Man United have been close to the top for so long. Is their current approach enough to change that?

Manchester United have picked up valuable learning experiences this season Poppy Townson - MUFC via Getty Images Share articleOnly fine margins separate Manchester United from their Women’s Super League rivals. Another season has brought valuable learning experiences for a team who were only reformed in 2018. A handful of high-quality signings ought to transform them into genuine title challengers. All of the above might be true, but the problem is it has also been true for multiple seasons. How do they finally close those fine margins? “Bittersweet” was how head coach Marc Skinner summed up the season after United’s 1-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on the final day of the season. There have been enormous positives: a run to the quarter-finals of the Champions League in the club’s first campaign in the competition proper (the same stage Chelsea reached), a long unbeaten run in the middle of the season that included eight consecutive wins and another domestic final, this time the Women’s League Cup (which they lost 2-0 to Chelsea). But, Skinner said, “The bittersweet is because we fell short at the end, and that’s where I’ve got to prepare and try with the resource we have to make sure we don’t do that again”. United’s fourth-place finish, after only winning one of their final 10 games, means they will not compete in the Champions League next season. The club have firmly established themselves as WSL heavyweights alongside Chelsea, Arsenal and newly-crowned champions Manchester City, but the goal of closing the gap to those sides consistently — not only in occasional games — is proving elusive. Their performance against Chelsea underlined the frustration. United matched their hosts’ 13 shots, with three on target to Chelsea’s four, and had 28 touches in their opponents’ box to Chelsea’s 17. A Melvine Malard strike from outside the box skimmed the roof of the net after a fast break, Ellen Wangerheim’s header bounced off the woodwork and they failed to take advantage after Julia Zigiotti Olme caught Keira Walsh in possession. They are a side losing out, as Skinner said, on “fine margins”. Closing them is another matter. The call has often been for investment and that came up again on Saturday. “If we can add four or five players — some players will have to go, of course, in order to do that — but if we can do that, we can get closer,” Skinner said. United’s squad depth was pushed to the limit by their first proper European campaign, and will need further work. “We were one of the best teams in Europe until February, when we got those injuries,” Skinner said. “We weren’t designed to be able to do that. “It’s hit us hard, but as you’ve seen today, when we get the squad back, we can go toe-to-toe.” The drop-off towards the end of United’s season has coincided with a number of injuries. Elisabeth Terland, Ella Toone, Dominique Janssen, Wangerheim and Leah Galton are among those who have spent time on the sidelines — suggesting reinforcements would help. But Skinner was up front about the challenges of the market. “There’s no doubt that other teams will spend more than us,” he said. “If we can get it right, the reward will be greater because we’re having to do it a certain way.” That way is identifying young players earlier in their journey, with the aim being to “see their potential and grow that potential”. “We have players that have incredible talent, but unfortunately when you sign them younger, you have to develop them, so it takes a few seasons,” the United head coach said — adding that having more time for training next season, without European competition, would hopefully help that development process. Many of those that United brought in as young prospects with little to no WSL experience have repaid that faith. Hinata Miyazawa (signed from Japanese side Mynavi Sendai in 2023) and Jayde Riviere (who signed her first professional deal with United the same year) are two strong examples, and both signed new long-term deals last year. “We buy players young, we grow them,” Skinner said. “Anna Sandberg (22, who United signed from Swedish side BK Hacken in 2024) is a great example. She will be one of the best left-backs in the world. But we’re having to grow her over a period of time and unfortunately that’s what it takes. But those spaces next year will give us the opportunity to try and develop and try and get back into Europe next year.” Skinner is right that the market is changing. Naomi Girma became the world’s first million-dollar women’s player with her move to Chelsea in January 2025, before Olivia Smith’s £1million ($1.3m) move to Arsenal from Liverpool surpassed that in the summer. Chelsea then signed Alyssa Thompson for a club-record fee from Angel City in September 2025. United’s ambitions are clear: to challenge for titles and play in the Champions League. The challenge is equally clear: the club are unlikely to spend as much as their peers with the same goals. If all goes to plan, and the young players they recruit flourish into title-winning footballers, their approach can pay off. The risk is that, in the meantime, domestic rivals with greater financial heft pull away and those behind them who are upping their investment, such as Tottenham Hotspur and London City Lionesses, close in. Young, burgeoning talents also need to be complemented by proven professionals they can learn from, which is why holding onto those they invest in developing is so important for United. Securing Miyazawa, Riviere and Le Tissier to long-term deals is a positive sign in that sense. Asked if the club’s position in the transfer market was frustrating, Skinner said: “I’m long beyond frustration with it. I accept the challenge of it and I accept that I’m responsible for trying to build a team that way and it’s a challenge of management. If we can achieve it, it will be the greatest return.” Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms