Football Manager 2022 Manchester United Guide: Bring back the glory days for the Red Devils


Football Manager 2022 has arrived, giving you the chance to step into the manager's hot seat and begin your new rollercoaster career.

Guiding you through some simple steps to restoring Manchester United's famous legacy, we've got you covered for everything you need to know about Manchester United in Football Manager 2022.

Club Vision

There are high expectations at Old Trafford, which isn't surprising given the club's impressive reputation.

From developing youth players to making high-profile signings, you'll be expected to maintain a succesful culture at Manchester United.

FM22-Man-united-vision
expand image
REACH THE TOP - Expectations are high for Man United in FM22

The 5-year plan is sparse, but the league and cup expectations give you a glimpse into the kind of job you'll be in for at Old Trafford.

The main aim is to consolidate a Champions League spot, as well as maintaining a strong challenge in the domestic trophies and progress steadily in Europe.

Whilst the expectations are low for the first season, we're anticipating the temperature to rise as the United fans begin to yearn for silverware.

Tactics

If you're going to be successful, you're going to have to find a sensible strategy that complements United's best players and doesn't leave you too exposed.

We believe a 4-2-3-1 would be a perfect fit for this squad, with United's squad boasting a wealth of talent in offensive areas.

READ - Football Manager 2022 Best Formations

FM22-Man-United-Tactics
expand image
KNOW YOUR TEAM - The 4-2-3-1 is a great option for Man UFC in FM22

Whilst this may have worked to the detriment of former United boss Ole Gunnar Solksjaer, using a balanced 4-2-3-1 that focuses on possession instead of pressing is a sure-fire way to boost United up the division.

Utilising superstars like Ronaldo and Fernandes, you can give United a cutting-edge on the break whilst making sure your full-backs don't get exposed on the counter.

Top Players

Manchester United possess a deep array of talent, with a couple of these stars players joining the club over the course of the summer.

If you're to find success under the watchful eye of Sir Alex Ferguson, you'll need to get the most out of these top performers.

Cristiano Ronaldo

expand image

The most obvious option of the lot, Cristiano Ronaldo is back in the Premier League and prepared to make another huge splash in the division.

A born winner who will leave no stone unturned in order to achieve success, placing Ronaldo at the point of your attacking force will lead to goals, goals and more goals.

Bruno Fernandes

expand image

Another Portuguese star who has given Manchester United so much since his arrival from Sporting, Bruno Fernandes is a special player that should act as the focal point for all of your attacks.

Able to score from any place on the pitch, this dangerous attacking midfielder is certain to change the dynamic of your team, providing many goals and assists along the way.

Raphael Varane

expand image

Raphael Varane's arrival in Manchester was hugely important for the club, with the Red Devils seemingly to finally secure the centre half they desperately needed.

Combining Varane with Maguire will allow you to build solid foundations that should see your team record more than enough clean sheets to keep you pushing at the top end of the division.

The Transfer Market

As with any team, there is still work that can be done to improve the squad.

From selling players to finally securing the defensive midfielder United crave, we've got some suggestions for you to make it a successful transfer window at Old Trafford.

Who to Sell

United's squad is fairly bloated, with a number of fringe players taking up a high percentage of the club's wage expenditure.

Unfortunately, we feel it's time to move on Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata, Phil Jones, Nemanja Matic and maybe David De Gea.

expand image

Whilst De Gea is still a top-class goalkeeper, we recommend turning to the future and developing Dean Henderson.

As for the rest, they all have big wages that are taking up a big chunk of your budget, and selling the first four at least will see you generate roughly £25-30 million.

Who to Sign

We all know that Manchester United are in desperate need of a defensive midfielder who can pull the strings, that's why we're suggesting Napoli's Spanish star, Fabian.

With Manchester United having a starting budget of £30 million, there isn't an awful lot of money to play with, hence why it's so important to ship out some of the deadwood.

expand image

Fabian is a classy midfielder with good tackling, excellent passing and a superb first touch, meaning he is the perfect candidate to control possession in your 4-3-2-1 system.

If you prefer someone more combative, look at AC Milan's Franck Kessie, or maybe you could take a look at Sergej Milkinkovic-Savic if enough money is raised through departures.

Youth Prospects

Developing players from the youth academy is one of the main goals of the club vision when you take over at Old Trafford, meaning it's vitally important to get to know your best young talents.

Nurturing either of these stars into your first team could lead to some positive reactions from the United board.

Shola Shoretire

expand image

A dynamic winger who has plenty of talent at the young age of 17, it's easy to see Shola Shoretire following in the footsteps of Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard.

A youngster with the potential to become a regular starter at Old Trafford, are you brave enough to make Shoretire a key part of your starting eleven?

Hannibal Mejbri

expand image

Another versatile option who can play in the centre of midfield, or further forward, Hannibal Mejbri has the scary amount of potential to match his name.

A determined youngster who could grow into one of the brightest midfielders in Europe, it's about time you gave this guy his big break at Manchester United.

Rebuild the Dynasty

Manchester United are arguably the most famous club in England, but a torrid few years has seen them slip miles behind teams like Chelsea, Liverpool and their city rivals Manchester City.

FM22-Manchester-United
expand image
LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL - Can you bring success back to Old Trafford in FM22?

With a low starting budget and pressure to rebuild what was once unbreakable, managing Manchester United is no easy feat in Football Manager 2022.

By following these steps and introducing innovative tactics and recruitment strategies, we believe you'll have United firing again in no time.

Click here to find out everything we know about Football Manager 2022.

This Article's Topics

Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!

Football Manager