Manchester United face a hugely challenging summer in the transfer window.
The Red Devils firstly need to finalise a deal for their new manager, and it will then be interesting to see how the squad changes to fit in with whoever comes in as the permanent successor to interim manager Ralf Rangnick.
Man Utd fans will hope a new manager can help get the best out of the players the club already has, but it will also be important for them to have a role in shaping the recruitment process.
That’s according to Luke Chadwick, with the former United player speaking to CaughtOffside about how the club might approach this summer’s transfer window.
Chadwick would like to see the new manager play a key role in choosing signings, whilst naming Benfica striker Darwin Nunez as someone who could be an ideal alternative to Erling Haaland.
The Norway international has supposedly decided he doesn’t want a move to Old Trafford because he doesn’t feel he can fulfil his ambitions there, according to ESPN.
When asked about this damning revelation, Chadwick admitted it was very disappointing, but also not surprising after the poor season his old club have had.
“It’s massively disappointing, because that’s the sort of player you want to see at Manchester United. Unfortunately it’s not surprising at all,” Chadwick told CaughtOffside. “You need to be, at the very least, a top four club to attract those very top, top players. Haaland is one of the best in Europe at the moment and it is a worry that he doesn’t see United as being able to fulfil his ambitions.
“The only way around it is to improve – to make sure you’re winning trophies year in, year out, and getting Champions League football. It’s just something that hasn’t happened over the last seven or eight years at United. Until then they just need to recruit the best players they can, but it probably does take a player like Erling Haaland, like Harry Kane, to really make you a challenger.
“It’s a difficult situation for United, because that’s where these players want to be – challenging at the top end of the Premier League, getting far in the Champions League. They want the best opportunities to play in those competitions and win those competitions, and United just aren’t offering that right now.
“Darwin Nunez could be the kind of signing that suits United. That could be the best kind of talent for the club to be in for. He’s not completely proven, but he’s got a fantastic scoring record this season, he’s done it in the Champions League and looks an exciting talent.
“I still think we could see one or two marquee signings like Declan Rice or Kalvin Phillips, but it might also take the recruitment team to pull some irons out of the fire to add for that. An exciting young talent like Nunez to go along with those players could give United something to build on to compete at the top end of the Premier League again and to be in a position to win trophies.
“The new manager will have to come in and put that culture in place, because there’s no point going in and signing all these players if it’s in a losing environment, an environment that’s not together. There’s a real negative cloud at United, so we need the new manager to bring everyone together and pull forward.
“I think the new manager has to be given some responsibility with transfers,” Chadwick added. “You’d expect him to be given a long-term contract, and it would work best if he could bring in his own players.
“Obviously I’m sure there’ll be discussions between several figures over targets, but you’d expect the new manager to be involved as well. There needs to be clarity about who’s involved in the recruitment process and part of that is about working out the style of play the manager will want to be. It needs to go through the manager because he’ll be working with these players on the training ground and picking the team on a matchday to try to get the best possible results that the club desperately needs.”