Despite winning the FA Cup, Manchester United still have a forgettable 2023-2024 season. This is one of the worst campaigns in the history of the "Red Devils" and many changes are expected to happen.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, after controlling Man United's football operations, has brought a series of new faces to the board. Dave Brailsford, Omar Berrada, Jason Wilcox and Dan Ashworth all share the same mission of supporting the British billionaire to help Man United regain their glory.
The only thing that seems unchanged at Old Trafford after last poor season is Erik ten Hag's position. After carefully considering other candidates (including Gareth Southgate, Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino), Man United is expected to extend Ten Hag until 2026.
Of course, this was just a formal act by the M.U board rather than a show of confidence in Ten Hag. The key is that the "Red Devils" do not want Ten Hag to intervene deeply in the transfer stage as before.
This is probably a wise choice for Man United, although this means that upcoming personnel decisions are unlikely to match Ten Hag's vision.
According to British media, Man United's transfer budget this summer is about 50 million pounds, along with the proceeds from selling players. In addition, most players have a salary reduction clause if Man United do not qualify for the Champions League.
However, the "Red Devils" still have to comply with the Premier League's profit and sustainability regulations (PSR). Their bonuses will be reduced significantly when they only ranked 8 seasons ago and were eliminated from the Champions League from the group stage.
This is an important summer for Man United, related to personnel decisions. Up to now, they are still paying a heavy price for past mistakes and spending a lot of time to correct them.
After the departure of Raphael Varane, Man United need to find a central defender to pair with Lisandro Martinez, in addition to a long-term solution at right-back.
In midfield, Kobbie Mainoo, Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount are the only three players to meet the requirements. To increase competitiveness next season, Man United need at least 2 new midfielders.
Up front, the "Red Devils" need a striker to share the scoring burden with Rasmus Hojlund. And if possible, a new right winger will be necessary for them.
The question is, with a budget of around £150-200 million (including money expected to come from selling players), how will Man United manage? Certainly, they are not capable of bringing in famous stars.
Perhaps the solution for Man United will be to invest in key positions that need upgrading. And no matter how difficult it is, they should not follow in the footsteps of the road - recruiting average players to fill the void.
In short, Man United are in a very difficult situation. It will take them three or four more transfer windows to stabilize.
