Four mistakes not called Rangnick that United must fix

Manchester United have endured another frustrating campaign without silverware and this could pave the way for multiple changes during the summer.

The club could still qualify for the Champions League via a top-four finish in the Premier League table, but there are plenty of things United must sort ahead of next season.

While the hierarchy have reportedly accepted that they should not have hired Ralf Rangnick, here are four other mistakes that they must fix ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Hiring manager on reputation

Rangnick’s interim appointment excited plenty of United fans, but things have gone downhill over the past few months with average displays on both ends of the field.

Early exits in the FA Cup and Champions League have not gone well with the faithful, and it is quite clear that the club need to appoint a better manager at the helm.

In recent weeks, Mauricio Pochettino (PSG) and Erik ten Hag (Ajax) have been frequently linked. United have yet to make a definitive decision, and may need to pick the right profile.

Whoever takes the hot seat has a tough road ahead with another transition. United may not become title contenders from the off, and the hierarchy will need to provide complete backing.

Less authority for the manager

Over the past few years, there has been regular speculation that the Red Devils hierarchy have tended to take matters into their own hands when it comes to player recruitment.

One firm example was the signing of Donny van de Beek from Ajax. He was reportedly not in the priority list of manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The Norwegian barely played him.

The club must avoid another repeat during this summer’s transfer window. Rangnick has accepted the role of an advisor for the next two seasons, but he should not influence proceedings.

The next permanent manager should have the authority to contradict the German’s thoughts when required. It remains to be seen whether Rangnick would entertain such a prospect.

Reluctance to offload deadwood

In recent years, United have struggled to offload out-of-favour players. While the wages have proved a stumbling block for clubs, United have also been reluctant to accept cut-price deals.

This has meant that they have kept hold of their outcasts while putting more burden on their wage bill. The club must be proactive moving on, and should offload players, who don’t fit the manager’s plans.

Anthony Martial, Donny van de Beek and Axel Tuanzebe are among players, who are currently away on temporary deals, having failed to secure regular minutes at United.

The next head coach could decide their fate, but it does not seem worthwhile keeping them unless they will feature regularly. The same case lies with other fringe players.

Lack of prior transfer planning

Rangnick recently went public by saying that the Red Devils have not projected any summer plans. This does not make for good reading for the Premier League’s most successful club.

With the fierce competition in the transfer market, United will need to identify multiple targets in advance, rather than handpicking potential options as the transfer window progresses.

Ronaldo’s stunning return was the highlight of last summer, but United ended without pursuing a world-class holding midfielder which they have been yearning for a number of seasons.

For the upcoming summer, a new striker and defensive midfielder should be the main priorities. The club need to plan in advance instead of haggling over price tags until the transfer deadline.