Manchester United are paying the price for not listening to Ralf Rangnick’s transfer advice

Ralf Rangnick’s brief term as temporary manager of Manchester United is unlikely to be remembered fondly by anyone involved with the club.

The German, who came in as a surprise replacement for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer exactly a year ago, took over at Old Trafford with United five points out of the top four. He completed his catastrophic career with them 13 points off of the first place, leaving them facing one of the most significant rebuilds in franchise history.

United made a risk that backfired spectacularly. They should never have chosen a manager, temporary or otherwise, who had only been in charge for two of the previous ten seasons. Rangnick had demonstrated his expertise in the boardroom, but his management abilities left much to be desired.

And it was clear throughout his six-month tenure at Old Trafford. His press briefings were frequently packed with hard-hitting home truths, and his objectives were apparent in that sense, but things on the field were dismal and uninteresting.

Rangnick, on the other hand, was supposed to continue at Old Trafford beyond the conclusion of the season and take up a two-year consultant job, as part of the arrangement when he took over for Solskjaer. The terms of the post were never revealed, but there was a sense that if United wanted to see the best of the German’s work, they would have had to give him a large say in the direction of the club’s recruitment.

Erik ten Hag, on the other hand, instantly said that he did not want Rangnick’s advice. The former RB Leipzig manager, who is now in charge of the Austrian national team, left the club the same week Ten Hag had his first press conference on May 23.

Ten Hag was clear that he wanted to move United ahead without the involvement of someone who had contributed to the club’s recent decline, even if the rot had begun long before Rangnick became a household name in the Premier League. On his own, the 64-year-old accomplished several excellent things during his time in charge, not least spotlighting United’s recent transfer market gaffes and exposing the Glazers on multiple occasions.

His previous experience as the Red Bull franchise’s head of recruitment, working at both Red Bull Leipzig and Red Bull Salzburg, meant he knew what he was talking about when it came to that specific side of the company. He did wonders at Salzburg, spotting players like Sadio Mane and Erling Haaland just as their careers were taking off.

Rangnick was more than equipped to advise United on future transfer decisions after spotting players of their caliber. He would have been a beneficial voice as they began their much-needed rebuild, though Ten Hag should be appreciated for wanting to make his own recruitment selections, as so many managers do.

But, despite all of the changes made during the summer, even if they remain a work in progress, United failed to sign a new striker. Antony was the only new attacker they signed for an eye-watering £85 million. If a winger from Ajax cost United that much, imagine how much a proven, elite-level No.9 will cost them in the next phase of their rebuild.

Rangnick mentioned United’s need for a new striker and lowering the average age of their forward options more than once. During his stay at Old Trafford, he worked with two main forwards, Cristiano Ronaldo and Edinson Cavani, who were both over 70 years old.

Rangnick remarked in February when asked if United should cut the average age of their forwards, “This is apparent. Edinson’s contract is expiring in the summer, and the club wants the finest possible center-forward. This is an obvious one, and I think everyone is aware of that.”

United, of course, released Cavani in the summer but failed to replace him, unless Anthony Martial returns from his loan spell at Sevilla is counted. Ronaldo has gone cold, unable to provide the goal-scoring assurance he has provided throughout his career, and Marcus Rashford remains more productive from the left.

Martial has shown flashes of how brilliant he could be in a Ten Hag-style system, but he has been plagued by injuries. United has no one else to turn to with Ronaldo misfiring more than ever.

They ignored Rangnick’s advice during the summer and are now paying the price.