SIGN OF THE TIMES
MAN UNITED are in danger of being left in the slipstream of their bitter rivals this summer.
Within two weeks of the season finishing Pep Guardiola had wasted no time in strengthening his Manchester City squad.
He drew first blood in the spending war with a £43m raid on Monaco for playmaker Bernardo Silva, 22.
Brazilian Ederson, 23, soon followed from Benfica in a deal that made him the most expensive goalkeeper in world football.
Across town, United responded with the £31m signing of Sweden international Victor Lindelof, 22, in a deal thought to have been agreed six months earlier.
Frustrating
But up to now the main action has been at the Etihad, where Guardiola is also believed to have struck a deal with Juventus for Dani Alves, 34.
Talks with Tottenham about England full-back Kyle Walker, 27, are also at an advanced stage.
For these Manchester rivals, what happens during the close season is just as important as what happens on the pitch.
Managers like Guardiola and United’s Jose Mourinho have made it clear they want to get their business done early.
But so far the Spaniard has left his Portuguese counterpart in his rear-view mirror and is threatening to leave him in the dust.
Mourinho handed his list of targets to Old Trafford Executive Vice Chairman Ed Woodward several months ago.
But with less than three weeks to go before United go on a pre-season tour of America, they are in danger of getting caught up in a long and frustrating transfer window.
Speculation keeper David De Gea, 26, is bound for Real Madrid continues to mount. United insist he is not for sale,