It is no secret that Manchester United have been enduring a horrendous season so far (e.g. United’s 0-2 loss to Olympiakos). The Champions of England have virtually no chance of defending their title during the current campaign, while even qualifying for the Champions League looks an improbable task, with David Moyes’ side currently 11 points off of Liverpool in fourth place.
There has been a lot of the talk that United will undergo wholesale changes to the squad next season, with Moyes reportedly being handed a whopping transfer war-chest of around £200 million and as a result, a host of big names have been linked with a move to Old Trafford.
However, despite the financial backing from the board, former Manchester United assistant manager, Mike Phelan, has cast reservations of whether David Moyes can land his primary targets if the club go on to miss out on Champions League football.
The 51-year-old said that although the stature of United means that the club could still attract players, the prospect of missing out on Champions League football for the first time in 17 years could prove to be detrimental in the Red Devils’ hopes of acquiring the very best players next season, and it could also create a situation where Moyes may be forced to compromise.
Phelan said, “It might turn into a situation where David Moyes has two shopping lists. He’ll have one for being in Europe and one for not.
“Playing in the Champions League is always an issue. You’re always going to be in competition with other football clubs for big players, whether you’re in Europe or not.”
Despite their struggles, United were able to acquire the services of Juan Mata in the January transfer window for a club record fee of £37 million, but the Red Devils could certainly face a fight in attracting their primary targets if they miss out on Europe’s elite competition next season.
What do you think? Is Phelan right in saying that United will struggle to attract top players to the club next season if they do not qualify for the Champions League, OR Do the Red Devils still posses that aura about them aided by financial backing, to secure their primary targets?
