Over the last couple of years, Manchester United have been a side who have splashed the cash in the transfer market to try and take them back to their former glory days.
In the last three years alone, the Red Devils have spent upwards of £800m on new additions, but the vast majority of which have failed to deliver and catapult them up the league table.
The club finished 15th in the Premier League last time around, with pressure piling on manager Ruben Amorim as a result of his lack of impact at Old Trafford.
Despite financial difficulties voiced by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, he handed the 40-year-old funds in the region of £200m to help improve his first-team squad ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
However, one player already at the Theatre of Dreams has struggled as of late, with a potential exit on the cards from the club in the months ahead, given his lack of impact.
The latest on Zirkzee’s future at Man Utd
Over the last couple of days, it’s been reported that United forward Joshua Zirkzee has been hugely linked with an exit just over a year after his arrival.
Last summer, the Red Devils paid a fee in the region of £36m for the signature of the Dutchman, joining the club from Serie A side Bologna with real expectations to improve the frontline.
However, the 24-year-old only netted three league goals last season and was unable to get himself off the mark in the opening weeks of the new season after staying put.
The big-money spent by the board over the summer has seen the player fall further down Amorim’s pecking order, subsequently failing to make a single start to date.
He’s only registered 74 minutes of league action in 2025/26, undoubtedly leading to his desire to leave the club and pursue a new challenge in the near future.
Current CEO Omar Berrada has previously stated that players who failed to make any impact in two years must be sold to avoid losing huge money – with Zirkzee certainly in that category.
However, he’s not alone in that department, with another current first-team member also on borrowed time given his lack of impact at Old Trafford in recent times.
The United star who’s on borrowed time alongside Zirkzee
United’s lack of success in the transfer market has undoubtedly contributed to their demise in the Premier League, which has increased pressure onto the shoulders of Amorim.
Some of the players already on the books before his arrival struggled to make an impact after his arrival, with Brazilian winger Antony just one player who ultimately failed to hit the ground running during his tenure.
He joined the club in a £86m deal from Ajax back in the summer of 2022, subsequently following Erik ten Hag to the club after his appointment during the same period.
However, the club decided to sell the 25-year-old this summer, with the forward moving to Real Betis for just £21m, seeing the hierarchy take a £65m loss on their investment.
Another example of their failure in the transfer market is highlighted in their move to sign Manuel Ugarte last summer, with the Uruguayan costing a fee in the region of £42m from PSG.
His arrival was seen as the perfect opportunity to improve the options in the middle of the park, but a little over 12 months after his transfer, he’s failed to nail down a place in the starting eleven.
Ugarte, who’s been dubbed a “wet blanket” by former Chelsea star Craig Burley, has only started two games this campaign, along with 22 in the previous season.
Games played
6
Matches started
2
Minutes played
242
Passes completed
40
Chances created
0.3
Fouls committed
3.4
Dribbled past
0.9
Interceptions
0.6
The Uruguayan’s underlying stats from the recent campaign highlight his inability to impress, which could ultimately spell the end of his time at Old Trafford in the near future.
He’s only completed an average of 40 passes per 90 this season, whilst only creating 0.3 chances per 90, subsequently showcasing his
inability to progress the play into attacking areas.
The 24-year-old has also committed 3.4 fouls per 90 to date, whilst also ranking in the 73rd percentile for being dribbled past – highlighting he often resorts to taking out an opponent if he’s struggling to dispossess them.
As a result, he’s often been selected behind the likes of Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes in such a role, with his move to England undoubtedly failing to reach the heights many anticipated.
After such a disappointing first year in the Premier League, it wouldn’t be a surprise to anyone to see him depart in the near future, subsequently raising funds for another talent to arrive in the process.
The new Yorke & Cole: Man Utd's "superb double-act" could save Amorim's job
Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke famously scored 53 goals as Manchester United won the treble in 1998/99, but has Rúben Amorim found a new “electric” duo?
ByBen Gray