After Ole Gunnar Solskjaer somehow managed to drag his Manchester United side to a third-place finish in last season’s Premier League, the belief was that the manager would be given the tools to build on that and close the gap with both Liverpool and Manchester City. But that turned out to be a distant dream as Glazers let the manager down big time.
Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho was targeted throughout the summer but a deal never materialized. The English youngster was expected to rebuild the legacy of the famed No.7 jersey and add to the attacking flair at Old Trafford.
Despite failing to land Jadon Sancho, Manchester United managed to sign five players and let’s take a closer look at each one of them.
Donny van de Beek (From Ajax for £35m plus add-ons)
The signing of Donny van de Beek raised the expectation levels of the Old Trafford faithful. The Dutch international is one of the most exciting midfield talents in Europe and snaring him away from Ajax was a huge win for the Manchester United hierarchy.
Van de Beek has already shown glimpses of his quality in his brief stint in a Manchester United shirt, scoring on his debut in the 3-1 defeat against Crystal Palace in the Red Devils’ Premier League opener.
The Dutchman, who can play in various positions across the midfield, also has an eye for goal, something which Manchester United have missed.
It surely won’t be long before the Dutchman is given his chance from the off in the Premier League, with his only two starts to date coming in the Carabao Cup.
Alex Telles (From Porto for £15 million)
A certain section of the Manchester United fans want Alex Telles to start as soon as the Newcastle United game after the international break as they are unhappy with Luke Shaw’s performances at left-back.
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Telles is a brilliant signing, one that will offer an attacking threat from the left, which has often been lacking from the England international.
Before his move to Manchester United, the Brazilian, who had 19 goal contributions to his name last season, notched up two goals and as many assists in just three appearances for Porto in the present campaign.
Shaw, on the other hand, has zero goals or assists in the Premier League since the 1-1 draw with Chelsea in April 2019.
Edinson Cavani (Free agent)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer does not trust Odion Ighalo. After a promising start, the Nigerian has failed to make the matchday squad for the last two Premier League outings, leaving Manchester United without a recognized striker on the bench.
With Anthony Martial’s controversial dismissal against Tottenham, the Red Devils would have wanted new signing to feature against Newcastle United itself. However, that won’t be possible as the Uruguayan is forced to follow government guidance and self-isolate amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Cavani could prove to be the most lucrative piece of business performed by Manchester United this summer. The striker netted 200 times in 301 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain and in the process, became the French giants’ top scorer of all time.
Facundo Pellistri (From Penarol for £10 million)
Not many outside Uruguay heard about Facundo Pellistri before his move to Manchester United from Penarol on deadline day. The young winger played under former Red Devil Diego Forlan at Penarol.
When Sir Alex Ferguson signed an unknown Cristiano Ronaldo from Sporting Lisbon in 2003 to replace outgoing legend David Beckham, eyebrows were raised.
Fast forward five years and the Portuguese superstar helped Manchester United become one of the best clubs in world football, while also winning the Ballon d’Or himself.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is no different as he thrives on providing chances to young players and Pellestri could become a vital player at Old Trafford in the coming years.
Amad Diallo (From Atalanta for £25million plus add-ons)
Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer apparently secured Amad Diallo’s services after a Facetime chat with the player. The Ivorian was inches away from a loan move to Parma when the Red Devils entered the fray.
Manchester United convinced the teenager that he could fulfil his real potential at Old Trafford and managed to persuade him to sign for them on deadline day. However, due to work permit issues, he is only likely to join Manchester United in January.
Manchester United were tracking the youngster, who has played just 20 odd minutes in Serie, for over a year and believed that the time was right to snap him up this summer.
Even though Diallo – who is occasionally referred to as Amad Traore – is only 18 years old, the Red Devils believe that he is talented enough to break into the first team soon.
Also Read: 5 most expensive summer signings: Premier League 2020-21
