Football Season Guide

Manchester United pressed the reset button once again as they head into another season with a new coach, though this time they may have got the right man in charge. Another underwhelming campaign saw United missing out on a top four spot for the second time in last three years and though the season ended with the club lifting its first major trophy since Alex Ferguson's departure, with United winning the FA Cup, it was not enough to save Louis Van Gaal as the Dutchman was relieved of his position hours after the triumph and the club acted quickly by confirming that Jose Mourinho will be taking over for the next season. Unlike previous seasons, United have shown purpose in their transfer dealings in the summer and Mourinho has arrived with a specific blueprint in his mind. Mourinho had asked the club for four key signings and the club has obliged by completing three of them as Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Eric Bailly and Zlatan Ibrahimovic have been signed. United are still in the market for a central midfielder and are currently in negotiations with Juventus to bring back Paul Pogba in a world record deal and are likely to confirm the signing as well before the season kicks off. Ibrahimovic’s arrival has lent more bite to the United attack, with the striker expected to be the first choice for Mourinho and will be supported by the attacking trio of Mkhitaryan, Wayne Rooney and Anthony Martial. Marcus Rashford was the first choice striker last season as the campaign drew to a close but will have to settle for a rotation role this time around. There have been no major departures to far, with Guillermo Varela the only player who managed to find some playing minutes to have left the club, moving on loan to Eintracht Frankfurt. Mourinho has confirmed that there will be more departures before the transfer window shuts with Bastian Schweinsteiger and Marcos Rojo two of the big names expected to leave. An immediate return to the Champions League is the minimum expected by both the fans and the board but Mourinho has raised the expectations by claiming that he wants to challenge for the title on the first time asking. His first test will come in the Community Shield when United play surprise champions Leicester City a week before the league campaign kicks off.