Woodward has done some awful deals in the last few years. Im referring to the prices paid rather than the players, which aren't his decision. He always pays 30-50% more than what other clubs would have paid.
I think he should stick to the commercial side of things which he has been brilliant at, and hire someone who deals with contracts and signings.
Ed have been brilliant for us and I think we're lucky to have a man like him in charge of our club! He's a very clever and intelligent man who adapt quickly in his new job! He came as a marketing man but have now made United a force to fear in the transfer market! We can almost get everyone we want and United have became one of the prefered destination for most star players despite the fact club like Manchester City, Chelsea and PSG have unlimited budget; and if we start winning major trophies, I am confident things will get better. Now I am confident we can easily beat Madrid and Barcelona for a player.
Yes he overpaid for some players but many clubs do it nowadays! In this inflated market, there's no designated price for a specific players and a player price depend on how much the seller club want and how much the buying player value him and are willing to pay! Was Gareth Bale a 80M player? No; was Ramos Rodriguez an 70M playeR? No; Was Gonzalo Huguain a 70M player? No; but the clubs who bought them valued them at that price and paid the money!
Beside that, the only player I can really consider we overpaid is Fellaini because it was a panic buy and he was not what we needed and have not the quality to be a United player. The other players we bought, I think he paid the correct prices to get them; for example;
(The number might not be correct because I didn't check, feel free to correct them)
- Mata 38M: previous season Chelsea best player and a star name in the PL and good playmaker. He's still here and have been one of our best players.
- Falcao : a failed experience but it was a loan and 14M was not that much as Falcao was one of the most feared striker in the world.
-Di Maria 59M: one of Madrid's best player and man of the match in the final of the CL.
-Daily Blind 14M : best Dutch league player that season.
-Herrera : we paid his released clause, no other way to get him.
-Shaw 30M : English younster and best left back the previous season! Right price if you consider that English players are very expensive.
-Memphis Depay: 26M was the right price after the season he had and considering the fact most big club were after him and PSG were preparing to offer big money to get him.
- Schneiderlin 27M: most of us were excited about this player and he was one of the best midfielder the previous season.
- Schweinsteiger : 6M was the correct price for a fading Bayern Munich legend.
- Martial : 36M good price if we consider the rumours that most big clubs were after him and Chelsea wanted to pay more to hijack the deal.
- Ibrahimovic : free.
- Pogba : one of the most tricked case; we overpaid but we also got, maybe, the best midfielder of his generation and one of the most marketable player in the world and Serie A best player.
- Mkitharyan : 27M was a still for the Bundesliga player of the season.
-Bailly : 30M was the correct price for one of the best defender in the Spanish league! He was also wanted by City, so we needed to act quickly.
So among all those names, can you tell me which one we overpaid and what is the correct price you'd have paid?
I think Ed is doing a good job and we must be proud to have him. According to some, he's the "Christiano Ronaldo" of commercial sphere. I am confident he'll deliver everything Jose want; even if it means we must overspaid, the most important thing is to get our targets and go into next season well prepared.