And few could argue that the signings have occurred in areas of the pitch that need serious strengthening.
Manchester United were really poor at getting the ball forward quickly and intelligently last season. There seemed to exist a disconnect between defence and attack. So the addition of Fred could be crucial.
And, for all his battling qualities and loyalty to the club, Antonio Valencia can no longer drift past an opponent like he used to. With Jose Mourinho favouring a compact and narrow formation the full backs are crucial in the wide areas. And the signing of Diogo Dalot could prove to be a masterstroke over the next few years.
Indeed the Manchester United boss wasn’t holding back in his praise of the youngster after the deal became official. He is quoted as saying:
“Diogo is an extremely talented young defender with all the qualities to quickly become a great player for this club,”
“He has all the attributes that a full-back needs: physicality, tactical intelligence and technical quality, combined with a Porto Academy mentality which prepares players for the maturity they need at the professional level.
“In his age group, he is the best full-back in Europe and we all believe he has a bright future ahead of him at Manchester United.”
Dalot has only played a handful of games for Porto as he forced his way into the reckoning towards the end of last season.
But he looks like the sort or marauding and composed wide man that Manchester United have been lacking over the last few years. With Valencia still having a year left, at least, at the top level, this could be the perfect succession planning for Manchester United.