With Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani’s bid out of the picture, Manchester United’s quickfire route to success becomes a lot narrower.
Perhaps it’s almost impossible with the Glazers still in situ. It cannot be denied the Glazers have splashed out heavily on signings since Erik ten Hag walked through the door – around £300million has been spent on newcomers during his tenure.
But millions of pounds worth of paint will never make the rocky foundations of the house steadier and the lack of funding in infrastructure is alarming. This summer, former academy product Charlie Savage put League One Reading’s training facilities on par with those at Carrington.
The Royals have been washed with financial trouble in recent years and, in truth, so have United. The lack of investment by the Glazers at the club means United have to operate on a lower financial threshold within UEFA rules and the club’s debts do not help matters.
The club have been accused of overpaying for underperforming players. Paul Pogba cost a record £89m but left Old Trafford under a cloud for free.
More recently, Jadon Sancho’s £73m looks remarkable while the jury is still out on Antony’s £85m. So much money has been spent on a squad that does not look close to winning the title.
All the while, United could be in the same situation in the winter market as they were last season. A £225m summer spend saw the Reds cash-strapped in January and they ultimately had to lean on loanees Wout Weghorst and Marcel Sabitzer.
This summer, club officials were concerned about Financial Fair Play rules and that same fear may come into play next January. Ten Hag was clearly irked by last season’s situation and let his guard down in May, ahead of the FA Cup final.
“The club knows if you want to play top four, compete for trophies in this league then you have to invest otherwise you don’t have a chance because other clubs will do,” he said.
“We’ve seen it in the winter, all the clubs around us made huge investments, we didn’t. But still we made it, so I’m proud of my team.”
Sir Jim Ratcliffe remains the only bidder left at the table and looks set to invest a 25 per cent minority stake, rather than his initial aim for 69 per cent majority. That in itself is less than ideal but Ten hag has already outlined what he expects from all those who have their hand in the United pie.
Ratcliffe must not be a backseat investor, especially if he wants to deliver on his promise of bringing the Champions League trophy back to Old Trafford.
Kobbie Mainoo injury question highlights Manchester United’s midfield problem
The Man Utd midfielder could be back in contention following the international break
A behind-closed-doors friendly against Barnsley in international week is unlikely to provide too many solutions for misfiring Manchester United.
The Reds won 3-0 this week but the talk was as much about a player who ultimately didn’t feature as it was anything else. Kobbie Mainoo was slated to start but United’s coaching team deemed it best not to press the midfielder into action as he recovers from injury.
The 18-year-old has been anointed for first-team duty and Erik ten Hag is a huge fan of the talented teenager. His absence so far this season has, if anything, seen his stock rise such has been United’s midfield predicament. And while no-one is expecting Mainoo to ride into the side and carry that burden by himself, there is a growing sense that the local lad can play a pivotal role.
To some extent that highlights the issues United are facing. Mainoo is a fine prospect and has the credentials and capabilities to play at the top level. But he’s had just 10 minutes of Premier League football and not even 90 minutes of senior football.
United are in need of a spark and a player like Mainoo, fresh from the Academy, has the potential to provide it – just as Adnan Januzaj, Federico Macheda and Marcus Rashford have before him. It’s a United tale that runs through the club’s history and Erik ten Hag wants to keep that theme running
Ten Hag identified him as a potential first-team player from his arrival at United. The manager wants to push youngsters into the side, as was the case at his former club Ajax – another side steeped in the tradition of youth development. But the Dutchman has been ruthless in his decision-making at that level, allowing the likes of Zidane Iqbal to move on.
“Manchester United is famous for always bringing young players up and it can be done,” Ten Hag said in the summer on Mainoo. “But we have to see. We have confidence, he is playing with confidence, and I really like his performance. But I don’t want to rise expectations too high. We have to see. The Premier League is tough but, definitely, you can see we have some really good young players who can play a role in the squad. But the bar is high.”
The bar might have lowered somewhat in the three months since Ten Hag gave that interview. The United midfield issues are there for all to see this season.
Casemiro has been below par given his high standards last term, while Mason Mount hasn’t yet found an effective role. Christian Eriksen isn’t at his consistent best and Sofyan Amrabat has played more at left back than in his preferred position. Even Scott McTominay’s dramatic brace last time out is unlikely to convince Ten Hag of his starting merits.
It’s why the prospect of Mainoo returning to the fold ahead of Sheffield United next week is such an enticing one. The summer showed how highly he was regarded before injury struck against Real Madrid in a Stateside friendly. The fact he was featuring against the Spanish giants shows how much Ten Hag trusts him.
First-team minutes will surely arrive in the coming weeks, but the fact a midfield rookie can reasonably expect senior starts simply serves to highlight the problems United have in that position.