No-one doubts the quality of the best striker in the Premiership, but Manchester United have more pressing concerns, especially in their midfield, that could have been addressed with the £24million.
The big move of the Premiership was undoubtedly Man Utd’s capture of Arsenal’s free-scoring Dutchman Robin van Persie. He has not disappointed yet in his time at Old Trafford, scoring seven goals already including a blistering hat trick to win his team the match at Southampton.
He has also been vital in leading the line in Wayne Rooney’s absence. However United have looked poor in their opening matches this season, despite the wins they have picked up, and there is a case for saying that they could have spent the van Persie money in areas of their team which needed fresh blood more.
Going into the summer United had Rooney, Hernandez, Welbeck and Berbatov as senior strikers. That is as potent an attack as any in the league except perhaps Manchester City’s.
Letting the Bulgarian leave and replacing him with van Persie makes it even stronger, but their central midfield has been left looking bereft of ideas this season, and this is where they needed a new signing the most.
One player they should have signed is Mousa Dembele. The Belgian has put in the two best midfield performances at Old Trafford this season, but for opposing teams. Spurs picked him up from Fulham for £15million.
Luka Modric may have been priced out of a move to United, but another player linked with Spurs was Joao Moutinho. It’s not clear what blocked his transfer on deadline day, but the fee being reported was around £22million.
Again this is less than the money United paid for van Persie, and again there is a case for saying that the Portuguese midfielder would have had more of an overall benefit on the squad than van Persie. Bringing in Dembele and/or Moutinho would have given a new dimension to United’s midfield, and left them far less reliant on Paul Scholes.
The state of the finances at Old Trafford is murky to say the least. Under the Glazers there are undoubted questions that need answering, but the club have insisted they are able to bring in players if they are needed.
Signing Robin van Persie is a clear indication they can still be top dogs in the transfer market, perhaps part of the appeal of the signing was that it was a player Manchester City had also coveted.
It was a marquee signing, but did not address the real problems with the team. Manchester United have a lot of midfielders, but needed a new star in that position.
image: © jikatu
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