Manchester United signed five new players during the summer transfer windowplaceholder image
Manchester United signed five new players during the summer transfer window | Manchester United
Man Utd signed five players during the summer transfer window.
The summer transfer window has only just shut and Manchester United already know their priority for when it opens again next year.
Ruben Amorim was backed with £216million to add five players to his first-team squad, though they recouped £68m from transfer deals of their own, and made roughly £90m when you consider sell-on clauses and player bonuses as well.
United prioritised an attacking overhaul this summer as Amorim looked to address the goalscoring issues that plagued his side so regularly last season. United scored just 44 goals in the Premier League over the last campaign; Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo managed 35 between them.
Read More
If he had it his way, Amorim would also have signed a Premier League-proven striker. Liam Delap was the preferred target before he joined Chelsea, Viktor Gyokeres made it clear he wanted to join Arsenal and a deal for Hugo Ekitike was deemed too expensive before United eventually agreed to bring Benjamin Sesko to the club. It is understood they even considered another approach to sign Danny Welbeck from Brighton.
The move to sign Diego Leon was already agreed back in January, with the Paraguayan teenager viewed in the same bracket as talented youngsters Sekou Kone, Chido Obi and Enzo Kana-Biyik, who all regarded as 'exciting emerging' talents by club staff.
United didn't manage to sign a midfielder though. Club sources insist it was never a 'priority' to sign a midfielder during the summer due to the 'strong and versatile' options already at their disposal. Yet they spent weeks chasing Brighton ace Carlos Baleba and made a late enquiry for Atletico Madrid star Conor Gallagher as well. There was consideration for Atalanta’s Ederson and another former Amorim star in Morten Hjulman at Sporting. Stuttgart man Angelo Stiller and Valencia gem Javi Guerra were both also linked with potential moves, but nothing materialised. If they could have signed one, they would have.
It is true, though that United see their squad rebuild as a long-term project. Everyone knew it would take more than one window to get a competitive squad in place and it was always a case of working through as many areas for improvement as possible before it shut.
What it does mean is United will target at least two midfield signings next year in what will become their new transfer priority. Casemiro has entered the final year of his bumper contract and is expected to depart as a free agent at the end of it, Kobbie Mainoo has made it clear he is unhappy with a lack of playing time, Manuel Ugarte has struggled to establish himself in English football and Bruno Fernandes will be a transfer target for Saudi clubs once again. Mason Mount is viewed as another central midfield option, but is better suited to an attacking midfield role.
United are already light on options before you consider those who could leave next year, though there is hope that either Toby Collyer or Sekou Kone could step up to become another central midfield option. Even if one of them does, United will still have to reinforce their midfield with new signings.
Adam Wharton and Baleba have both been of interest to the club and are both expected to be high on their radar again next year, though there is likely to be further competition for their signatures after another season in the Premier League and potential starring roles at the World Cup.
It means United must hope they are a highly attractive prospect to new midfield additions next year, and to do so, they will need to show some signs of improvement under Amorim. The rebuild is not completed yet, but five new signings is a very helpful start.
READ NEXT: Kobbie Mainoo responds to Manchester United transfer message on deadline day
Continue Reading