Manchester City have been helped by poor Manchester United recruitment decisions for years but their latest move could hinder Arsenal
Erling Haaland in action for Manchester City against Manchester United
Erling Haaland in action for Manchester City against Manchester United
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Manchester City have been helped out by Manchester United since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. The Blues have finished above their rivals in the Premier League table every year since, and while Pep Guardiola can take plenty of the credit for that it has also been about recruitment.
Txiki Begiristain built his reputation as one of the best sporting directors in the game over this period while United messed their transfer plans up, started again, and then messed them up all over again. City have outspent United in this time, but their spend per trophy is enormously lower because their strategy has brought them far more success on the pitch.
In recent years, United have looked across enviously at City and they have taken some staff to become key people at the club, including CEO Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox. Those two have taken on the responsibility of making the Reds smarter and more efficient in the transfer market.
There were signs of that in the recruitment last season and this summer has offered more of the same. Having been beaten by City to the £116m signing of Elliot Anderson, United refused to pay the £85m that West Ham wanted for Mateus Fernandes and have instead moved for Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £50m and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa for £35m.
As ever, time will tell on the impact of the signings and it still feels like they need a premium midfielder but getting two midfielders for the price of one has pleased fans. The signing of Tielemans in particular will also go down very well at City.
Hugo Viana and his recruitment team at the Etihad are less focused on United and more bothered with building a better squad than Premier League title winners Arsenal. Having pushed the Gunners all the way last season, Viana needs to make sure that they keep their position under new coach Enzo Maresca and do enough to be able to go further this year.
That involves strengthening the City team and squad, but these things are all relative. Signing Anderson has already complicated Arsenal's plans to improve their midfield, with Villa valuing Morgan Rogers at more than the £116m that the Forest midfielder cost.
And while Villa are in a tight position financially that could require them to sell players, losing Tielemans to United strengthens their position with Rogers. Just as United's business has given them more headwind, the same goes for Villa as the selling club.
Michael Carrick helped revive United last season and earn Champions League qualification, beating City and Arsenal on the way. They will be looking up this year and City's trip to Old Trafford in September will be an early test for Maresca.
However, the main focus for the Blues will still be Arsenal. If United buying Tielemans makes it harder for Arsenal to improve, City will have reason to thank their neighbours before they try and beat them again.