Man United must heed warning from Chelsea and Liverpool’s very public transfer lawsuits
Succession planning is one of the most difficult skills in football. Those who know how to do it well stand out from the rest.
Whether it’s a manager, a star striker or your best physical, having a plan ready should they go is more urgent than ever. Manchester United have a checkered past in this regard.
In the transfer market, United have done well this summer to upgrade key areas. After letting David de Gea leave on a free transfer, they turned to their main target Andre Onana.
Mason Mount is considered a young Christian Eriksen and will provide a better pressing pick in the advanced number eight. Rasmus Hojlund may have brought in a more experienced striker to ease the transition, but United’s demand has been accelerated by the sudden departure of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Across the Premier League, some of the biggest clubs have fallen short of succession planning. This is shown very openly in the transfer market, especially at Chelsea and Liverpool.
Both clubs are struggling to recruit a defensive midfielder this summer. N’Golo Kante left to join the Saudi Pro League project, while Liverpool could not refuse the money offered to sendManchester United must learn from Chelsea and Liverpool`s mistake in future transfer windowsto the same department.
In fact, both clubs should have had younger, more ready replacements. Kante’s quality is undeniable, but his physical record over the past two years is worrisome.
Likewise, the fact that Fabinho is no longer one of the Premier League’s best No 6s is alarming. Considering the number of games he has played in a strict Jurgen Klopp system and his age, perhaps this should be expected.
As a result, Chelsea and Liverpool both side with Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia. Valued by Brighton and Hove Albion and Brentford at £100m and £50m respectively.
To date, no club has been prepared to achieve these numbers. The talks have dragged on, but it seems like a matter of time before pressure breaks them. The new Premier League season has arrived.
Brighton and the Saints know that they have people placing their bids. They have the upper hand in the negotiations due to the apparent lack of alternatives in the market and the time pressures these clubs are facing.
Going forward, Manchester United must avoid falling into a similar scenario with Casemiro. The Brazilian was a revelation in his first season at Old Trafford.
However, he is 31 years old and United struggled to find a capable assistant for him last season. Casemiro has made a total of 46 appearances with little revenue. Casemiro shows no signs of giving up. Suspension is a bigger problem than last year’s injury. But it won’t be long before United need to think about alternatives.
United have completed most of their work for this summer’s transfer window, but their next midfield addition must look to the future. A player who could rotate with Casemiro in the coming seasons, learn from him and eventually take his place.
Otherwise, they risk getting caught up in the storylines of Liverpool and Chelsea, playing on top of their short-sighted team plans.
