Manchester United had a torrid season in 2024/25. They finished 15th in the league with 42 points – their worst-ever season in the Premier League era.
They also could not qualify for Europe this season, after they lost to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final, a side that had not won a single trophy since 2008. The 2025 summer transfer window was supposed to be a summer of desperation – chasing inferior signings, losing transfer battles to Champions League clubs, and struggling to bring in top-tier talent.
Instead, the club pulled off something absolutely unexpected. They brought in Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbuemo as their first two signings – two attacking talents that were scouted by Champions League clubs, but opted to play for United.
United’s real statement in the transfer window was when they managed to land Benjamin Sesko, one of the most sought-after young strikers in Europe, right under the nose of Newcastle United – a club that offered him a better salary package and Champions League football.
This isn’t normal. It isn’t something you expect from a club in transition. And yet, it’s precisely why the ‘Manchester United pull’ is still a real thing in world football, even when the club is going through the lowest of lows.
A Club With a Plan – At Last
For the first time in the post-Alex Ferguson era, there is a sense that Manchester United are not making it up as they go. No longer are we in the Ed Woodward era. The appointments of the new management under CEO Omar Berrada, technical director Jason Wilcox, and manager Ruben Amorim, mark a shift away from signings based on impulse to signings that suit long-term footballing vision.
This is not about only throwing money at big names. This is about identifying players who want to be here. Reports state that every key signing in the summer has come after one condition was met – that the player had the desire to play for Manchester United.
No more Angel Di Marias, no more Alexis Sanchezes – this time the hunger mattered more than the hype. This is why the project just might work.
The Romance Of Manchester United
There might be questions as to how a club in a struggling state as Manchester United, is still landing players with high demand. But what cannot be ignored is the fact that despite all the chaos, the name ‘Manchester United’ still carries weight.
Benjamin Sesko turned down a higher salary. All three of Sesko, Mbuemo, and Cunha rejected the lure of Champions League nights to enter a team in rebuilding mode.
This doesn’t come from PowerPoint presentations or advanced analytics. It comes from what Manchester United represents. It comes from the roar of Old Trafford on a matchday, from the chance to write your name where so many greats have etched theirs.
In a footballing world that is driven by data and transactions, Manchester United still offers something few clubs in the world can – romance.
Is It Just About The Money?
Yes, Manchester United has money. But so do many others. What they perhaps have now, which they did not have for such a long time is structure. There is clarity in recruitment, a footballing plan, and perhaps a project that is being spearheaded by the manager Ruben Amorim himself.
Players are choosing Manchester United because, for the first time in a long time, it feels like there’s a perspective. They see a team that is being built with purpose. And they want to be part of it.
A player like Carlos Baleba is reportedly being eyed by Manchester United, and the heartening thing to note is that he might be pushing for the move and asking Brighton and Hove Albion to lower their asking price of 104 million euros. The fact that one of the best young midfielders in the world is willing to move to Manchester United, when they are not even in Europe, speaks volumes about how strong the pull to play for the club remains.
It’s not just about transfers. It is about the belief that is returning.
The Dream Never Dies
This is the pull of Manchester United. This is not about contracts, clauses, trophies, or playing in European competitions. It is about standing in the same tunnel where Roy Keane once stared down opponents. It is about walking into the same pitch where Eric Cantona ruled with swagger, where Paul Scholes dictated play. It is about lacing up your boots knowing that you would tread the same ground as Wayne Rooney, Bobby Charlton, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Benjamin Sesko could have had better money and Champions League nights elsewhere. Bryan Mbuemo could have joined a project with a clearer path to silverware. Matheus Cunha could have chosen top sides with much better potential. They all said no. They all turned away from the bright lights of the Champions League to step into something they considered much brighter in their hearts – the chance to wear the Manchester United red. For some, the badge of the devil outweighs any medal.
Form can fade. Fortunes can change. Managers can come and go. But it is the dream that outlives defeats and survives storms, and still attracts the very best of players from across the world.