Missing Out on Mbappé and Tchouaméni Has United Regretting; Signing Jouanno Shows They Are Now Taking Ligue 1 Seriously

According to the Manchester Evening News, Manchester United’s decision to outbid Real Madrid for French young defender Benjamin Jouanno was a lesson learned from previous missed opportunities with several high-profile Ligue 1 stars. The likes of Kylian Mbappé, Dayot Upamecano, Eduardo Camavinga, and Aurélien Tchouaméni had all featured on United’s transfer wish list but were not pursued, which now appears to have been a significant error.

Six years ago, United advertised for a scout in France, but such moves did not yield results. Since then, only two French players, Raphaël Varane and Jouanno, have been brought into the first team, but Varane’s injury troubles meant his time at United was less than successful, leading to his departure.

United were not without chances to recruit French talent, but they lacked insight and approach. For instance, they missed out on potential signings like Mbappé, Upamecano, and Camavinga. In the case of Tchouaméni, United failed to accurately assess his potential, with one scout even taking 30 minutes to argue why United should not sign him—a stance that ultimately led to the scout leaving the club.

In order to avoid repeating past mistakes, United swiftly signed Jouanno for a fee three times higher than what Real Madrid offered. Notably, according to the Manchester Evening News, United legend Rio Ferdinand personally recorded a video to persuade him to join. Previously, the United academy had already welcomed several young French players, including Hannibal Mejbri, Kambwara, Traoré, and Emile.

Currently, Steve Hild is in charge of scouting in France for United, and the club is willing to go all out to bring in talent from Ligue 1. This shift represents a new strategy in recruiting French players and reflects a reflection and correction of past errors.