Manchester United's John Murtough and Richard Arnold were pictured together in Barcelona last month. The club's talks to sign Frenkie de Jong had made no progress since a fee had been agreed and the pair travelled to Catalonia to push the deal through.
There have been four weeks since that rendezvous in Barcelona and any deal for De Jong has become increasingly unlikely. Sources indicated Murtough and Arnold were 'inter-railing around Europe' but the club have spent more money on travel expenses than they have on midfielders this summer. Christian Eriksen, who has been the only midfield addition, cost nothing.
United have looked foolish chasing De Jong all summer and it will be humiliating if they do not sign him, yet it is likely that will be the case. United's transfer business in this window has had all of the hallmarks of a club that is poorly run.
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United's interest in Marko Arnautovic was disgraceful and it confirmed supporters' suspicions that the summer window was becoming an embarrassment. Arnautovic, 33, has never been good enough to play for United and that's without mentioning his sketchy past.
Erik ten Hag considered Arnautovic an ideal character for a dressing room still struggling for self-belief after last season. Such is his character, though, Anautovic was handed a one-game ban following a Uefa investigation during Euro 2020 after it was alleged he had used a racist slur while celebrating a goal. United fans didn't want him near their club.
United withdrew their interest in Arnautovic and the backlash from supporters was a contributing factor in the club doing so, while Bologna's valuation was also a stumbling block. United then turned their attention to Adrien Rabiot.
Rabiot has European pedigree but his attitude has been cited as a problem throughout his career. Rabiot is also not of the same calibre as De Jong, who he seemed an alternative for.
Although there had been conversations for some weeks about the possibility of signing Rabiot, he was another player who United were turning to out of desperation. The club were beginning to be publicly mocked for their transfer business.
United's deal to sign Rabiot collapsed on Tuesday night due to the midfielder’s wage demands. Murtough had flown to Turin last week in an attempt to close a deal for the player but the club's inaugural sporting director's efforts were in vain again.
Although Rabiot wanted 'obscene' wages and the collapse of the deal was hardly bad news, the impression that the club transmitted with their pursuit of the player, scrambling around with just over two weeks of the window left, was certainly not a good look.
This is Murtough's second summer as sporting director and he is failing in his position. Murtough is responsible for first-team recruitment and this summer's strategy has been awful and deeply flawed, with him hopelessly flying around Europe.
There is a distinct lack of continuity and identity at the club. There needs to be framework in place to ensure recruitment is aligned and sustainable, but all of the power has been given to Erik ten Hag instead, which is a dangerous way to operate.
Although United recently appointed Andy O'Boyle as the club's inaugural deputy football director to free up around two-thirds of Murtough’s week, the time that has been created isn't being used effectively and he will be judged on that this summer.
The positive noise about Murtough that emerged last year has gone quiet.
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