Sir Alex Fergusons departure has had a seismic effect on the club. Another change at the club was David Gills departure as CEO, replaced by one Ed Woodward. Woodward has spoken regularly about a change in transfer policy at the club. From the man himself: I dont like the fact that, in the list of 25 players in the Ballon dOr, well have Robin (van Persie) and Wayne (Rooney). I dont like the fact there are consistently more players from Spain on that list. We, as a club, should be aspiring to have the best players playing for us. Weve had that in the past. We are willing to invest. There is no fixed budget. Financially we are extremely strong and funds are available. Louis is assessing whats going on and there is a lot of work going on behind the scenes, so watch this space. Of course its in our capabilities (to spend £60m or £70m on a player). You think about the money in a way that I dont. Sounds promising to United fans perhaps frustrated by years of under-investment at the club. And after a disappointing first season in terms of club signings, Woodward has since lived up to his big words, acquiring players such as Angel Di Maria for a British record transfer fee. Spending exorbitant sums on big name players doesnt necessarily transfer to on-field success. Yet what it does do is promote the club as a global brand full of merchandisable names. Ronaldo cost Real Madrid £80m, and if we believe what senior figures within the club say, theyve already recouped more than that in sponsorships and shirt sales. Perhaps this is what Woodward is really interested in when he talks about signing the best players.