Wayne Rooney Says Manchester United Must Focus on Squad Depth
Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney believes the club must remain cautious in the transfer market as they continue to recover from years of poor recruitment and financial decisions.
Speaking about United’s current situation, Rooney said the club is still recovering from the business conducted over the past decade and questioned whether spending huge sums on individual players is the right approach.
“I still think the club is a place where, because of the business they’ve done over the last 10 years, they are still recovering from that,” Rooney said.
“So you can’t, for example, go and spend £116 million on Elliot Anderson when you need the depth in the squad.”
Anderson was heavily linked with Manchester United earlier in the summer before completing a £116 million move from Nottingham Forest to Manchester City. United had monitored the England midfielder, but City eventually won the race for his signature.
The former Manchester United captain’s comments come as the club prepares for the 2026/27 campaign under manager Michael Carrick.
United finished third in the Premier League last season, securing Champions League football after a significant improvement under Carrick. The former midfielder took charge during the campaign and helped move the team from seventh place into the Champions League positions.
The club has also been active in the transfer market, bringing in midfielders Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos as they look to strengthen the squad rather than rely solely on expensive marquee signings.
United’s pre-season has produced mixed results. They began with a 1-0 defeat to Wrexham before responding with a convincing 5-0 victory over Rosenborg. They later drew 1-1 with Leeds before winning the penalty shootout 5-4, while their final friendly ended in a 4-2 defeat to AC Milan.
Marcus Rashford returned to the United squad during pre-season after loan spells at Barcelona and Aston Villa. Rashford remains a United player, despite previously being linked with a permanent departure from Old Trafford.
His return has created another important decision for Carrick, who has spoken positively about the forward and the possibility of helping him rediscover his best form. Rashford also featured for United against AC Milan, making his first appearance for the club since 2024.
With Champions League football secured, Rooney believes United’s ambitions should be realistic but demanding.
“I think success this season will be qualifying again for the Champions League and winning a domestic trophy,” he said.
For Rooney, United’s next step should therefore be about building squad depth, maintaining their progress and challenging for silverware rather than trying to solve every problem through expensive transfers.
