Why Manchester United made only three signings in the transfer window

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, just like his predecessor Jose Mourinho last year, ended the summer transfer window with three signings but without two priority targets.

Solskjaer said in Perth last month: “If we sell players we will have to replace them.” Unitedreleased Antonio Valencia and brought in Aaron Wan-Bissaka but failed to directly replace Ander Herrera or Romelu Lukaku.

United wanted a central midfielder and Sean Longstaff’s representatives were under the impression United would move for the Newcastle youngster after the conclusion of the Wan-Bissaka deal. Only United prioritised Harry Maguire at the start of July and, when they eventually touched base with Newcastle on July 6, were quoted £50million for Longstaff.

The club balked at that valuation and less than two weeks later Solskjaer began talking up Scott McTominay and Andreas Pereira as internal replacements for Herrera.

United’s decision to prioritise Paul Pogba’s future also had a knock-on effect on their midfield recruitment strategy. The club felt acquiring an established attacking midfielder would have provided Real Madrid and Pogba with leverage to engineer a transfer, which is partially why they passed on Christian Eriksen amid encouragement to bid for him from Tottenham. Eriksen’s preference was to move to Spain.

Despite constant speculation surrounding a move for Bruno Fernandes, United’s interest did not go beyond mere admiration for the Portuguese and sources likened the incessant emergence of Fernandes reports to the Whac-A-Mole arcade game. Manchester City and Tottenham were the only English clubs who bid for Fernandes.