Have Manchester United gone quiet in the transfer market?

The RedBrothersUnited collective looks back at Manchester United transfer history books over the years and questions what has changed for them now?

Manchester United, the most romantic club in the history of world football and that will never change. It is more like a perfect marriage between this club and the history they have created for years in hearts of millions of fans round the world. United being one of the biggest football club in Europe, their slightest of motion in a transfer window makes rumors like no other.

Old Trafford

When echoes of Lucas Moura coming to United grew stronger, a target which united were after for more than two months, PSG managed to pick pocket him from the hands of United in just a matter of two days.

Around the same time, United were heavily linked with another long time target Eden hazard, but the same result haunted Old Trafford again. This time Chelsea took Hazard from the jaws of United. This is just a list without an ending.

Over the last few transfer windows, several rumors with baseless origin have been born out of nowhere but one thing remains common in all the times any player is linked with United. There hesitancy to spend big have cost them all these despairs.

A major reason for multiple thoughts before spending is that a major chunk of United’s profit every year goes to the owner Glazer’s to nullify their market debt, instead of that money to be used in buying quality players.

Opposite to United’s current image, traditionally they have been a club which were bold to spend big money and broke all British transfer fee records for decades. All the way back in 1981, the signing of Bryan Robson from the Baggies, for a then record fee transfer of around about 1.5 million pounds made hot news from United.

A decade and a half later, United bought Andy Cole again spending big, breaking and making another British fee record. Records books will tell you time and again that it was united who made a British record signing for a defender, Gary Pallister. Years later it then became Rio Ferdinand who even today holds that record to his credit.

So the important question which now comes to embrace the bigger pictures is this – have United lost their flair in luring the big names in the market to them or have they gone quiet and become conservative in spending big money in the market?

Valid points can be made for both sides. While United continue to be the most successful club in England, their form in Europe off late has not been that great, actually pathetic by their standards. On a more global scenario they have been not a team which is seen a direct threat by many, they still remain worthy competitors to any club any day.

And to United’s defense, they have always been a club which has continuously invested in youth. Instead of buying superstars, they turn talents to legends. From the early days then famous Busby Babes, to the Class of ’92, United’s youth teams and players are thing it itself.

A new era under David Moyes, the chosen one, has already begun at the theatre of dreams. After an unexpectedly disappointing pre-season, they managed to pick up their first silverware of this season beating Wigan Athletic two nil to win the Community Shield for the twentieth time.

Manchester United’s deadline day summer signing Marouane Fellaini for which United paid a whopping £27.5 million which was more than his original buyout clause was seen by some as an attempt to cover up previous tracks.

While City and Chelsea had a busy summer buying players to fill the gaps of their previous mistakes, which has improved them week in and week out this season, United is still not making any amends whatsoever.

Competition has never been so wide open in the premier league era, City and Chelsea with their depth and talent in squad, Arsenal possessing the stability of Arsene Wenger, the coming of Ozil and reincarnation of Ramsey, and Liverpool with the shear brilliance of one man and one man only Luiz Swarez are all sitting well above united at this point in time.

Many pundits predicted long before the beginning of Moyes tenure describing it an impossible task to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson. With the winter window in picture, something unexpected has to come from Moyes and United. It is a known thing to all that winter transfer window has never been the best time to buy but history provides exceptions.

The player which everyone calls king, Eric Cantona was a winter signing and took the premier league and whole of Europe by storm. His contributions to United are second to none which made him a cult figure at the theatre of dreams. Even Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra made their way to old Trafford in winter of 05/06 and grew every season in stature and reputation.

United have been consistently rumored with many possible and plausible targets, most of which are difficult to lure and rest impossible.

Reus and Koke are youth academy products of their respective teams which would make it harder to make them leave their parent club. Moyes has been seen watching Athletico Madrid and Juventus play, scouting Koke, Vidal and some believe Pogba too.

Need of the hour for Manchester United:

A serious problem which united is facing is lack of competition within team for places and players often playing out of position. Only one genuine right back, one left back, not enough quality wingers, lack of play making ability and goals from midfield and injury to the front two strikers has all led to this.

Manchester United are in grave need for an out and out midfielder, like Roy Keane, who is defensively neat and even better going forward. Not many in football even qualify this definition let alone surpass it and to find and then convince such a talent is an uphill task in itself.

The second gap to fill is the left back position. While Evra is good at providing crosses and has a sound understanding with the winger, his defending has been awful at times.

Players are going past him far too easily and he has been seen out of position numerous times in every match which has resulted in conceding goals all throughout the season. Only credibility to Evra’s recent performance is his leadership, which even the new manager has praised, but not his on-field performances.

Plausible Solutions:

There are several choices for the left back position. Each options brings along individual pros and cons. Leighton Baines. Luke Shaw. Fabio Coentrao. Baines experience in premier league favors him but his age and heavy transfer fee makes him a less likely candidature.

Shaw’s performances are inspiring but his inexperience in Europe may seem a liability but he’s just eighteen and has couple of years of learning still ahead of him. Coentrao signifies a good blend of experience and performance but he’s cup tied thus cannot play in Europe if he seal a deal to Manchester.

The list for midfield choices are far more open and complicated to choose. Everton Ribeiro. Ilkay Gundagoan. Arturo Vidal. Marco Reus. Some rumors suggest Paul Pogba and Juan Mata might as well make it to David Moyes wish list next summer.

Conclusion:

It may not be the prefect first six months for Moyes reign as the manager of Manchester United and a not so Happy New Year losing thrice consecutively in all competition, tides can still be turned opposite.

Many have dispatched United’s chances to comeback this season, and time when you are down is the perfect opportunity to do unexpected, the impossible.

While winning a trophy (any trophy) and ending the season in fourth position or higher still remains the top priority, there is still a lot to play for this season. Capital One Cup semifinal second leg against Sunderland. Champions’ League group of 16 against Olympiakos. And last but not the least Premier league.

If ever there was a comeback performance from Manchester United, now is the time for it to deliver. And if it happens, it will surely go down the history books as the biggest comeback of all time.

RedBrothersUnited are Anand Sindhu, Pawan Sharma and Akshay Agarwal.