Manchester United finished 15th in the Premier League last season and lost the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur.
But then INEOS and Ruben Amorim know this, and are acting with the merciless intent of leaders looking to turn a ship around.
Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha have both been plucked from Premier League rivals, reshaping Amorim’s frontline. And now, Benjamin Sesko has completed the set, signing from RB Leipzig for a £74m fee.
He’s one of the most promising young strikers in the game, but might United still plan to complete further business this month as they target a much-needed resurgence?
Man Utd aren't finished yet
Having added Sesko to their frontline, Man United have now crossed the £200m threshold this summer, but there’s more still to come.
Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba is right at the top of Amorim’s shortlist as he looks for a new centre-midfielder, though he would likely cost in excess of £100m.
And according to TEAMtalk, INEOS could also push forward with a deal for Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who could leave the quadruple-winning side this summer.
Donnarumma, 26, is felt to be a more likely signing at this stage than Baleba, with StrettyNews also claiming that talks with the player’s agent are planned to be held this week.
PSG are willing to let the shot-stopper be sold for €30m (£26m) this month, and given the struggles of Andre Onana at Old Trafford last season, it might not be a half-bad idea to push ahead and get this one done.
Why Man Utd want Gianluigi Donnarumma
Under Luis Enrique, PSG dominated European football last season, winning their first Champions League title. Donnarumma played a significant role, with his manager even lauding him as a “titan in goal”.
The Italy international, who has entered the final year of his £212k-per-week contract in Paris, might be an incredible addition to a United team in transition, replacing Onana after the Cameroonian was labelled “useless” by former pro Paul Parker after his error-strewn performances.
It’s for this reason that getting a deal for Donnarumma done might be even more important than signing Sesko was. Though the Slovenia international marks an upgrade on the beleaguered Rasmus Hojlund, who is for sale and linked with a move to AC Milan, the additions of goalscoring wide forwards such as Cunha and Mbeumo add much to Amorim’s attacking line.
And Sesko has much still to learn at number nine. Talented he may be, but the 22-year-old has yet to produce truly clinical results, and the Man United shirt has weighed heavy on many a promising up-and-comer over the past decade.
Matches (starts)
31 (17)
33 (30)
Goals
14
13
Assists
2
5
Touches*
19.1
30.7
Shots (on target)*
1.5 (0.8)
2.1 (0.9)
Big chances missed
8
10
Pass completion
67%
68%
Big chances created
1
5
Key passes*
0.4
0.6
Dribbles*
0.5
1.2
Duels won*
2.5
4.1
Donnarumma, meanwhile, is already considered to be “beyond world-class”, as is the view of football commentator Matteo Bonetti, having only conceded 156 goals across 161 matches for the Parisians, keeping 56 clean sheets.
The addition of Sesko may yet prove to be a stunning signing for Man United, but the young striker may well take a bit of time to click into gear and rival the Premier League’s finest forwards.
However, given the nature of Onana’s woes between the sticks last season, and Donnarumma’s undeniable quality as one of the world’s finest shot-stoppers, there’s little question that he could be the defining acquisition of a promising summer transfer window.
