The former striker gave a scathing assessment of the club’s transfer strategy before the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team, describing their recruitment as “horrible”.
Woodward’s chaotic years in the spotlight
Before INEOS’ partial takeover of the club in late 2023, United’s football operations were largely overseen by Ed Woodward, who served as executive vice-chairman from 2012 until his resignation in 2021. His tenure coincided with United’s gradual decline from domestic dominance to struggling to regain its identity. Rooney’s comments reflect the frustration of supporters who have seen millions of euros sunk into transfers that never fully lived up to expectations. The return of Pogba from Juventus for a record £89 million, the transfer of Romelu Lukaku from Everton for £75 million, and even the whirlwind arrival of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, free of any contract from Paris Saint-Germain, are now seen as decisions demonstrating a lack of footballing vision.
Things began to change under the leadership of Ratcliffe and his INEOS Group, who took the reins of football operations after acquiring 25% of the club. Unlike the haphazard strategy of previous years, Manchester United’s recent transfer strategy has focused on players who have already played in the Premier League or young foreign talents. This summer’s arrivals, such as Bryan Mbuemo, Matheus Cunha and Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens, have infused the team with both energy and stability. Each has already cemented their place in Ruben Amorim’s plans, contributing to Manchester United’s seventh place in the Premier League table. The team remains undefeated for five games and has 18 points.
Speaking on Sky Bet’s ‘The Overlap Fan Debate’, Rooney said : “Manchester United’s recruitment before last summer was catastrophic. They only brought in stars – look at Lukaku, Zlatan, Pogba – they are good players, sure, but they were just signing names and spending astronomical amounts of money. It will take time to recover from these mistakes. »
The Amorim Red Devils are back in form
United’s recent performances suggest that the team is finding its rhythm again. After a difficult start to the 2025-2026 season, the Red Devils recovered with three consecutive victories in the Premier League in October, against Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton. Rooney also believes that the Red Devils could qualify for the Champions League next season.
“If you look at Manchester United over the last ten years, the players have been put to the test,” he continued. “Now they have achieved some good results and we feel a renewed confidence. The same can even be said of the coach. They are progressing little by little, there have clearly been improvements. It was very hard for Ruben Amorim and I criticized him. But we see them improve and the players get to know each other better. There are promising signs and although they won’t win the championship, they could well move into the top 4.”
