The recent transfer window has been far from satisfactory for Manchester United. The club has seen valuable players worth over £100 million depart, leaving many questioning the decisions made by the club’s management. Among the notable departures are Donny van de Beek, who joined Eintracht Frankfurt on loan after being signed for £40 million from Ajax in 2020, and Jadon Sancho, who returned to Borussia Dortmund on a temporary deal after becoming a £73 million signing in 2021. Both players were initially considered promising additions to the team, but their respective stints at United were ultimately labeled as unmitigated disasters. This raises an important question that new minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team must address: Were Van de Beek and Sancho destined to fail from the start, or did the blame lie with the club itself?
The departures of Van de Beek and Sancho evoke a sense of disappointment and confusion. Were these players inherently unfit for United, or did the club’s actions and environment contribute to their downfall? This seemingly unanswerable question serves as a significant challenge for Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team as they embark on their journey to reshape the club.
To shed light on this issue, let’s reflect on the case of Jude Bellingham. In March 2020, both Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund agreed to a transfer fee with Birmingham City for the talented midfielder. Bellingham eventually chose Dortmund and, after just 3 and a half years, has become a standout player at Real Madrid, even being named in FIFA’s World XI at the young age of 20. This begs the question: What if Bellingham had chosen a different path and joined Manchester United instead? Would he still have achieved the same level of success? The uncertainties surrounding such questions highlight the complexity of player development and the role that the club itself plays in shaping a player’s career.
“Had Bellingham joined United in the summer of 2020, he would still have gone on to be named among the 11 best players in the world in January 2024 alongside Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland.” The aforementioned hypothetical scenario indeed seems far-fetched, but it underlines the unpredictability that surrounds a player’s journey. Similarly, no one could have predicted that Sancho, upon his arrival at Old Trafford, would return to Dortmund after a mere 2 and a half years. This uncertainty raises doubts even for someone like Gary Neville, a proud United alumnus who has achieved great success throughout his storied career. Neville’s recent remarks express a growing skepticism about his previous claims of the club’s exceptionalism and the magical allure it possesses for players.
A troubling reality emerges when evaluating Manchester United’s recent transfer history. Among the club’s ten most expensive signings, only Bruno Fernandes has fulfilled expectations thus far. There are still lingering doubts surrounding players such as Rasmus Hojlund, Mason Mount, and Casemiro. However, the majority of the players on the list, including Paul Pogba, Antony, Harry Maguire, Sancho, Romelu Lukaku, and Ángel Di María, have been classified as expensive mistakes. While some may argue that Pogba, who left on a free transfer in 2022, achieved success with the French national team by winning the World Cup in 2018, and Di María won it with Argentina in 2022, their overall performances at Manchester United fell short of expectations.
It is simplistic to attribute these failures merely to the players themselves. Over the past decade since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement, Manchester United has witnessed a recurring trend of expensive signings not living up to their potential. This pattern suggests that the problem runs deeper than individual players and lies within the club’s management and overall structure. However, an alternative perspective emerged during a recent interview with Dortmund’s manager, Edin Terzic. He implied that a player’s ability to withstand the pressure of playing for Manchester United ultimately determines their success. The imposing pressure and high expectations associated with the club can either make or break a player’s career. Terzic’s remarks highlight the importance of a player’s character and personality when considering their potential for success in such a demanding environment.
Nevertheless, this explanation fails to account for the success stories of Bellingham and Haaland at Real Madrid and Manchester City, respectively, after leaving Dortmund. It remains intriguing to speculate about the alternate paths that Van de Beek and Sancho could have taken. For instance, Van de Beek was on the shortlist for the Ballon d’Or in 2019 and came close to joining Real Madrid. Similarly, Sancho was once interested in a move to Spain. Would their careers have flourished had they made different choices? Could Maguire have attained a different perception of success if he had joined Manchester City instead of United in 2019? The subsequent developments of Rúben Dias, whom City eventually signed, showcase a marked disparity in outcomes between the two Manchester clubs.
As Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team assume their roles as minority shareholders, they face a multitude of challenges. However, one area that demands immediate attention is player recruitment. United’s historical missteps emphasize the need for a revised approach to identify and acquire talent. Additionally, creating a supportive and nurturing environment for players to thrive should be a fundamental aspect of the club’s philosophy moving forward. Van de Beek and Sancho, bright prospects at their respective former clubs, were unable to fulfill their potential during their tenure at United. Identifying the reasons behind these failures and rectifying the systemic issues will be crucial for Ratcliffe and his team as they embark on their mission to restore glory to Manchester United.
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