Liverpool and CEO of football Michael Edwards should be concerned about the recent changes happening at Manchester United. The Red Devils are making moves on and off the field that could potentially bring them back to being a competitive force in the Premier League. Just like Liverpool, United is going through a transformation as we head into the 2024/25 season.
The transformation at United began with the arrival of billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who wasted no time in revamping the footballing operations after acquiring a minority stake in the club. Ratcliffe has brought in Jason Wilcox as the technical director, Omar Berrada as the chief executive, and Dan Ashworth as the sporting director. Additionally, the club has decided to keep Erik Ten Hag as the manager following their FA Cup victory against Manchester City to close out the 2023/24 season.
With the new leadership in place, there is also a shift in the club’s transfer strategy. Instead of focusing on big-name, experienced players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Casemiro, and Raphael Varane, United is now looking to bring in young and promising talents. Players like Matthijs de Ligt from Bayern Munich and Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna are said to be on their way to Old Trafford, signaling a change in recruitment approach.
The previous recruitment methods at United clearly weren’t yielding results, as evidenced by their eighth-place finish in the last season, their lowest ever in Premier League history. As Liverpool and other clubs observe from the sidelines, they should be wary of the changes happening at United. The emergence of young talents like Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho, and Rasmus Hojlund last season, coupled with the potential signings of Zirkzee and De Ligt, could see United back in the title race sooner rather than later.
Liverpool.com points out that a resurgent United would pose a new challenge for Liverpool in the Premier League. This would make Arne Slot’s adaptation to English football even more difficult. With teams like United, Arsenal, Man City, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, Chelsea, and Newcastle United all vying for the top spots, the level of competition in the league could reach unprecedented heights.
The competition in the Premier League is set to be fierce in the upcoming season, with United’s resurgence adding another layer of complexity for teams like Liverpool to navigate. As the landscape of English football continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how each club responds to the changing dynamics and strives for success in the highly competitive league.