Being a dream club for players comes at a cost, just as deep as the pride they feel playing there, because the belief that they deserve to be at such a club often feeds their egos.

And once their bubble bursts and things start to unravel, the pressure takes its toll, their performances dip, and their confidence crumbles.

This situation at Manchester United has persisted for a while. Players who cost a fortune to acquire often act way too enormous, as though their value matches their price tags, even when their performances suggest otherwise.

Over the years, the club has seen players with immense potential, some of whom have proven to be successful, arrive only to fall short of expectations. Yet, many of them hit the ground running as soon as they leave.

The world has agreed that something is not right. And it is neither just about the players nor the coaches, but more about Manchester United itself.

In a candid Instagram video, Alexis Sánchez, who joined the club in the January window of 2018, revealed that after his first training session with Manchester United, he immediately questioned his decision to join the club. He recounted:

"After the first training session I had, I realized many things. I came home and I told my representative: 'Can’t the contract be terminated to return to Arsenal?' They started laughing, and I told them that something did not sit right with me."

Despite this realization, more than seven years have passed, and little has truly changed. While there has been success both domestically and in Europe, none of it has come in the truly competitive arenas—the League or the Champions League.

Since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013, Manchester United is the only member of the Premier League's big six that hasn't reached the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, with their last appearance coming in 2010-11.

Yet, amid the failures of the 2024–25 season, marked by their worst league run in 50 years, there are glimpses of scenarios from which they can draw instinct and resolve, to put the endless chaos to rest.

Success of Players Elsewhere Could Aid Man United's Rebuild

An established pattern, players leaving Manchester United often thrive elsewhere. The cause of this is what the club has to unravel to manage the crisis persistent crisis.

What Are These Reasons?

Simple. A shift in mindset. Away from Old Trafford, they become just another player, humbled, forced to shed the inflated sense of importance that often defines their United days.

In new environments, they work harder, listen more, and reconnect with the basics. That humility seized ego, and a clear identity becomes the fuel for their resurgence.

At Manchester United, Antony, for example, is a €100 million player. Naturally, he would hold a sense of entitlement when it comes to selection, given his status as the club’s most expensive acquisition.

But at Real Betis, he is just a player in need of redemption. He isn’t viewed as more important than anyone else, but rather as someone desperate to revive his career. The contrast is stark, and so is the commitment.

One plays with expectation, the other with hunger. And it’s often in that humility and urgency that true performance is reborn, while when the expectations is high, the pressure starts to consume the player.

Nevertheless, the problem at United is not just internal. The relentless pressure from fans and media, who still measure every player against the ghost of Ferguson’s era, crushes development.

They fail to accept that today’s United is not the same dominant force, and that burden weighs heavily. The constant scrutiny and unrealistic expectations combine with the club’s unstable structure to stunt potential.

Elsewhere, free from that toxicity, those same players flourish. Perhaps United’s true blueprint for success lies in the success they nurture, only after letting go.

How Manchester United Can Process This To Benefit?

Manchester United should consider adopting an approach similar to that of clubs that signed their thriving exes. Sign them at a lower cost to minimize ego, offer moderate wages to prevent anyone from feeling overly important, and create a balanced environment where no player feels superior to another.

Alejandro Garnacho's comments after the Europa League final, where he criticized his manager for not starting him, reveal a lot about the situation at the club. Such attitudes should never cross the minds of professionals, let alone be shared with the media.

Yet, the situation is just perfect for the Argentine's potential new club as he has been informed to look for a new one following the decision that he will not be a United player next season. Get them at their lowest and they will perform like everything depends on it.

The decision to show the youngster the exit is also good for the health of the teams and will go a long way in putting things in order, as they are set to embark on a ride with Ruben Amorim, who should be given control over all of the players, with none superior.

If there is any silver lining to their failure to qualify for Europe next season, it’s that it presents an opportunity for a complete rebuild. Allowing the majority of the big names to leave, just like they've done with Garnach,o may not be the worst decision, after all, many of them may prefer to be involved in elite competitions elsewhere.

Give the coach total authority over the players. This is what Antony has in Manuel Pellegrini, what Scott McTominay has in Antonio Conte, and what every other player who has found the grass to be greener after their exits has in their new environments.

For the club to succeed in its prolonged transition, it has to establish these conditions, so that the basics are secured, which will in turn transform into a willingness to don the shirt, leading to more commitment and hopefully improvement in result.

The Red Devils must get their house in order before they return to Europe soon. Otherwise, repeated failure will only trap them in a cycle they’ll be forced to relive again and again.