Manchester United were attentively chasing Darwin Nunez before Liverpool snatched him from their grasp.
It will have been frustrating for the club, but they already knew this summer would be a tough transfer window. Erik ten Hag is being seen as a fresh start for United, which is what they need.
However, with that comes a cost. All of their top-six rivals have the blessing of boasting managers who have had, at the very least, six months at their club.
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And with that, prospective players have been able to witness the style of play they have adopted. And this was seemingly an important factor for Nunez when he decided to sign for Liverpool.
Speaking in his first interview after finalising the move to Anfield from Benfica, he said: "I've played against Liverpool and I've seen them in lots of games in the Champions League, and it's my style of play."
Many have seen Ten Hag’s style of play at Ajax but his methodologies at United are yet to be seen. This is why it may be harder to convince targets to move to Old Trafford - they are effectively stepping into the unknown.
And not only that, the club’s dressing room has a stench of disharmony. So it may be no wonder that Ten Hag is targeting former players.
In fact, it might be the only steadfast way to encourage new signings to the club; the Dutchman pulling on their past relationships and successes to romanticise a reunion.
But this will only be a two-month issue. Once the window ends and January comes around, players will have seen Ten Hag’s tactics at United and will have witnessed how he has fared. If he gets off to a solid start, then the ball may start rolling.
When trying to push a boulder up a hill, getting it moving is always the hardest part. Once momentum is gained, it’s easier to push it back up the hill to the peak of Premier League mountain.
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