New owners, new investment, new hope? Manchester United’s latest bid to return to the Premier League’s elite continues in 2024/25.
Manchester United – Premier League Season Preview 2024/25
Last season: 8th
Title odds: 22/1
TFF prediction: 5th
Manchester United Transfers 2024/25
In: Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui.
Out: Anthony Martial, Raphael Varane, Brandon Williams, Shola Shoretire, Mason Greenwood, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Donny van de Beek, Omari Forson, Willy Kambwala.
Manchester United enter the 2024/25 campaign with cautious optimism, with football-minded decision makers appointed in the boardroom and encouraging transfer business in the summer months.
After an eighth-place finish last season, the club’s lowest of the Premier League era, Erik ten Hag cannot afford to get off to a poor start if he is to remain in charge. Consecutive seasons with silverware, adding the FA Cup last season to a League Cup triumph in season one, has bought the Dutchman some time but there will be a demand for improvement in the Premier League.
The Red Devils were defensively vulnerable last season with only Sheffield United – on route to a record number of Premier League goals conceded – averaging more shots against them per game in 2023/24. The club’s transfer business has sought to address that fragility, with Ten Hag securing a double deal for Bayern Munich pair Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui, having worked with the pair at Ajax. The highly-coveted Leny Yoro has also arrived in a coup but at 18 will need time to adjust to the demands of English football.
Elsewhere, Joshua Zirkzee has signed from Bologna to add competition for Rasmus Hojlund, with the profile of player that United have signed raising optimism of long-term strategy. Ten Hag’s team have the tools to challenge for the top four this season but will need under-performers from last season to improve. The likes of Marcus Rashford, Casemiro and Antony have points to prove.
Key player: Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes has turned down interest from overseas to recommit his future to Manchester United in a huge boost to the Red Devils’ rebuild. The club captain can frustrate with petulance on the pitch on occasion but remains one of the elite chance creators in the game.
Fernandes is comfortably clear of all Premier League rivals for chances created since his Manchester United debut but has lacked the forward line to feast upon his service of late. With the likes of Alejandro Garnacho, Hojlund and Amad Diallo maturing, that might not be the case for long.
Bruno Fernandes has created 416 chances since the start of the 2020/2021 season. That is – by far – the most of any player in the Premier League in that timeframe. Kevin De Bruyne is second with 319.
Magnifico. 🎩 pic.twitter.com/bv0Vk5K0kN
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) August 13, 2024
One to watch: Toby Collyer
The 20-year-old midfielder has made an impression in pre-season after being handed the chance to stake a claim for first-team involvement in 2024/25. Collyer began his career at Brighton before being snapped up from the Seagulls in 2022 and has confidently pushed himself to the fringes of Erik ten Hag’s team.
A midfielder who eats up the ground on opponents and can slow the game when in possession, he’s hoping to earn a regular role in a Manchester United midfield that has too often malfunctioned in recent seasons. Having watched Kobbie Mainoo step into the senior side with ease, he’ll look to follow a similar pathway.
