Jason Wilcox: the most important man in Manchester United’s summer window | OneFootball

Manchester United fans say this summer transfer window is the most important one in recent history every year, but somehow it really feels that way this time. The club’s leadership team have made some questionable decisions so far and it has meant the stability and progress fans were promised has not quite materialised.

With the Ruben Amorim era firmly in the rearview mirror and Michael Carrick all but confirmed as the new Manchester United manager (at least at the time of writing), the club cannot afford for matters to go wrong again or else the pitchforks will be out and everyone’s jobs, not just the manager’s, will be on the line.

That context means the club must get this transfer window right, especially after qualifying for the Champions League and in order to push on in their ambitions for a title win by 2028. If they buy the right players, should Carrick fail, the next manager can keep that target alive without the need for yet another rebuild.

So what positions need addressing the most, and who can fill them adequately to help the club take the next step?

Goalkeeper:

Senne Lammens has proven to be a reliable first-choice goalkeeper so it feels like this position should not be a focus this window. Having said that, Manchester United find themselves in a position where it will need reinforcing.

Altay Bayindir is seemingly on his way out, Tom Heaton is effectively a goalkeeping coach, Andre Onana is an expensive backup to have, and while Radek Vitek has done well on loan, he seemingly has no interest in playing second fiddle.

So, in an ideal world the Red Devils would bring in an experienced goalkeeper who would be happy to play as a backup just in case Lammens gets injured. As you can imagine, there is a limited pool of players here, nor will the club want to blow their budget on a position that is not really a priority.

Keeping that in mind, the club should look at keepers who might pop up as a market opportunity. Wolverhampton Wanderers’ confirmed relegation could mean the return of former Manchester United player Sam Johnstone is not a crazy idea.

One would imagine he would be available at a cut price and would likely accept the role asked of him. Alternatively, Alphonse Areola could be a value purchase too, if West Ham go down.

Right-back:

Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui might not be elite attacking full-backs, but they offer versatility and are solid defensively. In an ideal world Manchester United would have a more offensive option to call upon, but given the other gaps in the squad, this position does not need addressing, at least for now.

Centre-back:

This is arguably the second hardest position for the leadership team to get right this summer. Looking at the club’s current options: Matthijs de Ligt has proven his ability at the highest level but questions remain surrounding his proneness to injury and whether he truly suits being in a possession-dominant side.

Ayden Heaven seems ready to make the step up, but it is probably ever so slightly too early for him to be playing every game, especially in situations where experience may be needed.

Harry Maguire has become Mr Reliable among the current options. He is ever-present and has gotten past the rut he was in previously. The trouble is he is getting old and cannot really be built around long-term, though he could help oversee the younger centre-backs’ development.

Lisandro Martinez is a cheat code of a defender – his vision and passing help the team unlock the most stubborn of defences. However, he is injury-prone and cannot be relied upon for availability. There are also some question marks over some aspects of his defending which can be exposed.

Lenny Yoro has unfortunately taken a step back in the second half of this season and appears to be a little lost. It is nothing to worry about quite yet, especially given his age, but Manchester United cannot rely on him as a starting XI player yet. He will likely get backup minutes with the busier schedule next season.

Lastly, there is Luke Shaw – he has been good as a centre-back (mostly in a three) but it remains to be seen how he would do in a back two against elite strikers. Given the physical demands of the left-back position, playing him constantly as a left-back will likely see a return to his injury-proneness. Quite the conundrum to solve.

Having said all of that, this is probably another position that the Red Devils should invest in only if a market opportunity presents itself. Maguire and one of de Ligt or Martinez will likely be the starting centre-backs and between them, Shaw, Heaven, and Yoro, there is probably enough cover.

In a dream scenario, Manchester United would jump on Micky van de Ven or Cristian Romero should Tottenham Hotspur go down. Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite could be an outside shout as Carrick can now offer him Champions League football, though his contract makes it a difficult transfer and will likely only happen if he pushes David Moyes for a move.

Left-back:

Another slightly tricky one – Patrick Dorgu has shown plenty of potential, particularly under Carrick, but it has mostly been as a left-winger. There are questions over his capability as a traditional left-back, but he can probably be coached to excel there. His attacking qualities are promising, and if he holds his width, then he will complement Matheus Cunha, who prefers to cut inside.

Shaw’s situation has already been discussed and Tyrell Malacia’s contract is expiring. So where does that leave the club?

In an ideal world, the Red Devils would bring someone in with potential who would not stunt Dorgu’s development and yet challenge him for a starting XI role.

Stealing Lewis Hall from Newcastle United by enticing him with Champions League football would be pretty epic, though it is not quite a market opportunity. El Hadji Malik Diouf from West Ham might present a more realistic option, even more so if they get relegated.

Defensive/central-midfield:

This is arguably the most difficult and important position to get right this window. Manchester United desperately need their midfield rebuild to go well and to bring in the right profiles here.

Manuel Ugarte seems to be on his way out and Casemiro has announced his intention to leave, meaning the club have just Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo, and Mason Mount.

Ideally, whoever comes in needs to complement Bruno and Mainoo as part of the midfield three, allowing the club’s best player and most promising player respectively to excel in their game. Three fresh faces are needed in the form of two deep-lying playmakers and a destroyer of sorts.

Two-thirds of Manchester United’s budget should be spent in this position. There is even an argument to be made for Mount to leave but with his salary going up because of Champions League qualification, he is unlikely to be going anywhere. Unfortunately, he will have to be an expensive backup who has one last chance to fight for his career at Old Trafford.

So, who to bring in? If Aurélien Tchouaméni and Real Madrid are parting ways and he is available for a reasonable price, it feels hard to say no. Although not a playmaker, he fits the destroyer role well and his passing and vision are not as weak as some think.

Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton is the classic deep-lying playmaker and is not that different to Carrick in profile, though prising him away may prove difficult. Equally, Elliot Anderson would be a dream signing if Manchester City have not already secured this transfer.

A lot of groundwork has reportedly already been laid down for Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, and while he may have backtracked a little this season, he still has plenty of potential and has shown promise he can scale to a big club easily. With the obvious names out of the way, now is the time to consider some wild cards or alternatives, especially since three players are needed anyway.

Ethan Ampadu could be an outside shout – he has played superbly for Leeds this season and would provide cover at centre-back if desperately needed. Andre from Wolves and Mateus Fernandes from West Ham offer market opportunities while Morten Hjulmand and Angelo Stiller from Sporting Clube de Portugal and Stuttgart respectively are out-of-the-Premier-League options who only have two years left on their contracts.

If the club are raiding Newcastle for Lewis Hall, they might as well try to steal Lewis Miley from them too. While difficult, the appeal of Champions League football might prove too hard to resist.

Lastly, Yehor Yarmolyuk from Brentford and Fulham’s Sander Berge offer options of Premier League players who can scale upwards and presumably transition easily. Manchester United’s decision-makers will prove their worth if they breathe fresh life into the engine room or cause its downfall next season.

Right-wing:

A bit like right-back, it is hardly worth discussing with Amad and Bryan Mbeumo playing in those positions. There is no real need to even think about investing here.

Left-wing:

Another position that needs some careful consideration. If Carrick and the club think Dorgu is a winger, then he provides Cunha with competition and rotation when rest is needed. If Dorgu is seen as a left-back, then someone relatively inexpensive has to be brought in.

Therefore, a market opportunity or a youngster probably suits best. Someone who is willing to accept a backup role but provide a slightly alternative profile to Cunha.

West Ham’s Summerville is an exciting option and Real Betis’ Abde Ezzalzouli could be enticed with Champions League football. Shea Lacy could be an outside shout if he proves he is ready for that role.

Striker:

Benjamin Sesko is undoubtedly Manchester United’s first-choice striker. However, he is young, bound to go through ups and downs, and needs to be supported through it all.

Again, given the priority of Manchester United’s engine room, the ideal here is an experienced market opportunity coming in who can keep Sesko on his toes but also do a job when called into the side.

Carrick probably has Chido Obi’s development in the back of his mind too, so this player only needs to be here for about a year or two really. It is probably a little too soon for Chido to play understudy just yet.

Danny Welbeck’s return is a little enticing but Barcelona’s Lewandowski’s contract expires this summer and could prove to be a shrewd bit of business if pulled off.

In summary:

This summer transfer window is about getting the right profile of players in and bringing balance to the squad. The whole point of a director of football is to nail these factors, otherwise Manchester United are still adopting a scattergun approach to the market and will continue to fail in their ambitions for their first league title since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.

Perform poorly here and Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrarda’s roles have to be under question, especially given the whole debacle around Dan Ashworth. Sir Jim Ratcliffe must also step back or away from any decision-making or else not much has changed at Manchester United. Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images

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