Skip over video

Sir Alex Ferguson has always been useful in the transfer market, but this summer’s two major signings could be his best yet. His purchase of goalscoring machine Robin van Persie from Arsenal and Japanese attacking-midfielder Shinji Kagawa from Borussia Dortmund already looks like inspired business. The Life’s a Pitch team discuss the duo’s arrival and whether their goals and creativity will make the difference in Manchester United’s push to reclaim the title from rivals Manchester City.

“Van Persie is one of the signings of the season,” says the Sunday Mirror’s David Walker, already impressed with the Dutchman’s four goals in three games. ”We’ll see with Kagawa over a period of time how he settles, but the signs are good. Certainly, Van Persie is up and running. One thing that I thought was very impressive was the response to the really, really bad penalty he took on Sunday. If he was a bit fragile he’d go under, but Van Persie looked really tenacious and he nailed it. He’s got a move that he clearly wanted in the end. He must feel like a million dollars right now and that’s a good thing for a goalscoring striker.”

The Mail on Sunday’s Ian Ridley agrees and considers the club-owning Glazer family’s decision to sign the 29-year-old Van Persie – going against their strategy of only spending big on younger players with a re-sale value – to have had an immediate improvement on the team. “[Sir Alex] has gone to them and said ‘This is the player that can score the goals for us, that might win us the Champions League, that gets me my title back’, and I think [the Glazers] have backed him even though there is no re-sale value. I think that’s a wise move at the moment, because that was what Manchester United needed.”

And what effect will these new competitors for the attacking spots have on the currently injured Wayne Rooney? “He needs to be totally fit,” says the Daily Mirror’s Martin Lipton. ”He needs to get his sharpness back. I also think he’ll be very much key to the way they play, I don’t think there’s any doubt about that. He’s got to respond to the arrival of Van Persie, but that could work for both of them and for United’s benefit.”

Watch the full video discussion by clicking on the play button in the image above.

Related articles: 

Order a copy of the Life’s a Pitch anthology

Video: Rooney exit, Barton to Marseille, Adam on way out?

Mike Calvin: Can Manchester United’s defence live up to its attack?

Mike Calvin: Ronaldo strop about improving contract, not leaving the club

Video: Buttner, Mirallas and Bosingwa – hit or miss?

Follow Life’s A Pitch on Twitter @BTLifesaPitch

Watch Man Utd live on BT Vision:
Liverpool v Man Utd, 1.30pm, 23 September, Sky Sports 1

Don’t have BT Vision? Find out how to get it