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5 things Manchester United fans should know after missing out on Renato Sanches

By Rucker Haringey

Benfica's midfielder Renato Sanches vies with Braga's midfielder Rafa Silva during the Portuguese League football match SL Benfica v SC Braga at Luz stadium in Lisbon on April 1, 2016. Benfica wins 5-1. ( Photo by Pedro Fiúza/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Benfica's midfielder Renato Sanches vies with Braga's midfielder Rafa Silva during the Portuguese League football match SL Benfica v SC Braga at Luz stadium in Lisbon on April 1, 2016. Benfica wins 5-1. ( Photo by Pedro Fiúza/NurPhoto via Getty Images) /
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LISBON, PORTUGAL - JANUARY 23: Benfica's midfielder Renato Sanches during the match between SL Benfica and FC Arouca at Estadio da Luz on January 23, 2016 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)
LISBON, PORTUGAL – JANUARY 23: Benfica’s midfielder Renato Sanches during the match between SL Benfica and FC Arouca at Estadio da Luz on January 23, 2016 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images) /

5. United have lost some of their global clout

It wasn’t that long ago when the idea of a hot prospect choosing Bayern Munich over Manchester United would have been almost laughable. Unless the starlet happened to be German, he’d end up as a United player almost every time. Sanches’ decision to opt for the Bundesliga giants is a clear signal that United have lost some of their global clout and prestige.

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United fans who have been paying attention over the past several seasons won’t be caught off guard by this conclusion. It’s a decline of global reputation that’s been happening for a while now. Still, I suspect there are quite a few United fans who are still stunned by the idea that Sanches chose Bayern over their beloved Red Devils.

The good news, is that United have every chances of making this a temporary malady. If they can get things right on the pitch in the next year or two, all of a sudden their reputation will start to help them in transfer battles once again. It’s an infinitely fixable problem.

While it doesn’t have to bother them forever, it is an issue that hurts them in the transfer market today. They just don’t have the same cache that used to allow them to pluck the best starlets from all over the globe in years gone by.

Next: 4. Jose Mourinho isn't coming

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