David Ornstein reveals Man Utd think they made a mistake during the summer in damning verdict of transfer

Manchester United feel that one of their summer signings was a ‘mistake’ according to David Ornstein.

Last summer, United welcomed five new players to the club. Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, Joshua Zirkzee, Manuel Ugarte and Leny Yoro all arrived while Erik ten Hag was still head coach.

The combined cost of the summer recruits was reported to be around £206.06m.

As a result, this has left the club in a precarious position in the January transfer window.

With the MEN’s Samuel Luckhurst recently reporting that the club have “no budget” to “reinforce” their squad this month.

It is claimed that United will adopt a ‘sell-to-buy policy’ if players are to arrive.

They are already facing questions regarding the futures of Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo, with the sale of such players representing ‘pure profit’ from a PSR standpoint given that they are both academy graduates.

Of course, United fans will be hoping that Mainoo, 19, pens a new deal at his boyhood club despite attracting interest from Chelsea currently.

Ornstein issued an update on the midfielder’s situation last Sunday.

“If a departure is going to happen [for Rashford], a sale in particular, maybe it’s more likely in the summer, but it would represent pure profit, something we hear about so much, because he was an academy graduate,” Ornstein explained when speaking on NBC on Sunday.

“In the same way that Kobbie Mainoo might be, he’s out of contract in 2027 – no news on a new deal.”

And he has explained how the summer signing of Zirkzee, 23, has caused a “feeling” within the club that the deal could’ve been a “mistake”.

Joshua Zirkzee has struggled to find form at Manchester United (Credit:Getty)

“I think there’s been uncertainty around his immediate future because his transfer so far from Bologna hasn’t really gone to plan,” Ornstein said when speaking on The Athletic’s YouTube channel.

“There’s a feeling inside United at the moment that maybe that was a mistake.

“It is very early days, and this story focuses on him and his intentions. Despite a lot of interest reportedly building from elsewhere, he doesn’t intent to leave at the time of recording, and things can change.”

Zirkzee has struggled to find form at United, following his £36.5m transfer (according to BBC Sport) from Bologna in the summer of 2024.

The Netherlands international has registered just four goals in 28 appearances for the club this season and has previously been linked with a loan move to Juventus as a result.

Arguably his lowest point came during United’s 2-0 defeat against Newcastle on December 31.

Zirkzee was substituted just 32 minutes into the fixture and was visibly upset by Ruben Amorim’s decision. However, he has since featured as a substitute during United’s 2-2 draw against Liverpool at Anfield last weekend.