Nicky Butt Advocates for Squad Depth at Manchester United

Nicky Butt has seen enough. Not just of Manchester United’s muddled recruitment, but of the idea that every problem can be solved with one more superstar.

The former United midfielder believes the club needs something more old‑fashioned and far more valuable: a squad with real depth. And in his eyes, West Ham winger Crysencio Summerville is exactly the sort of profile the club should now be targeting.

Butt’s blueprint: depth over stardust

United’s recent windows have often been dominated by marquee names and headline fees. Butt wants a shift. He wants players who can stretch a squad, not just sell shirts.

“We’ve got to build the squad, the bench has got to be stronger,” he said, speaking exclusively to Paddy Power. That line cuts to the heart of his argument. For Butt, United’s issue is not only the quality of the starting XI, but the sharp drop when injuries and rotation bite.

He pointed to the defeat against Leeds at Old Trafford last season as a warning sign. When United needed help from the fringes, it wasn’t there. The substitutes, he felt, simply weren’t at the level required to change a game or sustain standards across a long campaign.

“When you play a team and see their starting 11 but then they’ve got another four that can come on and make a difference, that’s massive,” he said. United, in his view, are nowhere near that.

Summerville catches the eye

Into that context steps Summerville, whose name will raise eyebrows among those conditioned to expect United to chase the biggest names in Europe. Butt, though, sees something different: value, upside and the potential to grow.

Summerville’s stock has climbed sharply after his start with the Netherlands, highlighted by a goal in a 2-2 draw with Japan that underlined his threat on the international stage. United are understood to be monitoring the 24-year-old as they explore extra attacking options, and Butt is firmly in favour.

He describes Summerville as “explosive” and “good to watch” – the kind of winger who can jolt a game to life with a burst of pace or a sharp finish. There is no attempt to dress him up as the finished article. Butt is clear that the wide man still has strides to make.

“I don’t think he’s consistent enough,” he admitted, before immediately framing that as an opportunity rather than a flaw. The key, in his view, is that the transfer fee “shouldn’t be a lot” and that the player’s ceiling makes the gamble worthwhile.

A starter in waiting?

Summerville’s performances for the Netherlands have clearly left a mark. Butt singled out his “brilliant” display in the first game of the international break as evidence that he can handle a higher stage.

That, Butt believes, is the sort of form that could translate into a regular role at Old Trafford.

Summerville, he suggested, could “potentially start every week for Man United” if he continues on his current trajectory and sharpens the rough edges in his game. The demand, though, would be clear: more consistency, more reliability, more end product over a full season.

“I’m looking at him thinking he’s got to get a lot more consistent to get to the next level,” Butt said. “But I’d still definitely look at signing a player like him.”

It’s a nuanced view: not blind hype, not dismissal. A recognition that United need players who are hungry, affordable and on the way up, not just those already at the top of the market.

Building a bench that scares people

Butt’s wider point stretches beyond one winger. He is talking about a structural flaw in United’s planning.

For him, the best sides in Europe are defined not only by their star names but by the quality of the players waiting behind them. Those who can come on and tilt a match, or step in for three weeks without a noticeable drop.

United, he argues, have been too top-heavy. When everyone is fit, the team can look strong. When they’re not, the gaps show. That’s where players like Summerville come in – not as a single solution, but as part of a deliberate push to deepen the pool.

“It can’t be all about going and getting the superstar signings,” Butt insisted. He wants United to identify players who can grow into bigger roles, who offer flexibility and competition, and who don’t consume the entire budget in one hit.

So while others obsess over the next galáctico, Butt is looking at a 24-year-old winger who has just announced himself on the international scene and asking a simple question: if United are serious about rebuilding properly, can they really afford to ignore profiles like his any longer?