Manchester United Discussion

05 May 2024 12:01:07
Next season's third kit looks really nice, love the retro feel to it. Definitely has the old adidas German vibes in there, fitting given our recent record in penalty shootouts.

05 May 2024 14:31:32
Has it been officially confirmed that it is next season's 3rd kit. I hope it is, as it does look awesome.

04 May 2024 16:20:50
Burnley played us off the pitch at OT last week now they're getting thumped at home by Newcastle. Tells u all you need to know really.

04 May 2024 21:52:42
Tim how many times in the past 10 years have we said that opposition players want it more than our own?

Outfought and outworked. Life at Manchester United must be very easy for the players.

04 May 2024 23:41:25
Totally agree. And when they are told as much then they whine, sulk and complain! Hopefully this new culture being set by ineos bleeds through the whole club and team, god knows we need it to.

05 May 2024 08:23:27
Sounds like there will be a bit of a culture shock taking place, which should filter out those not willing to adapt.

05 May 2024 09:07:11
Exactly Tim, because in most cases their own contract will outlast the manager’s tenure.

02 May 2024 19:41:51
If any of the Ed’s are around, just looking at the info given by ed002 and news coming out from various different places, it looks like we’re wanting at least 2 cbs, a full back, a midfielder (maybe 2) and a forward. The first choices seem to be Silva £60+ and Todibo £35m+ at the back, Ait Nouri £30m+ at left back, Neves £70m+ in midfield with maybe either Fofana £25m+ or Hjulmand £45m+ and then Olise £55m+ as the forward. Is there any way that this type of summer would be at all financially viable?

{Ed002's Note - putting aside the money these are all targets as I have explained.}

03 May 2024 10:03:34
I think Olise and Branthwaite will most definitely sign for us in the summer. Who else beyond that will depend on how well our new football structure do.

Who knows, me may finally get de Jong?!

03 May 2024 11:55:32
Lads, no brainer is that CB from Fulham. Rather than spend on Branthwaite.

03 May 2024 22:10:03
I'm with you angel, I'm not that convinced with Braithwaite, for the monet they want you want the finished article.

05 May 2024 11:09:40
Angel, I think we need a minimum of two maybe even three CB's this summer.

Varane and Evans are out of contract and won't be signing new deals.

Lindelof and Maguire are both not good enough to be first choice and both are out of contact in 2025, so entering the last year of their deal. Meaning this summer is the last chance to be able to sell either of them. Otherwise they either leave for free in 2025 or we have to offer them a new deal. I suspect it'll be a case of keep one and sell one.

Which leaves is with Martinez who has been injured all season, as well as the last couple of months of last season. That injury record raises two concerns over Martinez for next season. One can he come back at the same level as he was before the injuries, and two can he actually stay fit for a while season in the EPL.

Which just leaves the young lad Kambwala, who as well as being very inexperienced, also does extra warm up training to try and avoid injuries as he has suffered with them at youth level. That might be something he grows out of when he's finished growing and his body settles. Either way even if fully fit we shouldn't be relying on him to be a regular starter.

Which means we are at best starting next season with one first team quality CB who has serious questions over his fitness.

One or two (Maguire and Lindelof) that aren't good enough to be first choice, and are squad players at best. Maybe even none of both leave.

And a inexperienced kid who himself has struggled with injuries.

Ideal world I'd bring in three CB's, keep one of Maguire or Lindelof and send Kambwala out on loan for a season to get regular game time. That way he should hopefully be ready to return for the 2025/ 26 season and fight for a first team place, replacing either Maguire or Lindelof in the squad as they leave on a free. Meaning we don't have to dip back into the market again for another CB.

One CB this summer is not enough, we need two at a bare minimum, ideally three. Tosin Adarabioyo on a free makes sense as a squad option, and I wouldn't be against that. But we'd still need to sign at least one more CB along side him.

Branthwaite makes a lot of sense, is he perfect? Of course not, every player has their weaknesses. For Branthwaite it is a mostly a lack of experience. His weaknesses should reduce as he develops as a player.

While his positives are numerous, EPL proven, counts towards our homegrown quota, left footed but still comfortable playing at RCB as well as LCB as he's fairly two footed, capable of playing in a high line and/ or covering in the wide areas, good in the air, strong in the tackle, has very good reading/ understanding of the game for such a young and inexperienced player, has leadership qualities, and has shown he is willing to move outside of his comfort zone to push him when he made the decision to go on loan in another country (something very few English players do, especially when so young) .

He wouldn't be cheap, but like John Stones at City he is the kind of player who we could sign and he'd be the centre piece of our defence for most of the next decade. He has the highest ceiling of any of the young English CB's in the EPL.

While there is a suggestion that Everton might be forced to lower their asking price, or even accept a deal involving Maguire maybe, as they have to raise funds for PSR before the 1st of July.

I wouldn't be against signing Branthwaite at all, and even the small mistakes he has occasionally made this season don't put me off as they are all coachable and things that improve with experience. Which you have to accept when looking at young players.

Ideally we'd get Branthwaite, Adarabioyo and a third maybe Todibo or someone similar.

This season has been torn apart due to injuries, particularly in defence. This is the area along with defensive midfield where we need to do the most work this summer and need to make the most signings.

Yeah we probably need a couple of new full backs, and yes we definitely need cover/ competition at CF for Højlund, and yes we could probably do with another wide/ creative player as well. But it is the heart/ base of the team that needs the most work. Until we have a solid foundation everything else will be built on sand.

Our priorities this summer should be:

CB
CB
CDM
CF
CB
CM/ CDM
LB
Winger
RB

Obviously not all can be done, and we should probably look to be clever and savvy with our signings where possible. Like signing a player like Tosin Adarabioyo as our 3rd CB on a free for example. I'd also consider a deal for someone like Jonathan David as a backup striker to Højlund as he is capable of playing wide left or right. It wouldn't necessarily have to be David, but a flexible forward capable of playing right across the front time and being creative would be two birds with one stone. I'd also consider bringing in Danny Welbeck on a free along side someone like that. He could be that third choice back up, and he brings a connection to the club and a experienced option. Similar to Evans this season.

We need a first choice CDM, but maybe the second midfielder we sign is more of a gamble, someone who maybe comes from outside of the top European leagues. Lots of talent, but less proven and as such cheaper. Someone like André from Fluminense could be a good option, reportedly available for less than 20m. If he doesn't adapt to the EPL we could probably sell him to a club in Italy or Spain for at least as much as we paid for him, probably more. He'd be a fairly risk free option due to his low fee but high potential.

It's signings like that we need to make alongside a few higher priced, more proven players who can slip straight into the team.

05 May 2024 13:59:32
A CB, LB, CM and RW change this team completely.

29 Apr 2024 20:34:35
So it seems most of the squad is up for sale.

Beyond the 3 mooted off-limits players, we do have so many issues.

Heaton, Varane, Evans and Shoretire are likely off for free with Martial (please, please, please) finally going away.
Lindelof and AWB on extensions.
Maguire, Kambwala, McTominay, Eriksen and Amad each carrying only the value as determined by the market in light of just a single remaining year on their respective contracts.
That's so far 12 players who won't bring in a fortune.

Then, we have those with significant or perhaps worsening injury crises - Martinez, Shaw, Malacia and Mount.
That's now 16 players for whom we wouldn't get what we want.

Then come the old legs and the one-legged - Casemiro and Antony.
Now we're at 18.

Then the keepers - Onana and Bayindir.
20.

20 from a squad of 27 who would bring in much less than we'd like.
After those 20 and after sending back Amrabat, we're left with 6 players with decent sale value - Dalot, Bruno and Rashford, plus the 3 youngsters.

Even the loanees won't help much.

We really are in a proper little pickle, aren't we?

30 Apr 2024 00:28:34
Promote the youth, that are ready, to plug the gaps. We will be in the Europa league/ conference cup or whatever it is called, just get them some experience of European football. Even the experience of PL, FA cup, league cup. Give it all to the youth, and reverse the financial conundrum over the next season or two. Have the reset. Be smart in transfer dealings, look at the expired contracts market, or expiring contracts market.

The time to dip in and cherry pick the final piece of the puzzle, is some way I to the future.

We need a reset, and we are going to get one, finally.

I've said this before, but Fergie started this trend with his RVP purchase to buy the 20th title, and the glazers thought this could just be repeated year after year. Every year compounding the issues further.

Now we are where we are.

Thankfully Liverpool didn't take the advantage as they should have, and we still have time to regroup and keep the likes of City at bay.

30 Apr 2024 08:16:07
About time.

I’d keep:
Martinez
Dalot
Mainoo
Bruno
Garnacho
Hojlund

Any other player who’s made more than 20 appearances should be looking for a new club.

The likes of Eriksen, Shaw, McTominay, Maguire, Lindelof haven’t worked out for different reasons including injury and ability, but at least they tried. The likes of Martial, Rashford and Casemiro based on this season should be embarrassed and first out of the door.

30 Apr 2024 08:44:40
I think that’s a fair list Wazza.

There must be some youth players ready to step up again - I think we’d all have far more patience with them rather than watch experienced pros jog around half arsed, unable to pick a pass or follow instructions, or quite simply mark someone at a corner!

Not sure what’s happened to Malacia, as I think we have an excellent left back there, but injuries and other challenges have really stalled his progress.

Frankly, my view on Rashford is that he should now be stepping up as a leader in our squad and stay rather new be the one causing problems. But he’s hiding on the pitch big time, and we need bigger characters to take the mantle like Mainoo and Garnacho are. They constantly seek the ball, want to be involved in play.

30 Apr 2024 09:47:59
Problem is with stories like this coming out, doesn't it just kill off the motivation for all the players, why bother if they are not going to be here next year especially with a FA Cup final coming up.

We saw what happened when Fergie announced his first retirement, the season just went downhill.

30 Apr 2024 10:02:23
Eric it’s a really sad state of affairs when two 19 year olds are the ones leading by example.

You’re right about where Rashford should be now. Unfortunately we don’t have any senior players other than Bruno who understand what it means to wear the shirt.

30 Apr 2024 10:56:04
In last 2 years under eth we have landed
1 an idiot keeper
2 an aging midfielder with a heart defect on a 3 year contract
3 a lb that is never available
4 a cb rarely available although good when he is
5 an idiot rw
6 a former midfield star struggling with epl pace
7 a new no 10 bought to play as an 8 for some unknown reason but has not been available
8 a loan midfielder that never plays
9 a loan striker that was useless
10 a young striker who has potential
11 a 2nd keeper who has only played once so hard to judge.
It's not hard to see why they want rid of this coach his vision is very hard to see.

30 Apr 2024 11:53:45
Up top, I’d keep Garnacho, Hoijlund, and Greenwood and then look to sign another promising forward (maybe Sesko or Openda) and a versatile winger who can cover both sides (I expect we could probably get Bynoe-Gittens as part of any deal for Sancho) .

In midfield, I’d keep Bruno and Mainoo, though wouldn’t be surprised if we cashed in on Bruno in favor of keeping Mount (who I think is a lot better than this season has made him out to be) . Sadly, there aren’t too many top tier CDMs around these days but Manuel Ugarte would probably be worth a punt if he doesn’t end up at Juve. If he does, I wouldn’t say no to Locatelli. Add another versatile midfielder and I don’t think we’d be in terrible shape.

The back is where we’re really struggling. Having wanted him gone last summer, I think I’d probably keep Maguire. Granted, he’s not good enough, but assuming we don’t renew Evans and Varane, we’d be left with just three senior CBs, and I think Maguire is more reliable than both Lindelof (performances) and Martinez (fitness) . If we could sign two top tier CBs I’d let Maguire go and just keep Martinez, but assuming we can only get one through the door, I think Maguire has to stay.

Onana should go at all costs. If needed, bring back DDG. He might be terrible with his feet, but at least he’s good with his hands. If he doesn’t want to come back (and who could blame him, really? ), I’d put in a cheeky bid for Ramsdale.

I like Luke Shaw but his fitness record is atrocious. I like Wan Bisaka too, even if he offers little in the way of attack. I’d let both go if a half decent offer came in, but they’d be way down the list of players I’d be actively looking to move on. Dalot stays as cover.

So yeah. Not a very long list, really, and one or two of those names are only there because replacing them this window would be tricky.
Garnacho
Hoijlund
Greenwood
Bruno
Mainoo
Maguire
Martinez
Dalot.

30 Apr 2024 20:28:04
For all the negatives people spout, what has EtH brought us.

The start of a future team.
Garnacho
Mainoo
Hoijlund
Martinez
Malacia (has been unlucky with injuries, maybe it works out, maybe it doesn't)

Just stop being such neggy Nellie's.

01 May 2024 07:39:54
People will take about Onana and other signings. Do you guys remember the likes of Massimo Taibi. not even SAF got everything right.

The same applies for other transfers and direction. Fergie wasn't right all the time.

Give the lad a chance.

01 May 2024 09:56:39
No manager is jimbob.
Eth won't be here next season so he is irrelevant.

01 May 2024 16:55:48
Ken with the inside knowledge apparently.

02 May 2024 09:00:47
I may be in the minority, but i don't think our squad is that bad. Now I'm not saying it can't be improved because clearly it can, but I don't think the players are the major issue.

29 Apr 2024 09:36:32
ED002,

If Utd were to appoint TT as their next manager, would there need to be any compensation paid to BM?

I know that they have agreed for him it leaves the club.

Thanks.

{Ed002's Note - No.}

29 Apr 2024 13:47:01
Cheers ED002.

29 Apr 2024 16:46:44
A follow up question, if you don’t mind, Ed002.

If a club sacks a manager and then the manager finds a new job a few months later, are the sacking club still
obliged to pay off the duration of their contract (or whatever amount was agreed in said contract)?

{Ed002's Note - It is unreleted to the duration of his contract. There will either be a payment that needs to be made to the manager and his coaching staff which is pre-agreed or they would need to negotiate with his agent.}

29 Apr 2024 21:41:10
What’s your view on Tuchel Ed?

{Ed002's Note - As I said, he should be above Southgate and Potter as an option. Known to Jim Ratcliffe.}

30 Apr 2024 08:45:46
Thanks Ed. I agree on that pecking order. I recall you saying Slot would be a good choice, but seems he is Liverpool bound. Who would be your plan B now?

{Ed002's Note - If Thomas Tuchel were not possible, perhaps Thiago Motta.}

30 Apr 2024 12:01:35
Thanks Ed.