Manchester United To Restructure After Blowing £320m In Three Seasons On Flops

Louis van Gaal has spent big but United have failed to kick on under his leadership EPA

Manchester United plan to overhaul their player recruitment structure after a disastrous £320million splurge since 2013.

SunSport report continues:

Red Devils bigwig Ed Woodward has looked at the models of top European clubs, including neighbours Manchester City.

City use the Barcelona influence of Txiki Begiristain and Ferran Soriano to help the manager identify and buy new players.

Now United’s owners, the Glazer family, are looking at a similar set-up having previously given their managers free rein to identify their targets.

As well as concern at Old Trafford over some of the players bought over the last three years, there have been raised eyebrows at a failure to push some deals through. United have tried to get the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Gareth Bale and Neymar.

The club are ready to change that, with both the manager and one or two new executives working in tandem. 

Angel Di Maria was an expensive flop at Old Trafford Getty Images

Few of United’s big-name signings have improved the team and the most expensive of all, Angel Di Maria, at £59.7million, was the biggest flop of the lot.

The club ended up taking a £15m sting on the Argentine.

Of the 13 main players bought under David Moyes and Louis van Gaal, only Anthony Martial and Juan Mata can be regarded as a success. Current boss Van Gaal has spent £250m on 11 players and the club are worse off at this stage of the season than they were during Moyes’ ill-fated reign.

There was also the expensive loan deal for Radamel Falcao, who also failed under Van Gaal. 

How Falcao blew it at Old Trafford

This has all led to accusations of a scatter-gun approach in spending to get back to the top in the Premier and in Europe.

United are also facing an unexpected bill after Derby requested payment for up to 300 seats which were wrecked in their FA Cup tie last month.

A Rams spokesman said: “There was damage to seats in the away section and we are liaising with United.”

United fans are planning a protest at FC Midtjylland tomorrow after being charged £71 to attend the Europa League game.

Andy Mitten, author and editor of fanzine United We Stand, said: “It’s a rip-off.”

United have named Nicky Butt, 41, as head of their academy.