Pressure has been building on Manchester United chief executive Ed Woodward after the defeat to Liverpool.
Former United captain Gary Neville told his podcast that Woodward should be fired, and #SackWoodward became a trending topic on Twitter.
One way for Woodward to try and alleviate the pressure would be to finally close the signing of United’s top target Bruno Fernandes.
Signing Fernandes would make us very happy, he’s a player United need badly, but Woodward should get no credit for it.
It is what needs to be done
Signing Fernandes would not be a gift from Woodward to the fanbase. This would simply be him doing his job.
United’s need for a player of Fernandes’ calibre in his position is blindingly obvious.
It was clear last summer too, yet United mistakenly chose to overlook strengthening in midfield.
United should have money available too, after Romelu Lukaku’s late sale to Inter Milan meant the club’s net spend for 2019 was just £60 million.
Signing Fernandes would be making up for a mistake last summer.
Fallen into United’s lap
It does not feel as though United have actively gone out looking to sign Fernandes either.
The opportunity has fallen into the club’s lap, with Sporting flying officials to England to negotiate with United, The Mail reported.
Their desire to raise money has given United the opportunity to sign Fernandes in the first place.
Yet still, United are making a ham-fisted attempt of getting it done.
Negotiations have taken two weeks with United refusing to meet Sporting’s asking price.
Woodward may see this as a victory if it saves a few million if the deal is finally done.
But there’s a cost opportunity too. The Fernandes negotiations are distracting from United’s needs to also acquire a striker, while an extra midfielder is also needed.
The way Woodward has let this transfer drag out has really worked against United’s interests.
We really hope Fernandes signs, and that he goes onto become a big success at Old Trafford.
But if Woodward expects any credit, and for supporters to cease calling for his head, he is mistaken.
The problems he has inflicted on United over the past seven years are too big for one poorly handled transfer to make up for.
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