Manchester United Transfer News: Where Do United Stand After Summer Spending?

Manchester United have been incredibly busy during this summer's transfer window, as manager Sir Alex Ferguson went out to find new young talent to bolster the Premiership champions' roster. 

First came Blackburn's teen phenom defender Phil Jones in a £19 million deal near the beginning of the summer. Next came goalkeeper David de Gea, the 20-year-old Atletico Madrid standout to replace retiring goalkeeper Edwin van Der Sar. Finally, there was winger Ashley Young, the £20 million 25-year-old who jumped from Aston Villa to Old Trafford, completing one of the most expensive United transfers ever.

But many have been pondering whether the club are still looking to add talent, with bids in the races for central playmaking midfielders Wesley Sneijder and Javier Pastore to fill the only real void left in United's club. Will United find their new midfield talent, or has Sir Alex Ferguson tapped his cash for the summer?

Ferguson told reporters earlier this week that he thought his club was all but finished being big spenders in this summer's transfer period, according to a Mirror Football report. 

Per Ferguson:

"

"We lost five players in their 30s this summer," he said. "That helped finance the three younger players - Ashley Young, Phil Jones and David de Gea - I have brought to the club.

"At this moment, I can't see another addition. The type of player we might have been looking for is not available.

"I am happy with the players I have got at this moment in time."

"

Sounds fairly convincing, right? So, if United are finished in this summer's transfer window, where do they stand? How much have they improved the club's fortunes for next season? 

Offensively, United figure to be as good as ever. With strikers Javier Hernandez, Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov all on the roster, young star Danny Welbeck potentially returning to the roster, and veteran Michael Owen filling a "super sub" role, Ferguson has a plethora of weapons with different skills he can choose from. 

Few clubs have that kind of depth and versatility on the front line, and Ferguson figures to use it to full effect. United will score goals in bunches, and the offense won't be much of a problem. 

Likewise, United's defense is as deep and talented as they come. Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic are as good as they come in the center, while the troika of Fabio, Rafael and Patrice Evra are an excellent combination on the outside. Young central defender Phil Jones figures to bring some serious depth to the defense and will ensure that United doesn't lose much depth if Ferdinand gets hurt. De Gea is a rising star in net, and figures to thrive between the sticks at Old Trafford. 

The potential issues come when you look at the midfield. On the wings, the Red Devils are incredibly strong, led by Young, Nani and Antonio Valencia, as well as the occasional appearance from Ryan Giggs on the outside. They're deep and talented on the outside, but there is a hole in the middle. 

Michael Carrick figures to play the holding role in the central midfield, but by whiffing on Samir Nasri and Wesley Sneijder, the Red Devils lack a proven playmaking attacker in the midfield. Giggs thrived there on occasion down the stretch, but can he, Anderson or Tim Cleverly take hold of the position? Ferguson figures to find a combination of those three capable of delivering a solid season, but it's the closest thing to a weak link United have for next season. 

Even with the lack of a playmaker in the midfield, United should still find a great level of success in the Premiership next season. They're as deep and talented as anyone, and their offense should thrive regardless of whether they find an adequate Scholes replacement on the roster. The defense looks capable of shutting down just about any offense, and you can bet that Ferguson's bunch is going to contend in virtually every competition they take part in next season. 

Could United use a playmaking midfielder? Sure, but Anderson and Cleverly have the potential to fill the role exceptionally if they live up to their potential. 

Even without a true playmaker in the midfield, there's not a lot not to like here. United are young, deep and as talented as anyone in the Premiership, and it's hard to see them not hoisting some sort of hardware by the end of next season.