With 13 days to go until the transfer window shuts I can’t help but feel the tingle of excitement with every player linked to us. Yes, I am aware that most will not transpire as United players but in the meantime there is no harm in a bit of fantasy football as we play around with the “What ifs?”

Every day newspapers, Twitter and various rumour websites are linking about 200 players at a time to MUFC; and it’s an anxious wait for someone from the club to officially confirm the truth behind any one of them.

This time last year there seemed to be a change in the way Man Utd handled their transfer business. In the Ferguson era anyone who dared ask about a rumour or potential transfer target was met with a deathly stare. Would they ask that question again at the next opportunity? Not if they wanted to continue having press access. However, last year, David Moyes talked more openly about these things. Yes, we were interested in Fabregas. Yes, we did lodge another bid for him and yes, we wanted Baines and Fellaini. This was exactly what we wanted to hear – or was it? As a fan you always long to be that fly on the wall of the Carrington boardroom gaining inside knowledge on who the club has set its sights on. But is publicly declaring an interest in these players something that works?

We all know the answer to that now…

Maybe the prices for these players suddenly went up, maybe the players were settled at their current clubs or maybe they were waiting to see how Utd got on without Sir Alex in charge. This we may never know – what we do know is that most of these players never made it into a red jersey and the one that did didn’t ever get consistent game time. And all the while the game of cat and mouse continued. I wonder how Patrice Evra felt knowing we were chasing Baines all summer and even tried to get Coentrao right at the last minute. Probably as painful as Sir Alex kicking a boot at your face.

With Louis Van Gaal now in charge and Ed Woodward more experienced on transfer dealings and another year wiser (hopefully), there is a return to the familiar silence. Ander Herrera was signed and then Luke Shaw in quick succession but the first we heard from the club, on them, was when it officially confirmed the deals.

So, we wait in hope to see who will be next.

The truth is we are still no closer to finding out who we are interested in bringing in and who we are interested in letting go. LVG, it seems, is cut from the same cloth as the mighty Sir Alex and keeps his cards close to his chest without seeming like he’s shutting the door on current players. This keeps the players working, the fans hoping and the press guessing.

Because of this there is a universal feeling that we are more capable of attracting the players this year – even without the Champions League. We are more confident in Woodward closing the deals and getting the right players – and the mystery surrounding the ice cool Van Gaal just adds to the anticipation. Confidence and expectation have soared during the summer watching him lead the Netherlands to third place in the World Cup as well as listening to the current squad speak enthusiastically about what is going on.

But that’s about all we have to go on – that and speculation coupled with what is, for me, a reassuring silence.

At the end of the (match) day football is not just about what happens on the pitch anymore. It’s about every second before, during and after. It’s a business and a lifestyle but above all it’s a guessing game. If I play you in Poker do I show you my hand? Perhaps that’s what made Moyes the joker in the pack. So too then could LVG’s silence make him the Ace we have been looking for.

At this stage it’s anyone’s guess.

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