Man United have spent big money on players who are surplus to requirements at Europe's big clubs, writes GRAEME SOUNESS... and why I'm disappointed with Liverpool's summer

A fascinating prospect lies ahead at Old Trafford this weekend, where we will see the season’s first acid test for Manchester United and Liverpool - clubs now both managed by Dutchmen and both at the beginning of significant periods of change.

United have different people in to make the calls on player recruitment - the most important decisions for any football club. But on the evidence of this summer, I still see a club buying players who their European rivals consider surplus to requirement.

When the really top clubs sell their players, it’s not because they need the cash. It’s because they don’t fancy them. Real Madrid flogged Casemiro and Raphael Varane to United because both those players were done.

This summer, United have forked out on centre back Matthijs de Ligt and right back Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich. They aspire to be at Bayern’s level - yet they are buying their cast-offs. Is this really where they want to be?

The pattern of spending over the past five years on de Ligt, yet another Dutch signing for Erik ten Hag, is very revealing. The centre half is only 25, yet he’s been continually going down in value at a time when it’s generally accepted that prices are becoming inflated.

Juventus paid Ajax £72m for him. Bayern paid Juventus £56m for him. And now United are paying Bayern £42m. The player has been in and out of Bayern’s squad with a series of niggling injuries and the Germans are happy to offload a player with three years left on his contract.

United have also bought the young centre back Leny Yoro, from Lille, who’s already broken down with a foot injury which has needed surgery, having arrived at a top dollar price of £52million. And there’s yet another Dutch recruit, in the forward Joshua Zirkzee. I wish all these players well, but I really don’t know how much better United are going to be this year, compared with last.

Of course, Liverpool are undergoing change of their own under Arne Slot, with a new sporting director, Richard Hughes, and new general director of football, Michael Edwards at Anfield.

I’m taken with Slot. I like his style. He seems a very level-headed operator, though managers are two characters. When you’re winning, you’re everyone’s friend. When you’re losing, everything in your world is wrong.

There seems to be a wish to make predictions and calls on Slot’s Liverpool already. Seriously? Two games in? Some players need four games to get up to speed. Some need six. No-one at Anfield will be getting carried away with wins over Ipswich and Brentford.

We can talk about continuity - a very important commodity when any new manager arrives. But please don’t try to sell me the argument about new players being signed and ‘upsetting the dynamic of the group?’ I’m sorry, but one, two, three, four players coming into a strong group will not have that influence. They will be put in their place.

I always looked forward to a new signing coming in at Liverpool. Everyone gets a buzz from it. It means there’s new competition for places. As a Liverpool supporter, I have to say I’m a little disappointed they haven’t made a significant acquisition.

Looking back down the road, Liverpool finished third in the Premier League last season under a manager who, it was widely accepted, extracted the very best out of that group, without any major injuries to the main players. Unless Slot can get another five per cent out of them, it would be more of the same.

It will be interesting to see what Federico Chiesa, who has this week arrived for £10million from Juventus, brings as a wide right player, though it was slightly alarming to find that all the focus was on how well he played in a Euros final against England. That was three years ago. Ancient history, in football terms. Is that really the best we can talk about? It’s about what you’re going to do tomorrow – not what you did two or three years ago.

I’m a fan of everything Italian so on the face of it, Liverpool should be getting a player who is well coached and who, after four years in Turin, knows all about the pressure at a special club like his new one. But Juventus are selling a 26-year-old at the peak time of his career for £10million – and for the same motives that Bayern are letting United have their players. I see him coming in as a squad player - not one who is going to put a marker down and say, ‘I’m going to start in every game.’

Neither United or Liverpool have set the transfer market on fire this summer, though each will walk out at Old Trafford with that huge sense of anticipation and optimism that every new season brings. It’s a wonderful time. As always with this fixture between our two greatest and most successful football clubs, everything is set up for a Sunday afternoon to savour.

New Champions League format just a money-making tool 

The new Champions League format is just another means of generating more income, with no thought at all for supporters, being asked to fork out more money for lesser quality games, or for players’ welfare. 

But then again, why should we think the game would do anything else? The clubs themselves fly off to every corner of the world in pre-season to promote the brand.

Football clubs and football players are just there to be monetised now. It doesn’t mean you get better quality football - just more of it.

I was delighted to help my former team-mate 

I was delighted to be in Wrexham last night to speak at event to help my old Liverpool team-mate Joey Jones, who is struggling with dementia and all the challenges it is bringing him. 

Joey was an effervescent individual and a huge character. He left in the season I arrived but was an absolute warrior on the field. The Kop loved him for that.

More fundraising work for DEBRA 

I’ll be taking a particular interest in the weather forecast and tides this weekend to see all is set for the relay team I swam the Channel with last year to embark on our latest challenge – swimming the stretch in both directions, followed by the 85-mile cycle ride from Dover to London.

My recovery from shoulder surgery prevented me from training for the swim this time but I’ll be with them in the boat and then participating in the cycling part of the challenge. It’s all in aid of my charity DEBRA UK, which supporting people with the skin disease Epidermolysis bullosa (EB), also known as butterfly skin. The cycling initially brought its challenges. I didn’t unclip my pedals early in the training and fell off. But I’m raring to go.

Thank you for all your support and generosity last year and please help us again if you can. We must find a way to help these poor children, who are suffering from a truly horrendous disease. The details are on our website: https://www.debra.org.uk. My profound thanks.