Breaking News: Man Utd enjoy summer transfer success as new strategy pays off for Erik ten Hag

While sending undesired players like Jadon Sancho to Chelsea, Manchester United added players like Manuel Ugarte, Matthijs de Ligt, and Joshua Zirkzee to their roster.

With pride in a job well done, Manchester United can reflect on their first transfer window under Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

A successful window for the fallen giants, whose squad is in significantly better form after the business conducted by the new regime in control, is represented by five signings and nine departures.

Leny Yoro, Joshua Zirkzee, Matthijs De Ligt, Noussair Mazrouai, and Manuel Ugarte are the five newcomers, and they are unquestionably an improvement over the guys they have replaced. Notably, every new addition is 26 years of age or younger, highlighting the new tactic of acquiring young players who still have their prime years ahead of them.

United’s outstanding efforts in disposing players for £61 million have more than offset the £200 million they spent on recruits this summer, allowing the club to stay inside the Premier League’s stringent profit and sustainability guidelines (PSR) on expenditure. Mason Greenwood, Donny van de Beek, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Facundo Pellistri, Willy Kambwala, Alvaro Fernandez, Hannibal Mejbri, Scott McTominay, Will Fish, and Maxi Oyedele were among the players that United sold. This cost them approximately £90 million. This is something that United has not been able to accomplish since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure.

Furthermore, a number of those players who were sold were native graduates of the academy and, when it comes to financial calculations for satisfying PSR regulations, they are pure profit. Bruno Fernandes, the team’s captain, also inked a new long-term contract with United after the playmaker expressed doubts about the club’s desire for him at the end of the previous campaign and said he was ready to leave if the management wanted to make money off of him.

And by reaching a loan agreement with Chelsea that includes a buyout clause for Jadon Sancho, United have also resolved another issue by getting rid of a player who, despite their apparent reconciliation with Erik ten Hag, was never going to play. Significantly, Ratcliffe and his newly assembled football management team—which includes CEO Omar Berrada, sporting director Dan Ashworth, and technical director Jason Wilcox—have brought Erik ten Hag the players he knew the squad needed to return to the Premier League’s top four.

The new United administration responded as forcefully as possible to the team’s worst-ever Premier League finish of eighth place last season, taking a calculated and aggressive stance in the transfer market with regard to both inbound and outbound players. Despite United’s embarrassing fifth straight Premier League loss to Brighton last weekend, the club is feeling optimistic about the long term after their summer business.

Now that United is back in the top four, Ten Hag’s team is better positioned to rebuild and contend for the championship in the upcoming years. Although United’s well-known defensive weakness reappeared in the latter stages and condemned them to a 2-1 loss against Brighton, the team has not shown signs of panic.

With Yoro—who is currently injured—De Ligt and Mazraoui providing comparable qualities in defence, it is thought that Ugarte’s arrival will give United greater security in midfield, allowing Kobbie Mainoo to push forward. Meanwhile, Zirkzee will add a different dimension to the attack with his ability to drop deep and play in a variety of positions across the front line.

Left-back was the only position that United neglected to cover. Ten Hag currently uses right-back Diogo Dalot to fill in at left-back because both Luke Shaw and Tyrrell Malacia are out due to injury.

Ben Chilwell of Chelsea was reportedly offered to United, but they declined the chance to sign him since Ugarte’s signing was seen as a priority, pushing their summer expenditure to the limit.