You do realise that United are worth nothing unless people think they’re worth something right? That’s how economy works.
United wouldn’t be the third richest club in the world if they wasn’t one of the most supported clubs in the world. Sheff United are above United currently but they’re not the 2nd richest club in the world are they? It doesn’t work like you want it to unfortunately.
Why would United ever be interested in buying a young, up and coming player and developing him for the likes of Madrid or Barcelona? That’s what Dortmund are doing. And as I said, he’ll be leaving before Dortmund actually win anything anyway, and why would better players want to join Dortmund knowing that Haaland will be gone at the first offer from one of the big boys?
“Yeah lads, come and sign for us. We’re about to lose Sancho, possibly to United, and Haaland‘s off the first chance he gets to a bigger team. Oh yeah, and Bayern take all our best German players on free transfers also, but we get them back when they’ve finished winning trophies though”
United obviously aspire to be this much of a stepping stone...
Here's the problem, your very first sentence is kind of my point. People don't think United are worth what they used to be. Ticket sales for tourists have gone down, jersey sales have gone down, exposure to the general public has gone down, right now there's a generation growing up where United is a club that doesn't win and is mocked all the time in the media. There are so many factors that league position will affect a club, not over a season or two, but over a decade? Absolutely. You're not at a decade of mediocrity yet, but you're headed in that direction so far. There's still time to change tracks, but you're seriously underestimating the impact United's performances is going to have over the next decade if they don't turn it around. Just because you don't see it yet it doesn't mean the wave is not forming to crash down on the club.
As far as your point on not going for a player because you'd just be 'developing him for the likes of Madrid or Barcelona', that's also a small club mentality, regardless of whether you scoff at buyout clauses or not. You're afraid to lose him, but even if you do, so what? No prospect is looking at the United/Haaland saga and thinking, 'wow, United didn't bow down to his release clause, I'm so impressed by their big club mentality I'm going to join them and be locked in with this mess'. This isn't specific to Haaland because I, like many others here, think he'd struggle at United compared to Dortmund, but with any great prospects, what is the harm in trying? Because you'll look silly in a few years when you lose him? Is it really worse than having your striker position sorted for a bargain price in today's age, allowing you to focus on other areas? I'd rather that than losing out on him to Dortmund and having people use him as some stick to beat United over the head with, which is beyond childish, by the way, and part of this huge chunk of the media who seems to delight at taking any shot they can towards United.
Worst case, you get a player you need for a few years, you make money off the player's likeness during that time, you have one less area to focus on, and you make a profit
if he goes, because maybe you manage to turn it around during that player's time, maybe you develop a winning culture, maybe United goes back to being a true top 3 club, and being part of reviving a sleeping giant is more enticing and prestigious rather than join Barcelona or Real Madrid like every one else seems to dream about. There's only so many spots to play for either team, not every one is going to be able to leave United to go there. Crazier things have happened.
Pretty self-explanatory, you're not a top 3 club right now.
