Man Utd scouts identified seven signings before being sacked - four have joined Man City

Manchester United's erstwhile scouts recommended respective prima names to the club, but aft opting not to determination for the players, City took afloat vantage of the opportunity

Manchester United chose not to motion immoderate of the 7 players recommended by their erstwhile scouts - and 4 of them went connected to articulation archrivals Manchester City.

A database devised by ex-head scout Jim Lawlor, with assistance from planetary caput of scouting, Marcel Bout, reportedly featured Rodri, Erling Haaland, Jack Grealish, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Kai Havertz and Joao Cancelo. Rodri, Haaland, Grealish and Cancelo each went connected to bask immeasurable occurrence nether Pep Guardiola.

Lawlor joined United successful 2006 during Sir Alex Ferguson's tenure. He remained main scout up until the summertime of 2022, erstwhile helium near the nine to marque mode for Erik 10 Hag.

Bout was initially portion of ex-head manager Louis van Gaal's coaching unit earlier helium became the planetary caput of scouting successful 2016, but besides departed the Red Devils astatine the aforesaid clip arsenic Lawlor. The melodramatic shake-up was seen arsenic a mode for Ten Hag to signifier his seat however helium saw fit, nevertheless the Dutchman was relieved of mangaeiral duties successful October 2024, with Lawlor and Bout's counsel connected recommended players seemingly ignored, arsenic per a study successful GQ from 2022.

City took vantage of United's dithering and clinched existent Ballon d'Or victor Rodri for £62million successful July 2019, portion full-back Cancelo followed successful a part-exchange woody for £60m a period later. The Citizens past moved for Aston Villa skipper Grealish for £100m successful August 2021 and capitalised further by bringing Haaland to Eastlands a twelvemonth later.

Kai Havertz signed for Chelsea successful 2020 for £72m, aft leaving Bayer Leverkusen, wherever helium won the Champions League astatine Stamford Bridge. He past made different large wealth determination to Arsenal successful July 2023, wherever helium continues to pb the enactment for the Gunners arsenic they purpose for a Premier League rubric this season.

Another of the stars United snubbed, erstwhile West Ham skipper Rice, besides moved to Arsenal for £105m successful the summertime of 2023. Bellingham yet moved to Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund successful the aforesaid year, and successful his archetypal play with Los Blancos, helium clinched a sensational La Liga and Champions League double.

Clearly good thought of, Lawlor's exit was amplified by a connection from United: "Jim played a cardinal relation successful the improvement of aggregate trophy-winning teams and was an important root of guidance to Sir Alex Ferguson and each of the managers who followed him."

Lawlor was credited with bringing Javier Hernandez to United successful 2010, with the £6m Mexican prima helping United triumph 2 Premier League titles successful Ferguson's past 3 years arsenic manager. Henrik Larsson's indebtedness from Helsingborgs successful 2006 was besides credited to Lawlor.

Admittedly, the optics don't look bully for United, arsenic the nine has been grappling with subordinate recruitment for rather immoderate time. United's transfer struggles look to beryllium continuing too, arsenic anterior to Ruben Amorim's arrival, the nine forked retired astir £200m connected Leny Yoro, Manuel Ugarte, Matthijs De Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui and Joshua Zirkzee, with the assemblage inactive retired connected their suitablity for the club.

Dan Ashworth near his station arsenic sporting manager successful December and Amorim has present brought respective of his backbench with him from Sporting CP arsenic the nine looks up to a caller era. However, what could person been volition play connected the caput of United fans with Rodri, Cancelo, Grealish and Haaland each having respective Premier League titles to their name.

Join our caller WhatsApp assemblage and person your regular dose of Mirror Football content. We besides dainty our assemblage members to peculiar offers, promotions, and adverts from america and our partners. If you don't similar our community, you tin cheque retired immoderate clip you like. If you're curious, you tin work our Privacy Notice.