Manchester United's blind backing in the transfer market has a limit

During the World Cup, a Manchester United official was discussing a team's performances and why they were misleading.

The players reinforce their focus and their performance levels are bound to be elevated amid worldwide exposure, was the rational gist of it. One of the country's starters (not Sofyan Amrabat) had been of interest to United during last year's summer transfer window but the feedback was he was "lazy".

The team in question was eventual semi-finalists Morocco and United yesterday made an approach to sign a Morocco international with deadline day looming. Amrabat had been of interest to United for months but a concrete offer was only submitted this week.

There is a dichotomy at United and the manager still just about pulls rank. Amrabat ticks a couple of boxes for Erik ten Hag: born in the Netherlands, played in the Eredivisie and played under him.

Also read: Why United are getting so many injuries

The feelers from United all summer have been they, aside from Ten Hag, are not wholly convinced by Amrabat. If they were, they would not have made such a derisory loan offer to Fiorentina, never mind left it so late.

You can see it from both sides. Ten Hag is not having Scott McTominay, who is neither here nor there, and Amrabat is a specialist defensive midfielder. It is a logical squad upgrade.

But United cannot continue signing players solely for the manager, rather than the club. If there is a club where it can suddenly spiral, it is United and last week they were 2-0 down inside four minutes at Old Trafford against a team that recorded one away win out of 19 last season.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was furnished with a needless three-year contract in July 2021 and he filmed an exit interview in November. He ought