Manchester United have only signed three “value-for-money” players since Sir Alex Ferguson called it time on his legendary career at Old Trafford in 2013.
That is according to finance expert Kieran Maguire, who insisted that United have struggled to replace the “dictatorial approach” that Ferguson took at the club.
Ferguson was an influential figure both in the dugout and behind the scenes at United, with the legendary Scotsman playing a key role in transfers at Old Trafford.
The 82-year-old former United manager shared a close relationship with ex-Red Devils chief executive David Gill and oversaw several signings at the club.
Ferguson, who claimed that he managed only four world-class players at United, brought in top-tier talent to Old Trafford like Eric Cantona and Wayne Rooney.
However, United have struggled in the post-Ferguson era both in challenging for the Premier League title and seeing a true value return in the signings that they made.
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United’s three value signings post-Ferguson
According to Maguire, United have spent an eye-watering £1.9bn on new players since Ferguson last led the Red Devils to a Premier League title in 2013.
United fans have been frustrated with the club’s business in transfer windows, with the Red Devils often struggling to offload players or secure a decent fee for signings.
Former United managers Jose Mourinho and Louis van Gaal both openly voiced their frustrations in the past over the club’s inability to bring in the players they needed.
David Moyes also struggled at United after succeeding Ferguson, with Marouane Fellaini and Juan Mata being his only major signings during his ill-fated spell.
Maguire has now insisted that Bruno Fernandes, Luke Shaw and Alejandro Garnacho would be the only three players who were “value” signings in the eyes of fans.
“Manchester United have spent £1.9billion on player recruitment since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013,” he told Football Insider.
“If you talk to Manchester United fans, they’ll probably say only three players – Bruno Fernandes, Luke Shaw and Alejandro Garnacho – have been where they’ve truly got value for money.”
Maguire on Ferguson’s influence at United
United are closing in on a potential loan deal for Red Devils outcast Jadon Sancho, with Maguire pointing out the transfer business highlights the problems at the club.
The Red Devils paid a hefty £73m to sign Sancho in the first place from Borussia Dortmund, with the German club now the frontrunner to land him on loan.
Sancho, who was a key signing under former United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, would cost Dortmund a loan fee of around £3m as part of the deal.
The 23-year-old United winger has been frozen out of the first team after a rift with Erik ten Hag and the Red Devils are keen to offload him in the January window.
While United fans have welcomed Sancho’s looming exit from Old Trafford, Maguire believes that the saga involving the player shows the void left behind by Ferguson.
“The prospect of Jadon Sancho leaving on loan for a relatively small fee with Manchester United likely to be contributing significantly towards his wages is reflective of a lack of control and logical decision-making at the top level,” he continued.
“They had a legacy of having a dictatorial approach under Sir Alex Ferguson, which wasn’t easy to replace.
“There appears to have been nobody from a sufficient football background to make the right decisions.
“Having two chief executives who are mainly rugby fans probably didn’t help either, because Sir Alex worked hand in hand with David Gill to make Manchester United such a dominant force in English football.”
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