Money is so tight at Manchester United when Erik ten Hag wanted to revert to overnight stays at a nearby hotel before home games last season, he was informed the money was not there.
United restored a players’ lounge at Old Trafford at the start of last season at Ten Hag’s request. That no imagery of the pre-match hub has ever been published tells its own story.
Ten Hag ended United’s seasonal stays at The Lowry Hotel in 2022 but he felt he could exert greater control and foster better team-bonding back at the city centre hotel, with the Hyatt Regency a possible alternative. Ten Hag was overruled.
So the prospect of United spending in the January transfer window is currently remote. They have a 28-man squad and are doubled up in every position. Triple in some. United have six senior centre backs on their books and Leny Yoro has still not had a competitive kick.
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If Ruben Amorim is to have any backing in the mid-season market, United have to sell to buy. Or loan. No club worth their salt is going to part with cash for Antony (one start all season – against League One Barnsley) or Joshua Zirkzee (one goal in 18 games). United could not even obtain a decent fee from a Saudi Pro League club when Al Nassr took Alex Telles off their hands.
Senior figures at United privately feel Zirkzee is a lost cause. United will need a proven goalscorer next year and someone has to make way.
There is that scene in Moneyball where Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill discuss cutting a player. “They’re professional ball players, be straight with them. No fluff, just facts,” Pitt says. “Would you rather get a bullet to the head or five to the chest and bleed to death?” Watching Zirkzee on Sunday, his United career is becoming death by a thousand cuts. United have to cut him loose.
Amorim actually had to tell Zirkzee, purportedly a striker, to get into the box in the 93rd minute. “At the end of the game we are around the box with two strikers, Josh has to understand that he has to go into the box for the crosses,” Amorim bluntly said.
It was easy to surmise Amorim would not be content with Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund as his striker options. Then he benched the £108.5million duo at Ipswich.
United are the punchline again. Norway and Sweden produce brilliant forwards in Erling Haaland, Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres. Which one do United sign? The Danish one. For £72m.
Gyokeres will be available for less than that next year. Haaland’s fee was a knockdown £52m. Isak cost Newcastle £63m in 2022 – the fee Gyokeres is likely to go for in 2025.
Dan Ashworth was the sporting director at Newcastle when Isak arrived from Real Sociedad. Chris Wood, ousted by Isak, has got four times as many club goals as Hojlund this term.
It is easier for United to clear the decks elsewhere. Their central defensive department could be halved come July 1. Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof will be out of contract and so will Harry Maguire unless United trigger the one-year options in his deal.
That requires careful consideration. Maguire has played in nine of United’s 19 games and has been sidelined for more than seven weeks with a calf problem. Maguire missed 17 games through injury last season, too.
United only triggered the one-year option in Lindelof’s contract in December with the intention of selling him. Only Lindelof continued to be injury-prone and became unsellable, so United were saddled with him. The Swede is injured again.
Christian Eriksen’s hitherto respectable campaign (primarily in cup games) is not cause to retain him beyond his June 30 expiry date. So Lindelof, Eriksen and Jonny Evans (who turns 37 in January) should be three certainties to go in the summer. That is the best part of £400,000 off the wage bill.
Then United have to target some bigger hitters. Casemiro could be more sellable, Antony has the makings of a season-long loan with an option or obligation to buy and Zirkzee is a dud. Hojlund, as a substitute or rotational striker to support a prolific marksman, would have merit.
United will bank £20m or £25m next year when Chelsea are obliged to pay for the services of the flaky Jadon Sancho. A fit and firing left wing back is essential, so Tyrell Malacia or Luke Shaw have to go.
If United want to restore a best-in-class culture then they’ll have to be ruthless. Mason Mount emerged for a nothing cameo at Ipswich, did nothing yet posted three pictures of himself onto his Instagram Stories. What kind of a mentality is that?
Marcus Rashford seemed to think a goal after 80 seconds accounted for 90 minutes of work. Rashford is a stop-gap striker for Amorim, who requires an upgrade. But money is tight.
