It’s the height of silly season, and naturally Manchester United are being linked with a plethora of players. After finishing top in the Premier League two seasons ago, the Red Devils, under David Moyes, slipped down to seventh last season, missing out on European play entirely.
United, understandably, want to restore themselves to their former glories. Louis van Gaal has been installed at the helm, and after Netherlands’ impressive performances in the World Cup, making it to the semifinals, many are confident in his abilities to lead the team.
But United have yet to bring in a host of players. In fact, the only signings made thus far have been that of midfield Ander Herrera, signed from Athletic Bilbao, and defender Luke Shaw, signed from Southampton. So van Gaal must be looking to bring in more players, right?
Not necessarily. Manchester United are close to securing a spot in the International Champions Cup final, so their preseason is going rather well. When asked about transfer plans during a press conference, van Gaal said: “We still have a month to go [in the transfer window] and we are winning. Maybe we don’t need other players. First I want to see the players who I have and give them an honest chance.”
It’s worth noting that five players have already left Manchester United this summer: Alexander Buttner and Patrice Evra were sold, Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidić left on free transfers, and Ryan Giggs retired.
Giving players an “honest chance” is a good idea in theory, but really, shouldn’t United be at least considering buying a central defender?