Why Manchester United have not signed anyone in the transfer window yet

With 10 days remaining in June, Manchester United have still not bought or sold anyone. Liverpool, the benchmark for market manoeuvrings, have already concluded their business for incomings and are about to shift their sole significant outgoing in Sadio Mane.

United are not the only top-six Premier League club yet to strengthen their squad but after a "f-----g nightmare" of a season, in the words of chief executive Richard Arnold, their squad rebuild is not so much operating at a glacial pace as the glacier has not started to drift.

With no Champions League football to offer and no trophy since 2017, the club's pull in the market is low and they are restricted to more specific profiles to target.

Also read: Ten Hag targeting five signings in the transfer window

In an impromptu conversation with supporters at a Cheshire pub on Saturday, Arnold stressed the football director John Murtough and his team are working "round the clock" preparing the groundwork for deals.

United sources say the club entered the summer transfer window with a clear plan they are not deviating from. There is an understandable desire to complete deals as soon as possible, particularly as United leave for their pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia two weeks on Friday.

United are unfavourably compared with Liverpool and Manchester City, their attacks already reinforced by players who were of interest to United. Liverpool acted with alacrity to sign Darwin Nunez as they were certain to get a fee for Mane from Bayern Munich and had to replace him. Although there was mutual agreement across the United board Erling Haaland would be ideal, they were resigned to him signing for either City or Real Madrid.

Despite standout signings made by their