Manchester United Revival

The parade ended. The red smoke cleared from the streets of Manchester. The players scattered across the globe. They boarded private flights, heading to the beaches of Dubai, the islands of Greece, and the resorts of the Caribbean to rest their bodies. The Carrington training complex, which had buzzed with intense, unrelenting energy for six grueling months, fell entirely silent.

The manicured training pitches lay empty. The gymnasium doors remained locked. The boots and training kits sat neatly packed away in the equipment rooms. The season concluded.

Inside the main executive building, on the top floor, the heavy oak doors of the boardroom stood closed.

Three men sat around a massive, polished mahogany table. The room overlooked the empty training pitches and the final phases of overhaul of Carrington training facility happening. Heavy rain lashed against the floor-to-ceiling windows, a stark contrast to the blazing sunshine that had accompanied the trophy parade just days prior.

Marcus Vale sat at the circular table. He wore a plain black hooded jacket and dark trousers. He held a cup of black coffee. He looked out the window, watching the rain hit the glass.

Alexander Vance sat to his right. The CEO of the Axiom Group wore a sharp, tailored navy suit. An open laptop and a leather-bound notebook rested in front of him. Vance represented the financial and corporate authority of the club.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer sat to Marcus's left. The former manager, now operating as the Head of Global Recruitment for Manchester United, wore a club tracksuit. Several thick, printed scouting dossiers lay spread out across the table in front of him.

Vance tapped his pen against his notebook.

"The board is satisfied with the campaign," Vance began, his voice crisp and professional. "The commercial revenue generated by the Champions League victory exceeded our internal projections. The ownership authorizes a significant transfer budget for the summer window. We have the capital to secure your primary targets, Marcus. We can rebuild the squad to your specifications."

Marcus turned away from the window. He set his coffee cup down on the table.

"We do not need to spend simply because we hold the capital," Marcus stated, his voice flat and devoid of emotion. "Bloating the squad creates unrest. Unrest destroys the dressing room environment. We currently hold twenty-six senior players. I require a squad of twenty-two outfield players and three goalkeepers. A tight, focused group. Before we bring anyone into this building, we clear the exits. We purge the squad of players who do not fit the tactical profile."

Solskjaer nodded in agreement. He pulled the first dossier toward him. "I agree with the approach. We have several players whose contracts expire this month. We also have players demanding regular playing time, and players whose physical capabilities are declining. We need to finalize the departure list today."

"Proceed," Vance instructed.

"Juan Mata and Nemanja Matic," Solskjaer said, looking at their profiles. "Their contracts expire in two weeks. They are massive figures in the dressing room. Excellent professionals. They hold immense respect from the younger players. Do we offer them one-year extensions for their leadership and experience off the pitch?"

"No," Marcus replied instantly.

Solskjaer looked up, slightly surprised by the immediate rejection. "They help the younger players, Marcus. They set a standard in training."

"I do not employ players to act as coaches," Marcus explained, leaning forward slightly, resting his forearms on the table. "I employ coaches to coach. I employ players to cover ground and execute the system on the pitch. Last season, we played a deep defensive block out of necessity. We sat deep, we absorbed the pressure, and we survived. Next season, we transition. We will hold the ball. We will press high up the pitch. We will suffocate opposing teams in their own defensive third."

Marcus tapped the table with his index finger to emphasize his point.

"To execute a high press, every single player must possess the physicality to sprint and recover for ninety minutes," Marcus continued, outlining the tactical reality. "When our forwards trigger the press, the midfield line must step up immediately to close the passing lanes. If the opponent bypasses the first line of pressure, the holding midfielder must cover the space behind them rapidly. Matic reads the game perfectly, but his legs cannot recover quickly enough for a high-intensity system across a three-day fixture cycle. Mata possesses elite vision, but he cannot sustain the pressing intensity I require in the final third. The game moves too fast for them now. We let their contracts expire. We thank them for their service to the badge, we shake their hands, and we let them leave with dignity."

Vance made a quick note on his laptop. "Contracts expiring. No renewals. Noted."

Solskjaer flipped the page in his folder. "Edinson Cavani. Same contractual situation. His deal expires. He wants to play regularly. He wants to lead the line and start every match."

"He leaves," Marcus stated firmly. "Cristiano Ronaldo holds the central striker role. I cannot offer Cavani thirty starts a season. If I put a striker of his caliber and experience on the bench, he grows frustrated. Frustrated players complain. Complaints create factions within the squad. We allow him to leave. He returns to South America or finds a club in Spain where he can play every week. Mutual respect, but our paths diverge here."

"Dean Henderson," Solskjaer read the next name. "He spent the entire season on the bench. David de Gea secured the starting spot and kept it. Henderson demands first-team football. He wants to push for the national team starting position. He is unhappy sitting on the sidelines."

"Sell him," Marcus instructed.

"We could loan him out again," Solskjaer suggested. "He is an academy graduate. He holds long-term value. De Gea is getting older."

"Sell him," Marcus repeated, his tone leaving no room for debate. "We need players entirely committed to the current project. A goalkeeper who sits on the bench resenting the man starting ahead of him creates negative energy in the goalkeeper group. De Gea earned the shirt. Henderson holds significant Premier League value. We sell him to a club where he can play every week. We generate funds to reinvest in the outfield squad."

Vance nodded. "I will contact his representatives and begin fielding offers from domestic clubs. We should secure a strong fee from a mid-table side looking for a proven shot-stopper."

Solskjaer pulled a thicker file from the stack. He sighed softly. "Eric Bailly."

Marcus leaned back in his chair. He picked up his coffee cup. "He leaves. List him for transfer immediately."

"Marcus, hear me out on this one," Solskjaer pleaded mildly, tapping Bailly's file. "Eric possesses incredible raw pace. When we transition to a high defensive line next season, we will leave massive amounts of space behind the center-backs. We need recovery pace. Eric can catch any striker in the league in a foot race."

"Pace does not compensate for a lack of discipline," Marcus countered coldly. "Eric Bailly plays football on pure instinct."

"Instinct can be useful when defending transitions," Solskjaer argued.

"Instinct ruins defensive lines," Marcus stated, shutting the argument down completely. "When the opponent builds an attack, the defensive line must move as a single, connected unit. If the left-back drops, the center-back drops. If the right-back pushes up to play the offside trap, the entire defensive line shifts across to cover the space. It requires concentration and communication. Eric abandons the structure. He sees the ball, he steps out of the line independently, and he tries to win the tackle."

Marcus took a sip of coffee.

"If he wins the tackle, it looks brilliant to the crowd," Marcus continued, breaking down the flaw in the defender's game. "If he misses the tackle, he leaves a massive hole in the center of the defense. He plays the opposing striker onside, and the opponent scores. I do not gamble on isolated defensive actions. I require defenders who hold the line, block the passing lanes, and force the opponent to play backward into crowded areas. Eric breaks the shape. We sell him."

Solskjaer nodded slowly, accepting the tactical reasoning. "Understood. Structural integrity over raw attributes. We will list Bailly."

Solskjaer turned to the next page. "We also have Phil Jones. He struggles with constant, recurring injuries. His body cannot handle the training load, and his contract expires next summer."

Marcus paused. He looked at the file on the table.

"He stays," Marcus said, his tone softening slightly.

Solskjaer looked surprised. "He cannot contribute on the pitch, Marcus."

"I am aware," Marcus replied. "But he has been at this club for over a decade. He won the Premier League under Sir Alex Ferguson. He bled for this badge. We do not throw players out the back door when they are injured after ten years of service. He finishes his rehabilitation here. He sees out the final year of his contract with full access to our medical facilities, and he leaves as a free agent next summer with the respect he earned. But he does not factor into the tactical planning on the pitch."

Solskjaer smiled, appreciating the gesture of respect for the club's history. "I agree. We support him through his final year."

Solskjaer flipped to another medical report. "On the topic of injuries, we need to discuss Axel Tuanzebe. He suffered a spinal stress fracture during his loan spell. The medical staff confirmed the diagnosis this morning. It is a severe setback. He is a very good talent. He possesses the physical profile and the ball-playing ability for a modern center-back. He has a bright future, but this injury complicates his availability for the entire upcoming season."

Marcus looked at the medical file on the table. He did not dismiss the player.

"We do not discard talent due to injuries," Marcus stated firmly. "Spinal fractures require patience and elite rehabilitation. Ensure the medical team provides every necessary treatment. Send him to the best specialists in Europe. If he needs to go through a surgical procedure to stabilize the fracture, approve it immediately."

"It means he will miss the entire pre-season, possibly the first half of the campaign," Solskjaer warned.

"That is acceptable," Marcus replied. "We are looking for the long term, not the short term. Center-backs peak later in their careers. He stays. We rehabilitate him properly. We do not rush him back onto the pitch. Secure his medical care."

Vance typed the instructions into his laptop. "Medical authorization approved for Tuanzebe. Full rehabilitation program."

Solskjaer closed the outgoing folder and opened a new binder. "We need to discuss the contracts expiring next year. We have several key players entering the final twelve months of their deals. Marcus Rashford is the primary concern. Luke Shaw and Diogo Dalot are also in the final year of their contracts."

Marcus looked at Vance. "How does the club usually handle contract renewals for academy graduates like Rashford?"

"Historically, the club pays a premium," Solskjaer admitted. "There is an emotional attachment from the fanbase. The media applies pressure. The club usually offers wages that reflect their status as local heroes rather than their output compared to the rest of Europe."

"That stops immediately," Marcus declared, leaning forward. "We do not negotiate based on sentiment. We do not pay wages based on emotional attachment or media narratives."

Marcus pointed to the laptop in front of Vance.

"Send their performance data to the analytics team," Marcus instructed. "I want a complete, objective breakdown of their metrics. I want to see their expected assists, their progressive carries into the final third, their defensive actions, and their goal contributions per ninety minutes. The analytics team will evaluate that data."

Marcus turned to Solskjaer.

"The analytics team will determine what their wage should be based on comparable players at top clubs across Europe," Marcus continued. "If a winger at Bayern Munich or Real Madrid produces the exact same data output, we look at their salary. That becomes the benchmark. We offer Rashford, Shaw, and Dalot that exact figure. We pay for output on the pitch, not for their academy status. Renew them based purely on the data. If their representatives refuse the data-driven offer, we sell them."

Solskjaer swallowed hard. It was a ruthless approach to club graduates, but he understood the logic. It prevented the wage structure from spiraling out of control.

"I will relay the directive to the negotiating team," Vance confirmed, making another note. "What about Cristiano? His contract situation..."

"Cristiano holds a two-plus-one contract," Marcus interrupted, waving a hand dismissively. "The option year protects us. There is no need to worry about it. He remains the focal point of the attack. His contract is secure."

Solskjaer pulled out the academy integration binder. "Let us look inward before we discuss the transfer targets. We need to assess the academy players returning from loan and those ready for promotion."

"James Garner," Solskjaer said, sliding a detailed scouting report toward Marcus. "He spent the season on loan at Nottingham Forest. He played a crucial role in their midfield. He helped them secure promotion to the Premier League. He operates as a deep-lying midfielder."

Marcus picked up the paper. He had already watched the footage. "He scans his shoulder constantly before receiving the ball. He maps the pitch well. He knows where the pressure comes from. He plays progressive, diagonal passes out to the wingers to break the lines."

"He is ready for the first team," Solskjaer suggested.

"Call him back," Marcus agreed. "But his physical profile is inadequate for my system."

Solskjaer frowned. "He covers a lot of ground, Marcus."

"Running is not enough," Marcus explained, pointing at the physical metrics on the sheet. "I will have him increase his overall weight over the summer. He needs to add significant muscle mass. His physicality must become his strong point, not a liability. A defensive midfielder in a high-pressing system cannot just pass the ball. He must shield the defense, win the aerial duels, and dominate the physical battles in the center of the pitch. When the opponent tries to counter-attack, he needs the strength to knock the opposing striker off the ball legally. Send him to the strength and conditioning coaches immediately. He does not touch a football until he puts on the necessary muscle."

"Understood. Physical conditioning program for Garner," Solskjaer noted. "Alvaro Carreras. Left-back. Excellent offensive output in the youth leagues."

"Luke Shaw requires competition," Marcus noted. "Alex Telles provides a good crossing threat, but Carreras offers raw speed on the overlap. When we hold possession in the opponent's half, the wingers tuck inside into the half-spaces, and the fullbacks must provide the width on the touchline. Carreras fits that profile. Promote him to the senior squad."

"Alejandro Garnacho," Solskjaer said, a glint of excitement returning to his eye. "He won the FA Youth Cup for us. He is electric, Marcus. Pure, direct running."

"He attacks the opposing fullback instantly," Marcus agreed, analyzing the winger's style. "He does not stop the ball, wait for support, and slow the transition down. He drives directly at the defender's weaker side. He possesses a chaos element. When the opponent's fullbacks tire in the seventieth minute, we introduce Garnacho. He will exploit heavy legs. Promote him to the senior squad."

"Hannibal Mejbri?" Solskjaer asked. "He plays with incredible passion. He tackles hard."

"Too hard," Marcus corrected. "He plays with emotion, not discipline. He chases the ball out of his zone and leaves the midfield exposed. Loan him out. He needs senior minutes in the Championship to calm his decision-making. Send Amad Diallo and Facundo Pellistri on loan as well. They are talented, but they need thirty starts a season to develop their match fitness and understand the physical demands of senior football. We cannot offer them those minutes here. Loan them to clubs that play attacking football."

Solskjaer pulled out one final piece of paper from the academy binder. He hesitated for a second before sliding it across the table.

"Kobbie Mainoo," Solskjaer said quietly. "He is the crown jewel of the academy, Marcus. He plays in the midfield. He glides past players. He never looks rushed on the ball."

Marcus looked at the name. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table.

"I watched his youth fixtures," Marcus said, his voice dropping into a deep analytical tone. "His spatial awareness is elite. He receives the ball in incredibly tight areas, under heavy pressure, and he turns out of trouble effortlessly. He shields the ball perfectly. He possesses the exact press resistance we need for the new midfield system."

"So we promote him alongside Garnacho?" Solskjaer asked hopefully.

"No," Marcus replied.

Solskjaer frowned. "Why not? You just said his awareness is elite."

"His awareness is elite," Marcus clarified. "His physicality is not. The Premier League operates at a brutal, unforgiving physical standard. If he steps onto the pitch right now against a midfield like Chelsea's or Liverpool's, players will physically overwhelm him. They will bump him off the ball before he can utilize his awareness. They will target his lack of strength."

Marcus tapped the scouting report firmly.

"He is far too valuable to ruin," Marcus stated firmly. "If we throw him into the first team too early and he gets physically dominated, his confidence shatters. We protect the asset. Keep him with the under-twenty-ones. Put him on an intensive strength and conditioning program, just like Garner, but tailored for his age. Give him six months in the gym. Build his core strength. Build his balance. We integrate him into the first team in January. Not a day before. He needs time."

Solskjaer nodded, respecting the long-term vision. "Patience. I agree. We wait until January for Kobbie."

Vance closed his notebook. "The internal promotions and loans are settled. We save millions by utilizing the academy pipeline correctly. Now, we discuss the external transfer targets. Marcus, you identified the right wing as a primary area of concern for the summer window."

"Jadon Sancho prefers the left wing," Marcus explained, detailing the squad's imbalance. "Marcus Rashford plays on the left. On the right, we lack a natural, dedicated winger who holds the width and takes players on in isolation. I need a player who stays on the touchline chalk, stretches the opponent's defensive block horizontally, and forces their defensive line to expand, creating gaps in the center for Bruno Fernandes and Dybala to exploit."

Solskjaer opened his laptop. He connected it to the large screen mounted on the boardroom wall.

"I have two primary targets for the right wing," Solskjaer said. "Two very different profiles."

He clicked a button. A video clip began playing on the screen. It showed a young, left-footed winger playing for Crystal Palace.

"Michael Olise," Solskjaer introduced the player. "Twenty years old. He knows the Premier League. He requires no adaptation period to the country or the language. He plays on the right, but he favors his left foot heavily. He cuts inside, creates chances from the half-space, and delivers excellent in-swinging set-pieces. He is a proven, reliable commodity."

Marcus watched the footage. He watched Olise receive the ball on the right touchline, fake a run down the outside, and cut sharply inside onto his left foot to deliver a cross into the penalty area.

"Show me the second target," Marcus requested.

Solskjaer clicked his mouse. The screen changed. The footage showed a winger playing in the Georgian league, wearing a Dinamo Batumi shirt.

"Khvicha Kvaratskhelia," Solskjaer said, pronouncing the complex name carefully. "Twenty-one years old. He plays in Georgia right now. Napoli holds a very strong interest in him. He is completely raw. He has never played in a top-five European league. He represents a massive step up in quality and a massive risk."

Marcus leaned forward. His eyes locked onto the screen. He watched the Georgian winger receive the ball on the touchline.

"Play that clip again," Marcus instructed.

Solskjaer rewound the footage.

Marcus watched closely. The defender approached Khvicha. Khvicha did not immediately cut inside. He dropped his shoulder, pushed the ball down the touchline with his right foot, sprinted past the defender on the outside, and crossed the ball with his right foot.

"Show me the next clip," Marcus said.

The next clip played. A different defender approached Khvicha. This time, Khvicha faked going down the touchline, chopped the ball inside with his right foot, shifted it seamlessly to his left, and shot toward the far corner.

Marcus sat back in his chair. "We sign the Georgian."

Solskjaer looked surprised. "Khvicha? Over Olise? Marcus, Olise guarantees Premier League output. Khvicha is a massive risk. We do not know if he can handle the physical nature of English defenders or the tactical discipline required in this league."

"Look at the footwork, Ole," Marcus explained, pointing at the frozen screen. "Olise favors his left foot entirely. When a winger only uses one foot, the opposing fullback maps his movements within ten minutes. The fullback knows Olise wants to cut inside. So, the fullback shifts his body posture, blocks the inside lane entirely, and forces Olise down the touchline onto his weaker right foot. It makes the winger entirely predictable."

Marcus turned his attention back to Solskjaer, holding eye contact to ensure the tactical point landed.

"Khvicha attacks both sides of the defender," Marcus continued, dissecting the tactical advantage. "He uses his right foot to go down the touchline to the byline. He uses his left foot to cut inside and shoot. He operates with ambidexterity. The opposing fullback cannot predict his movement. If the fullback blocks the inside lane, Khvicha goes outside and crosses. If the fullback blocks the outside lane, Khvicha goes inside and shoots. He forces the defender into a state of constant hesitation. His ambidexterity destroys the defender's body posture. We need that specific unpredictability to break down low defensive blocks when teams try to park the bus against us. Sign him."

Vance nodded from the side of the table. "Napoli currently leads the race for his signature. They offer around ten million euros. If we move quickly and offer fifteen million, we secure the player before he reaches Italy."

"Get it done, Alexander," Marcus instructed. "Bring him to Manchester."

"Target confirmed," Vance noted. "Moving on to the striker position. Edinson Cavani departs. We require depth behind Cristiano Ronaldo."

Solskjaer brought up the next set of profiles on the screen.

"Ronaldo operates brilliantly in the penalty area," Solskjaer began. "But as you said, Marcus, next season we press high. When we press high, teams will try to bypass our midfield entirely with long balls. If our center-backs win those aerial duels and we recover the ball near the halfway line, we need a striker who immediately sprints into the space behind their defense. We need vertical threat."

Solskjaer clicked his mouse. Footage of a tall, powerful striker playing for Red Bull Salzburg appeared on the screen.

"Benjamin Sesko," Solskjaer introduced the player. "Eighteen years old. He stands six feet four. He possesses terrifying straight-line speed. He presses relentlessly from the front. He profiles very similarly to Erling Haaland. He attacks the space behind the defensive line aggressively."

Marcus watched the footage. He saw Sesko outmuscle a center-back, shrug off a tackle, and sprint onto a through ball before finishing emphatically.

"I agree with the profile," Marcus said. "His physical traits fit the high-pressing, transition system perfectly. But he is eighteen years old. If we bring him to Manchester United right now, he sits on the bench behind Ronaldo. A striker of his size needs to play thirty matches a season to coordinate his body and refine his finishing technique. Sitting on our bench halts his development entirely."

"So we pass on him?" Solskjaer asked, sounding disappointed. "He will go to Leipzig or Dortmund if we wait."

"No," Marcus replied. "We buy him. We secure his signature now before his value triples in the market. But we loan him back to Salzburg or Leipzeg for one year. We let him play every single week in their pressing system. We let him score twenty goals in the league. We let him play in the Champions League group stages for them. We bring him to Manchester next summer or the summer after when he holds the experience and the physical maturity to lead our line."

Vance nodded. "A highly efficient investment strategy. We secure the asset and allow another club to fund his development time. Salzburg will demand around twenty million euros. I will initiate contact with their sporting director today."

"If we loan Sesko back to Austria, we still lack immediate depth for the striker position for the upcoming season," Solskjaer pointed out. "We cannot rely solely on Ronaldo for sixty matches."

"Show me the alternative," Marcus said.

Solskjaer switched the video feed. A smaller, incredibly rapid striker wearing a Vitesse shirt appeared on the screen.

"Lois Openda," Solskjaer said. "Twenty-two years old. He plays in the Netherlands. He lacks Sesko's height, but his acceleration over the first ten yards is phenomenal. He thrives in transition. When the opponent loses the ball, Openda immediately attacks the channels between the center-back and the fullback. He stretches the defensive line."

Marcus watched Openda drag a defender out of position with a fake run, and then sprint into the right channel to receive a pass in stride.

"He stretches the pitch vertically," Marcus observed. "When teams try to compress the midfield against us to stop our passing game, we need a player who forces their defensive line to drop deeper out of fear of his pace. Openda provides that vertical threat. He pushes the opponent back, which creates more space in the midfield for Bruno and Van de Beek to operate. He offers a completely different profile to Ronaldo and Dybala. Sign him."

"Openda and Sesko," Vance confirmed, typing the names into the official transfer ledger. "Both targets approved. We move to the midfield. Marcus, you requested a specific profile to anchor the possession structure."

Solskjaer brought up the final dossier.

"We hold Varane, Maguire, and Lindelöf," Solskjaer said. "All three are right-footed. You requested a left-footed center-back to balance the buildup play from the defensive line."

"When Harry Maguire plays on the left side of the defense, he has to open his body awkwardly to pass the ball down the left touchline to Luke Shaw," Marcus explained the tactical flaw. "It takes him an extra touch to shift the ball across his body onto his stronger right foot. That extra touch takes half a second. Half a second allows the opposing winger to close the passing lane and initiate the press. A left-footed center-back plays that pass first time, effortlessly. It speeds up our buildup play from the back and breaks the opponent's pressing structure much faster. It changes the geometry of the pitch."

Solskjaer clicked the video feed. A tall, elegant defender playing for Sporting CP appeared on the screen.

"Goncalo Inacio," Solskjaer introduced him. "Twenty years old. Left-footed. Excellent passing range, both short and long diagonal switches. He reads the game well and steps out of the defense to intercept passes before the striker can turn."

Marcus watched Inacio receive the ball, step past a pressing forward with a simple feint, and deliver a crisp, flat pass into the midfield, completely bypassing the opponent's forward line.

"He holds his position well," Marcus noted. "He does not rush into tackles unnecessarily. He fits the profile. He provides the necessary passing angles on the left side of the defense. Secure his signature."

"We also require a specific profile for the right side of the central defense," Marcus added, his eyes still fixed on the screen. "If we push the defensive line high to compress the pitch, we leave fifty yards of open grass behind Varane and Maguire. Since we sold Bailly, we lack recovery speed in the center. I need a defender who can sweep that space, but he must possess tactical discipline."

Solskjaer nodded eagerly and clicked the mouse again. A new profile appeared. The footage showed a massive, imposing center-back playing in Turkey.

"Kim Min-jae," Solskjaer stated. "Fenerbahçe. Twenty-five years old. They call him 'The Monster'. Napoli and Rennes are looking at him right now."

Marcus watched the screen intently. An opposing striker broke through the Fenerbahçe defensive line. Kim Min-jae turned and sprinted. Despite his massive frame, he covered the ground with terrifying speed.

"Watch this sequence," Marcus instructed, leaning closer.

Kim caught up to the striker. He did not slide in recklessly. He matched the striker's stride, used his considerable upper body strength to legally separate the forward from the ball, and secured possession calmly before playing a pass to his full-back.

"He does not lunge," Marcus observed, nodding his approval. "He relies on his physical dominance and his positioning, not desperation. He defends proactively, but he maintains the integrity of the defensive line. He possesses the exact recovery pace we lost with Bailly, but he applies it with high footballing intelligence. He sweeps the space perfectly."

Vance checked his financial ledger. "His release clause is around twenty million euros. It represents excellent value in the current market for a prime-age center-back."

"Execute it," Marcus ordered. "He partners with Varane or Maguire. We secure the high line."

Vance nodded, closing his laptop. "Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Benjamin Sesko. Lois Openda. Goncalo Inacio. Kim Min-jae. Five primary targets. The budget comfortably covers all the transfers. I will brief the legal team and dispatch our negotiators to Portugal, Italy, Austria, and Turkey tomorrow morning."

Solskjaer gathered his dossiers, tapping them neatly into a stack. He looked at Marcus.

"Marcus, I have a few other names we monitor closely for the future," Solskjaer offered, pointing to a separate, smaller folder. "Jude Bellingham at Dortmund. Josko Gvardiol at Leipzig. Moises Caicedo at Brighton. Do we make inquiries now to lay the groundwork for next year?"

Marcus shook his head slowly.

"No," Marcus replied. "Bellingham is an exceptional talent, but Dortmund will demand over one hundred million euros. He operates as a box-to-box player, and we require specialists for specific zones right now. Gvardiol provides the same left-footed buildup as Inacio, but for triple the price. It is inefficient spending. Caicedo wins the ball brilliantly, but we hold Zakaria, McTominay, and Guimarães for that physical disruption and control. The profiles overlap. We do not buy players simply because they are highly rated by the media. We buy players who solve the specific tactical problems on our pitch."

Marcus stood up from his chair. He picked up his empty coffee cup.

"We have the targets," Marcus concluded. "We execute the transfers quietly. No media leaks. No extended transfer sagas playing out in the daily newspapers. Bring them into the building before the squad returns for pre-season training in July. The foundation is set. The defensive structure is proven. Next season, we implement the possession phase. Next season, we dominate."

Marcus turned and walked out of the boardroom. He left the CEO and the Head of Recruitment to handle the logistics, contracts, and medicals. The summer break began for the players, but the mind of the manager never stopped calculating the angles of the pitch.

---

Poll: Should Manchester United lose in the future

Yes

No

---

I mean, if he loses in the future, there will be a purpose to it where he wants to lose. Because I don't see Urahara Kisuke fail in the plans he makes.