‘Playing for Manchester United is different’ – former star opens up on what is needed under Sir Jim Ratcliffe in summer of recruitment at Old Trafford

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Manchester United are in for a huge summer of recruitment after Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s partial takeover of the club – and one of the Red Devils’ former players has opened up on just what is needed in the transfer market at Old Trafford.

Following a promising first season under Erik ten Hag in 2022/23, which saw United return to the Champions League and win the Carabao Cup, this term has been more difficult and the Red Devils were well off the top four ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash away to Bournemouth.

Big changes are now in store after Ratcliffe and his INEOS group bought a 27.7% share of United in February, with Ten Hag’s position under scrutiny and a big summer of activity in the transfer market expected.

Alan Smith in action for Manchester United against Chelsea in May 2007. (Image credit: Getty Images)

“I think there is a real in-depth recruitment policy of who and what they want, and do they tick all the boxes,” Smith, speaking to FourFourTwo via 1337.Games, said.

“Playing for Man United is just different to playing for any other club, I know it sounds stupid, but it is a different animal to most clubs around the world.

“Just because of the scrutiny that comes with playing for United, which is huge. I don’t know if you know how someone will react to playing for United until they actually get there.”

And Smith, who scored 12 goals in 93 appearances for United after signing from boyhood club Leeds in 2004, believes mentality is key at Old Trafford.

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“I think signing players from clubs with the same sort of mentality,” he said. “What United fans really want isn’t showing the skills; look at the most successful United players, they were all hard-workers, ultra-professional. Going back to players like Brian Kidd, to Bryan Robson and then through to Roy Keane and [Wayne] Rooney beyond that.

“They all had certain types of characteristics that suited United; working class, hard-working players before anything else.”

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Ben Hayward is the Weekend Editor of FourFourTwo. A European football writer and Tottenham Hotspur fan with over 15 years’ experience, he has covered games all over the world – including three World Cups, several Champions League finals, Euros, Copa America – and has spent much of that time in Spain. Ben speaks English and Spanish, currently dividing his time between Barcelona and London, covering all the big talking points of the weekend on FFT: he’s also written several list features and interviewed Guglielmo Vicario for the magazine.

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