Another deadline day has come and gone, but it’s fair to see that there is a sense that fans believe that the board have let down Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this summer. The summer window promised so much, with fans already counting down the days until we would see Jadon Sancho don the immortal number seven shirt.
However, it would turn out to be a summer of frustration for fans, as United allowed the deadline set by Dortmund to pass by without making a move. But, how could the signings brought in on deadline day make an impact for the team this season?
Edinson Cavani
There is a strange feeling around Old Trafford, with fans seemingly downbeat about the signing of Edinson Cavani. Granted, there is a sense that Uruguayan was probably a third or fourth choice, but United came into the summer needing a new striker that could offer something different, and Cavani give United that. His pedigree is unquestionable, as left Paris Saint-Germain as the leading goalscorer in the club’s history.
His goalscoring record across his career is nothing short of phenomenal either, as he has scored 259 goals in 438 professional games. He has scored at least ten goals a season in eleven of the past 12 seasons and has played regularly in the Champions League for the past seven seasons.
Of course, there will be questions around his injuries, but he has still played at least 30 league games in five of the past seven seasons. His time at PSG came to a premature end due to the coronavirus, but the French side’s loss is most certainly United gain, as he brings in a wealth of experience and a proven goalscoring record.
Alex Telles
The signing that United fans were most excited about on deadline day was the £15.4 million capture of FC Porto’s Alex Telles. Once again, while left-back may not have been a priority area for United to strengthen, the club probably did need a different type of player that better suited how we are trying to play. Telles will present an extra attacking option in the final third, as he had a proven track record of scoring for Porto in the last two seasons.
He scored 13 goals in 49 games last season and had already scored two in three this campaign. Telles has been labelled as a ‘playmaking’ defender, and will certainly give Solskjaer a different option this season. The manager could now opt to play three at the back, with Telles seemingly the standout contender to play as a wing-back.
His crossing ability will also ensure more chances in the final third for the attacking players, as he has made eight assists in each of the previous two seasons. Of course, any player coming over from Portugal is a gamble, but United’s signings from the Primeira Liga haven’t fared too badly in the Premier League over the past couple of seasons.
Eye To The Future
While Cavani and Telles were the big summer arrivals, there were also two young stars brought in on deadline day. Facundo Pellistri signed for around £10 million from Diego Forlan’s Penarol, and will immediately join the first-team squad. The Uruguayan is a pacey winger, who only made his professional debut 12 months ago.
However, the club have been monitoring him for a number of years, and Solskjaer will be hoping that he can compete for a place in the squad against other attacking players such as Jesse Lingard and Daniel James.
All the talk on deadline day was centred around United’s search for a right-winger, with the club being in talks with Ousmane Dembele and Ismalia Sarr. However, it was an unlikely signing that was brought in that caught fans off guard. United struck a deal that could rise to over £37 million for Atalanta’s Amad Diallo on deadline day, but the Ivorian will be staying at the Italian side until January due to the fact that he doesn’t hold an Italian passport. But, there is great excitement for the future for the 18-year-old, as he is already regarded as one of the brightest prospects in Serie A.
Article contributed by Contributor Alex. Comments are appreciated on our Facebook page.