Premier League: Can Manchester United return to former glory?
Under new ownership but still under the same manager, Manchester United is the most intriguing off-season story in the Premier League.
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00:00On the back of their FA Cup triumph, it's a crucial summer for Manchester United.
00:05Off the pitch they have new investments, on the pitch they are still trying to catch their rivals.
00:11What will the new season bring for one of the world's biggest football clubs?
00:20Hello and welcome to Football Now.
00:23It's an incredibly important summer for Manchester United as the club steps into a new era.
00:29There has been a lot of excitement surrounding the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his investments.
00:35But as we head into his first summer transfer window, it's time for the real work to begin.
00:41I think Ratcliffe has a big, big, big job on his hands.
00:44And I think fans need to understand that Rome wasn't built in a day and it is going to be a process.
00:48You can't do everything all at once.
00:50But I think a huge thing that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos have to get right is the outgoings and the incomings into Manchester United.
00:57There's a lot of players that over the course of the season just aren't up to it.
01:00We need players that have the talent and the mentality and there's not enough of them.
01:04The last thing Man United want is to be at the start of the season with the same squad that we had.
01:09Little to no outgoings and not the right signings coming in.
01:13So I think recruitment is the first thing I would say that needs to be addressed.
01:16Well, a difficult season for United in the Premier League was saved by an FA Cup victory in May against Manchester City.
01:25It was that Cup win that likely kept manager Eric ten Haag in his job.
01:29He's been given more time.
01:31But what does he need to do to stay at Old Trafford for the long term?
01:35I think next season is going to be absolutely huge for Eric ten Haag.
01:39And there's a lot of things he needs to do.
01:40He's got things under his belt that he can use as a way to convince Manchester United fans and people around him that he should be Manchester United manager.
01:49And that is back-to-back trophies.
01:50I think he'd struggle to find a manager that could win back-to-back trophies whilst inheriting the worst points scoring ever Manchester United side.
01:57So that is huge that he has to show there on his CV.
02:01Ineos have not been certain on him.
02:03And we know that because the news has come out that they've not been certain on him.
02:05Any sort of inkling that he isn't up to the job, I think he could be gone.
02:09Eric ten Haag, he needs to get the players firing on the pitch.
02:12We need to have consistency.
02:14We don't need to have four nils away at Crystal Palace and then beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
02:19We need to be consistent throughout a season.
02:21So consistency is massive at Eric ten Haag.
02:24And proving to everyone that he does have a style of play that he's going to be able to be entertaining,
02:30but also win Manchester United football games on a weekly basis.
02:33Well, the opening of the transfer window means a huge expectation on Ratcliffe to bring some new players to the club.
02:41The current United squad has been heavily criticised.
02:44So where should they look to strengthen this summer?
02:47So yeah, when United are fully fit, you've got to say they have still got a very, very exciting and talented squad.
02:52You've got Andre, Onana and Goal, one of the best goalkeepers in world football.
02:56Back four, Diogo Dalot at right back.
02:58Rafa Varane and Alessandro Martinez in central defence.
03:02And Luke Shaw, who is arguably the best left back in the world still.
03:05Midfield, Casemiro, everyone knows about his exploits with Real Madrid.
03:10And we've seen it to a lesser extent at United.
03:12You'd have to say Kobi Mane in central midfield, alongside club captain Bruno Fernandes.
03:17And in attack, maybe there's a little debate here still, but Alejandro Garnacho has made the right wing role his own this season.
03:25Marcus Rashford, when he is on it, is still one of the best forwards in world football.
03:29And then you've got Rasmus Hoylund as well.
03:31Still lots of untapped potential.
03:32We've seen enough of him so far to suggest he could become one of the world's best strikers.
03:37I think you've got to look at the style of squad, really.
03:39I mean, United need a new top-class centre-back who can start every single game.
03:43Jared Bramfwaite at Everton is one of those who appeals to the club.
03:46And then there's the replacement as well for Casemiro.
03:49United need someone who can boss the midfield, who can be that commander, really, in central midfield for them.
03:55You also look at left back.
03:56Luke Shaw, when fit, is arguably the best left back in the world, but he's not fit enough for United.
04:02They will look at signing a new left back this summer if they can.
04:05And then the other area that United want to invest in is someone to support Rasmus Hoylund in attack.
04:10Someone like Ivan Toni, who could be available from Brentford at the end of the season.
04:14For United this summer, the focus will be on that spine.
04:17New centre-back, new defensive midfielder, and a backup to Rasmus Hoylund in attack.
04:21Well, despite beating Manchester City in that FA Cup final, Man United have a lot of catching up to do.
04:28It's been over a decade since United last won the Premier League title.
04:32And in that time, their noisy neighbours have won seven titles.
04:36So what has it meant to United fans around the world to have seen their rivals become so dominant?
04:42Watching City win all these trophies and play the football they've played and have the results they've had against us, of course, as well.
04:49It's been so tough to take.
04:50And the really annoying thing about all this for me is it was kind of avoidable from a United perspective.
04:55I'm not saying that City wouldn't have won any titles.
04:57I think they would have.
04:58When you've got that much money and investment in that structure, you're always going to win titles.
05:02Pellegrini won a title. Mancini won a title there.
05:04It's not just about Pep Guardiola.
05:06You've had three different managers that have won titles at Manchester City.
05:09That's not a coincidence, because they're set up to win, set up for success.
05:12But Manchester United, during that time, we've had this sort of structure that made no sense in place, where you've got Edward Wood calling the shots.
05:18You've had manager after manager after manager who's not quite been at the top of their game.
05:22We've got Louis van Gaal, probably 20 years past his best.
05:24Jose Mourinho was on the decline by the time we got him.
05:27Yes, they had some success winning the FA Cup, the League Cup or whatever.
05:30But it's not the success that you want.
05:31You want to be challenging for Champions Leagues and winning League titles.
05:33So Manchester United have sort of dropped the ball whilst our rivals have been flying.
05:38Yes, it's been a memorable era for Manchester City.
05:42But from next season, all eyes will be on Manchester United to bounce back.
05:47Let us know your thoughts using the hashtag FootballNowManchester.
05:51That's all we have time for from our studio here in Doha.
05:54We'll see you next time. Bye for now.
05:57Have a good one.