Under a week remains for Manchester United to get their business over the line before the summer transfer window finally closes on October 5 at 11pm.
This transfer window has been nothing short of a roller-coaster for Manchester United fans across the globe. It feels like we’ve been linked with every player under the sun – actually, we have. It’s been extremely tiring for all of us, to the point where we all let out a collective sigh when United are linked with a new player.
In the past few hours, United have been linked with Watford winger Ismaila Sarr according to Mike McGrath of The Telegraph. Ed Woodward and the Manchester United board of directors continue to penny-pinch, refusing to meet Borussia Dortmund’s £108m valuation of Jadon Sancho. With the departure of Andreas Pereira on loan to Italian outfit Lazio which has been reported by Fabrizio Romano, United are very short of a badly needed RW option. Mason Greenwood is a perfectly viable option to partner alongside the deadly front three of himself, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford but in the case of an injury, the Reds are well and truly snookered.
With Ismaila Sarr available to buy for close to £40m this could give the club extra funds to improve the squad elsewhere, whether it be a LB in Alex Telles or a CB in Dayot Upamecano next summer. Its widely known among myself and the fanbase that Jadon Sancho is the much preferred and better option for the Reds. I’m confident in saying we all go to bed at night dreaming at the prospect of his linkup with Rashford. For United to launch a proper title charge in the 20/21 season, this transfer is vital. It’s Sancho or bust for me.
A front-three of Martial, Rashford and Sancho would comfortably be one of the best in world football, more than capable of winning trophies together. However, a deadly attack doesn’t win silverware by itself. Improvements around the squad as a whole is what matters most for United, especially in defence. It’s no secret that Luke Shaw and Brandon Williams aren’t the best full-backs the Premier League has ever seen. With Alex Telles edging closer to securing his dream move to Old Trafford, this would add goals in attack and a reliable, consistent option at left-back. One which United have lacked since the departure of Patrice Evra.
All signs at this moment in time point to the suggestion that Manchester United will wait to move for a centre-back in the summer of 2021, and that player will be RB Leipzig’s Dayot Upamecano. A deal this summer would’ve been highly unlikely regardless, with the Frenchman having signed a new 3-year deal in July. As Chris Smalling looks to be on his way back to Roma, United will be cutting it thin for options at centre-back this summer pending Rojo and Jones’ fitness.
Without the two vital signings of Sancho and Telles this week, it seems very unlikely to me that United will manage to capture a top-4 place this season. These signings are make or break for the Red Devils and will ultimately define the success of our season. If the board expect manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to progress and bring this club back to where it belongs they have to back him financially, and without that power – there may as well be a statue in charge.
Read more: Manchester United working on multiple deals before transfer deadline day