How Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s new summer signings impact Manchester United’s chances of reclaiming the Premier League title.
Manchester United have undoubtedly made progress under Solskjaer in the 2020/21 Premier League season after securing second spot.
However, United’s heartbreaking penalty shootout loss to Villarreal in the Europa League final raised serious concerns about whether the current squad was capable of winning trophies.
The summer transfer window presented a golden opportunity to strengthen the starting line-up and United have certainly exceeded expectations.
They’ve had possibly the best transfer window out of any other English club this summer with the signings of Tom Heaton, Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Cristiano Ronaldo.
However, regaining premiership glory will prove a difficult task. United will need to put forth possibly the best football they’ve ever played to overcome a star-stunned Manchester City and Chelsea side.
Will the new signings be enough to mount a genuine title challenge and put the club back among Europe’s elite?
Here’s a look at how Old Trafford’s new arrivals will impact the team’s chances of a title challenge.
Cristiano Ronaldo
12 years since his departure, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner is set to make his highly anticipated return after United reached a £12.86m deal with Juventus.
He left the club as the best player in the world and now returns as arguably the greatest player of all time. In his storied career so far, Ronaldo has won over 30 major trophies, including five Champions League and seven league titles in England, Spain and Italy.
Even at 36 years old, Ronaldo remains an exceptional striker and outscored Chelsea’s big-money signing, Romelu Lukaku in the last Serie A season.
He continues to break records after becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in men’s international football. He delivered two late towering headers to bring his goal total for Portugal to 111. United have signed the ultimate big-game player.
Over the years, he has evolved to become a superb close-range finisher and a great aerial threat. He creates space for himself and his teammates by pulling defenders out of position.
Ronaldo will bring back a winning mentality to the club and inspire the younger forwards to take their game onto another level.
Jadon Sancho
The signing of Sancho from Borussia Dortmund for £73m marks the end of the longest-ever running transfer saga in recent years.
He had a sensational run of form at the German club with over 30 goal involvements across three conservative seasons to cement himself as one of the best young talents in the world.
Sancho will bring back United’s classic style of play, rooted in a rich history of attacking football. Introducing him on the right-hand side with his creativity will provide balance to United’s attack, as most of the players like to drift into the left-hand channel. Sancho will also improve the team’s attacking productivity by stretching the opposition’s defence out wide and drawing players towards him to create space in front of goal.
After a few cameo appearances and a full debut against Wolves, it’s clear that Sancho isn’t fully match-fit. While there’s no doubt he’ll be a huge success at the club, fans must remain patient as it’ll take some time for him to adapt to the intensity of the Premier League. Ronaldo’s arrival will remove the immediate pressure away from Sancho to deliver.
Raphael ‘Champions League’ Varane
Varane’s £34m move from Real Madrid could be United’s most influential signing and propel the club to Premier League title contenders. United have long needed a world-class central defender who is dominant in aerial duels, composed, pacy and confident in possession.
He has been a dominant force for the past decade, winning virtually every major trophy there is in football, including three La Liga titles, four Champions League and a World Cup with France. Adding a player of Varane’s calibre will spur the team on to new heights.
For most of Solskjaer’s reign, United have struggled to defend with a higher line. However, with Varane’s supreme athleticism and pace, the team could play with a high press as he can make up ground on an advancing forward with ease. His strong aerial presence will also be vital when defending set-pieces.
Varane showed his quality in his standout debut performance against Wolves. He didn’t look phased when being pressed by opposing attackers and made one crucial cross-stopping block. We are already starting to see a formidable partnership form with Harry Maguire.
Building a strong defence has been the foundation for all great title-winning sides and as Liverpool and City can attest, signing a quality centre-back can almost directly lead the team to silverware.
As Sir Alex Ferguson always said: “Attack wins you games, defence wins you titles.”
Tom Heaton
The 35-year-old goalkeeper returns on a two-year contract after leaving Aston Villa as a free agent. While Heaton has stated his hopes of challenging David de Gea and Dean Henderson, he’ll most likely be a third backup option. But depending on who you talk to, Heaton could be United’s No.1 goalkeeper by December.
The current campaign is shaping up to be one of the most competitive Premier League seasons.
While the club has made impressive signings, United are missing a central defensive midfielder who will guard the defence and break up play with line-breaking passes.
Solskjaer’s squad is still very capable of challenging on all fronts. They will face formidable competition, but the Red Devils could be edging closer to title number 21.