Man United’s summer of chaos saw Alessia Russo join Arsenal and Mary Earps wants out too… but NINE new arrivals have put a positive spin on the transfer window

It’s been a summer of chaos for Manchester United, both good and bad.

Their transfer window started with the high-profile departures of Alessia Russo and Ona Batlle, who left on a free transfer.

United tried to convince both players to stay but were unable to do so. Russo joined Arsenal, who had tried to sign her in January after only two world record bids were rejected by United, while Batlle signed for Barcelona.

After their most successful season, which included a first FA Cup final and Champions League qualification, United seemed to be going backwards rather than forward. But when the transfer window closed on Thursday evening, the club had signed a total of nine players, four of which were announced on deadline day.

United’s moves include the signing of Brazilian striker Geyse from Barcelona, ​​World Cup Golden Boot winner Hinata Miyazawa and Spanish midfielder Irene Guerrero. The club also retained England goalkeeper Mary Earps, who was wanted by Arsenal.

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So did United have a good transfer window? In many ways the answer is yes. The signings they have brought in add quality and depth – both of which will be important if they are to progress in Europe and challenge for the WSL title.

One thing United have done very well is recruit talented young players via free transfers. Emma Watson, 17, and Evie Rabjohn, 18, both arrived this summer and have incredibly bright futures ahead of them.

But while United have done a lot of good during this period, agents still speak of a disorganized structure behind the scenes and there is a lot of frustration with the way the club does business.

Whether Earps would stay or leave became the transfer saga of the summer. The club’s position was clear throughout the display: the goalkeeper was not for sale at any price. The problem was that Earps wanted to leave and was extremely unhappy with the handling of the situation.

The Lionesses’ number 1 decided she wanted to play with Russo at Arsenal after the World Cup. United had already had a bid rejected and there was reluctance in looking for a possible replacement.

According to United, Earps was irreplaceable. Earps is not only crucial to United’s success on the pitch, but is also one of the most marketable players at the club – someone who sells shirts and tickets to matches. From a PR perspective, selling her to a rival would have been a disaster.

The fee Arsenal were willing to pay, in excess of £100,000, was simply not worth it. Earps is out of contract next summer and could leave for free, but United would rather take that risk in the hope they can convince her to sign a new deal, although that seems unlikely at the moment. United’s approach to signing players has irritated several agents who spoke to Mail Sport.

The biggest problem United had in bringing in players was that they would often identify a target who wanted to join them, but then struggle to agree a fee with their respective club.

Geyse’s transfer, which was finally completed last month, was postponed as the club went back and forth with Barcelona over the price of the deal. One agent told Mail Sport that United’s handling of transfer negotiations was ‘one of the worst processes’ they had ever seen.

“The club likes to do things on the cheap,” said another. That said, United have activated a £150,000 release clause to sign Gabby George from Everton and paid a club record fee for a goalkeeper to recruit Phallon Tullis-Joyce, and have thus shown a willingness to compete with their rivals.

A major problem United have had is negotiating new contracts with current players. The main problem seems to be the large number of people involved.

Polly Bancroft, the club’s head of women’s football, originally handled contracts and transfers last season. Sam Barnett, who works on the men’s side, was then called in to help before United’s new transfer negotiator Matt Hargreaves and women’s player recruitment chief Harvey Bussell also got involved.

“It’s a case of too many chefs,” one agent told Mail Sport. ‘We got someone at the club to talk to, and four days later they told us they were no longer handling transfers.’

Compared to clubs like Chelsea, United are still playing catch-up in the market. This was the first window in which they recruited with Champions League football in mind. They meet their opponents on Friday for their second round qualifying match, which will be played next month.

Is United’s squad stronger than last season? Time will tell. On paper, there’s no reason why they can’t compete.

The summer of chaos may have come to an end, but the most anticipated season in the club’s history is about to begin.

WSL’S MOVES AND SHAKERS

Alessia Russo, Arsenal (free)

Stealing an elite striker from one of your rivals for free is always a good thing.

Daphne van Domselaar, Aston Villa (Free)

Van Domselaar, number 1 in the Netherlands and Ballon d’Or nominee, was wanted by top clubs in Twente. Her signing is a coup for Villa.

Geyse, Man United (£250,000)

United broke their transfer record by signing Brazilian striker Geyse from Barcelona. She provides pace, flair and skill.

Catarina Macario, Chelsea (free)

Fans may have to wait to see ex-Lyon striker Macario in action as she is still recovering from a cruciate ligament injury. But the 23-year-old American has the potential to become a superstar.

Jill Roord, Manchester City (£300,000)

City were in desperate need of midfield reinforcements and broke the transfer record for the Wolfsburg star who can tackle, pass and finish.