Football
Commotion: Mourinho wants this, Manchester United want that
It was a curious word for Jose Mourinho to use, considering his pioneering work in the field of natural footballing selection. “We are going again to touch our squad and believe that more than spend, spend, spend, is probably the evolution of our players,” he said in April. “We have some young players that need to get, with both hands, opportunities with their evolution,” he added, driving the point home.
As a process, “evolution” can be taken one of two ways: either adapting to survive; or gradually developing to reach a certain stage. The first implies the ruthless realities of the present, while the second reflects the kinder nature of having more time to build towards the future. Mourinho is football’s Darwin, a leading advocate of the former.
A different stance was always going to be required at Manchester United, where a particular pride is taken in the nurturing of young talent. The 12 players Mourinho has bought at Old Trafford have an average age of 26.9; the first three signings of each summer window were 22, 22 and 19. After the initial compromise, he is given room to manoeuvre and identify players with a better chance of thriving immediately in his cut-throat world.
Mourinho and United had always followed slightly different routes, but were at least in constant sight of the same destination. Yet they have completely diverged this summer, the paths are muddled, and they are now on a collision course.
Anthony Martial is the first obstacle. For a man who spoke openly of the need to help the “evolution” of “young players”, it is strange that Mourinho is trying to convince the board that the 22-year-old is a lost cause. Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof, both 24, have been overlooked as more experienced centre-halves have been targeted, while Marcus Rashford, 20, has seen the manager flutter his eyelashes at the 29-year-old trio of Willian, Ivan Perisic and Marko Arnautovic. None are direct replacements, but with Romelu Lukaku and January signing Alexis Sanchez – also 29 – in place the arrival of anyone else will limit Rashford’s first-team minutes.
United have a similar fixation with that age, as Ed Woodward clings to the desperate hope of signing Gareth Bale or Robert Lewandowski. The marketing arm is wrestling with the one occupied more with on-field matters. The only loser is a club that has been caught flat-footed while their direct rivals take strides forward.
City have broken their transfer record. Liverpool have signed the world’s most expensive goalkeeper and enhanced their squad. Arsenal have had an excellent summer. Tottenham have stood still but, unlike with United, that feels more through choice than incompetence.
There is sympathy for both sides. Jurgen Klopp almost bragged earlier this week that Liverpool’s owners “believe that much in the project, they say ‘OK, let’s do it’,” and that is a relationship Mourinho has simply not benefited from. United have failed to deliver so many of his targets, while Klopp had all but one of his hand-wrapped and gifted to him this summer.
Yet many would say Mourinho has not earned that trust. The Portuguese is delivering an unattractive style of football and has seen the gap to City grow into a chasm despite spending almost £360m since his appointment in 2016. Why would United sanction the signing of Harry Maguire for £65m when Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof – both younger – joined for a combined £60m? Why is yet another defender really the priority when City only conceded one fewer league goal last season? How many times do you replace an expensive car before questioning the driver?
In isolation, this would not be a bad summer. Fred was a necessary signing, taken from under Manchester City’s nose. Diogo Dalot is one for the future and Lee Grant a squad addition that makes sense. But context shines a bright light on their struggles. United’s five closest rivals all started the summer with clear and concise plans, and have followed them to varying degrees of success. United have veered and swerved between two extremes. They have been exposed as clumsy and amateurish as a result.
The manager has made no attempt to disguise his contempt. “One thing is what I would like; another thing is what is going to happen,” was his reply when asked how many more signings he would ideally want earlier this week. These are not the words of a man with faith in those working alongside and above him. He is the child aggrieved at not being spoiled; United are the parents more eager to spend money on themselves.
That is the problem when you place a self-serving manager in charge of a self-serving club. Neither are willing to change enough, to sacrifice enough to the other, to make it work. There will be no “evolution” while everyone is pulling in entirely different directions.