In case you were under any illusions, Jose Mourinho clearly won’t be messing around at Manchester United. The new manager is intent on dragging the ailing force back to the top level and quickly, with this week’s headline arrivals of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan underlining his desire to hit the ground running.
There were murmurs in the latest seven days that Mourinho was growing frustrated by the lack of completed activity in the Old Trafford market this summer, but the confirmation of Ibrahimovic’s signing and Borussia Dortmund’s announcement that Mkhitaryan will soon follow represents a statement of serious intent from the Red Devils.
Officially, Mourinho hasn’t even started work yet. Not until Thursday is he due to begin preparations with his first team on the training field, but he is already stamping his authority on the club. The differences between his first summer and those of his immediate predecessors are vast and obvious.
In 2013 David Moyes wanted Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo and Cesc Fabregas and came up empty in all three cases. He then spent most of the pre-season preparing a deal to bring in Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini from his former club Everton, but ended up bringing only the Belgium international in, and even then at a cost around that originally touted for the pair.
And within weeks of the season beginning, the Scot was failing on the pitch too. Losing to Liverpool, a heavy defeat at Manchester City plus a home loss to West Brom scarred his first six league matches in charge and set the tone for a short, difficult reign in charge at Old Trafford.
Twelve months on, Louis van Gaal’s lengthy involvement in the World Cup with Netherlands hampered United’s build-up to the 2014-15 campaign. While the former Barcelona boss wasn’t left completely out on a limb, with Ander Herrera and Luke Shaw added during the course of his trip to Brazil, it took the club some time to do business. Even after Van Gaal’s unveiling in late-July, it took them another month to start adding names such as Marcos Rojo, Angel Di Maria and Daley Blind to the roster.
Van Gaal, like Moyes, suffered from a slow start thereafter, famously picking up just 12 points from his opening 10 games as United boss. While they eventually finished fourth behind Mourinho’s champion Chelsea side, any hope of a serious challenge higher up had been expelled before the autumn had really kicked in.
There can be no denying that Mourinho is on a far greater footing so far. There is still far more work to be done, with last season’s shortcomings at centre-back, full-back and defensive midfield requiring further patching up. Yet for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson closed the curtain on his managerial career United have gained the momentum during the transfer window.
Surprise champions Leicester City have yet to really make a serious noise in the market, while Arsenal’s biggest play so far beside the addition of Granit Xhaka ended with Jamie Vardy renewing his contract at the King Power Stadium. Chelsea are still to sign anyone likely to worry potential title rivals, while Manchester City have signed Ilkay Gundogan and Nolito but not yet addressed the central defensive issues which ultimately undid their hopes of catching the top three last term.
While Tottenham have signed Victor Wanyama and Sadio Mane has joined Liverpool, neither carries anything like the weight of an Ibrahimovic or Mkhitaryan. Points are not handed out in June or July, but if they were United would so far be top of the table.
Of course, Mourinho’s job is only just beginning and the work done so far will be long forgotten when the Portuguese departs Old Trafford and a judgement is made as to whether he has been a success or otherwise based on results, not first-summer signings. But the ruthless efficiency with which operations are being conducted at Old Trafford right now, even down to the clean break with Ryan Giggs which was announced on Saturday, speaks of a new, fresh, focused approach from which United can surely only benefit.
It is the earliest of early days, but things are already looking up at Manchester United thanks to the Special One.
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