CHIEF’S BOUGHT TOO MANY DUDS
Gamble
Memphis Depay followed Di Maria to Manchester for £31m from PSV Eindhoven, hailed as the next big superstar of European football.
United then shelled out £16m just to loan Radamel Falcao from Monaco, but the gamble was lost.
World Cup winners Bastian Schweinsteiger and Victor Valdes were also signed, but neither made an impact.
Di Maria said United were “the only club I would have left Real Madrid for” while then boss Louis van Gaal said of the Argentine “he’s a wonderful talent, but most importantly, he is a team player”.
Neither of those statements looked very true as Di Maria lasted just one season before scuttling out of Old Trafford with his tail between his legs to join PSG.
He later claimed, through a close friend, he was signed to sell shirts rather than win trophies.
Strange that, because the same accusation was made about Paul Pogba from inside Jose Mourinho’s inner circle.
Is it a coincidence, or is there some truth to the suggestion that since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, the only silver United’s owners are interested in is the stuff making the cash tills ring?
Finding the truth inside Old Trafford is like searching for the proverbial needle in a haystack, but what we do know is this.
Since replacing Mourinho in December, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has done much more than win 10 out of his 11 matches.
The Norwegian has educated the likes of Woodward about the fact that there is no room for egos in a club like theirs.
He has embraced the traditions and ethos that made United great in the first place with a show of sensible management that should bolster his chances of getting the job on a permanent basis.
The fact he has discussed transfer targets with Woodward should be music to the ears of supporters, especially if he told him what he told the media ahead of their 3-0 win at Fulham on Saturday.
He said: “It is about who we’ve got here, as well as who we might sign.
“It is not about x amount of players, it has to be the right one and one who fits.
“It is not just about ‘buy a superstar and that will fix things’ and suddenly we go from challenging to being top four and champions.”
This is a hell of a fortnight for United – and boss Solskjaer.
The challenges come thick and fast and could define the immediate futures for both.
Huge games with PSG, Chelsea and Liverpool are the ones United are measured on.
But win, lose or draw, Woodward should take a moment to look past results when it comes to judging Solskjaer’s main credentials.
Changing managers and players hasn’t worked, but Solskjaer is altering the most important thing of all in the shape of attitudes.
And if this extends to the boardroom then the future at United could be bright again.