The Benjamin Sesko transfer saga intensified in the latter stages, with Manchester United and Newcastle United in a tasty battle to win the signature of the RB Leipzig striker. However, it is United who got the job done.
However, what cannot be ignored is the obvious fact that Newcastle finished 10 places above United last summer and are going to play in the UEFA Champions League next season, and the leverage that it can hold.
Manchester United, who went trophy-less last season, failed to qualify for the Champions League last season and will not play in Europe next season either.
How Long Will Manchester United ‘Rebuild’?
United seem to have been rebuilding perennially for the last 10-12 years. Usually, rebuilding applies to a team that has lost quite a few great players to retirement and is building the core of the team back.
A recent example of that could be Liverpool, who had to rebuild their midfield after the departure of Jordan Henderson, Fabinho and Georginio Wijnaldum, who helped the Reds to a Champions League and a Premier League title.
However, the Red Devils have not had a truly great team for quite some time now. Since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down as their manager in 2013, United have not only failed to win the Premier League, but have lost the fear-factor that separated them from other teams for so long under the great Scottish manager.
If Manchester United continue to fail to qualify for Europe’s premier competition or remain irrelevant in it with elimination from the group stages, top players will lose interest in playing for the club.
We have recently seen Viktor Gyokeres and Liam Delap opting for Arsenal and Chelsea, respectively, despite the Red Devils’ interest in signing them.
What distinguished those London clubs from Manchester United was the fact that they qualified for the Champions League, unlike United.
Top Five Finish A Priority
Ruben Amorim is new to the managerial role at the club, but he has the backing of very strong financial resources. Spending money in the transfer market has not been a problem for United, but extracting good performances from their recruits has.
He has got Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, both of whom played really well for their respective clubs last season, in the team’s attack this summer and might get Sesko as well.
Thus, he has pretty much been able to revamp his team’s attack as per his choice. He cannot take too much time in converting those signings into useful performers for the team.
Should he fail to do that, United might once again finish outside the top five in the Premier League, and that might mean Amorim’s departure from the club. Failing to qualify for the Champions League for the third successive season should irk even the staunchest of the club’s supporters.
Manchester United are one of the biggest names in world football. Their achievements over the years are undeniable.
However, they need to keep playing in and performing well in the Champions League on a consistent basis in order to continue to attract top talents in world football. There is no doubt about that.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / Icon Sportswire
Recording Date: 03.08.2025