COMMENT: A limited warchest. FFP problems. All that momentum now lost. It's frustration for Erik ten Hag, right? Panic stations? Well, not quite. Particularly if all involved at Manchester United meet their manager halfway...
Firstly, let's not assume the £100m cap due to Financial Fair Play is accurate. Certainly from this column's sources the claims have been dubbed "premature at best". Indeed, we've been told Ten Hag, in terms of FFP, will enter the summer market with the same confidence and freedom as he enjoyed last summer. The issue, of course, is the lack of communication regarding the club's sale. But "as they say, no news is good news", which has Ten Hag and John Murtough, the club's technical director, still working from their A-list of transfer targets. And they will continue do so until told otherwise.
But that's not to say there'll be any Chelsea-type of signing spree this summer. There'll be a multiple, for sure. But the numbers will be at the low-end as Ten Hag targets specific areas of his XI to strengthen.
And we say XI as Ten Hag and Murtough, particularly, are banking on the club's younger players to start filling out the squad and proving themselves. A clearout of fringe dwellers will happen this summer. But it won't be to make room for outsiders, instead space will be freed up for the promotion of the very best from the U21 squad.
This has always been Ten Hag's plan. His approach. Money should be spent on elite talent, not squad players. The depth comes from the academy. As much as in practicalities (and certainly for this summer) as in belief. United's final squad numbers should be academy graduates. Young players in the final stretch of their development path - but always ready and prepared when needed.
And should the likes of Hannibal Mejbri, Ethan Laird and Kobbie Mainoo step up, the practical aspect will allow the club's dealmakers to find that extra &;pound;10-20m to get an agreement for a new centre-forward or new fullback over the line. All the while not having to concern themselves about holding money back to deepen Ten Hag selection options.
United did well last week. Extremely well. Securing Alejandro Garnacho to a new five-year contract was a real coup. It shouldn't be underestimated the pressure the teen came under from clubs on the continent. Of course, Real Madrid pushed hard. Jose Angel Sanchez had his best on the case. President Florentino Perez's No2 tried every angle to bring the former Atletico Madrid prospect back home. Inter Milan were equally as persistent. As were Juventus - before the capital gains fiasco struck.
But in the end, United managed to find agreement. And there's real hope that Garnacho will lead a new generation of academy graduates through Ten Hag's first team in the coming years. His emergence certainly easing the need for United to strengthen their wing options.
At Valdebebas, Sanchez and Florentino famously dubbed such squad building as the 'Zidanes y Pavones' approach. Buy the elite like Zinedine Zidane and combine them with the best of La Fabrica like Francisco Pavon. It's essentially what Ten Hag has hopes of doing at United.
Garnacho, for one, is nailed on. His response to being disciplined for poor timekeeping and general tardiness went a long way to his success this season. Mainoo is another Ten Hag has high hopes for. The discussion around the midfielder is whether he skips the obligatory loan move away and is instead immediately handed a place and squad number for next season. Hannibal Mejbri will be offered the opportunity to be Christian Eriksen's understudy, while Ethan Laird and Alvaro Fernandez could also be retained depending on how Ten Hag's senior fullback options shake out. Fernandez, particularly, is one United's academy staff have high hopes for. "Very raw, but gifted", was how the former Real Madrid trainee was described to us 18 months ago by a Carrington source. The strides he's made since then has left all impressed and his impact at Deepdale under Ryan Lowe, the Preston manager, only reinforcing the hopes United have for the Spaniard.
Left-back. Right-back. Midfield. No-one is expecting these prospects to be instant matchwinners. But if they can step in and perform in the early rounds of Cup competitions. Be ready when the team needs to be rotated. Maintain the squad's winning momentum - and with it the dressing room's positive atmosphere. It'll matter. It'll be critical. And go a long way to contributing to a successful campaign next season.
Its what Ten Hag will be looking for in his young players this preseason. He wants to know he can count on them. If they can meet him halfway, those rumours about budget concerns will quickly be forgotten.
