Manchester United have spent the summer trying to avoid the past as much as they've tried to fix the future. Errors made in the transfer market have shaped much of the club's strategy in the window. The aim above everything else has been to move the squad forward -- but without the kinds of missteps that have previously set them back.

Some fans will argue that an unwillingness to spend big in a summer when Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur have all spent £100 million or more on a single player represents a lack of ambition. CEO Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox would say that a degree of caution is necessary given what's happened before.

Manuel Ugarte is one example. The Uruguayan arrived at Old Trafford for a fee of more than £50 million in 2024 and after two underwhelming campaigns, he was available for transfer in this window. The club knew that to balance the books, they would need a bid of around £20 million -- something that was unlikely given his recent form and wage demands. The best they could hope for was to arrange a loan with a club willing to cover Ugarte's salary.

After revamping the forward line a year ago, the priority this summer was to fix the midfield. United opted for three players with Premier League experience -- Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba -- for an overall sum of £155 million. Sources tell ESPN that the trio were considered cost-effective, low-risk deals.