Manchester United have witnessed an upheaval in the last season. They have seen high profile senior players like Van der Saar, Neville and Scholes retire. Also experienced players like John O’Shea and Wes Brown were both sold on to Sunderland. While United fans shall not cry about these departures, the fact that both players were ‘utility players’ with bags of experience is a fact that cannot be forgotten.
United to end their shopping for the summer
However United have proceeded to rebuild their squad and splashed the cash as they brought three players for a combined sum of over £50 million. Also all the players have been brought in to add extra cover to an area that seemed to be becoming a little thin on resources. De Gea is expected to be handed the No. 1 jersey which would be putting immense responsibility on the shoulders of a 19 year old. Similarly Phil Jones would be added to the squad to add cover to the existing four centerbacks and ensure that he develops a solid pairing with Smalling at the heart of the defence. Ashley Young however is experienced and would be expected to start delivering right from the start of the season.
United have been linked with every midfielder conceivable in an attempt to fill the gap left by Scholes. While they looked to be favourites to land Sneijder, recent reports suggest that the deal hit a snag as the two parties could not reach a conclusion about the transfer sum in question.
“At this moment, I can’t see another addition. The type of player we might have been looking for is not available,” Sir Alex Ferguson said, in reference to the likes of Samir Nasri, Luka Modric and Wesley Sneijder, who all seemed destined to not replace Scholes at Old Trafford. “I am happy with the players I have got at this moment in time.”
However such declarations should scarcely be taken at face value primarily as the Scot has been known to make similar pronouncements in order to deflect attention from the club so that they can go about negotiations more peacefully. Also this could be a show of confidence towards Tom Cleverly who would be returning to United after enjoying a highly successful season with Wigan. Cleverly has all the attributes necessary to fit into United’s midfield effortlessly and could be a threat to all defences.
Tags: EPL, Football, Manchester United, Premier League
