In situations like these, Manchester United often finds a silver lining amid setbacks.
This week, they sensed the conclusion of their pursuit for striker Liam Delap, which had narrowed down to a competition with Chelsea. Now, they’ve acknowledged defeat in this transfer battle.
The silver lining? With clarity on this decision, they can pivot and redirect their efforts. This stands in sharp contrast to 2022, when former manager Erik ten Hag dragged out negotiations with Frenkie de Jong, which ultimately led to panic buying at the transfer market’s close, costing the club £150 million on players like Casemiro and Antony.
However, a critical question remains: who should they target next?
Delap matched their profile of a talented, ambitious young player with the potential to develop at a fixed price point.
Rasmus Hojlund, who is just four days younger than Delap, shares similar attributes, except on the financial aspect. Unfortunately, that move hasn’t yielded the expected results.
From what I’ve observed during their post-season tour in Asia, there’s scant evidence suggesting that United possesses the solution to their scoring challenges within the current squad. In fact, the situation appears quite the opposite.
Among the more conservative yet pricey options are Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford and Jean-Philippe Mateta of Crystal Palace. However, Mateta is already 27, and Mbeumo will be absent for a month due to the Africa Cup of Nations.
Beyond those, potential signings carry inherent risks.
At 34, former United forward Danny Welbeck netted 10 goals in the Premier League. Is there validity in considering his return to alleviate some pressure from Hojlund? Or has coach Ruben Amorim determined that the 22-year-old Danish striker lacks the requisite prowess?
If that’s the case, they may need to explore Europe again for another promising forward, with no assurances of success.