Simon Jordan believes the signing of Daniel James from Swansea is the positive change of direction Manchester United needed after years of silly spending.
The 21-year-old Swansea winger is expected to become Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first summer signing after agreeing a £15million transfer from the Welsh club.
James has been hailed as an old-school signing for United due to his lightning pace on the flank, and has been tipped for a bright future at Old Trafford.
Former Crystal Palace owner Jordan believes the young Welshman may struggle for first-team football initially, just like Wilfried Zaha did when he left the Eagles to join United in 2013.
But Jordan believes his imminent arrival at Old Trafford is a massive step in the right direction for the club, having blown millions on flopped big-money signings in recent years.
“I think this is exactly the kind of move Manchester United should be making,” Jordan told talkSPORT on Thursday.
“I think United are going to spend an unprecedented amount of money this summer to be able to bridge the gap, and it’s a risk because think they’ve got the wrong manager in place.
“I also think this move is a risk for the young player to take his career and maybe find himself on the periphery of the first team for a significant part of the season.
“I’ve had young players who have moved to big clubs that it halted their career. There’s a dynamic with this young player that he hasn’t really earned his stripes, he hasn’t really learned the game, he hasn’t played enough to be able to land at a place like Manchester United.
“But behind every football club there has to be a balance. You have to have these young, energetic and vibrant young footballers that want to be part of a next generation – like the ‘Class of 92’ who became the next generation of Manchester United.
“I also think there’s a balance between getting younger players alongside seasoned inspirational pros who are at the top of their game.
Man United’s big-money signings over last five years:
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Source: Transfermarkt
“There’s nothing wrong with buying £90m footballers, besides the lunacy of it but that’s just the market now, it’s everything wrong with buying £90m players like Pogba who have got far too much to say for themselves and don’t want to fit into the culture of the club.
“So, I think this is a step in the right direction for Manchester United.”