Manchester United shown up by Bayern Munich as failure to sign Sanches and Hummels hints at more embarrassment

Bayern have shown that stealth and decisiveness in the transfer market trumps United when it comes to attracting the biggest names

Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has missed out on a number of transfer targets (Getty)

There are two immediate conclusions to be drawn from Bayern Munich’s double coup in confirming the signings of Renato Sanches and Mats Hummels this lunchtime.

The first is that the German champions have made it abundantly clear that they are quite capable of getting on with business without Pep Guardiola acting as the Pied Piper at the Allianz Arena.

And the second is that Bayern have once again shown Manchester United, and Old Trafford executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, how to act with stealth and decisiveness when faced with the task of summer recruitment.

In truth, Bayern never really needed to play the Guardiola card to attract players to Bavaria.

This is Bayern Munich, after all, Germany’s biggest and most successful club, one which fully justifies its ‘FC Hollywood’ nickname, and the Bayern brand is powerful enough on its own to lure the likes Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti as coaches and persuade Hummels and Sanches to resist alternative offers in order to sign for the club.

United also possess the global clout of Bayern, but while the Germans punch their weight in the transfer market, the 20-time English champions have become heavyweights merely in talking a good game rather than performing it.

Old Trafford scouts have monitored Benfica midfielder Sanches for months, with United believing themselves to be in pole position to sign the 18-year-old who has become one of hottest properties in Europe this season.

But with uncertainty over Louis van Gaal’s future as manager and no confirmation yet as to whether United will compete in the Champions League or Europa League next season, the club have allowed the seeds of doubt to compromise their summer recruitment.

Where Bayern acted swiftly last December to sign up Ancelotti when it became clear that Guardiola would be leaving for Manchester City this summer, United allowed Van Gaal to remain in position at a time when results and performances saw support from the stands drain away.

And with Bayern now making two statement buys before the season has even ended, they have once again shown United the value of moving quickly in the market.

Sanches now joins a lengthy list of players who appeared destined for United, only for the deal never to get done.


 Cesc Fabregas is one of many players that United have failed to sign 
 (Getty)

Cesc Fabregas, Toni Kroos, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Sergio Ramos – the list goes on.

Bayern, meanwhile, simply get down to business and head off on their summer holidays with no such thing as loose ends to tie up.

The past three summers have been a tale of near misses and embarrassing failures in the transfer market for United and missing out on Sanches suggests history may well repeat itself once again.