Why Manchester United missed out on a left-back in the transfer window. Rob Dawson explains the thinking behind Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox's recruitment strategy.

Manchester United spent the summer trying to avoid past mistakes while also building for the future.

Missteps in the transfer market have shaped much of the club's strategy this window. The primary goal is to move the squad forward without repeating the errors that have previously set the team back.

Some fans might argue that Manchester United's reluctance to spend big this summer, when Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Tottenham Hotspur all splashed £100 million or more on single signings, shows a lack of ambition. CEO Omar Berrada and Football Director Jason Wilcox would counter that caution is necessary, given what has happened before.

Why? Because Manchester United finds it harder than most clubs to offload the consequences of transfer mistakes.

Ugarte is one such example. The Uruguayan midfielder joined Old Trafford in 2024 for a transfer fee exceeding £50 million. After two underwhelming seasons, he was available to leave this window. The club knew they needed an offer of around £20 million to balance the books, but this was unrealistic given his recent form and wage demands.

The best they could hope for was to find a club willing to cover Ugarte's wages and take him on loan. Ultimately, a serious knee injury suffered at the Copa América scuttled any potential move. Manchester United will be compensated for Ugarte's wages through the FIFA Club Protection Programme, which applies when players are injured while on international duty.

However, this injury merely postpones the problem. Ugarte's contract doesn't expire until June 2029, meaning Manchester United will still need to find a solution for him next summer or even further down the line. This issue could drag on for three more years, precisely the scenario Berrada and Wilcox aim to avoid.

Midfield Reconstruction

After rebuilding the forward line a year ago, Manchester United's priority this summer was to bolster the midfield.

Manchester United ultimately signed three players with Premier League experience – Santos, Tielemans, and Baleba – for a total cost of £155 million. ESPN sources say that in the context of continually high-priced midfield transfers, these three signings are seen as good value and lower risk. In contrast, the combined fees for Elliot Anderson to Manchester City, Tonali to Tottenham Hotspur, and Enzo Fernández to Chelsea amounted to £341 million.

Manchester United was interested in Anderson but only accepted Nottingham Forest's initial valuation of £70 million. They also scouted Tonali but deemed investing a large sum in a player recently banned for a long period due to gambling violations too risky.

Budget was also a factor, especially with not many players needing to be cleared from the squad. Manchester City has recouped nearly £350 million this summer, while Manchester United's sales revenue is still less than £50 million.

It was initially expected that Barcelona would trigger Rashford's buyout clause, and this money would have been used for Zirkzee. However, Barcelona opted to sign Anthony Gordon for that wide position, and although Manchester United had contact with Fiorentina and Juventus regarding the Dutch forward, nothing materialized. By the time Everton called later on deadline day, it was too late.

The club's financial reality is that they cannot spend £300 million or £400 million in one window. Manchester United had the funds to match Tottenham Hotspur's £85 million offer for Matheus Fernandes, a player who had been on Manchester United's midfield target list. However, the club ultimately did not proceed, partly because Fernandes never indicated a preference to move to Old Trafford during negotiations. Manchester United viewed this as a red flag that could not be ignored.

Berrada and Wilcox have consistently emphasized that they want to sign players who explicitly express a desire to play for Manchester United, much like Cunha and Mbeumo. While they secured their desired players last summer, this time they had to be more flexible.

After the deal for Atalanta midfielder Ederson fell through due to medical issues, Manchester United accelerated talks with Chelsea for Santos. Following their decision to forgo Fernandes, Tielemans's £35 million release clause was quickly activated.

In the days following Tielemans's arrival, Manchester United also pushed for Scalvini. But after Atalanta decided to keep him, Manchester United turned their attention to Baleba. Brighton's initial valuation of £120 million was eventually negotiated down to £70 million.

Manchester United also encountered other obstacles.

Mamadou Sangaré was a player closely monitored by the club, with data analysis showing his statistics at Lens last season were similar to Matheus Fernandes's performance at West Ham. However, Manchester United has recently observed a trend: agents prefer to send players to mid-table Premier League clubs first. This allows players to gain more playing time, and their transfer fees and salaries will be higher when they eventually move to a top-six club.

Caicedo followed this path. He joined Chelsea for £115 million after playing a full season at Brighton and Hove Albion. Sangaré and his team opted to move to Brentford this summer for approximately £40 million. If he has a good season at Brentford, his value – both in terms of transfer fee and salary expectations – will increase significantly by 2027.

No Need to "Win the Window"

ESPN sources indicate that Manchester United's priority for next summer will be the defense.

Berrada and Wilcox are pleased with the signings of Cunha, Mbeumo, Sesko, and Lamela. Not making mistakes in that window allowed the club to proceed with plans to strengthen the midfield. Avoiding errors this time will also free up funds for center-backs and full-backs before the 2027-28 season.

A common phrase within the club is "building blocks" – gradually improving the squad over time while avoiding revisiting problems that should have been addressed earlier.

ESPN sources say Manchester United acknowledges the team failed to address the left-back deficiency when the window closed on Tuesday. They could have signed Raum from RB Leipzig, as the club was told all summer that he was available. However, Manchester United believed signing a 28-year-old for approximately £30 million on a four-to-five-year contract might interfere with the next phase of their transfer plans.

Lewis Hall was Manchester United's primary target for this position, but Newcastle United refused to negotiate, making any deal impossible until next year. If Hall had been prioritized this summer, the Baleba deal would likely not have been funded.

Manchester United also considered short-term solutions to fill this void. In the final week of the window, Ait-Nouri's agent offered him to Manchester United. On deadline day, Manchester United was also informed that any deal would require a mandatory buy-out clause. Manchester United withdrew their interest after learning they would have to make a long-term commitment to secure the deal.

The club knows this isn't perfect, but their plan is not just about winning one window. The goal is to position the squad to sign their desired players next summer.

Manchester United hopes this long-term approach will ultimately pay off.

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