TAWANDA CHARI
In our last piece of the Premier League Transfer Watch, we looked at how last season’s top four have gone about their transfer business. This time we turn our attention to the rest of the so-called “traditional big six”. The ones who, last season, were performing at a level you’d usually associate with relegation scraps – plus the two teams who actually made it into the top six ahead of them: Aston Villa and Newcastle.
Manchester United
This is the club I support. Which is why I can tell you there’s probably more to say here than for every other team combined. Sometimes it feels like every football outlet could just recycle their last Manchester United think piece, swap in a few new names, and it would still be mostly accurate.
In the 2024/25 league campaign, United ranked:
- 12th in xG
- 12th in xA
- 14th in xT
- 15th in goal-creating actions
- 17th in goals from live passes
- 10th in passes into the final third
- 16th in assists
- 11th in progressive carries
- 17th in average shot distance
Two seasons ago, Erik ten Hag’s United had one of the worst defences in the league. The solution? Buy three new defenders. Last season, Rúben Amorim’s United had an attack producing at lower-mid-table levels. The solution? Buy three new attackers.
It’s a fundamental misunderstanding of both defending and attacking and it’s been going on since Michael Carrick retired. The club always swings between defenders and attackers, never really addressing the midfield. Which I think is the most important area of the pitch.
Even when United do sign midfielders, they’re usually attacking ones: Pogba, Fernandes, Van de Beek, Mount, Mkhitaryan, Eriksen. In nine seasons, they’ve brought in only five proper destroyer/controller types and three of those have already left, compared to 17 defenders and 22 attackers (including attacking mids).
United obsess over what their players can’t do and recruit accordingly. Pogba and Matic didn’t tackle enough? Sign Casemiro. Casemiro can’t cover ground anymore? Sign Ugarte. Martial and Rashford not finishing enough? Sign Ronaldo.
Focusing on the wrong skills ends up with the wrong skills. Worse, the club seems to forget it’s a team sport. They always ask what Player X can do, never how to set up the team to allow Player X to do it. The “all eggs in one basket” midfield approach is still alive: first Pogba, now Casemiro.
They didn’t score enough last season, and the answer? Buy another striker. As I’m writing this, David Ornstein has broken the news:
BREAKING: Manchester United make offer to RB Leipzig for Benjamin Sesko. Proposal €75m + €10m – reflects #MUFC valuation of 22yo & they believe striker favours Old Trafford. No reply yet from #RBLeipzig. #NUFC also working to close deal.
That’s potentially €85m for what would be the sixth centre-forward/front-line option in the squad, instead of a midfielder who isn’t scared of the ball. I thought INEOS were supposed to fix this behaviour? (There are now whispers United are looking at a midfielder though; we’ll see.) Which will be fine if they manage to land at least one. No European football probably helps. The schedule won't be as grueling.
Football is about all the parts working together, but some parts are more important than others. And midfield is one of them.
As for Amorim, he hasn’t impressed me much yet. But sacking him now would create more problems than it solves. The club has to commit to his vision, because frankly there’s no better alternative in sight. He can adapt and improve. I’m really hoping he will. I really do.
Manchester United 2025 signings so far:
January 2025
- Patrick Dorgu (from Lecce) – £25 million
Summer 2025 – First Team
- Matheus Cunha (from Wolverhampton Wanderers) – £62.5 million
- Diego León (from Cerro Porteño) – £6 million (approx., initial fee with add-ons)
- Bryan Mbeumo (from Brentford) – £65 million + £6 million add-ons
- Benjamin Šeško (from RB Leipzig) – £66.3 million + £7.4 million add-ons
Tottenham Hotspur
Thomas Frank, the new Spurs manager, is dealing with a nightmare injury list. Dominic Solanke, Destiny Udogie, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Radu Dragusin, and Manor Solomon are all out. Summer signing Kota Takai hasn’t played a single minute yet.
In the market, Spurs have underwhelmed during a summer when they need to really push.
2025 Spurs signings:
- Kevin Danso – £21m (Lens)
- Mathys Tel – £30m (Bayern Munich)
- Luka Vušković – £12m (Hajduk Split)
- Kōta Takai – £5m (Kawasaki Frontale)
- Mohammed Kudus – £55m (West Ham)
- João Palhinha – Loan from Bayern Munich (with €30m option)
- Antonín Kinský – £12.5m (Slavia Prague, January)
- Yang Min-hyeok – ~£3.3m (Gangwon FC, January)
Not terrible business, but not nearly enough for a side back in the Champions League after finishing 17th in the league last season. They need major investment to truly compete. Frank is a brilliant coach, so a top half finish is possible but he needs more reinforcements.
Aston Villa
A 6th place league finish and a Champions League semi-final appearance. Unai Emery is proving he’s one of the best coaches in the division. Villa will almost certainly be in the European places again, with only one or two problem areas to address.
2025 signings:
Winter (January)
- Donyell Malen – £21.5m
- Andrés García – ~£6m
- Axel Disasi – Loan from Chelsea (~£5m fee)
Summer
- Yasin Ozcan – £5.8m
- Zepiqueno Redmond – Free transfer
- Marco Bizot – Undisclosed fee
- Evann Guessand – ~€35m (£30m)
Newcastle United
Newcastle are stuck in that awkward middle ground good enough to be among the league’s best, but not yet as attractive as the traditional big six. Targets like Sesko and Ekitike have chosen bigger clubs. Alexander Isak is reportedly keen on Liverpool, though that move would be far from simple.
Without the pulling power for ready made stars, their best strategy is the Brighton model: unearth gems and develop them in house.
Eddie Howe will have to be creative to keep them competitive, but they should still comfortably finish in the top eight.
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