‘Crazy’ – Gary Neville slams £70m Man Utd transfer deal and makes long-term strategy claim

After the Premier League fully approves Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s investment, he will completely restructure Manchester United’s recruitment process.

Gary Neville thinks that if Manchester United had the right recruiting system in place, the signing of Casemiro would “never have gone through.”

During Erik ten Hag’s first transfer window at United in the summer of 2022, Casemiro was one of two major additions. The Dutchman prioritized central midfield, and after failing to sign Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong, he approved a £70 million deal to sign the seasoned midfield player from Real Madrid.

With two and a half years left on his contract, Casemiro, who was thirty years old at the time, signed a four-year contract with United, but questions have already been raised about his durability. Back in 2022, Neville voiced his initial concerns, and he has stuck to his belief that a well-managed club would not have carried it out.

“I approach it from the standpoint of an owner,” Neville said to The Overlap.”You have a head of recruitment that you believe is the greatest in the business at identifying players and talent that will benefit the team. Your sporting director will be considering the same things. They have the club as their loyalty. but also a commitment to winning games, so our goals line up.

“A manager’s job is to focus only on the short term and achieving results for themselves; Casemiro is one example of this. The ideal illustration of a short-term commitment that will cost money later on.

“A competent head of recruitment, owner, or sporting director should never have approved that signing. That signing, in my opinion, should never have happened. I should veto that. Whoosh! He is not a long-term fit. Both the length of the contract and the pay are absurd.

When it comes to transfers, Sir Jim Ratcliffe previously referred to United as “the dumb money,” and he is already making plans to enhance their standing after his investment in the team is approved in full. The club’s structure is being audited by INEOS Director of Sport Sir Dave Brailsford, and there will probably be some significant changes.

Chief executive Richard Arnold has already resigned, and sporting director John Murtough may follow shortly. Newcastle’s transfer chief Dan Ashworth is well-liked by United, and players like Julian Ward, Michael Edwards, and Paul Mitchell are also being considered.