Manchester United are embarking on a new project under Erik ten Hag, with plenty of new faces expected to arrive at Old Trafford this summer. However, if the club are to avoid the mistakes of the past decade, there needs to be a serious shift in how they operate in the market.
United have fallen into the trap of focusing on marquee signings rather than identifying players who would fit the profile they need. Paul Pogba is the shining example of that; an undoubtedly talented player signed for a record fee, however, it was clear that the club didn't know what role he was meant to fill.
Pogba is now set to leave on a free transfer having never fully realised his potential and there are plenty of other players in a similar position. So what should United do now?
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When speaking about recruitment, Ralf Rangnick said: "In the end, it’s about recruitment. Having the right players, signing the right players at the right time, and not signing wrong players at the wrong time. It’s pretty easy in football.
"It’s about having a recruitment process and what kind of players do we really need for which kind of football and what do we stand for and then again have the best possible manager to fit into that."
United should be looking for players who are ready to take the next step in their career who have been properly scouted to fit the roles Ten Hag needs to fill in his team. But there might be a stumbling block.
Journalist Patrick Berger has claimed that United tried to hijack Borussia Dortmund's move for Karim Adeyemi but the youngster was sold on a move to the German outfit. It is important to note that United may well have simply been name-dropped by Adeyemi's agent in a bid to try and secure a better deal.
This would mirror the likes of Jude Bellingham, who was a target for United under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. He also chose to move to Dortmund, putting his development at the forefront of his plans. And given United's reputation for being a 'graveyard' since Sir Alex Ferguson departed in 2013, this is something that may hinder them in the transfer market.
It's hard to convince players to take their next step at Old Trafford if they are not sure whether the club can actually help them grow. The hope is that playing under Ten Hag will be enough to convince Europe's top talents to come to United. Only time will tell whether the Dutchman has that power.
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