’s Mega Investment?

One year ago, Manchester United paid €74 million for Rasmus Højlund, who had only scored 10 goals in 30 games in the Premier League. 

However, since the end of December, the 21-year-old Dane has been scoring regularly and has netted 11 goals in all competitions during that period. Hopefully, he will continue to score in the upcoming season and meet the expectations placed on him.

Another forward that Man Utd has decided to bring in is Joshua Zirkzee. There is a lot of controversy surrounding this striker regarding his actual level of play, but his effectiveness will be revealed in the team’s next official matches.

Rasmus Højlund and Joshua Zirkzee are promising players rather than established top stars. Nevertheless, Manchester has spent almost 116 million euros on them, which means that the level of expectations for them is already very high.

Manchester United’s Path Back to the Top Four: Defense is Key

After struggling last season, Manchester United needs to strengthen the center of defense and the defensive midfield position. The team is well-positioned in all other areas, especially on the attacking flanks, where there will be strong competition.

If the English club is able to acquire at least one more center-back and a holding midfielder, it could significantly improve the squad’s quality and make the team a strong contender for the Premier League’s top four.

It’s worth noting that a lot will depend on Erik ten Hag. The Dutch coach was successful in the 2022-23 season but faced major setbacks in the 2023-24 season. His attempts to implement organized pressing and structured positional attacks were largely unsuccessful. 

However, with a refreshed squad in the new season, Ten Hag may well prove that he is still capable of achieving positive results at the highest level.