Manchester United’s transfer window has until now been a big disappointment. No players have yet been signed and currently, none appear close either.
This was not the way expected it, especially after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s comments ahead of the season restart back in April.
Solskjaer told Sky Sports: “Who knows how the market is going to react to this? Who knows which clubs need to sell players?
“There might be just a situation there where you can exploit, and I know that we at Man United we are one of the biggest, and the biggest, financially well-off.
“I’m sure we are capable, when we get back to normality, that we can do the business that we want to.”
The United manager positioned the Red Devils as would-be aggressors in the transfer market.
Add in Champions League qualification, and United’s lack of action in the market is peculiar, to say the least, when rivals are out there making moves.”
There is time, and there isn’t
The obvious rebuttal to concern is that United have until a deadline of October 5 to make signings.
It is this extended date which is preventing concern among fans to spreading to a full-scale meltdown. Most supporters are willing to be patient, even if social media is not an accurate reflection of this.
However, United’s players are due back for first team training at the start of September, and it would be nice to have one or two additions in by then.
United face Crystal Palace at Old Trafford in less than a month, on September 19. Other sides begin a week earlier.
Clubs across Europe are going to be less inclined to want to sell players at a late stage, knowing there will be a small window remaining to sign a replacement.
There is also a complication of travel restrictions. If United sign a player from France or Spain tomorrow, for instance, they will then under current rules have to quarantine for 14 days, shortening the time they have to train with their new teammates.
Every day without a new signing is a day wasted. United need to turn the page, and enthuse the fanbase with new additions.
Necessary to compete
It is not a case of the fanbase wanting new shiny toys for the squad. United need new players to be competitive.
Last season the squad finished 33 points behind first place and the first team were stretched to the limit over the final few weeks.
Solskjaer made clear his preference for his first choice XI, and his lack of substitutions in key games highlighted that he is not happy with his back-up options.
He is clearly keen for investment. It may still happen, but the confidence Solskjaer had in United’s financial strength back in April currently looks questionable, until the club can prove otherwise.
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