There is a tendency to frame Ineos’ revamped transfer strategy at Manchester United as something of a new one.
And there is at least some truth to that idea.
Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee, Manchester United’s two first-team signings of the Sir Jim Ratcliffe era, are 18 and 23 years of age respectively. Other targets, such as Matthijs de Ligt and Jarrad Branthwaite, fall into similar age groups.
Gone, it seems, are the days when Man United would fork over eye-watering contracts to players past their peak. Ratcliffe was serious when he said United would no longer be in the market for the biggest names but the next generation of superstars.
‘The next Mbappe’ or the ‘next (Jude) Bellingham’.
But, in truth, the Ineos approach is nothing revolutionary, even if it is welcome. It’s a timely re-hash, really, of the approach that served Manchester United so well during during the glory days of Sir Alex Ferguson.
Manchester United land Leny Yoro from Lille
There were a few exceptions – see Teddy Sheringham, Edwin van der Sar and Robin van Persie – but the Red Devils’ success was built upon the foundation of youth. Talented, improving players brought in with their best years ahead of them and their potential untapped.
For Rene Meulensteen, Ferguson’s former assistant coach, Ineos’ way of doing things is a welcome throwback to the days when Man United dominated English football.
“For Man United, for a long time from when Sir Alex Ferguson was there, we didn’t want to sign players over 23,” Meulensteen explains, speaking to talkSPORT (26 July, 10am) when asked about the £52 million deal that brings teenager Yoro to the North West.
“The big chunk of the players coming in were under 23, apart from (signings like) Robin van Persie. “There is definitely a trend (with United’s new targets).
“With Leny Yoro.”
Yoro only turned 18 last November.
The 6ft 4ins Rolls Royce of a centre-half already has nearly 50 league appearances under his belt, however, earning comparisons with a pre-Madrid Raphael Varane along the way.
And, amid interest from Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain and particularly Real Madrid, it feels fanciful that Man United would have landed arguably Europe’s best young defensive talent when the Glazers were still calling the shots and Ed Woodward was pulling the strings at a pace that even your local garden snail would consider a little sluggish.
Rene Meulensteen excited about United’s fuutre
“I am sure that with Ten Hag now, he’s far better backed with better people on the technical side and behind the scenes. They know what they are doing,” Meulensteen adds, the arrivals of Dan Ashworth, Jason Wilcox, Omar Berrada and Christopher Vivell adding a much-needed ruthless streak to United’s recruitment team.
“They did their due diligence on Leny Yoro for sure, and that’s why they brought him in.”
Yoro made his unofficial Man United debut during last week’s 2-0 friendly win over Rangers at Murrayfield.
There were a few tantalising glimpses of the potentially generation-defining talent United have got their mitts upon too, Yoro sending social media into a frenzy with one pinpoint diagonal pass and a trademark tackle to deny Cyriel Dessers a shot on goal.
“We must remind ourselves he is really young,” fellow defender Harry Maguire tells The Athletic of a youngster who can only develop further under his wing. “There are gonna be mistakes.
“But he has every attribute of a centre back in the modern game, so I’m sure he’s gonna have a bright future.
“It’s our job as senior centre backs, my job, to help him along, communicate well, let him know what to expect.”
- READ MORE: Manchester United confirmed signings, transfers in, out, loan exits, releases for 2024/25
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