It’s just another Monday morning as we enter day six of the January transfer window, and despite Manchester United’s shock loss at home to Swansea in the third round of the F.A. Cup and the passing of soccer legend Eusebio there is very little news to comment on.
While I hate to be the one doing all the bashing of David Moyes a slow news day and lack of action in the transfer market almost forces me to do so.
When I say shock loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford which would have been heading news under former manager Sir Alex Ferguson will soon be said without the word shock in front of it as Manchester United continues to suffer defeats at home something that former Manchester United goalkeeper Mark Bosnich blames on their inability to sign players during the summer.
“Man United’s problems can be traced back to their lack of activity in the transfer window last summer,” he told the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast show on Britain’s TalkSport radio.
“You have to improve your squad every year if you’re going to stay on the top.
“The Glazers, Ed Woodward or whoever is calling the shots, have really got to stand up in this January transfer window and give Moyes funds to get the players he really wants.
“This season is heading towards disaster. They might not finish in the top four. They really need to say, ‘this season is salvageable, we might not win the title but we could finish in the top four but we need to identify big players, players of Manchester United’s calibre and spend some money’.
“You’re talking about one of the richest clubs in the world,” he added. “If you’re at a club and they come in for a player you automatically put your price up. They’re going to have to start paying what the market rate is for players if they’re going to get the type of quality of players that Manchester United deserve.
“They’re going to have offer over the odds, that’s the modern day reality, you can’t get anything on the cheap and expect it to work.
“I know Manchester United have got a history of saying, ‘we’re only going to pay so much because you’re coming to play for Manchester United’, but many of the top players in the world haven’t got the same ‘love’ for Manchester United as some players in Britain have.
“For them, it’s about choosing which is the best club to play for. Are they playing in the Champions League? What are they offering me in comparison to PSG, Juventus, Real Madrid or Barcelona? They are going to have to pay over the odds. If you want the best you have to go and pay for it.”
Personally I do not think it is quite as simple as Bosnich would like us to believe, and while I might not be particularly enamoured with David Moyes he is correct when he says many of the high-calibre players he would like to sign are unavailable during the January transfer window as many of the clubs they play for are either still involved in the Champions League or competing for domestic titles.
