The word from Manchester United is they wanted to spend more in the summer. They pleaded poverty until transfer deadline day, using funds from Dean Henderson's underwhelming £15million fee to recruit Sofyan Amrabat on loan.
Football director John Murtough may be on borrowed time as Dan Ashworth waits for the seasons to change in his garden but he is still leading United's recruitment planning ahead of the summer window. It remains to be seen if it is the same director-manager double act for a third summer running.READ MORE: Players in the stands react as expected to Fernandes moment vs Everton
This is the summer where United could realistically and belatedly accept Ralf Rangnick's advice, ironically just as his two-year consultancy contract would have been due to end. Rangnick left United six days after Erik ten Hag pressed the flesh in the Old Trafford press room. United made six signings in Ten Hag's first summer and seven in the second, the latter a post-war club record for pre-season incomings. There were also three loanees in January 2023. United have signed as many players on loan under Ten Hag as they had in the 20 years before his appointment.
Ten Hag's predilection for Frenkie de Jong set the tone for United's market dealings in the past two years. Although De Jong did not reunite with his old Ajax coach, Onana, Lisandro Martinez and Antony did. Mount, Amrabat, Wout Weghorst and Tyrell Malacia all played in the Eredivisie and Hojlund is represented by Ten Hag's agent, Kees Vos.