When Manchester United steps onto the Soldier Field grass Wednesday night against Bournemouth as part of the Premier League Summer Series, at first glance the Red Devils will be a familiar sight. Traveling abroad to prepare for the upcoming season, United will be greeted by thousands of fans eager to see the historic club.
But this is a different Manchester United than the dynasty days of Sir Alex Ferguson, David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo or Wayne Rooney that turned the team into an international commodity.
The 2024-25 edition of Manchester United finished a previously unthinkable 15th place in the Premier League, 42 points behind champions Liverpool. United still had a chance to somewhat salvage its season and qualify for the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League by winning the second-tier UEFA Europa League, but fell 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur in the final, depriving the Red Devils of European competition for the first time since 2014-15.
The disastrous season was the culmination of years of drifting after Ferguson’s 2013 retirement, a move that exposed foundational cracks the legendary manager was covering. A combination of poor ownership. lagging infrastructure, managerial instability, incoherent team building and other factors has dropped United not just behind rivals Liverpool and Manchester City, but smaller clubs like Wednesday’s opponent Bournemouth, which finished 14 points ahead of the Red Devils last season despite a massive gap in resources and worldwide support.
Now, United is trying to recover, and that process will continue during the nightcap of a doubleheader that begins with West Ham United facing Everton. United is working to integrate new signings Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, two attacking players who chose to sign with the club despite the lack of European soccer this season.
“They are really humble, that is really important,” manager Ruben Amorim, who replaced Erik ten Hag in November to become Manchester United’s sixth full-time manager since Ferguson, said Friday. “The best thing [is] they chose to be here. They had other options, Champions League options, and they read everything people say about our club [at the] moment, but they chose to be here and that is a key point for me.”
That a Manchester United manager would say that is jarring for anybody who’s followed English soccer over the past 35 years. Not too long ago, the Red Devils were the first option for any player not only seeking wealth, but trophies. The club had the highest standards in England and was known for its daring and effective style and uncanny ability to snatch wins late in matches.
Instead, new players are now signing on for what’s effectively a rebuilding project, albeit one at one of the biggest brands in the world and with an intense glare from media and fans. Few expect United to challenge Liverpool, Manchester City or Arsenal for the league title, and a successful season for the Red Devils would be Amorim establishing himself as the club’s long-term manager while keeping the team in contention for a berth in the 2026-27 Champions League.
Cunha, who was acquired from fellow Premier League team Wolverhampton Wanderers for a reported $83.9 million, said Friday he joined his “dream” club and is eager to be part of the process to help the Red Devils climb back up the standings. Certainly, he is aware of the pressure and scrutiny United will face this season and how bumpy the situation could get if they struggle early, though he views it differently.
“I really think the pressure of this club is not really pressure,” Cunha said. “It is a privilege because this is one of the biggest clubs in the world.”