Manchester United Banter

08 Jun 2026 09:52:18
Patrick Dorgu continues to look like he will be one of our attacking wingers next year whilst offering cover at full back if needed. Improving his output and skill levels, physically strong, quick, and could provide a different option to Cunha.

Comparisons with Bale are way too early (and possibly far-fetched) but he is on the similar progression.



Not sure if this takes away the need for further attacking signings, but I would prefer we bring in our preferred left back signing first and potentially back up striker.

08 Jun 2026 14:12:20
Who is comparing Patrick Dorgu with Gareth Bale lol?

08 Jun 2026 15:08:38
Excellent goal v Ukraine, coming in from the right. Certainly looks like he could become extremely valuable both as a player and as a financial asset.

08 Jun 2026 17:21:31
What I really like about him is that he plays like an old school winger. Full backs are so used to players cutting inside that they don't know what to do when a player goes down the line. I think he adds a different dimension to our attack, and with a proper striker like Sesko in the box we need to get more crosses in.

09 Jun 2026 09:00:02
He's had a handful of games used further forward, but had looked superb in every match since they decided to do so, and scored some excellent and important goals. Very promising signs for Dorgu.

09 Jun 2026 17:20:54
He is a weapon and a reason why we don't need a LW this summer, unless Cunha is being moved inside to compete with Bruno or up top with Sesko, then sure, get a LW. However, I have said many times, midfield and defence are more of a priority than our attack.

09 Jun 2026 18:00:59
Assuming Zirkzee leaves, signing a striker to support Sesko is really a top priority. We can't go into next season with Sesko as our only cf option. Midfield, 2 for sure, ideally 3 needed, imo.
We need better fbs on both sides, and ideally a new cb with pace. We have the numbers in those areas, but are short on quality.


A no2 keeper is needed, assuming we can sell Vietek.
Keeper should be cheap, I've heard Johnston mentioned.
Striker, not sure who is linked. I'd love Lewy, but it's financially difficult and I'm not sure he wants the challenge, and if his body is up to it, although he looks as fit as a butcher's dog.

09 Jun 2026 19:30:13
Dorgu seems to cause chaos, which I like. He can look clumsy, and then suddenly does something amazing. I would love to see him play more often further forward.

09 Jun 2026 20:49:24
There is a lot of running required, but he is unpredictable. Seems to be a good lad, and worked hard. I'm sure he will develop next season. How much he improves is anyone's guess. Could be a dark horse next season and flourish.

At the beginning of last season, I tipped him to be our young player of the season. He didn't quite hit the heights I'd hoped, but there is something I like about him, and I hope he kicks on again.

09 Jun 2026 23:27:35
Hard to know his level. He seems a real confidence player. Both Dorgu and Amad have produced a few brilliant performances in the last 18 months, but also have gone through spells where they've been totally off the boil. But I think it's worth giving them both more time, and worry more about striker reinforcements this summer than other forward positions.

07 Jun 2026 20:15:08
Oh dear, Denmark were playing Ukraine in a friendly match today and it was cancelled after 65 mins of play.

Christian Eriksen collapsed, causing a medical emergency. Players were in tears as he was receiving treatment. Obviously, this would bring back memories of 5 years ago at Euro 2020 when he suffered his cardiac incident.



Happily, he is conscious and doing O.K. If this is cardiac related, maybe the time has come to say no more playing for me.

I wish him well.

07 Jun 2026 21:10:05
Just saw that. Thoughts with him and his family. Always came over as a very likeable guy.

07 Jun 2026 21:59:58
He's fine, pacemaker did its job.

08 Jun 2026 10:12:35
It is time for him to retire. Fortunately he appears to be ok.

09 Jun 2026 23:32:56
I expect that'll be the case even though the pacemaker did its job. Denmark aren't playing in the WC, so he's got a couple of months now to make up his mind. He's had a full career, so if he does retire he can do so without regrets.

07 Jun 2026 16:37:35
Silly season is well and truly here, now that we are making Romero the cornerstone of our defence!

06 Jun 2026 21:27:49.
Having a little peruse through the old interweb tonight and came across a discussion about the song You'll Never Walk Alone. Obviously sung by our Scouse friends on a weekly basis. Celtic and Dortmund have also adopted it.

The article went on to suggest that the song was sung at Old Trafford in 1958 after Munich.

Which would have been before Gerry and his Pacemakers covered it.

It's all anecdotal and hard to verify. I never heard this before, any merit to it?

{Ed001's Note - it is 100% true. It is believed to be the first time the song was sung within a football ground.}

07 Jun 2026 00:45:27
Cheers ed, I did think if anyone would know it would be you.

doesn't negate the fact that it's Liverpool's anthem. Just thought it was a decent bit of trivia if true.

Funnily enough, I text a couple of mates who are Liverpool fans and they quite upset by it, said it was a load of old pony.

07 Jun 2026 07:32:28
I read a long time ago that it was something sung at Old Trafford before Liverpool took it on. It is now symbolic at Anfield and Celtic. I don't believe United hated it as much in the 70s as they do now, but when it was rammed down our throats by the press as wonderful and fantastic, sending fear through the opponents, when Liverpool had their very successful period in the 70s and 80s, it started to really rankle us, particularly around the end of the 80s. It was a popular wedding song at the time.

That's how I saw it anyway.

I said on here many years ago, when writing a piece about how to get the crowd going pre-game, that we needed a good song that got everyone going. 2, 4, 6, 8 United are great went back to the 70s, I think. Tom Robinson Band, or something like that. What's funny is that I was in Liverpool at a club a couple of months ago and they played the Country Roads song and everyone sang along. My wife told me do not dare sing the United words!

07 Jun 2026 20:17:42
Pretty sure Gerry (Marsden) did more than 'cover' it - he wrote it!!

{Ed001's Note - no he didn't. It was from the musical Carousel, written by Gilbert and Sullivan I think.}

08 Jun 2026 04:54:34
Correct Ed! I remember my musical loving, Man United supporting grandfather often shouting at the TV when they mentioned that it was adopted by the Liverpool fans after Gerry wrote it!

{Ed001's Note - no need to be offensive! If I have to edit that out again, in reference to any fanbase, it will mean a ban. Especially disrespectful to address me that way on my site.}

08 Jun 2026 09:37:38
Fair enough. I take the rollicking on the chin.

08 Jun 2026 10:19:00
Still don't like Liverpool but!

{Ed001's Note - that's fine, I wouldn't expect you to.}

08 Jun 2026 11:42:11
Hi Ed001, great site and great insight from you and all the ed's.

Just a quick heads up, it was written by Rodgers and Hammerstein, the musical certainly was Carousel, featured on Broadway 1945, quite a few years before Gerry Marsden covered it in 1963.

{Ed001's Note - yes, you are correct, sorry, musicals is not my area of expertise at all. In fact I really don't like them, but I should have remembered the writers. So many times it has come up as a quiz question, I can't believe I forgot. Can I blame old age?}

06 Jun 2026 15:45:03
I think our transfer plans have changed a little. Three midfielders was always going to be a push, but we'd have done it if any of Anderson, Tchouameni or Tonali has been obtainable. As it seems that they are not, it wouldn't surprise me if we 'just' got Mateus Fernandes and Ederson.

Those two plus Kobbie and Mount, with Thwaites and Fletcher being given some opportunities as 5th and 6th choice might just enable us to go big on Lewis Hall at left-back, for example.

06 Jun 2026 17:03:07
Why have things changed?
Why would it have been more likely to be 3 midfielders if far more expensive players were available?

Not sure I can see where you are coming from, Downsie. What's your logic, pal.

06 Jun 2026 17:53:35
Wouldn't be enough depth in that for me, Downsie. Mount isn't a midfielder either, same as Bruno.

06 Jun 2026 18:47:25
Fernandes, Ederson, Mainoo, and Fletcher(s). Tyler has just been called up by Scotland. Perhaps we need to give him an opportunity. Maybe we add Hackney too to give us options, that allows us to spend money elsewhere.

06 Jun 2026 20:34:38
Hopefully Fletcher plays well at the WC. It could really kick start his career.

07 Jun 2026 07:54:29
I Want Our Trophy Back -
The logic is that we had an apparent £200m plus sales to spend this summer.

Plan A was Fernandes, Ederson and Tchouameni/Anderson/Tonali, at around £180m, and then a cheap, experienced striker.

But, seeing as though those three elite options aren't available, I think we've shifted to other positions.

By just bringing in Fernandes and Ederson for the midfield, and not a third, we can probably go and get a left-back and attacker.

So to throw names out there:
Plan A: Anderson, Ederson, Fernandes, Welbeck.
Plan B could become: Ederson, Fernandes, Hall, Barcola and Mateta.

07 Jun 2026 09:04:58
When were those plans published and made public by the club? I'm not sure they were.

07 Jun 2026 10:43:44
Fernandes is just a rumour, plenty of other teams want him, so we should stop talking as if he is confirmed.

07 Jun 2026 11:44:42
I think the club are reacting to the transfer market more so than changing their ideas.

Anderson was the top target, but with Forest staying up and with him favouring a move to to City it doesn't make sense to spend in excess of 100m on him.

Beyond him there aren't many other players who are worth close to 100m, his combination of age, being British, and his talent make him one of if not the only one worth considering paying that sort of fee for.

Carlos Baleba appears to have dropped down the list due to Brighton asking for too much for a player who has had a down season. While the club will expect young players to have peaks and dips in form, the question of why Baleba had a down season is a pertinent one. Was it just the typical tougher second season where teams know what to expect and are better placed to deal with a young player who broke out the season before. Or did he struggle due to mentally not being able to handle the pressure/disappointment of a failed moved. The former shouldn't concern the clubs but if it's the latter then it does bring into question his ability to handle the pressure at a club like ours.

Sandro Tonali was a player supposedly high on our list of options, yet after Gordon's move to Barcelona Newcastle aren't under as much pressure to sell and as such are demanding a higher price than we are prepared to pay for him. Under the new ownership the club are determined not to make the same mistakes as the previous administration and pay massively over the odds for players. We have since pivoted and signed a player with a very similar profile in Ederson for around half the price (granted he isn't proven in the EPL).

Other names we have been linked to include Adam Wharton, who the club feel is too similar to Mainoo to justify spending big on him. Which is a good sign the club are making more thoughtful decisions and planning beyond signing fancy names.

That rules out many of the bigger name, typically more expensive signings we've been linked with.

Tchouameni is the other name, but that feels more like it was a potential market opportunity at the time rather than a player the club had intended on pursuing this summer. While the current presidential situation at Madrid and new manager means that it won't be clear for some time whether Tchouameni (or any Real Madrid players) will be available, certainly not until after the World Cup now.

Mateus Fernandes is someone the club seems very keen on, but West Ham are demanding a huge fee for a club that is now in the Championship. His failure to make the Portugal squad means the club don't have to move as quickly with him as they won't have to wait until after the World cup to sign him.

Alex Scott seems to be the other name more recently linked, he's a similar profile to Fernandes and could be seen as an alternative if West Ham refused to budge on their valuation. Although as he's with the England squad (for the preparations at least if not the tournament) then the club will probably want to wait until after he's back to explore him as an alternative.

I'd imagine there are other options and I'd still expect to see us try and sign 3 midfielders this summer. However, beyond Fernandes and Scott I'd imagine our other options will be at the world cup so I wouldn't expect to see us sign any players who are playing at the World cup until their country exits the tournament.