Over the past two or three seasons, Sir Alex Ferguson has been mildly criticised in some parts for his lack of big name summer signings, but with the purse now well and truly opened, success is sure to follow.
Robin van Persie is the latest acquisition at United for a fee of £24 million, and the Dutchman’s arrival has got everyone talking about the treble winning side of 1999, and how this current group of players can now emulate their predecessors’ success.
Whether or not the current Red Devils’ squad can get anywhere near that achievement of winning the Premier League, the FA Cup and the coveted Champions League crown all in one season remains to be seen. However, if they can just get two firm hands back around the premiership trophy next May and nothing else, then everyone in red will be happy.
That’s not going to be easy with the threat that their Manchester rivals City pose, but the signing of RVP shows Ferguson means business. Some have said the deal is an act of desperation from the Scot, but then who talks badly of something good without an air of bitterness?
For United now have two of the most prolific strikers in Europe in Wayne Rooney and van Persie, and with Javier Hernandez and Danny Welbeck waiting in the wings for their chance to shine, Old Trafford may well live up to its name as the Theatre of Dreams in nine months time.
Let’s hope Van really is the man.
By Sean Monaghan @Sean_Monaghan
RvP is here now so we should back him, but £70mm over 4 years is a lot of money for a player with no resale value, and Rooney is slowly becoming a larger and larger version of the kid we bought, and larger is slower. So I worry about the legacy of this buy. 3 years from now Fatman and Robin might just have bust the bank.
If we emulate the 99 side, who were a penalty kick from winning nothing, then I'd be delighted.
For now I'd like to see us get some form which has not been the case since March.