Why United Keep Missing Midfield Targets

Questions are being asked about what really sways a player: the club, the coach, wages, agent fees, or simply the biggest bid. For United, it feels like price is deciding everything.

Some interesting questions are being raised about why players are attracted to one club or another, especially in the light of Manchester United not getting three of the reported top midfield targets. To what extent is the club, the manager, the pay, or simply the highest price the determining factor? And to what extent do agents' fees complicate the whole issue?

What matters when a player is under contract

Firstly, let's start with a player who is under contract. The selling club is obviously going to try to get the highest price possible. It does not have to sell, so to a large extent it is highest bidder wins, although the player does have some power.

The contract applies to him too and he is not likely to accept a lower wage deal unless the destination club is exactly to his liking. We have seen player power at work at United with Rashford and Garnacho.

Club pull, trophies and the manager factor

Obviously the destination club is a big issue for players. A regular trophy-winning team regularly playing in the Champions League has got to be an attractive career move, only limited by likely playing time. Playing for a proven manager who is likely to be able to make you a better player is also very attractive.

A team with a clear plan for success in the future, in which you are perceived as an essential cog, is going to be more attractive than a team whose only ambition is to avoid relegation. London may be more attractive than Manchester's second-best team.

Who sells the project at United?

Rumours suggest that the deciding factor was de Zerbi convincing Tonali that Spurs was the right place to be. Critics here have suggested that Carrick is a dullard and simply does not have the character to sell himself or the club's ambition to anyone.

SAF was once one of those managers who went out and sold the club, but Carrick does not have that dynamism in his locker. But Carrick is a head coach, not the manager, so at United selling the club and its plans is the province of Wilcox and Vivell, who, under Berrada, are also in control of the purse strings.

Money talks, and what comes next

My interpretation of all this is that the most significant factor at play here was price, and not the manager. United were simply not prepared to pay £85m for Fernadez, £100m for Tonali or £120m for Anderson, especially since the last of those three had been consistent in wanting to go to City.

We do not even know whether Tonali was ever a serious target for United. The most convincing argument in all these three cases was the money to be paid to the selling club and the pay packet to the player. The facts speak for themselves. The rest is mere speculation.

From here, with those three gone, it is going to be interesting to see who we do get. Baleba had a disappointing season. That is not unusual for a young player after a breakout year, especially after the disappointment of not getting the transfer he was hoping for.

At United could he return to the form that made him look like a future star? Will Brighton's price still be too high? United are surely not going to pay greater than £75 million. Are there some more affordable diamonds in the rough emerging at this World Cup that have not been on anyone's radar?

We all want it resolved, of course. It is somewhat disappointing to see three talented midfielders linked to us go elsewhere. It would be even more disappointing to look back on this window and come to the conclusion that the recruitment team have been penny wise, pound foolish.

What is absolutely clear to me is that if we are going to win the league in the next couple of years we are going to have to compete both on transfer fees and wages paid to get the best players, in the depth needed to compete on all fronts and all over the pitch. I am also convinced that the club is in a position financially to spend up to £300m if they want to. If they are not prepared to do so, I think we can kiss any major titles goodbye over the next couple of years.

Written by newnameoldideas July 3 2026 15:05:46