Under Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United generally tried to play their hand under the radar when it came to transfer dealings. It came as surprise when his replacement, the ill-fated David Moyesopenly admitted in a press conference while on tour in the US that United were actively trying to sign Barcelonas Cesc Fabregas. On pretty much every level, United and their supporters were in uncharted territory. Not only did they have to adapt to life under a new manager after quarter of a century with Ferguson at the helm and a new man in the boardroom in Ed Woodward after David Gills departure, they now appeared to be approaching their transfer dealings differently. Of course, Fabregas never joined United. Nor did Thiago Alcantara. Or Ander Herrera (who would join a year later). Or Leighton Baines. They played their hand openly and it got burned. Instead, Marouane Fellaini joined in a last minute deadline day deal and Moyes would not last the season. If ever there was an indication of how a season would pan out, the farce that was the 2013 summer transfer window was it.
