Manchester United has shifted its transfer strategy under Ineos’ management, emphasizing the acquisition of younger players who are expected to have their peak years ahead of them. This summer, United brought in four new players, all under the age of 26, as part of this new approach.
The club’s recent signings include Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich, with the former arriving for €45 million plus €5 million in potential add-ons, and the latter for €15 million with €5 million in add-ons. These deals have brought United’s total spending to €182.5 million (£156.6 million) in Ineos’ first transfer window in charge.
Despite their young ages, both De Ligt (25) and Mazraoui (26) come with significant experience, having played for top European clubs like Ajax, Juventus, and Bayern Munich. Additionally, earlier in the summer, United secured Leny Yoro (19) and Joshua Zirkzee (23) for €62.5 million plus €8 million, and €42.5 million, respectively.
United considered De Ligt’s transfer fee to be a good value for a player with his level of experience. De Ligt has won league titles in the Netherlands, Italy, and Germany, although his previous transfers from Ajax to Juventus and then to Bayern were at a loss for those clubs.
Mazraoui is seen as a versatile full-back who can play on both the right and left sides of the defense, a valuable asset given the current injuries to Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia. His familiarity with manager Erik ten Hag, having played under him at Ajax, is another factor in his favor.
This strategic shift towards younger players contrasts with previous signings under Ten Hag, where older players like Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Raphael Varane were brought in, some of whom failed to maintain their value or perform at their peak levels.
