Why Manchester United are struggling to sign players this transfer window?

With just one week left for United's pre-season tour to begin, we try to find out what is the reason the 20-time champions aren't spending on transfers.

With just about a week remaining before the start of the pre-season, Manchester United find themselves in a tricky spot in the summer transfer window. Despite their status as 20-time English champions, the club has only managed to make one major signing so far, Matheus Cunha. This limited activity is raising concerns among fans, especially after United’s worst Premier League finish since Sir Alex Ferguson’s era.

 

So, what’s holding back Manchester United from bringing in the reinforcements they desperately need?

 

The transfer market conundrum: sales before signings

 

At the heart of the issue lies the club’s need to generate funds through player sales before they can effectively invest in new signings. Unlike some clubs with abundant cash reserves, United rely heavily on offloading unwanted players to balance their transfer budget. However, so far, there have been no significant permanent departures from Old Trafford this summer.

 

 

This delay in selling key players means United’s transfer business is stuck in a holding pattern, and that is slowing progress on crucial deals, such as their ongoing pursuit of Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo. 

 

Negotiation deadlock with Brentford over Bryan Mbeumo

 

After securing Cunha last month, United moved quickly to target Mbeumo, a striker seen as essential to bolstering their attack. Their initial £55 million offer was rejected, and a follow-up bid reportedly exceeding £60 million is still on the table. However, Brentford remain firm on their valuation, leading to stalled talks. Meanwhile, Mbeumo himself is growing frustrated by the protracted negotiations, eager to join the Red Devils.

 

This impasse highlights the bigger problem: United cannot finalize big-money signings without first creating room in the squad and budget.

 

Reliance on big sales to fund new arrivals

 

United’s priority list for summer departures includes high-profile names like Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Antony, and Alejandro Garnacho. None of these players are currently involved in first-team training, signaling the club’s willingness to sell.

 

• Marcus Rashford is valued at around £40 million
• Antony is priced at approximately £32.5 million
• Jadon Sancho could fetch between £20-25 million
• Alejandro Garnacho, the most valuable of the quartet, has a price tag estimated between £50-60 million

 

United rebuffed a £40 million bid for Garnacho from Napoli earlier this year, aiming to maximize the return for the talented 21-year-old winger.

 

The problem is, until these sales are confirmed and funds secured, United’s transfer activity will remain limited. Without money coming in, the club cannot comfortably commit to high-value signings beyond Cunha.

 

Strengthening the squad Is urgent for Man Utd

 

Manchester United finished a disappointing 15th in the Premier League last season and urgently need to strengthen their attack and overall squad depth. Signing Cunha, who scored 17 goals last season, was a step in the right direction, but the club still needs a proven striker to lead the line.

 

Their negative goal difference of -10 from last season reflects just how much attacking reinforcements are needed, but that will only happen once United solve the sales puzzle.

 

INEOS to change the United approach

 

Over the years, Manchester United had been buying players and promising clubs to pay the transfer sum over a period of the contract, the result of which the club has accumulated over 170 million pounds in transfer money that is still owed to the clubs. The players might not be still playing for the club but the money is still owed.

 

With Sir Jim Ratcliffe and CEO Omar Berrada having a say in the scheme of things now, they want the club to stop this practice and are trying to buy players only after they are done selling the deadwood or any major departure within the club. 

 

 A long-awaited return to selling big

 

If United can complete the sale of Garnacho or other key players for substantial fees, it would mark the first time since Romelu Lukaku’s £74 million departure in 2019 that the club has raised over £50 million from a single transfer.

 

Historically, Manchester United have struggled to extract top fees for their players, which has limited their ability to reinvest heavily. This summer, the club must break that pattern if they want to compete at the highest level again.

 

All in all, Manchester United’s transfer struggles this summer boil down to one simple problem. Until they successfully sell key players and free up funds, the Red Devils will remain stuck, unable to bring in the reinforcements they desperately need. The clock is ticking, and the pressure is mounting on the club’s transfer strategy ahead of the new season.

 

Will Ruben Amorim have a say in the transfers?

 

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has maintained the same authority he has wielded since his arrival. Not long after taking charge, he made the bold decision to drop Marcus Rashford from the squad, and has now reportedly informed Alejandro Garnacho, one of the few remaining bright sparks in attack, that he doesn’t fit into his plans either.

 

Amorim is also significantly influencing the club's transfer strategy. United appear to be focusing on signing players who are already proven in the Premier League and familiar with the 3-4-2-1 formation that Amorim prefers. How the squad adapts to his methods—and whether there will be further tensions between him and key personalities—remains to be seen. This is, after all, the same coach who once smashed a television in frustration after a loss to Brighton and publicly called his squad one of the worst in the club’s history.

 

He is likely eager for the pre-season to begin, as United are still struggling to fully implement his tactical approach. Pre-season also gives him a crucial window to address the squad’s sub-par fitness, something he identified early on as lagging behind their league rivals. With four friendlies against Premier League opposition scheduled over the next month, Amorim will gain valuable insight into his team, but those fixtures also bring added pressure. A string of poor results could set a troubling tone before the competitive matches even start.