Man Utd’s signings prove they no longer have transfer power

Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson and former chief executive David Gill were masters of signings. They perhaps missed out on top targets and bought a few flops, but they always brought in players to fit in the puzzle.

Since the managerial great’s retirement two summers ago, the Red Devils have signed the likes of Marouane Fellaini and Juan Mata who, although they are no doubt very good players, have simply not fit in to the system at Old Trafford.

Yes Ferguson bought the likes of outcasts Shinji Kagawa and Wilfried Zaha in his final couple of season, but he also found crucial additions in the form of Robin van Persie, David de Gea and Phil Jones around that time.

This summer, there was finally an aura of confidence back in the red half of Manchester, which came with the appointment of new boss Louis van Gaal. However, with the Dutchman occupied at the World Cup with the Netherlands at crucial moments of the transfer window, the club have missed out on top talent.

Since the departures of legendary club centre backs Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, the priority for Man Utd was to surely replace them with experience and leadership, especially with Van Gaal’s 3-4-1-2 formation. The likes of commanding players Mats Hummels, Thomas Vermaelen and Mehdi Benatia were all linked, but none came.

Instead, young versatile left-sided duo Marcos Rojo and Daley Blind (both 24) have been brought in – admittedly at relatively low prices of around £16m and £14m respectively – but they are not solid centre backs. That also makes Jonny Evans the oldest United defender, at 26.

Luke Shaw is a great addition to replace Patrice Evra, but the club again made the error of letting the Frenchman go to aid the young England player’s progress.

But so unbalanced is the Red Devils’ squad, that it is leaning heavily left and forward. Blind, Rojo, Shaw and youngster Tyler Blackett are all left footed defenders, while the other transfers made this summer were mainly in attack.

United already had a fantastic crop of players in forward areas, including Van Persie, Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez and arguably Mata, Kagawa and Danny Welbeck. However, the club decided that they needed to change things up and panic buy.