Manchester United Banter 2

04 Aug 2026 20:20:56
The longer it goes on without a public apology and a message to reintroduce Rashford to the squad, the more hopeful I am that he actually leaves.

I haven't been on a particular side per se, as I see the likes of Eric advocate for him to stay, as there is a reasonable player in there. Equally I see others want him never to wear the shirt again.
For me, it is the salary, removing players on historically skewed salaries that are not befitting of their overall contribution to the club, should be moved on as soon as practicably possible.
It is the same reason the likes of Mount, MdL fall into this category.
I truly believe only once we have fully purged the club of the old ways can we truly move forward.

04 Aug 2026 20:34:50
Public apology for what?

04 Aug 2026 20:36:44
MdL does not belong with the others there. That's quite an unfair characterisation.

04 Aug 2026 20:56:43
For acting the way he acted, Angel Red. Missing games for partying, being lazy, not training as required, like the rest of the Team (irrespective of who the manager is/was, you are still part of a team).

04 Aug 2026 20:57:48
MdL is on a similar wage to Mount and has a similar injury list. Of all the players in the squad, he is the closest to being on a list with Mount, for the reason I gave.

04 Aug 2026 21:30:45
He played 42 games in his first season and has missed half a season. If that continues into the next couple of seasons, then ok, but it's a premature writing off of a very good player.

04 Aug 2026 21:34:52
He also turns slower than the Titanic.

04 Aug 2026 21:50:23
He could start with a public apology for his lack of effort in a Utd shirt when the other team have the ball.

04 Aug 2026 22:18:50
You lads will be waiting. I don't need a public apology from a player. 😂

04 Aug 2026 22:41:33
A public apology? Did he hurt your feelings? That's next-level nonsense now.

04 Aug 2026 22:43:42
George Best would have needed a hundred public apologies these days.

04 Aug 2026 23:07:01
Not a cat in hells chance of a public apology from Rashford.
I'm sure he doesn't feel he needs to make one.
He doesn't want to stay, the club don't want him to stay, so there will be a parting of the ways, one way or the other.
We know it won't be the move Rashford wants, but that's his own fault. He would be attractive to any number of clubs if he would ask for less money and ask for more, like the money he is worth.


We also know it won't be the move United want, so possibly another loan covering all his wages at best.
But if he won't move, then there is nothing we can do and we can't replace him until he is gone.

05 Aug 2026 02:23:41
I don't want a public apology, to be clear. It has been suggested, on here by others, that it is a starting point for reintegration. There have been murmurings of reintegration by Carrick and co. But my opinion is that these are to retain a level of stock in Rashford.
Read the OP.

Neither is happening, so he is going somewhere. That's the point.
The reasons provided for public apology are verbatim of others on here.
For me, cut losses and get rid, but that's not how you run a business, so I understand the delay.

My issue, to just highlight it again, is the salary.

05 Aug 2026 07:23:41
JBR

You won't get it. Much like we never got one from Best, Whiteside, McGrath, Keane, etc., to name but 4 players who behaved much worse.

05 Aug 2026 07:49:52
The club and player aren't going to issue any statement until a decision has been finalised either way.

05 Aug 2026 08:48:40
Angel footballers, like any other profession, will hand discipline issues and problems off the pitch.
Rashford had issues on the pitch, where he was not trying, and that's the big difference.
For sustained periods, he walked around doing nothing, so, in terms of the worst behaviour, Rashford trumps them all imo.

05 Aug 2026 10:20:45
Trump's Best's on-field stuff? You're having a laugh, Ken.

Best would walk on drunk, McGrath too. Best walked off, I'm sure, on occasions, many a time not even turning up to games.

Rashford is worse though, haha. I've read it all now.

05 Aug 2026 10:35:58
Miles worse, imo.

05 Aug 2026 11:41:11
Fair enough, your opinion. I can't see it, to be honest.

Best was far more unprofessional throughout his career.

05 Aug 2026 14:36:49
That's good, Angel, I stated I don't want one, so I'm pleased I won't get one....

04 Aug 2026 16:51:21
There’s been a lot of talk about Mount in preseason. He’s been playing well, slotting in well alongside Santos, that he allows us to avoid buying a third midfielder, etc. However, the club would be making a mistake if they include Mount in their transfer planning.

I’m a fan of Mount. He is a good player and looked top class at Chelsea. But his injuries cannot be ignored. He isn’t a reliable squad option. If we go into the season with Mount as one of our 4 first team midfielders, we’re playing with fire.

The club must operate under the expectation that Mount won’t be fit for large portions of the season.

This has been the case since he signed and the odds suggest it’s more likely to continue that way. If the club doesn’t consider Mount a factor, the worst case scenario is that he’s injured but we already have 4 options in the middle. If he can stay fit, that’s a bonus.

The company line is that money for transfers is tight. However, the costs of failing to secure Champions League football are far higher than bringing in the players we need to secure it. We’ve shed two big earners in Casemiro and Sancho. The club need to decide if they’re serious about competing, or crossing their fingers that they’ll make top 5 on the cheap.

04 Aug 2026 18:00:48
Danny, I believe (via The Athletic!) we owe 360M in transfer fees, with 209M due this year. We're seriously restricted. I'm still expecting another signing or two. I think, with that, we'll be good enough for CL positions again, and we'll have a better squad and far more flexibility next year.

04 Aug 2026 18:44:01
Yes, but that £200m we have to pay out will, from a cash point of view, be largely offset by the non-cash amortization charge, which will probably be lower than the £200m+ likely charge in 2025/6. As a result, our cash position should not be too badly affected in 2026/7 by the paying down of transfer debt. Maybe £50m negative. And on the bright side, our overall debt will decrease by £200m.

Obviously, new players' transfer payments decrease the cash position, but as of now, I actually think our new players' wages and amortization costs are lower than the amount we've saved after Casemiro and Sancho left the club. Against that, we will sell some players: Amass, Frederickson and Vitek for starters, get some sell on fees from Greenwood, and the club should bring in a good £100m+ more in revenue, too.



Finally, the club renegotiated their long-term loan. The new one is at a higher rate, but it's also around £95m more than the old one. In the first instance, that £95m will go to reduce short-term bank borrowings, increasing the amount available to spend on operations. All in all, it looks to me like the management team is making all the right moves to get the club back into a healthy position. The increased flexibility should allow them to go ahead and buy at least 2/3 more players this summer without breaking the bank. The only way, ultimately, to reduce the debt is to make profits and generate +ve cash flow. They're on the way to achieving that, but the drag caused by the inherited debt and £40m+/- in interest payments per year is currently a major hindrance. It's the equivalent of £100m player on £20m a year.

04 Aug 2026 18:50:34
On repeat.

The Glazers would love you all to believe the club can't afford any major top level purchases. Funny how it always happened before, when we made top 4 as well.

They will be delighted at the poverty message getting out there and the pressure on them easing.

Are we a big club or not?

04 Aug 2026 21:05:56
I agree, Red Man. The money should be there to compete for at least one established top pro. If we're going to end up in this window with a net spend of £100-£150m and watch all the best prospects go elsewhere, then this squad is going to have to defy expectations.

There's going to be some very annoyed supporters if we don't kick on from last season's second half after refusing to stump up the going price for any major talent. The excuse that there's no value in the market has worn thin.

04 Aug 2026 21:43:37
It's all very well asking for players. Most of us identify the need for fullbacks and probably another CM. It's less clear we should get another CB or a striker. I think we should, but on the other hand, by not getting them, we'll see more time for Heaven and Yoro in defence. And, probably, for Shea Lacey in attack (Mbeumo or Cunha providing striker options), or Mount in CM. It's not necessarily what I would choose. What I think is blatantly obvious is that we desperately need a new fullback.

If that's the only business we do before the start of the season, I'll be satisfied. Not ecstatic, but I think we'll be in a strong position. Our attack has settled in, as expected, and it took time for them to build an understanding, and we've strengthened enough not to need Bruno to either play in CM or drop so deep as to effectively play there from No. 10.

04 Aug 2026 21:57:05
The club is now undoing decades of reckless overspending. It's not just about being a club that is competing on the pitch, but also about becoming a club that is fiscally responsible.

I've been very happy with all the signings made so far, last summer and this summer. Each and every signing so far makes us a better team and squad. I've no doubt that there will be more transfers.

This will take time. The club have been horrific in investment over the years, and I'm glad to see the turn, albeit slower than anyone would like.



This club has spent over 1.2 billion in the last 5 years, and we were nowhere near a Premier League title.

Spending does not equal whether or not we are a big club. Signing the right players at the right prices, and ensuring we have the right squad and manager, is what will put us back at the top.

05 Aug 2026 05:21:10
Sell Mount whilst he has some value.

04 Aug 2026 16:41:33
I've noticed on YouTube there are these sites where not only do they disseminate unsubstantiated transfer speculations but actually spend 20 minutes talking about how a particular player has already signed for this or that club and is doing a medical in the evening of tomorrow morning. One such one of those I noticed was regarding Guimares to United.

Apparently we signed him last night! Betchas didn't know that!? I mean it's one thing to stop the leaks to the press about potential signings but quite another for the club to not even tell us who they've signed. That's taking it a bot far.

One other runour was that Fenerbahce are going to break the bank for Rashford. Would he even consider going there?

04 Aug 2026 16:28:24
Hey Ed's would it be possible to post this url here to the FPL Manchester United Rumours league I've created.

Many thanks.

04 Aug 2026 07:39:01
{Ed's Note - Philip_hunter2003 has posted a new article entitled, What United Still Need in the Transfer Window

04 Aug 2026 08:29:55
I think lb is now the biggest priority, Lewis Hall, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Antonee Robinson, Adrien Truffert, and Maxim De Cuyper are probably the best options available.

Then I think we'll move for a third midfielder. Carlos Baleba is, I think, the club's top choice, but they won't overspend on him (or anyone). I think, with what we have signed already (Tielemans and Santos), along with Mainoo, what we lack is a physical, athletic midfielder. Other options could be Tyler Adams, Manu Kone or Sander Berge, who both offer EPL experience as well as having the right profile.

Given we have Mainoo and Santos, it makes sense to bring in someone who has a little more experience.

Beyond those two positions, I don't think we will sign anyone else unless we see players leave, and Rashford and Zirkzee will need to leave before we bring in another forward.

I also doubt we'll bring in another cb unless someone leaves, despite the obvious injury concerns.

04 Aug 2026 10:52:25
Shappy, I'm not sure Zirkzee needs to leave for another forward to come in. I see him as more of an understudy to Bruno than to Sesko, if he stays.

Maybe, the club don't think he has what it takes to be a top level number 10. Maybe, he doesn't want to do it long term and wants to be a false 9, or maybe, he just doesn't want to be stuck behind Bruno for a season or two. He played that role a few times last season, though, and imo looked better there than as a striker, so maybe there's a future for him there.

Bruno is the clear first choice there for now, but he's not getting any younger, and there will be more games to be played now we're back in the Champions League.

There should be chances for someone to start building a case to be his long term successor, and if Zirkzee can do it, that seems more sensible than selling him for peanuts now, just to spend at least 2-3x as much next summer on a young CAM.

Hell, if Bruno leaves next summer (he'll be 33 just a few weeks into the season...), we could end up having to bring in a first-team ready replacement, which could easily cost well over 100m if the market is anything like this summer. If we need an understudy as well, we could easily be looking at 150-200m on one position.

04 Aug 2026 11:45:21
I actually believe that things will flow once Rashford is sold / loaned. I believe the club was banking on Ugarte to go, but the injury hurt that option. My gut says United will sign one of:

MF - Beleba / Camavinga / Scott
LB - Hall / Truffart

I also believe the backup striker will be shelved until January as Cunha, Mbuemo, Mount are viewed as options there.

04 Aug 2026 12:39:18
Mount as backup striker??? Really??

04 Aug 2026 14:44:34
I see Zirkzee as a 10 as well.

Holds the ball up well. Decent touch.

I'm just not convinced he's suited to the EPL, and he would look good on the continent.

Lovely hair, though.

04 Aug 2026 14:56:25
You have a slightly unhealthy obsession with Zirkzee, Stevie.

04 Aug 2026 15:20:52
Nearly as pretty as Blind?

04 Aug 2026 16:32:43
I don't see Zirkzee as a striker suited to the Prem, but he has a very good touch and is one of the better finishers at the club. I actually quite like him, but he can come across as lazy on the pitch.

He might do ok for the team in Europe, where it's a little slower paced. But I'd be worried if he was the main striker if the team has injuries.

Left back should be a priority. I like Lewis Hall, as do United, apparently.

I just can't see Newcastle wanting to sell any more players, so they will likely demand a crazy fee.

Can't see Baleba joining. The fee Brighton wants will probably be a lot more than he's worth and a lot more than United are willing to pay.

I don't think any of the midfielders being linked will join. I have a bad feeling they will say Mount can do a job there, as he's done ok playing in pre season. I hope that's not the case.

04 Aug 2026 18:38:46
Tony, says the man still going on about Daley. 😁

03 Aug 2026 20:51:01
{Ed's Note - Philip_hunter2003 has posted a new article entitled, What United Still Need in the Transfer Window

03 Aug 2026 20:34:03
Whilst I see posts arguing there is no money, not enough money, cannot buy the quality and arguing we buy lesser levels to make up the squad numbers, I am reminded of a story told by SAF in 1993 when he said he was underlining his own buying strategy.

Steve Coppell rang him over a valuation of Nigel Martyn who he wanted to buy and the Palace chairman didn’t agree with the valuation.

SAF told him to ask his Chairman “Are Palace a big club or are we small time?” Coppell got the money.

So Ratcliffe, are United a big club or are we small time?

03 Aug 2026 20:52:07
The latest reports are we are trying to sign Lewis Hall. We will still finish this window with around about 200-250 million spent, like we do nearly every year, red man.

We'd all like to be signing an Anderson or one of the other £100m+ signings, but unfortunately, due to how much work we need, I don't think it's prudent to spend around about half your budget on one player.

03 Aug 2026 21:44:47
Latest rumours suggest we will buy two more players:

Baleba gathering pace.
Hall or Salinas for left back.

03 Aug 2026 22:53:03
Would be very happy with Baleba and Hall, Eric.
I'd be ecstatic if we also target an RB and a CB, but I have come to the conclusion these will be addressed next season.

03 Aug 2026 22:34:26
This is the same SAF that was linked and tried to sign Shearer, Hirst and Le Tissier before signing Cantona and then Kluivert, Batistuta and Salas before signing Yorke.

Red Man, I think you're more bothered about spending Glazers money than actually becoming a successful football team again.

04 Aug 2026 01:06:38
Let's see how we are when the window closes. I know watching teams around us spend a bomb doesn't look good, but really we've only "lost" out on Fernandes, and that was the right call. You can't be signing a player that would come in on double the wages of Cunha, Mbeumo and Sesko.

Holding our cards close to our chest might work out.

Howe wouldn't have let Hall go, but now the dynamics have changed, and that deal looks possible.

If we went out and filled the 3rd CM spot and Tchouemeni becomes available when Rodri moves, we'd be kicking ourselves.

All ifs and buts, but if the window closes and we're short in a lot of positions, panic away. But some patience is needed.

04 Aug 2026 06:52:51
Ports

Spending the Glazers' money? They have not put one cent into the club, so we wouldn't be spending any of their money. None.

However, there is no excuse whatsoever not to buy the players we need to compete. The only blocks are from the owners, who likely want profit and dividends.

Does the club really believe all the claims of poverty will enable them to pay less?
Three players and three first-team star players, maybe two stars and a back up striker. 18 days, and the clock is ticking.

04 Aug 2026 08:01:32
I think the issue is that the fan base are turning into accountants and apologists for the club.

It is not so much about why we did not get this player or that player. Or why we have not spent 100m.

We, as fans, need to expect the club to deliver a winning team. There is a lot of work to do. Maguire, Shaw and Dalot in the back 4 show little ambition. The lack of a recognized second striker also shows little ambition.

Why is it that Utd can't sell players? Even young players have zero value.

Star players have zero value. Promising players like Zirkzee surely have some value?

There is time in the market, and I won't be judging the window until it is closed. But we should also be putting pressure on the club to deliver a better squad. Extra European games will put a lot more pressure on the squad. We should be targeting cup wins this year, not first round exits.

04 Aug 2026 10:25:34
I think Both Santos and Tielemans will be excellent signings for Man United. I was really impressed with Santos against Athletico on Saturday. Extremely calm on the ball, doesn't waste anything, and his forward passes through the lines were really impressive. He is always looking to pass forward to get an attack going. He is still only 22 years old and will keep improving season after season.
I think we got a bargain for 48 million pounds.


Tielemans gives you a bit of everything in midfield and is a proven Premier League player. Add Mainoo to that and Mount to that (for the 15 games a season he stays fit), I think that we have some good options. If I am being greedy, I would definitely want another midfielder and a left back. That, for me, would indicate a good transfer window. Lewis Hall and Tchouameni would be nice.

04 Aug 2026 12:54:56
You mean 'there's no value in the market', SAF? The man who was happy to play ball with the Glazers in return for his 2m a year gig when he retired.

04 Aug 2026 18:54:45
Bilko

The OP quote from SAF was from 1993 when the Glazers only cleaned our windows and didn't rinse the club.

Yes, and, as was said many years ago on here, SAF let the Glazers off. Possibly the horse issue, which brought it all on, made it difficult for him.

04 Aug 2026 21:55:50
Possibly the 'being told he'd be looked after bit ' made it easy for him, being the greedy, grubby man that he is despite his whole trade Unionist, Socialist schtick

03 Aug 2026 19:48:41.
I've set up the Manchester United Rumours FPL league for this season, the joining code is:

2muz93

Best of luck to all this year, let's see who has the best football knowledge. 😂

03 Aug 2026 22:35:55
Just give it to Ken already. 😂

03 Aug 2026 18:37:20
This post could probably be attached to a few of the ones before it but not sure which one, so here I am;

I'm not too clued up on how money works once it gets past 3 zeros tbh so I guess this is more of a question to those that might understand it a little more.



If the club spent more money in this window, would it have implications on borrowing/funding/investment in the new stadium? In Layman's terms, are we in the middle isle at Lidl instead of shopping at Waitrose because we need to save up for a mortgage?

03 Aug 2026 20:41:55
Peter,

Difficult to be definitive, but funding a £2Bn stadium won't be done by scrimping on transfers. The numbers are too big. That also impacts the product on the pitch; such a stadium needs stars and Champions League football.

This is, however, a point where half a billion plus in debt round our necks would impact our ability to borrow much more to fund a stadium. Suspect they will be looking at every possible option.

03 Aug 2026 21:06:05
Like most things in life, Peter, the answer to your question is somewhere in the middle, or yes and no.
The whole business was loss-making and bashful was an issue. Despite cuts across most departments and areas across the business (senior and academy training facilities, sports science and data analytics, the areas that far increase in spend), a period of stability and growth needs to be seen from a cash flow perspective.
We have legacy debts that won't come off our books entirely until next season.
I think the massive inflation has taken ourselves, Arsenal and Liverpool out of several preferred deals.

I tend to think it's a bit of a bubble at the moment and best not to do what we've done in the past and waste money with bad decisions, as they take years to recover from financially.
Some find it frustrating not knowing or seeing nothing, despite stupid sensationalist headlines that stuck them in and con men like Romano. 🤣
I find it a little exciting and like the intrigue of not knowing. I'm sure they are not doing nothing. So just have to wait and see which way they move.

03 Aug 2026 21:25:30
Cheers for the replies, fellas.

03 Aug 2026 22:10:55
I think Grumpy and Sneezy were also issues.

03 Aug 2026 15:12:52
A lot of people complaining about the speed in which we are reinforcing the squad, so what does our squad depth look like:

GK: Lammens, Heaton, Darlow, Bayindir, Vitek.

RB: Dalot, Mazraoui, Yoro, Kamason.

CB: MdL, Martinez, Yoro, Heaven, Maguire, Shaw, Mazraoui.

LB: Shaw, Dorgu, Amass, Leon.

CM: Mainoo, Tielemans, Santos, Mount, Ugarte, J. Fletcher, T. Fletcher, Thwaites.

RW: Mbeumo, Amad, Lacey.

CAM: Bruno, Cunha, Amad, Lacey, Zirkzee.

LW: Rashford, Cunha, Dorgu.

CF: Sesko, Zirkzee, Cunha, Mbeumo, Rashford, Obi.

Now we often say squad depth I mm is about having two good options for every position.

When all our players are fit we have that. The issues we have are based around availability, and the quality/suitability of the depth.

There are question marks over the fitness of Shaw, MdL, Martinez, Ugarte, and Mount.

While we still don't know whether Dorgu is a winger or a full back, and we need to resolve the Rashford situation.

That makes it clear that LB is the highest priority next this summer, as it means we are covered in case of Shaw getting injured as well as allowing Dorgu to play more as a winger if Rashford was to leave.

Without anyone leaving next priority position is probably midfield again, due to Mount's injury record and Ugarte's situation.

Beyond that it will be what happens with Rashford. If he stays then we don't need to sign either a LW or a ST, even if Zirkzee leaves. However, if Rashford does leave along with Zirkzee then we will need another ST.

CB is the position I don't think we will sign anyone for this summer. Maybe that bites us in the arse, but ultimately we can't do everything this summer.

The problem with CB is that really before we sign another one we need to offload one of MdL or Martinez. Otherwise we will just be blocking the pathway for Yoro and Heaven (who both need to play to develop and improve).

In an ideal world both stay fairly fit next season and next summer while both Yoro and Heaven make good steps forward in their development. Meaning we can let Maguire leave next summer and sign a replacement, maybe two if one of MdL or Martinez leaves.

That's more or less what I expect to see happen before the window closes.

A LB and another midfielder signed. Then depending on whether Rashford and Zirkzee leave we might get another ST in.

03 Aug 2026 18:26:14
We don't need any LB or another midfielder, or depend on anything to buy another striker.

We need a top quality LB, a top quality CM, and a good second striker, perhaps experienced, who can support Sesko and play 20 games. Score goals.

We don't need to fill up an average squad with average players; yes, squad depth is important, but it's more than just having two players for each position, it's about standards of the first team.

We need to buy quality that goes into the first team and drives up standards. That will create more squad depth.

03 Aug 2026 18:40:48
Red Man, I get that. But we live in a world where a top LB will cost 60-70m, where top midfielders are going for 100m, and where decent strikers cost 50m.

Do you really think we've got another 220m to spend?

So, the question is what position can we sign top quality in, and then, if we can, improve the other positions with whatever cash we have left.

Maybe we can get Lewis Hall in for 65m. But add that to the 90m we have already spent and suddenly we are up to 155m spent, with maybe another 45-60m left at most (which would still take our spending to around 200m).



Can we get a top class midfielder AND a striker for under 60m in total? Probably not without spending on gambles or well scouted, lesser known players. You know the ones you were b1tching about being "budget" options.

Is it better to spend all our money even if a big chunk of that is potentially poorly spent on gambles, or, if we can't afford to buy all of the players we want/need, is it better to keep the money to spend in January or next summer on the right targets?

03 Aug 2026 20:02:43
They need to spend the money this summer. Putting it off again will just mean the team falling further behind.

Not spending it this summer could potentially lead to a really poor first half and calls for Carrick to go. The team managed to get through the last half of the season with only 1 game a week. There will be more this season, and the team can't afford to drop off a cliff as soon as one or two players are missing.

Mbuemo is not a striker. The team needs somebody up there when Sesko can't play, which, sadly, seems to be quite often.

And Shaw is highly likely to get injured again, and even when fit, he can't go up and down the pitch all game to offer the team any width.

With Cunha on the left, there is no width, as he drifts inside. The full back needs to offer that.

And I agree with many, the team need another body in the midfield. The squad isn't really any better off in terms of numbers this season. Cas and Ugarte are out, and two in to replace them.

There are a lot of names on the squad list above. But, if we are honest, not many would get into the teams fighting for the title or Champions League.

03 Aug 2026 20:21:07
Shappy,

£90m spent? What's the net spend? I read £37m. We still need to shift others.

It seems people tell us not to talk money until it suits them to argue we can't spend to buy what we need. The Glazers must be rubbing their hands.

Champions League football. No more money excuses this summer.

04 Aug 2026 11:39:46
Fallguy, not spending is better than spending badly.

Obviously, we all want the club to spend and bring in a few more players, but it needs to be the right players for the right money.

The club is still suffering from poor spending in the past, because poor spending doesn't just waste money now, it hinders our ability to spend in the future.

So far, the club has spent very well this summer. That offers a bit more leeway in spending a bit bigger on further signings this summer, but not enough for the club to just be silly.



If the club blows the remaining money on a Sancho 2.0, that's going to have the same effect as what you described happening if they don't spend. Except it will be worse because we'll have spent money we could have used in January or next summer, added to our wage bill, and tied a weight around our necks in terms of PSR.