Sometimes, forums like this are a great place to test a hypothesis, and I can see mine didn’t hold up under scrutiny. After reading the feedback, I’d like to revise my argument as follows:
1. Focus on players who have proven themselves at a high level for a decent period of time—ideally those who have logged 5,000+ minutes in a top-five league. This includes stars like Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri, Mohamed Salah, Alisson, Roberto Firmino, Joško Gvardiol, John Stones, Raheem Sterling, Joël Matip, and Gabriel at Arsenal. These examples represent the bulk of the major investments made by Arsenal, City, and Liverpool.
2. Avoid paying big money for players with limited top-level success—either because they’ve only had a few strong seasons or limited playing time (e.g., Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Joshua Zirkzee), or because they come from a lower-level league and haven’t demonstrated the necessary consistency at the highest standard (e.g., Antony, Lisandro Martínez, Darwin Núñez).
3. Never hand out expensive contracts to players who will have little to no resale value by the time the deal ends. We’ve seen this with Zlatan, Sánchez, Matic, Falcao, Casemiro, and Varane. Occasionally, these signings work out, but more often than not, they’re costly short-term fixes with diminishing returns.
4. Be very cautious about recruiting from elite clubs, as it typically requires offering very high wages—significantly increasing risk if the player doesn’t adapt or fails to meet expectations. A bloated salary structure can also undermine squad harmony and long-term sustainability.
5. If you deviate from these rules, do so for exceptional talents or reasonable deals. Think Bruno Fernandes in the first bracket, or Tyrell Malacia, Amad Diallo, and Facundo Pellistri in the second. The latter category involves smaller fees or salaries that the club can likely recoup—or even profit from—later on.
Furthermore, ensuring players fit the overarching philosophy and style of play is paramount. A cohesive identity—tactically and culturally—matters more than rigid age brackets. Physicality is also crucial in the Premier League, so signings from other leagues must be able to handle its rigors. Ideally, steer clear of those who lack “extreme” physical attributes (e.g., Juan Mata, Lisandro Martínez, Jadon Sancho, Antony, Victor Lindelöf), as their lower threshold in this area can undermine performance. While the club might miss out on the next Eden Hazard or Paul Scholes, it also avoids the risk of repeated misfires.
Ultimately, the guiding principle should be a balance between proven performance, physical and tactical suitability, and alignment with the club’s philosophy. Age itself is secondary to clear evidence that a player can thrive under the demands at Manchester United.
Better? Can I send this to Jimmy?
