Manchester United spent heavily in the summer transfer window but Stan Collymore is far from convinced by their business which saw a huge amount of money spent on new signings
Man United boss Ruben Amorim will be hoping his summer signings will lead to a massive improvement at Old Trafford this season (Image: Matt West/Shutterstock)
Former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore has slammed Manchester United‘s transfer business this summer for missing out on key areas during their squad rebuild.
The Reds spent around £215million on transfers this summer – signing Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Diego Leon, Benjamin Sesko and Senne Lammens. In terms of departures, around £68m was raised on the sales of Antony and Alejandro Garnacho while a loan fee was received for Rasmus Hojlund.
United’s new signings have got off to a mixed start under Ruben Amorim. Cunha and Mbeumo have impressed at times, but Sesko has yet to score after four games for the Reds, although he is yet to start in the Premier League for Amorim’s team in the early days of 2025/26.
One transfer decision which raised eyebrows this summer was not going for former PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who ended up joining rivals Manchester City.
And Collymore has questioned United’s summer business – raising doubts over Lammens and why certain areas were not addressed in Amorim’s squad.
“I’m surprised that Man United didn’t throw their hat in the ring for Donnarumma,” he told Caughtoffside. “A winner, an excellent shot stopper, a good marshaller of a defence. In terms of Lammens, who knows?
“With goalkeepers that haven’t been tested at elite level – and the Belgian league isn’t elite level – it is that it’s a toss of a coin. In terms of the Emi Martinez scenario… do I think he would have been a good goalkeeper for them? Yes, I do, I also think Donnarumma would have been a very good goalkeeper for Man United, considering this type of goalkeeper that they’ve brought in.
“However, there’s nothing that suggested that I was wrong in this column several weeks ago by saying just because they’ve brought in Cunha and Mbeumo and Sesko, that’s all their problems solved. There is a defensive problem there.
“There is a creative problem there. The three attacking players… You buy at the end of the project of buying defenders, a goalkeeper and a midfielder, not putting the cart before the horse.
“I’m sure Manchester United will be entertaining. But I think the notion that the defence and a rookie goalkeeper is going to perform better than last season is far from guaranteed.”
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