Had the Glazers still been the chief decision-makers, this is maybe an opportunity Manchester United would have grabbed with both hands.
But this Red Devils side are no longer a club of impulse decisions and short-term quick fixes. Problems may remain on the pitch, though Ineos are running a very different – and much tighter – ship off the park.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe made it clear after completing his partial takeover that Old Trafford would no longer be a retirement home for ageing stars in search of one last payday.
And, as good as his word, Manchester United avoided the likes of Ivan Toney and Marcos Alonso with the oldest of their five summer signings – Noussair Mazraoui – still only 26 years of age.
United were offered the chance to bring in free-agent Spain international Mario Hermoso at the start of August.
But, while he may have been far more affordable than Matthijs de Ligt after his Atletico Madrid contract expired, the Premier League giants refused to take the bait that might have lured those previously calling the shots prior to Ineos’ boardroom overhaul.
Manchester United turned down Mario Hermoso chance
According to Eduardo Burgos, a reporter from Spanish publication Diario AS, Manchester United turned down the chance to bring Hermoso to Old Trafford four days before De Ligt finally put pen to paper on an initial £38 million deal.
So, with that United option off the table, what would the future hold for Hermoso?
Let’s just say that – if you’ve got a secret to tell – do not confide in Daniele de Rossi. Because, in the space of only a few seconds, the AS Roma coach went from keeping schtum about the identity of his new centre-half to blurting out his name for all to hear.
“We’ve signed a new centre back. I can’t say who he is…,” De Rossi said before doing exactly the opposite. “Well, it’s ok. I’m gonna say it.
“It’s Mario Hermoso!”
Sure enough, the former Espanyol and Real Madrid youngster officially became a Roma player on Monday, confirmed via the club’s official website.
Impressive start for Matthijs de Ligt at Old Trafford
As for De Ligt, a positive first start in Man United colours was undone by the blunders of his team-mates as Erik ten Hag’s side went down 3-0 at home to Liverpool on Sunday.
The former Ajax captain – snapped up from Bayern alongside Mazraoui – was largely faultless until Casemiro pulled the pin from the grenade before dropping it at his own feet. Blowing up what had been, until that point, a pretty even encounter.
“I was quite pleased with De Ligt, I thought he had a comfortable game,” former Man United midfielder Sammy McIlroy told MUTV, while 1999 treble-winner David May labelled him an ‘excellent’ performer in the opening 45 minutes.
“We want to get United back where it belongs, and that’s the top of the Premier League,” De Ligt explained to Optus Sport in the build up to Sunday’s derby, insisting that the atmosphere remains positive thanks largely to the much-needed changes brought about by Ineos.
“You have to do it step by step. I feel already we’re making good steps also from what I’ve heard at the club. Everybody is really excited, motivated, and hungry.
“I think if we can make every training session a session where we feel like, ‘Okay, today we became a better team’, then I feel we have a squad that can go really far in every competition we compete in.”
- READ MORE: Manchester United confirmed signings, transfers in, out, loan exits, releases for 2024/25
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
