Manchester United are running out of excuses in the transfer window

Kalvin Phillips will not require a police escort when he returns to Elland Road now. Joining City is more palatable for Leeds United supporters.

Forget the enmity between Leeds and Manchester United; Phillips could not have had an easier decision to make: City are champions and in the Champions League, they have world-class players, world-class facilities and their figurehead is arguably the coach of the century.

Rodri is a superior defensive midfielder to Phillips and that is the obvious drawback as the winter World Cup looms. Phillips would have been a certain starter at United, whose due diligence emboldened them to pursue Phillips in April.

Also read: United fans planning more anti-Glazer protests

The June gloom is not lifting for United. In Phillips and Erling Haaland, City have signed two players United wanted but were powerless to sign, such is their lowly stock.

City, champions in four of the last five seasons, do not stand still. United appear statuesque. They are striving to reinforce their squad but even with the early appointment of a new manager they are behind the curve.

United ended last season sixth with their worst defensive record column since 1978-79 and the poorest points tally in 32 years. They needed to make a couple of swift statement signings. Instead, they are four days away from a first June without an incoming since 2010.

That miserable mood among supporters is compounded by the simmering antipathy towards the owners as they continue to bank dividend payments. Joel Glazer has not stepped foot in Manchester for more than three years and Avram has attended one game since August 2019. Senior United sources say Joel has spent 10+ hours engaging directly with supporters over the last year yet most