So, the window is now closed and the deals have been done. I think for almost all United fans, the 2019 summer transfer window has not met the expectations we had at the start of the window. Yes we have secured a couple of excellent signings to secure our leaky defence and yes we finally offloaded the disruptive Romelu Lukaku and have so far been able to resist the overtures of Real Madrid for Paul Pogba. But to be honest we expected so much more. Where is the defensive midfielder to replace Matic? Where is the central midfielder to replace Herrera? Where is the right winger?
Much as this transfer window answered some questions, it has left many others totally unaddressed. What is United's transfer strategy exactly? Does anyone actually know? Do we even have one?
Anyway here are ten things we have learned about Manchester United in this transfer window.
1. "You would be surprised by how many agents are touting their players" - those were Ole's words remember? But in point of fact Ole, I am not surprised at all. I am not surprised that Daniel James wants to come. Neither am I surprised that Wan-Bissaka would want to give up season long battles against relegation at Palace or that Harry Maguire would want to abandon mid-table mediocrity at Leicester. That does not surprise me at all. What would surprise me would be if they did not want to come. De Ligt would have surprised me, Koulibaly would have surprised me, Greizmann would have surprised me, Sancho would have surprised me.
2. Our troubles at the back could be a thing of the past - I am genuinely excited by the purchases of Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Harry Maguire. They are very good players and a massive upgrade on the utter ineptitude that masqueraded as a right back and central defensive cover last season. I expect us to halve the number of goals conceded in the 2018/19 campaign.
3. Looks like we were never really in for anyone else - call me a conspiracy theorist, but I wonder whether United were ever really in for anyone else once the Maguire deal was done. It appears that Fernandes was never on Ole's list and as for Dybala, did we really not know that the only reason why he would come to us would be to bankrupt the club? We have been strung along all summer by the click bait journos on YouTube linking us with everyone from Mathias De Ligt, and Kalidou Koulibaly, to Thomas Partey and Nicolas Pepe.
4. The Glazers are only really interested in top four - nothing about our transfer activity suggests anything like a commitment to prepare for a title challenge in the years to come. We have bought well to compete for the top four, with Chelsea and Arsenal but not in preparation to challenge City or Liverpool. City were better before and have strengthened and are even better and Liverpool were better before and have not strengthened and are still better. It could be a decade before we challenge for the title again.
5. Tottenham and Arsenal have got more ambition than us - forget City and Liverpool, we will have a job living with Tottenham and maybe even Arsenal. Tottenham are now starting to act like a big club. They are putting their money where their mouth is and the purchase of Ndombele and Lo Celso are real statements of intent. As for Arsenal, Pepe and Ceballos look like terrific signings.
6. There are consequences when a team finishes outside the top four - during the window United traded on its brand value for all it was worth. In the end we attracted good players, who would have predictably come anyway. Even the allure of a club as mighty as United looks decidedly faded when viewed from outside the top four.
7. Don't count on our ability to hold on to Paul Pogba - so the transfer window is over? Erm, not quite. The European window remains open for several more weeks and we will see how truly committed Pogba is to United and how steely United's resolve is to keep him. The Pogba matter is far from resolved. We have seen this movie before. Ultimately the power rests with players not managers and not clubs. I desperately hope Pogba does not become disruptive in his desire to secure a move, but we have seen this movie before.
Much as this transfer window answered some questions, it has left many others totally unaddressed. What is United's transfer strategy exactly? Does anyone actually know? Do we even have one?
Anyway here are ten things we have learned about Manchester United in this transfer window.
1. "You would be surprised by how many agents are touting their players" - those were Ole's words remember? But in point of fact Ole, I am not surprised at all. I am not surprised that Daniel James wants to come. Neither am I surprised that Wan-Bissaka would want to give up season long battles against relegation at Palace or that Harry Maguire would want to abandon mid-table mediocrity at Leicester. That does not surprise me at all. What would surprise me would be if they did not want to come. De Ligt would have surprised me, Koulibaly would have surprised me, Greizmann would have surprised me, Sancho would have surprised me.
2. Our troubles at the back could be a thing of the past - I am genuinely excited by the purchases of Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Harry Maguire. They are very good players and a massive upgrade on the utter ineptitude that masqueraded as a right back and central defensive cover last season. I expect us to halve the number of goals conceded in the 2018/19 campaign.
3. Looks like we were never really in for anyone else - call me a conspiracy theorist, but I wonder whether United were ever really in for anyone else once the Maguire deal was done. It appears that Fernandes was never on Ole's list and as for Dybala, did we really not know that the only reason why he would come to us would be to bankrupt the club? We have been strung along all summer by the click bait journos on YouTube linking us with everyone from Mathias De Ligt, and Kalidou Koulibaly, to Thomas Partey and Nicolas Pepe.
4. The Glazers are only really interested in top four - nothing about our transfer activity suggests anything like a commitment to prepare for a title challenge in the years to come. We have bought well to compete for the top four, with Chelsea and Arsenal but not in preparation to challenge City or Liverpool. City were better before and have strengthened and are even better and Liverpool were better before and have not strengthened and are still better. It could be a decade before we challenge for the title again.
5. Tottenham and Arsenal have got more ambition than us - forget City and Liverpool, we will have a job living with Tottenham and maybe even Arsenal. Tottenham are now starting to act like a big club. They are putting their money where their mouth is and the purchase of Ndombele and Lo Celso are real statements of intent. As for Arsenal, Pepe and Ceballos look like terrific signings.
6. There are consequences when a team finishes outside the top four - during the window United traded on its brand value for all it was worth. In the end we attracted good players, who would have predictably come anyway. Even the allure of a club as mighty as United looks decidedly faded when viewed from outside the top four.
7. Don't count on our ability to hold on to Paul Pogba - so the transfer window is over? Erm, not quite. The European window remains open for several more weeks and we will see how truly committed Pogba is to United and how steely United's resolve is to keep him. The Pogba matter is far from resolved. We have seen this movie before. Ultimately the power rests with players not managers and not clubs. I desperately hope Pogba does not become disruptive in his desire to secure a move, but we have seen this movie before.