Was this United’s most successful transfer window in recent memory?
This summer, Manchester United spent £15 million for Tyrell Malacia, £47M for Lisandro Martínez, £60M for Casemiro, and £100M for Antony. They also signed Christian Eriksen as a free agent from Brentford.
Of course, this is just Erik Ten Hag’s first season at the wheel, and there’s still a whole lot of them ahead. But United fans have reasons to be confident - their team is playing good football, and most of the signings have performed above expectation so far.
Is Casemiro the answer to United’s defensive midfielder problem? (Image: Getty Images)
Casemiro and Antony - the two most expensive signings this summer - probably still need time to adjust to the new system and environment. Casemiro has shown his defensive capabilities and class touches whenever subbed in. Still, it’s noticeable that he’s a bit rusty, and if the team’s playing well, there’s no need to rush things.
It’s important to have squad depth and everyone’s playing with confidence, which is the case for McTominay, who’s starting ahead of Casemiro as of now. Antony had an important goal against Arsenal to start strong, but it will take time for him to get used to Premier League defenders.
However, with such a high price tag, I personally think that Anony is adjusting well to the new play style. I’m confident we’ll soon see skillful, explosive runs on the right flank from the Brazilian winger.
Antony scored on his debut against Arsenal (Images: Getty Images).
Not many fans expected Eriksen’s contribution to the United system under ten Hag. His United’s Player of the Month award speaks for himself. He has become the perfect connection between the defense and the midfield to distribute and move the ball around. Thanks to Eriksen, Bruno Fernandes can finally play at his best position again.
On offense, Eriksen’s through ball has the potential to be deadly, which has resulted in so many chances for attackers in counters. Eriksen’s best qualities were displayed in the latest nations league games, where his control of the game helped Denmark defeat the defending world champion, France. United fans can forget about not being able to buy Frenkie de Jong since Eriksen looks like the steal of the season.
Eriksen joins United as a free agent from Brentford (Image: Getty Images).
Another United Player of the Month winner, Lisandro Martinez, completely changed the face of United’s defense since he came. Licha shut down critics and doubters who would not stop talking about his height as a center-back. Alongside his ball-playing ability from the back, his fierce challenges combined with Raphael Varane has become United’s formula for defensive success.
This season, we’ve seen many occasions where United defenders would celebrate and hype each other up after a good tackle, and that’s the mentality that Licha can bring to the team. Tyrell Malacia’s performance cannot be undermined, as he brings that energy to the left-back position that Luke Shaw is lacking. He has put up challenges against top wingers like Mohamed Salah and Bukayo Saka and could be very well on the road to becoming Netherland’s first choice this coming World Cup.
Martinez is becoming a fan-favorite at Old Trafford (Image: Getty Images)
United’s 2022 summer window has to be one of the most successful transfer windows since Sir Alex’s departure. It brings hope to the fans and a sign that the board fully backs Erik ten Hag on his plans to rebuild Man United.