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"Man Utd's general manager, Ed Woodward, left the club's early tour of Australia early in order to embark on urgent transfer cases," it said in the news.
The date was July 17, 2013. It was exactly six years to the day and we still did not know what agreement was proposed, or what agreements, everything was involved because there was never any follow-up.
PA Sources: Man Utd's executive director, Ed Woodward, left the club's tour of Australia early on to embark on urgent transfer activities.
– Sky News Breaking (@SkyNewsBreak) July 17, 2013
United was then Premier League champion, but the club was found in unknown territory. Legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson announced his retirement just over two months earlier after a 27-year career. In addition, the longtime general manager, David Gill, also resigned from his position, leaving the club at a crossroads.
A new couple consisting of David Moyes and Ed Woodward, one chosen by Ferguson himself, the latter, a trusted aide to Glazer, has been tasked with launching the next era of success.
Little was known about Woodward at that time. A chartered accountant and specialized business banker, he arrived at Old Trafford in 2005 as an advisor during the takeover of Glazer. He was then hired on a permanent basis and was then a huge success as the club's growing sales manager.
Woodward was named executive vice president in 2012 at Old Trafford and, although his title has not changed, he took on the role of Gill's executive director a year later.
Despite winning the 2012/13 Premier League title at a canter in front of Manchester City, it was clear that United could not afford to rest on its laurels if they were to stay ahead this summer. It was a team that was starting to crack and needed refreshing on the transfer market.
Manchester City has not wasted time to add to his team. Fernandinho arrived in the first week of June, while Jesus Navas arrived a few days later. The two men would play 63 Premier League matches between themselves in 2013/14, with City winning a second title in the space of three years.
Without Ferguson and Gill, United struggled with the transfer market. There was much talk of signing Thiago Alcantara from Barcelona until he found himself at Bayern Munich. We also talked about Toni Kroos – years later, Moyes said that the German star had given a verbal commitment. Woodward was famous after Gareth Bale before moving to Real Madrid, even offering more.
In short, that was it. In mid-July and just over three weeks before confronting Wigan in the Community Shield at Wembley, United still had exactly the same team that had finished the previous campaign two months earlier.
Ferguson and Gill had already begun to worry at the beginning of the season, but as the new season came on the horizon, they were afraid to see United stand still for the first time. been the most important in its history.
Then came the news, however, that Woodward had suddenly left Australia, where the team was based for the second leg of a multi-stop tour in Oceania and East Asia. , to carry out what was described as an "urgent transfer case". Good news!
That was it, we said, finally! One or two or three signed signatures that would allow United to stay ahead of the chase platoon and make the transition from Ferguson to Moyes transparent, after all.
But nothing. The days and even the weeks have pbaded, still nothing. After an embarrbading defeat against the Thai All-Star XI, the US team has continued its pre-season preparations (it has only won one of its last three matches in Asia) and returned to Europe. This "urgent transfer"? Still not the wisest.
A week in August and literally a few days before the Community Shield, there was talk of a double offer for the couple Everton, Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini. Was it about the urgent question that Woodward had suddenly left Australia about three weeks ago? United fans were hardly looked forward to and this indicated a growing desperation to refresh the team with Someone & # 39; a at least Moyes knew them well.
But even this pursuit turned into embarrbadment. The offer made for both players was a low ball figure of 30 million pounds. Everton rejected it immediately, calling it "derisory and insulting". An improved joint offer did not materialize until two more weeks, with United taking a relaxed and frustrating approach. This was of course also rejected.
There was talk of an offer of only £ 15 million for Baines – which United would have paid for him under the previously rejected joint offers. No one was surprised that Everton was insensitive. Fellaini had a £ 23.5 million release clause that expired, mistakenly persuaded to lower the price. This is not the case and when United finally reached this agreement, it amounted to 27.5 million pounds.
Baines did nothing at all, which led Fellaini to follow Ander Herrera in the final hours of the race, the only team to sign this summer.
Combined with the Baines / Fellaini saga that eventually followed, whatever the "urgent transfer" affair, it summed up the first disastrous transfer window of a crucial new chapter for United.
Fellaini had never lived up to his expectations and was considered the scapegoat by fans and bloodthirsty media, but it was a misplaced arrogance in a rapidly changing market that was expensive for the club and was largely responsible for the terrible season that had opened.
The sad thing is that lessons have not been learned and for the last six years United has been extremely poor at recruitment, which is much worse when some rivals have been so good.
Fans can only hope that the new youth-oriented policy in 2019 marks a permanent positive change. It seems uncomfortable for me at the moment, but better late than never …
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