Manchester United were visited by wrestling royalty during a pre-season training session in Los Angeles on Thursday. Mexican great Rey Mysterio turned up at United’s UCLA base to greet manager Jose Mourinho and his players.
The 43-year-old posed for photographs, got a personalised Red Devils jersey and even gifted goalkeeper David de Gea a special version of his famous mask, produced in the club’s colours. De Gea and new signing Fred had earlier arrived at the training camp for the first time following their extended post-World Cup breaks.
Having flown out to the United States, De Gea took part in goalkeeping drills while Fred worked away from the main group, who were recovering from the penalty shoot-out win over AC Milan in the International Champions Cup.
With key men Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku involved in the World Cup until the final weekend, it has not been a straightforward build-up for United. “We are not a team,” said Mourinho after watching his side’s goalless draw with San Jose Earthquakes in front of a sparse crowd in California. “We’re a group of players from different teams.”
Some of those concerns are short term. “Against Leicester and Brighton the situation is not amazing for us,” he said this week of the first two Premier League fixtures. But Mourinho’s words and demeanour are not only down to the immediate difficulties ahead of him. There are longer-term problems too. He has refused to even discuss the club’s title prospects.
Defence has so often been the basis on which Mourinho’s most successful sides were built. But despite spending in excess of £30m on each of Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof, there is little suggestion that United have found the centre-back partnership that can carry them to glory. Harry Maguire is now a target but is he really in the same bracket as Toby Alderweireld or, dare it be said, Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk?
It is now over five years since Sir Alex Ferguson retired but it is not inconceivable that Mourinho could again rely on a back four comprised entirely of the Scot’s signings – Antonio Valencia, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and 33-year-old Ashley Young. Energy in the full-back areas still looks to be a key differential between United and their top-six rivals.
Mourinho is still searching for the right blend in the middle of the pitch too. Maximising the talents of Pogba remains a priority but his role has been a source of tension between player and manager. Perhaps the signing of Fred will help to ensure everything falls into place but the age profile of United’s other midfielders means that decline is as likely as progress.
Nemanja Matic and Marouane Fellaini will both be the wrong side of 30 when the season starts. Ander Herrera is only one year younger than them. Alexis Sanchez is another who turns 30 during the season, further underlining the fact that the time is now for this squad. Sanchez must surely improve on a return of three goals in 18 games last season.