Speaking to investors during his quarterly conference call, Woodward pledged a ‘commitment’ to adding carefully selected ‘world class’ players to a young home-grown core.
To the likely displeasure of some fans who still want to see a major overhaul completed as soon as possible, the Old Trafford chief is committed to a slower and more careful transformation.
There was also a somewhat pointed jibe at media-driven transfer speculation.
“Despite being linked in the media to 111 players in January, our acquisition of just one of them - Bruno Fernandes - is an important step in that direction, demonstrating our commitment to adding experienced, world-class recruits to the exciting crop of Academy graduates that are at the heart of this developing team,” Woodward said on the call, via Manchester Evening News.
“We will take the same planned, disciplined, approach this coming summer,” he added.
Woodward had earlier addressed United’s ongoing commitment to current manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in a statement issued as part of the club’s latest financial report.
That was reiterated on the conference call, as well as a pledge to stay committed to a traditional United way, which is “winning trophies with a team playing entertaining, attacking football.”
Home-grown talent remains a pillar of United’s philosophy, with Woodward keen to point out the success of academy graduates at first-team level.
“So far, our academy graduates have contributed over a third of first team playing minutes this season and over half of our goals emphasising our academy’s status as one of the most productive in elite-level European football,” he offered.
“This is an important competitive advantage for us and represents an excellent return on the fourfold increase in investment that we have made in the academy over recent years.”
Prior to a potentially season ending injury, Marcus Rashford had stepped up as a senior member of the squad, while teenage pair Mason Greenwood and Brandon Williams have emerged as breakout stars. United also retain their impressive record of naming a home-grown player in every single matchday squad since October 1937, a run of more than 82 years and counting.
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Source : 90min