A major overhaul at Manchester United is expected to take place this summer.
However, the horrific 4-0 away defeat to Liverpool looks to have already triggered the winds of change, as chief scouts Jim Lawlor and Marcel Bout both handed in their resignations. Their surprise departures have taken place less than 48 hours after Jurgen Klopp humiliated his former mentor Ralf Rangnick at Anfield.
Lawlor had been involved in the United scouting team ever since 2005, while Bout followed former manager Louis van Gaal when he took up the reins in 2014. But as both scouts depart the club after seven years of working together, Mirror Football considers the first-team players who signed for the club during their time together...
2014-15
Angel di Maria (£59.7m), Luke Shaw (£27m), Ander Herrera (£29m), Marcos Rojo (£16m), Daley Blind (£13.8m), Radamel Falcao (£6m loan)
Fresh off the back of a man of the match performance in a victorious Champions League Final, Manchester United shattered the British transfer record to sign Di Maria from Real Madrid. Marcos Rojo and Daley Blind had also enjoyed fantastic World Cups with Argentina and the Netherlands, while Herrera and Shaw appeared to be an astute purchases.
Radamel Falcao looked destined to form an incredible partnership with Robin van Persie, while Milinkovic-Savic was identified as a player for the future. Unfortunately for the Reds, only Shaw, Blind and Herrera proved to be savvy investments, as Falcao, Di Maria, and Rojo could not re-discover the form that captured the world’s attention.
2015–16
Anthony Martial (£36m), Morgan Schneiderlin (£25m), Memphis Depay (£31m), Matteo Darmian (£12.7m), Bastian Schweinsteiger (£14.4m), Sergio Romero
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A fascinating blend of youth and experience appeared to be on the menu at Old Trafford in Van Gaal’s final transfer window at the club. While the arrivals of Depay, Schneiderlin, and Schweinsteiger did not raise too many eyebrows, the sudden arrival of £36m Anthony Martial from Monaco caused shockwaves across the Premier League.
Schweinsteiger’s many injuries consigned him to the side-lines, while Schneiderlin and Depay struggled to acclimatise to the pressures of the Manchester United shirt. Darmian had his moments but was shafted out of the club regardless, but Martial remains at the club today – however, his departure appears to be a matter of when and not if, having been shipped out on loan to Sevilla in January.
2016-17
Paul Pogba (£89m), Henrikh Mkhitaryan (£37.8m), Eric Bailly (£34m), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Free)
In true Jose Mourinho fashion, the ‘Special One’ announced his appointment in style with a £166m spending spree on Pogba, Mkhitaryan, Bailly, and Ibrahimovic. All four arrivals appeared to have addressed weaknesses which blighted Van Gaal’s two-year reign at the club.
The Europa League title, the League Cup, and the fact that Ibrahimovic bagged 28 goals and 10 assists in 46 appearances suggests this was the best transfer window of Lawler and Bout’s scouting ventures at the club. Unfortunately, Pogba and Mkhitaryan were never able to rediscover their best form at Juventus and Borussia Dortmund respectively, while persistent injuries saw Bailly’s performances decline over the next few seasons.
2017-18
Romelu Lukaku (£76m), Nemanja Matic (£40m), Victor Lindelof (£31m), Alexis Sanchez (swap deal with Henrikh Mkhitaryan)
Mourinho chose to address the exact same areas of the pitch he identified in his first transfer window, having brought Lukaku, Matic, and Lindelof in the summer. With United trying to keep up with the blistering Manchester City, Mourinho and co thought they had dealt a real blow to Pep Guardiola when they beat the Citizens to Alexis Sanchez’s signature.
While the Red Devils finished second, an achievement Mourinho still holds in very high regard, they never looked likely to threaten City’s ascent to the top of the Premier League. Lukaku and Sanchez were both moved on to Inter Milan by Solskjaer, while Lindelof and Matic are nothing more than squad players at the club.
2018–19
Fred (£53m), Diogo Dalot (£20m), Lee Grant (£1.53m)
Mourinho’s final transfer window was an unusually understated for the Portuguese ace’s standards. However, the Reds still spent big, as Fred joined the club from Shakhtar Donetsk while Dalot arrived with a bustling reputation.
However, it could perhaps be argued that the jury remains out on the United duo, as Fred commands a regular starting sport, whole Dalot has shown promising glimpses at times. Both players will likely have a regular involvement under Erik ten Hag – unless the Dutchman fills their places in the summer.
2019–20
Harry Maguire (£80m), Bruno Fernandes (£47m), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£50m), Daniel James (£16m), Odion Ighalo (loan)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made Maguire the most expensive defender in world football when he dropped £80m on the former Leicester City defender’s head. Wan-Bissaka’s arrival from Crystal Palace also proved to be a huge expense, while James’ arrival from Swansea City appeared to me a move made with the future in mind.
However, Bruno Fernandes ’ arrival proved to be a masterstroke from the club, as he has contributed 35 goals and 25 assists for the Red Devils. After a strong first two seasons at the club, Maguire and Wan-Bissaka have endured a very difficult campaign, while James was shipped to Leeds United for a profit.
2020–21
Donny van de Beek (£35m), Amad Diallo (£19m), Alex Telles (£13m), Facundo Pellistri (£7.65m), Edinson Cavani (free transfer)
Donny van de Beek’s arrival initially raised plenty of eyebrows as there did not seem to be an obvious place in the United set-up for the former Ajax ace. However, Telles and Cavani’s signings appeared to be astute pieces of business, as United lackes a natural No.9 and Telles was an experienced left-back who could challenge Shaw.
Unfortunately, Diallo and Pellistri have barely got a kick for the Reds, while Cavani and Telles are both in and out of the United team when available. Meanwhile, as stated, there was no real place for van de Beek, as the Dutchman was sent on loan to Everton in the recent January transfer window.
2021–22
Jadon Sancho (£77m), Raphael Varane (£36m), Cristiano Ronaldo £14m), Tom Heaton (Free)
It was the transfer window of dreams for the Red Devils. Their long pursuit of Jadon Sancho ended with him in United red, Raphael Varane brought prestige and experience to the back four, and Ronaldo’s return brought almost unprecedented levels of excitement to Old Trafford.
Unfortunately, things did not go to plan for Solskjaer as he was shown the door in November with United languishing in seventh position. While Ronaldo has almost single handily dragged United into a race for the top four, Varane has had to miss most of the season through injury.
Sancho endured a very slow start to life on the red side of Manchester, but he does appear to be finding his feet at Old Trafford. Ten Hag could prove to be vital for his Manchester United career.