Thread by @babuyagu

Players have absolutely fucking zero responsibility to save clubs from making shit decisions.

It is an employment contract. It was signed by both parties. If United aren't happy with it, find a process to avoid giving players contacts that will fuck you in the future.

https://twitter.com/MirrorFootball/status/1430126620568965122

This isn't a United thing though - it applies to all clubs.

I mentioned on a podcast recently with Mari that our internal 'rules' (regardless of how hard or flexible they are) are designed to protect us from having an aging, injured player on big wages that don't reflect their

value on the pitch to the club. If we aren't going to give Wijnaldum a long deal despite being probably the fittest and most robust player of his age with no injury problems in his entire career, then we probably see a game of who blinks first with Hendo in the future.

Because in an ideal world we need Henderson on a 1-year rolling contract. He has a lot of injuries in his career, he doesn't go a season without them, he hasn't played >2240 minutes in a league campaign since he was 24. All sentiment removed - he is the ideal candidate for not

offering a long deal. Players with a career of injuries tend to decline quicker. Especially when they are 'runners' - players heavily reliant on mobility and moving about the pitch like Henderson.

Yet he is club captain and heart of the team - and knowing where those rules to

protect you from bad deals begin and end - and how they apply to special cases? Ultimately, if you are renewing the contract of someone aged 30 they are probably a club legend already and then you end up with them all as exceptions to the rule.

Its a tough call

And the same applies to signing aging players. We just don't sign players aged over 27 on big money. There is plenty of data to support that - even the most expensive signings in that category rarely live up to expectations. The ones who do, rarely for the full length of contract

It is a market that is very much more miss than hit. Until Thiago, Klavan was the only other player we paid a fee for in that market.

And another rule we seemingly have is not to sign kids on big fees with limited data comparable to our level.

So Elliott & Solanke is fine - cheap, low risk, even if it doesn't work out we likely turn a profit.

We tried for Felix, Rodrygo, Vinicius too.

The moment they signed pro deals and the cost of signing them went from <£10m to £30m+, we are out.

We are actively looking to avoid the next markovic, ilori and coates deals now. Kids with a lot of hype who represent higher risk deals.

All these rules mean you miss out on some players. But they are necessary when you have limited resources competing with teams who do not.