Manchester United signed five first team players in the summer, although just one was ready to go on the summer tour of the US.
And when he did, Leny Yoro did not even complete a half of football before hobbling off injured with a fractured metatarsal.
Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui were able to jump in right away to Premier League action, days after their double move from Bayern Munich.
The pair cost just over £50 million combined, and have already proven to be reliable performers, with Mazraoui starting every single Premier League game.
De Ligt and Mazraoui suited to Amorim
Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazrouai look like they could be the perfect double-gift for Ruben Amorim at Manchester United.
The new head coach arrives with a pre-determined tactical approach, a desire to play three at the back and use wing-backs.
This will be ideal for both new signings, who are adaptable and will benefit from Amorim’s masterplan.
For De Ligt, the shift to three centre-backs enhances his own chance of playing time when Leny Yoro is fit again.
With three centre-backs required rather than two, Amorim has plenty of choice, with United’s squad suiting the system, as Gary Neville pointed out before Erik ten Hag’s sacking.
Noussair Mazraoui is also very well suited to a wing-back role, due to his ability to get up and down the pitch and contribute to the team’s attacking play.
While some questioned the need to sell Aaron Wan-Bissaka, the decision looks even smarter now, as the current West Ham defender would not have been a fit as a wing-back.
Ineos have got their man
Ineos moved in the summer to also sign Manuel Ugarte, one of Ruben Amorim’s former players at Sporting.
Was the plan all along to bring in Ruben Amorim? Well, United’s initial hope was that Erik ten Hag would be successful, but they also had to formulate a succession plan.
Part of the idea of having a sporting director and technical staff, is for a joined-up approach, that means when a manager is fired, the squad does not need to be ripped up and have to start again.
De Ligt and Mazraoui played under Ten Hag at Ajax so were easy sells to him, but they are also highly adaptable players, suited to the shift to successor Ruben Amorim.
Is this coincidence? Or a sign Ineos were looking forward? We will never get the real answer, but we can take encouragement from the hope both summer signings will have prominent roles, and were not a wasted expense.
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