Is missing out on Madrid’s Reguilon a sign of Man United’s declining appeal?

Last week, if you asked any top-level football agent, betting agency or club insider where Real Madrid’s Sergio Reguilon would end up, they’d have all said Man United.

But such is the nature of the modern-day football transfer market, especially in today’s post-pandemic economic environment, that the answer to that question has changed completely – because it appears Spurs, not the Manc United, will land the 23-year-old Spaniard.

Whilst many choose to see the move as a coup for Tottenham – which it is – what does it mean for the Red Devils? In a frantic window, with much movement in and out of the Premier League, the red half of Manchester has seen but one acquisition, with the arrival of Ajax’s Dutch sensation Donny van de Beek last week.

Whilst attracting one of Europe’s hottest young prospects to Old Trafford is always a positive, the failure to do so with the myriad other talents linked with moves has been worrying, to say the least, for the United faithful.

This transfer window – billed to be one of the biggest for the Red Devils in years – has not panned out as it should have. Moves for Jadon Sancho, Gareth Bale, Dayot Upamecano and more have failed – and with Reguilon’s name soon to be added to the list, fans around the world are left to ask why.

Man United’s lean years coming back to haunt them

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The exact reason why Reguilon’s protracted transfer saga has panned out this way remains a mystery. However, it’s possible that United’s fall from grace in recent years, from serial winners to also-rans might have played a part.

The Red Devils’ relative lack of success recently, and the years spent out of title contention in the post-Ferguson era, has seen the team be surpassed by the likes of Man City, Liverpool, and even Spurs in the eyes of many.

Whilst those above a certain age will always view United as the biggest team in England, younger players perhaps no longer see the same gloss in a move to Old Trafford compared to playing at, say, Anfield.

United’s well-documented transfer failures, such as the moves for Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku, have seen the record champions of England underperform, consistently vying for the final Champions League berth.

That is what has seen the club miss out on talents such as Antoine Griezmann in the past, who’ve preferred to remain at their current clubs or take their talents elsewhere with more realistic chances of titles and European football.

Last year, of course, saw an unexpected upturn in form, and a third-place finish few predicted at the season’s start. But should United return to pre-pandemic form, and slump to yet another finish below the Champions League places, its safe to say Reguilon won’t be the last to forego a move to Old Trafford for elsewhere.