Apr 27, 2022

Manchester United must copy Liverpool and Michael Edwards transfer blueprint in midfield Liverpool have led the way in recruitment over the last five years and Man United should take inspiration from their approach. (Image: 2019 Liverpool FC) Get the latest on new manager Erik ten Hag, transfers and United team news delivered straight to your inbox every day for free Something went wrong, please try again later.Invalid Email Subscribe We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info Thank you for subscribing!We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Liverpool beat Everton 2-0 at the weekend and more than a third of the players who started that game were signed from other Premier League clubs. Andy Robertson, Virgin van Dijk, Sadio Mane and Diogo Jota arrived from Southampton, Hull and Wolves respectively. Liverpool have proved there is value to be found right under your nose, in your own league, and that's a lesson Manchester United can heed. United lost 9-0 on aggregate to Liverpool across their two Premier League meetings this season and the power has never been more in favour of the Merseyside club in the past three decades. The gulf in quality between the two sides is stark. Liverpool's success under Jurgen Klopp has been no coincidence. The club is superbly run and it's everything United want to become again. United have committed an extensive catalogue of transfer mistakes over the past 10 years while Liverpool have barely put a foot wrong in the transfer market. Liverpool's sporting director Michael Edwards has given his club that clear advantage. Edwards has masterminded Liverpool's success and he's always been lauded for his work by supporters. In comparison, Ed Woodward — who left his position as executive vice-chairman just two months ago — was once described as an 'evil genius' by Louis van Gaal and he was loathed by the majority of United fans. United's inferiority on the pitch comes from the very top of the club. It was announced in November that Edwards would step down from his position at Liverpool at the end of the season and that news was seismic. It's more than possible Liverpool could lose their edge in the transfer market without the smart thinking of Edwards. Regardless, Edwards will leave behind a transfer blueprint and a stellar legacy at Liverpool, and United should copy that recipe for success. Liverpool have led the way in recruitment and United should take inspiration. That includes conducting transfer business with lowly Premier League clubs. The signings of Robertson, Van Dijk, Mane and Jota have all been resounding successes. They've all been secured for reasonable transfer fees, with the exception of Van Dijk, although it could be argued that the £76m fee for the centre-back still represented value. United paid £80m for Harry Maguire back in 2019. Liverpool choose to sign players that have the potential to be elite and United need to follow suit to maximise the efficiency of their budget each window. Declan Rice would be a marquee signing, for example, but West Ham value the player in excess of £100m. United should copy Liverpool and look elsewhere in the Premier League for cheaper, high-quality alternatives. Read More United need to think more like Liverpool — even if that would have been absurd to suggest 10 years ago. Liverpool wouldn't look to sign Rice but they would look at a player such as Brighton's Yves Bissouma, Leeds star Kalvin Phillips or Leicester anchor Wilfred Ndidi. All three of those players would have little trouble making the move to Old Trafford and they could have an immediate impact. There is also an opportunity on the continent with Marseille's Boubacar Kamara that might be too good to ignore. Kamara's contract expires at the end of the season and it might be a mistake if United don't look to take advantage of that opening. Kamara has established himself as one of Europe's most exciting young defensive midfielders and for good reason. The 22-year-old has represented France through every age level and he's made a total of 42 appearances this season. There are plenty of Rice alternatives to be found in the market. United just need to think like Liverpool to find the right player. Read More