Manchester United Are Learning From Recruitment Mistakes Of The Past | OneFootball

Manchester United famously missed out on Moises Caicedo, Julian Alvarez, and Enzo Fernandez in recent seasons, in well-documented moves that could have saved the club large sums of money down the line. Scouting has never been an issue at the football club, with the network of scouts working in a number of countries said to be among the most brilliant and respected on the planet. The issue in previous years was that the regime in charge, The Glazer Ownership, chose to spend money on bigger names that would generate shirt sales and commercial value, as opposed to going for these younger talents, who admittedly needed growth and nurturing but would ultimately turn into perhaps better players than the £100 million signings they were making at the time.

In 2020, Manchester United were in talks with Independiente Del Valle for Moises Caicedo, in a deal worth around £4.5 million at the time. United had the green light on the players side, and all that was needed for Caicedo to join the club would have been to send the £4.5 million over to the Ecuadorian side. Instead, the club stalled, eventually losing Caicedo to Brighton & Hove Albion for the same fee, with the Chelsea midfielder going on to be sold for £115 million two seasons later.

United Learn From Caicedo Error:

BRIGHTON, ENGLAND – MAY 21: Moises Caicedo of Brighton & Hove Albion in action during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Southampton FC at American Express Community Stadium on May 21, 2023 in Brighton, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

The club didn’t take a chance on youth on several occasions, and their decision to go for these big-name players ended up being a massive detriment at the time, as well as causing them severe issues down the line. For example, the likes of Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez would have been players that, even if they left the club in 3 of 4 years, could be sold for a huge profit and had easy sell-on value due to the fact that their wages were not so high. Fast forward to the present day, and INEOS is having trouble offloading some of the bad decisions made by the previous ownership, with players like Jadon Sancho and Casemiro proving incredibly tricky to sell due to their massive wages.

If Caicedo had been signed, United would likely have had a defensive midfielder for the next ten years. If the Enzo Fernandez deal was approved, United would have had a number eight for the next ten years, and the same goes for a deal with River Plate for Julian Alvarez. Building for the future was not a thing the previous regime ever considered in the market, instead smashing money at trying to grab short-term success, ultimately throwing the squad into freefall for years to come.

The New Era:

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND – JULY 20: John Souttar of Rangers vies with Leny Yoro of Manchester United during Manchester United v Rangers – Pre-Season Friendly at BT Murrayfield Stadium on July 20, 2024 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

That, thankfully, now looks like it’s ready to change under INEOS. The signing of Leny Yoro was a statement due to the fact that United beat Real Madrid and Liverpool to his signature, but it shows planning and strategy that haven’t been present behind the scenes at Old Trafford in many a fan’s lifetime. Yoro, provided he wants to, can be the starting center-back for the Reds for the next decade. If Yoro wishes to leave the club in five years, United will without a doubt make a comfortable profit on the £51 million investment they put into him this summer. There’s little to no question that top clubs around Europe will jump at the chance to sign a central defender of Yoro’s prowess in the coming seasons, especially after a consecutive run of games in United’s first team.

Academy Progression:

Elsewhere, the decision to bring in Chido Obi-Martin from Arsenal as well as Sekou Kone from Guidars, a club RB Salzburg have done a lot of business with in recent years, shows a future-proof style of planning that may set United apart from the rest in the coming years. The decision to bring in Christopher Vivell, who has overseen some amazing periods of recruitment as part of the Red Bull Group, has been a masterstoke so far, and there’s a growing feeling his interim role at the club will be made permanent in the coming months.

The youthful core of Manchester United means that even if the club is not successful this season, there is still reason to be incredibly optimistic in the years that follow. Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Hojlund, Toby Collyer, and Leny Yoro are just some of the incredibly talented players currently being integrated into the first-team, with the likes of Sekou Kone, Obi-Martin, Harry Amass, Ethan Wheatley, Jayce Fitzgerald, Shea Lacey, Jack Fletcher, and Elyh Harrison, among others, waiting in the academy ranks for their chance to add to the array of youthful, exuberant talent brimming to make an impact at a theater renowned for making dreams come true.

There’s a different vibe around Old Trafford this summer—a different feeling and optimism with the signings being made. It feels like there’s thought and care gone into the transfers, spearheaded by Dan Ashworth and Omar Berrada, accompanied by Jason Wilcox in tandem with manager Erik ten Hag. INEOS are trying to build a team that can provide sustainable success over a period of time, not just for one season, and