Manchester United have made a slow start in the summer transfer window compared to their Premier League rivals.
On paper, the summer transfer window only opened on June 15 and Manchester United have already made one signing in the shape of a £38m deal for Ederson.
But context matters, and the reality is that Manchester United’s rivals have been busy.
Tottenham beat United to Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali, Elliot Anderson is joining Manchester City and Liverpool have already spent £90 million reinforcing their squad.
Considering United were tipped to be the busiest club in the Premier League by David Ornstein, it is certainly not panning out that way.
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Michael Carrick let down, Bruno Fernandes betrayed
Michael Carrick returned to Old Trafford and led the Red Devils to a third-place finish and Champions League qualification.
That alone provided over £100 million in revenue to the club for 2026/27. In return, Carrick will have expected a strong transfer window to strengthen his squad for four competitions next campaign.
But Ineos are not delivering so far, and that will also be a source of frustration for Bruno Fernandes.
Fernandes has entered the final year of his United contract, and he previously rejected a £100m Saudi Arabia move to stay loyal to the Red Devils.
In return for his loyalty, Fernandes demanded a ‘promise’ from Ineos to build a competitive squad capable of challenging for the Premier League.
If Ineos want to keep Fernandes around at Old Trafford, they will need to invest in the squad. So far, the midfield “rebuild” has been nothing short of disappointing.
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Ineos reputation is on the line this summer
Last summer, Ineos earned the trust of United fans by delivering perhaps the strongest transfer window in the post-Ferguson era.
All four major signings were a success in their debut season, and that has built some credit in the bank.
But Ineos’ transfer reputation is on the line this summer. If they fail to complete a respectable midfield rebuild, they will lose the trust from not only the fans, but also the dressing room.
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Harry Maguire predicted a “big” transfer window for United, so it seems key players were also expecting big investment this summer.
There is still time to turn it around, but so far, Ineos have only damaged their reputation in the transfer window.
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