Man Utd have invested in their data department, which will play a signigicant role again in the summer transfer window.
United will rely on their data department again.(Image: Lorenzo Di Cola/NurPhoto)
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Manchester United intended to keep their powder dry in the January transfer window - and then Antoine Semenyo became available. United were prepared to deviate from their plan to sign Semenyo, who was high on their shortlist, but instead joined Manchester City.
United still want to sign a left winger this summer. Semenyo would have been an excellent addition to the squad, but the Reds must find a suitable alternative in the transfer market.
That won't be easy because the best players in that position, Vinicius Jr, Raphinha and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, are unattainable, while the next bracket of left-wingers, the likes of Bradley Barcola, Nico Williams and Anthony Gordon, would not come cheap. Most in the tier below that are not good enough.
The transfer market is not inspiring for left wingers, so it might have have been advisable for United to stay clear for another year, if they weren't going to be short in that area next season.
Alejandro Garnacho joined Chelsea last summer, Jadon Sancho is set to leave upon the expiry of his contract, and Barcelona would like to sign Marcus Rashford on a permanent transfer.
Mathus Cunha struggles to provide width at times. The Brazilian was signed to play as a left-sided No.10 in Ruben Amorim's system, and he has a penchant for drifting into central areas.
Patrick Dorgu was a revelation on the wing in the winter, scoring brilliant goals against Newcastle and Arsenal, but there's not enough evidence to conclude that should be his new permanent role.
United have recognised it's an area of the squad that requires investment and will act accordingly. The option of sitting on their hands for another transfer window isn't really on the table.
It will be fascinating to see which left winger is targeted this summer due to the lack of suitable options. Jason Wilcox has seen the benefit of adding Premier League-proven players to the squad, but Newcastle winger Gordon is probably the pick of an uninspiring field in the top-flight.
Gordon could be on the move this summer.
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The likes of Kevin Schade, Simon Adingra, Kaoru Mitoma, Wilson Odobert, Kevin and Harvey Barnes provide value on the left for their respective clubs. None are suitable for United.
The market in Europe is not much better, suggesting United may have to rely on their overhauled data department to unearth a player who has huge potential but is not the finished article.
In an interview with the United We Stand magazine, Sir Jim Ratcliffe slammed the data department at Old Trafford. “Until we are as good as anyone in the world, then it’s not good enough for Manchester United. We must have the best recruitment in the world," he said.
"Data analysis comes alongside recruitment. It doesn’t really exist here. We’re still in the last century on data analysis here. There’s an immense amount of useful data that we can get from data analysis and we’re in the 'very poor' bracket with data analysis here.
"These things don’t happen overnight. You can’t just flick a light switch and sort out recruitment. It’s all about people and we need to find the right people.”
Last summer, United announced the appointment of Michael Sansoni as director of data, Ratcliffe discussed the importance of bringing in the "right people" and landed his prime target.
The data department has grown since Sansoni arrived. His team are influencing United's transfer strategy, crunching the numbers on targets to provide a report on their strengths and weaknesses.
Yan Diomande is on the club's radar. The 19-year-old has scored 10 goals from 5.50 expected goals (xG) this season, which can either indicate that he is a clinical finisher, or unlikely to sustain that level of output.
Diomande is having a good season.
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The data department is responsible for analysing all available statistics from a player's career and producing a well-researched assessment. Diomande is just one player in Europe who should receive a report card.
The winger has the right profile for the kind of player United are considering for the left. They need someone who passes the eye test, is approved by the data boffins, and is attainable.
United are planning to make major investment in midfield, potentially with the signing of two new midfielders, but the bulk of the transfer budget should be spent on a Casemiro replacement.
There will be funds available to sign a left winger, but United aren't expected to break the bank for a player in that area due to other squad priorities, which is another reason for the data department to be heavily involved, as Sansoni's team could unearth a high-potential player for a fair fee.
Ratcliffe was keen to invest in the data department because he knew they could give United an edge in the transfer market. They will prove their value by picking out a left winger in a limited field this summer.