Manchester United have recovered from their early season woes and are currently just three points behind third-place Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League table with one game remaining.
They are currently on a six-game unbeaten run and have scored wins over arch-rivals Liverpool, league leaders Arsenal and Spurs.
The summer recruits have played a huge role in United’s improvement with Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and Antony all impressing.
ETH has done a good job so far
Martínez has revolutionized the defense while Casemiro has added bite in the center of the park. Eriksen’s cunning and Antony’s pace have also proven good for United.
Ralf Rangnick’s recommendations to the board before he leaves:
– Julián Álvarez in January – Laimer – Nkunku before signing a new contract – Josko Gvardiol as “must-buy”.
[Samuel Luckhurst] pic.twitter.com/jH6vAxZvMI
— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) August 9, 2022
But things could have been very different if caretaker manager Ralf Rangnick had stayed on board as a consultant, which was agreed in the contract when he was appointed.
The German did not enjoy his best moments as manager, as he ultimately guided the Red Devils to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League last season.
But it was his ability as a sports director that impressed the Red Devils in the first place. And the German had prepared a shortlist of six men for the club to follow had he remained on board as a consultant.
The list included two big stars who were considered realistic targets according to Rangnick. He talked to Bild about the transfer activity that he had planned.
He had admitted that United needed a major team overhaul after overseeing training for the middle of the season.
“There was no such file, and the club never wanted it,” he said of his rumored analysis of the Manchester United squad. “But even without that script, it was clear to everyone that there was a need in many areas.”
Rangnick’s transfer plans
The realistic targets, according to Rangnick, are undoubtedly players who could have changed the way United play.
“That’s why we were already talking about players like Josko Gvardiol and Christopher Nkunku from RB Leipzig. Those were names that were realistic.”
Gvardiol was a target for Chelsea in the summer, while Nkunku has several clubs balking at his current price tag despite wanting to buy the star from RB Leipzig.
“We also talked about Álvaro Morata, Luis Díaz, Dusan Vlahovic and, as I said, Haaland when they were still on the market. But the club decided at that moment to rebuild the team with the new coach.”
Ten Hag’s recruits haven’t done too badly either and now the Dutch boss is hoping for more backing in the future as he looks to return United to the top of the pyramid of English football.
United Matchday Magazine: Everything fans need in one place Take a seat for the Sheriff match and join the debate on United’s hottest topics!
Get all the match preparation, articles, news, riddles, nostalgia and humor. Online soccer content like you’ve never seen it before. No ads, no clickbait, no fake news – just 100% pure United. secure online ordering Click Preview to see more or shop for just £1.25 / $1.50 Limited Time Offer: SAVE £10 On A Season Pass – Use Discount Code SEASON35 At Checkout.
