Manchester United Planning Summer Signings – Ed Woodward

Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has confirmed that the club is planning to strengthen Jose Mourinho’s squad this summer, but insisted there will not be the “churn” of recent years.

United, currently competing in three cup competitions as well as challenging for a top-four finish in the Premier League, offloaded Morgan Schneiderlin and Memphis Depay to Everton and Lyon respectively during the January transfer window for combined fees in excess of £40 million.

Mourinho did not add to his squad, despite the departures, but sources have told ESPN FC that the United manager is planning to add a midfielder and two forwards, with Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann a priority target.

And speaking on a conference call to investors following the release of United’s second quarter financial results, Woodward admitted that the club will attempt to bolster the squad this summer.

“Are we happy with the roster? There is happiness from the manager in terms of where we are as a squad,” Woodward said. “There will be continual improvement, but we don’t have to churn a large number of players.

“Even if we won everything, you would always want to improve because that is the dynamic nature of the sport we are in.

“But we aren’t in a position where we need to churn a lot of players compared to where we were a few years ago.

“We want to get in a steady state, but I don’t want to guide on [the financial cost] of player spending.”

Woodward, meanwhile, said he expects United to retain their position as the world leader in shirt sales and used the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid in June 2009 as evidence of the club’s pulling power, with or without a stellar name such as the Portugal captain.

“When we sold Cristiano, we did not see a material impact on the number of shirt sales,” Woodward said. “A supporter will still buy a United shirt and then choose which name to have on the back of it.”