Manchester United have taken the unusual step of
issuing a statement to clarify their position over
their summer spending, after criticism of the club
following yesterday’s limp 2-0 defeat at West Ham.
It’s not a short one.
A united spokesman said: “Everyone at the club, from the
owners down, is focused on competing for and
winning trophies at the highest level. To do that we
have invested heavily in the playing squad and will
continue to do so.
“At the same time, the exciting pool of talent
coming through from our youth and academy
sections is a result of increased investment in this
area over the last five years.
“It’s important to note that while our successful
commercial operation helps drive that investment,
the priority is the focus on achieving success on
the pitch.
“Similarly, it is worth noting that we are not looking
at or buying players based on their commercial
appeal. We agree that recruitment is critical.
“We are committed to getting this right and there
has been huge investment in this area to put our
recruitment department into a position to be able to
deliver the manager the players he wants. This
process is significantly more effective than four or
five years ago.
“We are continually reviewing and looking at the
potential to evolve our structure on the football
side. Much of the speculation around this type of
role focuses purely on recruitment.
“We’ve materially expanded our recruitment
department in recent years and we believe this runs
in an efficient and productive way. Many of the
senior staff in these roles have been at the club for
over 10 years.
“Recruitment recommendations and decisions are
worked on by this department and the manager and
his team, not senior management.
“We feel the players signed this summer
demonstrate that this approach is the right one and
any future appointment would complement this
process. Regarding transfer budget, we have
invested significantly in the squad and we will
continue to do so.”
Young-po Reporters 