Ex-Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick’s warnings about the club’s transfer strategy seem increasingly pertinent amid the team’s ongoing struggles under Erik ten Hag. Despite support from new minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who has provided both a contract extension and a substantial transfer budget of just under £200 million, Ten Hag’s third season has begun in disastrous fashion.
With just two wins from their first six matches and consecutive 3-0 defeats to arch-rivals Liverpool and Tottenham, United’s recruitment strategy is under scrutiny once again. New signings such as Joshua Zirkzee, Matthijs de Ligt, and Manuel Ugarte have yet to make a significant impact, adding to concerns over the club’s transfer dealings.
Rangnick, during his short stint at United, had provided a candid assessment of the club’s predicament. He argued that United needed a complete overhaul, emphasizing that new acquisitions must be carefully selected, top-quality players who fit into the team’s playing style to close the gap with league frontrunners. This advice appears to have gone unheeded, according to reports from *The Mirror*.
Reflecting on the success of Manchester City and Liverpool, Rangnick remarked in 2022, “They brought in two managers, but not only did they bring in two managers, but they also changed the whole thing with regard to formation and what kind of players we need.” He stressed that the process of rebuilding required a clear vision: “The team needs a rebuild, and therefore, for me, it’s clear that there will be six, seven, eight, maybe ten new players.”
Rangnick’s approach focused on establishing a coherent playing style before pursuing players that fit the intended system. “Before you sign those players, you need to be aware of who you want to play and what kind of football the new manager wants to play,” he added. This clear directive contrasts sharply with United’s recent recruitment strategy, which appears to lack a defined blueprint.
Rangnick’s tenure ended in April 2022 when he moved on to the Austrian national team. He was vocal about the board’s reluctance to pursue certain attacking players he felt could have made a difference. “The answer at the time was: ‘No, there is no player on the market that would really help us,'” he revealed. “But, there were a few, there were a few.”
Rangnick specifically mentioned players like Luis Diaz, Julian Alvarez, and Dusan Vlahovic—individuals who have since thrived at other top clubs. “I spoke to the board and said: ‘Shouldn’t we at least speak and try and analyse if we could get a player either on loan or as a permanent deal?’ But in the end, the answer was no,” he admitted.
Now, as Ten Hag navigates a turbulent start to his third season, Rangnick’s advice on building a squad tailored to a specific playing philosophy rings louder than ever. The former interim manager’s emphasis on strategic, long-term planning remains a missing ingredient in Manchester United’s ongoing quest to reclaim their former glory.