Ruben Amorim has been warned about recruitment. (Image: GETTY)
head coach could face the same problems as in the transfer market, according to club icon Gary Pallister. Ten Hag’s appalling recruitment record heavily contributed to his sacking, but Pallister has issued a reminder that it’s far more complex to attract the best players to Old Trafford than it used to be.
United splashed over £600million across the Dutchman’s two-and-a-half-year reign, but you’d do well to need two hands to count the number of successful signings.
And that looks set to impact Amorim’s early prospects of reshaping his squad, with the club testing the margins of Financial Fair Play and the ‘s Profit and Sustainability Rules.
The Portuguese boss will undoubtedly want his own signings, though, as he bids to instil his 3-4-3 system in a squad dominated by Ten Hag’s recruits.
But Pallister has warned that he may miss out on his primary targets – as Ten Hag did with the likes of Frenkie de Jong and – due to United’s lack of pull factor in the modern game.
“Listen, I think you live and die by your signings in this game. And I think there are probably too many we’ve got wrong,” Pallister told Express Sport.
“Not to say Alex Ferguson didn’t get it wrong sometimes. There are players you can talk about that he may have brought in, but generally, he pretty much got it right.
“I think one of the difficulties for was because we’ve kind of stalled since Sir Alex left. We’re not the club that we once were in terms of being able to entice players to come to the club.
Erik ten Hag’s recruitment was appalling. (Image: Getty)
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“Mainly, they’re looking at . They’re looking at now, the Barcelonas, the Real Madrids.
“Whereas before, I think it was only Real Madrid that players would have maybe looked to go to before .
“So because of the decline over the last few years, I think it’s been more and more difficult for to get the pedigree of player that they need to improve. So he’ll have that difficulty.”
Despite his concerns, Pallister is optimistic that United’s recruitment will improve under the Ineos regime, with football experts like Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox now overseeing football operations.
He added: “I think some of… I’m not going to name names because I know how tough it is coming to .
“I remember coming here myself for a huge fee, and the first few months, I think there were a few eyebrows raised at myself and how difficult it can be for players.
“But yeah, and I think has mentioned it, we’ve not been doing very well in the transfer market for a long time.
“So hopefully, that’s something that’s going to change now with a new group of people there with a scouting network that is looking out for players that we’re going to get better talent into the club.”