United fans excited by the potential of Di Maria and Falcao are still concerned by the lack of defensive quality

So, Manchester United supporters, how was it for you? Exhilarating, unexpected, strangely frustrating? A summer of unprecedented spending at Old Trafford culminated in the confirmation shortly after 1.30 this morning that Radamel Falcao, the free-scoring Colombia striker, had joined the club on a season long loan from Monaco.

He became United’s sixth significant arrival and, depending on whether you believe the 20-time champions of England are paying £6 million or, more likely, £11 million for a year’s services, took their gross outlay to mind-boggling £156.3 million, or marginally less.

Just £30.3 million of that sum was recouped through sales – with Danny Welbeck’s £16 million to Arsenal accounting for more than half of it – even though a total of 16 players left, six of