DESPITE the arrival of new Chief Executive Omar Berrada at the end of the season, this summer is shaping up to be the quietest transfer window in years for Manchester United.
And with Erik ten Hag’s influence on exactly who comes to Old Trafford in future under review, fans hoping for a flurry of expensive summer signings to kick off a new era may be in for a shock.
Key sources at the club indicate United are operating towards the upper limits of Financial Fair Play rules and they need to generate income through player sales before committing to any big-money arrivals.
United are still making money commercially with their unique brand still in demand across the globe even if team performance has declined sharply in the last decade and alarmingly so in the last five seasons.
But wasteful overspending on fees, wages and extended contracts on players like Antony, Jadon Sancho, Casemiro, Raphael Varane, Antony Martial and Phil Jones has left incoming Berrada with the task of turning around a strategy and culture that’s been both costly and unsuccessful.
Berrada’s arrival may signal a reboot in operating practice that may safeguard the futures of United’s brightest talents Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.
Continuing on-pitch deterioration has already seen United lose out on generational talents like Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland while other sought-after stars no longer see Old Trafford as a destination to win silverware and to further their career.
Alejandro Garnacho is a target for Real Madrid and PSG
If United’s decline isn’t rapidly halted, that puts stars like teenage Argentinian winger Garnacho at risk of being cherry-picked by the world’s biggest clubs.
Garnacho is already on the radar of Real Madrid and Paris St Germain even though United tied him down last year on a five-year contract running until 2028.
But the ambitious youngster and his advisors have a plan – and it doesn’t involve long-term mediocrity and a lack of European football.
Sadly for United fans the club tick both those boxes right now having suffered a group stage Champions League exit pre-Christmas.
Sitting in eighth position in the Premier League, there’s no real prospect of European football next season either.
But between new investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe, his right-hand man Dave Brailsford and Berrada those supporters are hoping for an upturn in fortunes.
That’s not going to happen overnight and United are a long way from being able to attract the real A-List stars of the world game.
But if they keep stars of the future like Garnacho and Mainoo on board while they rebuild, that’ll feel like a win for fans who would rather give youth a chance than buy expensive flops.
Man United are looking at a deal for Aaron Hickey
With Aaron Wan-Bissaka seemingly on the radar of Saudi pro-league side Al-Nassr, United were linked with Galatasaray’s French right back Sacha Boey prior to his move to Bayern Munich.
But it is believed United scouts have also been tracking Brentford’s 21-year-old Glasgow-born defender Aaron Hickey.
The Scottish international full back, signed for £14 million by Brentford from Italian Serie A side Bologna in September 2022, has attracted plenty of interest from Premier League big boys this season.
Hickey fits the profile of players United are keen to sign – young, talented and ambitious.
But unless they recoup a significant portion of the £45 million they spent on Wan-Bissaka it’s unlikely United will be in a position to launch any bid for Hickey with Brentford valuing him at £40m.
Andre Onana will be worried about his spot if Bayindir impresses
Rumour goes that United goalkeeper Andre Onana delayed his arrival at AFCON to join up with Cameroon because he was worried at losing his place to his back-up at Old Trafford Altay Bayindir.
United’s huge £48 million outlay to Inter Milan for Onana last summer meant Erik ten Hag stuck with the African keeper during rocky spells in the Champions League and Premier League.
Sources at United’s training ground say 6 foot 5 inch Bayindir is a more than able deputy who could grow in confidence given first team opportunities.
That could clearly be a worry for Onana who has failed to win over doubters that he can be anywhere near as good as David de Gea at his peak.
But if Bayindir’s debut in the FA Cup at Newport on Sunday goes well, ten Hag would be faced with a dilemma on whether to give the Turkish international keeper a spell in the team – or immediately restore Onana on his return from AFCON.