It’s not often you’ll hear Jamie Carragher give Manchester United’s recruitment department credit, but INEOS may just be changing the perception of how business is conducted at Old Trafford.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his newly-appointed entourage of confidants have sealed four new signings to bolster Erik ten Hag’s options for the 2024/2025 campaign. If the latest reports doing the rounds are anything to go by, Manuel Ugarte may become their fifth before deadline day next Friday.
Leny Yoro, Joshua Zirkzee, Noussair Mazraoui, and Matthijs de Ligt were all targeted to bolster depleted departments, which was necessary after last season’s unprecedented injury crisis.
Read more: Major twist sees Liverpool plot £70m swoop for ‘absolute monster’ who United unsuccessfully bid for
Carragher’s high praise for United’s new No.4
When prompted by Sky Sports to rank three of the Premier League’s most expensive deals of the window thus far, both Carragher and Gary Neville placed De Ligt atop the list and above Pedro Neto, who moved from Wolverhampton Wanderers to Chelsea for £54 million, and Dominic Solanke, who completed a £65m switch from Bournemouth to Tottenham Hotspur.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – AUGUST 16: Matthijs de Ligt of Manchester United looks on prior to the Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Fulham FC at Old Trafford on August 16, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)“He is the best player (of the three), I think,” Carragher said of De Ligt. “He’s a Barcelona-type of player – or maybe even a Real Madrid.
“He’s got the pedigree in terms of where he’s come from and the clubs he’s played for (Ajax, Juventus and Bayern Munich).”
It’s certainly high praise for the Reds’ latest recruit – not that you can take Carragher’s verdict as gospel, given his ludicrous take on Lisandro Martinez before he’d even kicked a ball!