'Mugged off for years' – Mark Goldbridge rips into horrific Manchester United recruitment as season hits new low

07/05/2024 13:36

talkSPORT’s Mark Goldbridge has lambasted Manchester United’s recent transfer woes as their season hit a new low.

United were deservedly beaten 4-0 away at Crystal Palace on Monday night to leave them eighth in the Premier League and hinder their chances of European qualification.

Casemiro, who was once regarded one of the best midfielders in the world, had a poor game in particular as Erik ten Hag’s side fell to yet another loss.

As a result, United fan Goldbridge has taken issue with the club’s recruitment and believes their European rivals have got the better end of the stick in their previous deals.

“I think that obviously Manchester United are looking at people like Michael Olise and you can see that he would be a very welcome addition to United,” he said on talkSPORT Breakfast.

“We had no Bruno Fernandes last night, he’s had a lot of criticism but the leadership that he brings to the team, there’s a lot of young lads who were lost on the pitch last night and there’s a lot of overpaid players who shouldn’t be wearing a Man United shirt.

“I think that when you look at the changes INEOS are trying to make, what they cannot do is what everybody else has done and just replace the manager and try and get a tune out of this collection of players that clearly, year after year, capitulate and give up.

“So recruitment is massive, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, there’s many others, they’ve absolutely mugged us off over the years. I mean you look at Casemiro last night, I thought he was brilliant last season, this year, terrible.

“Real Madrid would’ve known that was coming, they knew with [Raphael] Varane that he was injury-prone. Bayern Munich knew with [Bastian] Schweinsteiger that his days were done, and it’s just horrific recruitment.

“To be going to Crystal Palace as Manchester United but going as a huge underdog really does show where we are as a football club. Everybody phoning in saying, ‘Sack the manager,’ we’ve been there, we’ve done that, it’s a far bigger problem than that.”

Casemiro enjoyed a strong start to life at United after his move from Madrid last season as he made 51 appearances and helped them win the League Cup.

However, the 32-year-old has featured just 29 times in the current campaign and his performance at Selhurst Park was arguably his worst for the club.

Fellow former Madrid man Varane has struggled with injuries ever since he moved to Old Trafford, with the centre-back unable to make more than 24 league appearances in a season.

Goldbridge also referred to the 2015 signing of Bayern legend Schweinsteiger, who played just 18 league matches in one full campaign at the club.

He recently revealed that he was banished from the first-team dressing room at the beginning of his second year before going on to sign for MLS side Chicago Fire.

United now face another huge summer of transfer activity, with recent windows not proving to be as successful as hoped despite spending close to £1.5billion over the last ten seasons.

Recent reports claim that the club could listen to offers for all but three players – Rasmus Hojlund, Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho.

Questions also remain over the future of Ten Hag as boss, with United having just three league games and an FA Cup final left to salvage their season.