Manchester United’s transfer strategy is a diploma in procrastination

The agreement to sign Atalanta’s Ederson for £35m is the latest instalment in a decade-long saga of treating symptoms instead of curing the disease. United are not rebuilding; they are rearranging deckchairs on a ship taking on water.

The historical pattern of panic and patchwork

Since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, United have spent over £1.5bn on transfers. The result? A squad that finished eighth last season and a midfield that still lacks coherence. The Ederson deal echoes the signings of Morgan Schneiderlin, Marouane Fellaini and Fred: capable players, but not the transformative figures a club of United’s stature requires.

Compare that to Liverpool’s approach under Michael Edwards and now Andoni Iraola. They identified a system and bought players to fit it. United, by contrast, change manager every eighteen months and the squad becomes a museum of mismatched artefacts.

The argument: Ederson solves nothing

Ederson is a competent ball-winner. He averaged 2.8 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per 90 in Serie A last season. But United’s problem isn’t a lack of defensive midfielders — Casemiro, Kobbie Mainoo and Scott McTominay all occupy that space. The issue is a lack of progressive passing and tactical shape.

  • No creative identity: United’s midfielders rarely break lines. Ederson’s pass completion is 86%, but only 40% are forward.
  • Age profile confusion: At 27, Ederson offers no resale value. Meanwhile, Liverpool are targeting 22-year-old Mateus Fernandes.
  • Ignoring the system: A midfield of Ederson, Fernandes and Mainoo still lacks a quarterback. Bruno Fernandes is isolated and frustrated.

The club’s pursuit of Rafael Leão confirms the scattergun mindset. A winger when the defence is a sieve? Enquiries for Marc Pubill suggest panic after missing out on Ordonez. This isn’t a strategy; it’s a shopping list from a manager who may not survive Christmas.

Counter-argument: Ederson could be the next Makelele

Some argue Ederson’s discipline and defensive intelligence will unlock Mainoo’s attacking talent. That Ederson, like Claude Makelele, allows others to flourish. But Makelele succeeded in a structured José Mourinho system. Michael Carrick, now United’s manager, has yet to prove he can impose a coherent structure. Without it, Ederson is just another worker bee in a hive with no queen.

Verdict: United will finish outside the top four again

Prediction: Manchester United will finish seventh in the 2025-26 Premier League, Ederson will be sold at a loss within two years, and Carrick will be sacked by Christmas 2026. Until the club appoints a director of football with a long-term plan — and gives him power over signings — every transfer window will be another exercise in futility.

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