Man Utd’s deal to bring Bayern Munich midfielder Marcel Sabitzer to the club was completed on transfer deadline day.
The new plot offering key themes like sustainability and continuity to Manchester United’s season is clearly that of creating and maintaining progression – something vital introduced and implemented under the watchful eyes and guidance of their new manager Erik Ten Hag – as the general acceptance is that United are, to all intents and purposes, not the finished product they clearly aspire to be in their rebuild.
Obviously, and definitely not as a matter of choice, they will need to re-learn in their new collective journey under their new manager, with the primary focus on laying the foundations for future success instead of clamoring for instant results.
A major part of United’s goals will have been achieved even if they manage to secure qualification back to the Champions League this campaign, not to mention cueing in their additional buoyant hopes of winning an imminent domestic cup which would serve to indicate they are actually further ahead in their rebuild than they had initially envisaged, kudos to Ten Hag.
There’s also the new narrative of a ‘bridge season’ that has also been reinforced this year with the recent batch of players United have recruited. Wout Weghorst of recent Qatar World Cup fame, Jack Butland and Marcel Sabitzer – despite probably not having substantive roles to play at the club beyond this season – could all be saddled with key roles to play in making this season a success for an emaciated United hungering and salivating for trophies.
The latest of the club’s new recruits, Austria international Sabitzer, arrived promptly on deadline day, as United moved fleet-footedly to bring in a replacement for Christian Eriksen after his ankle injury, with United convinced they have signed the best attacking midfielder available on a short-term basis, a player who would be able to immediately bolster their first-team, yet would not scupper their long-term plans to reinforce their midfield.
Ten Hag is still desirous of signing a younger midfielder on a more permanent basis this summer, although the pursuit of an elite striker is the greater priority.
United’s revenue will be greatly boosted should they qualify for the Champions League, but the club is aware that their summer recruitment will be heavily financed by money brought in from player sales in the off-season.
It is also no secret that Ten Hag is definitely open to another intense pursuit of Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, for whom the club agreed an €85m fee in the summer, while not ruling out another attempt to sign Jude Bellingham three years after he snubbed them and opted instead to join Borussia Dortmund.
As far as the De Jong deal is concerned, agreeing on a financial package with Barcelona still seems achievable, although the greater task lies in convincing the Dutchman that it is in his best interests to move to Old Trafford, something they clearly flopped at big time last year.
Of course, there is the possibility that Sabitzer could prove to be a major hit beyond all expectations that he would end up being the perfect summer addition as another short-term fix while maintaining their focus on signing a striker.