Manchester United Banter 2

05 Aug 2026 10:37:39
Vitek off to Middlesbrough for £14 million including potential add-ons, also includes a 35% sell-on fee.

Wishing him the best of luck!

05 Aug 2026 10:46:27
Good to get him moved on. Sounds like a decent fee. Happy days.

05 Aug 2026 11:42:12
Hope there is a buy back clause.

05 Aug 2026 12:09:29
It's peanuts. Others sell players for £40m; we get offers of £6m, £14m. Is he going to be a first choice keeper for them?

05 Aug 2026 12:26:12
It looks as though he is being brought in to be their first-choice keeper. Vitek was reportedly Boro's top goalkeeper target after they decided they wanted an upgrade in that position, and they're even trying to register him in time to play against Wrexham on Friday.

The £14m isn't all guaranteed upfront. Reports say it's initially around £7m, rising through appearances and potentially promotion. United have also protected themselves with a 35% sell-on clause, matching rights and, importantly, a buy-back option.



So I think it's a decent deal. Vitek wanted regular first-team football, which United couldn't promise him, but there's still a route to bring him back if he develops into a top keeper.

It's been a busy day for outgoing goalkeepers too, with Altay Bayindir also heading to Celta Vigo on loan. That deal reportedly includes a €4m option to buy, with the final fee potentially changing depending on appearances.

05 Aug 2026 13:41:18
Good deal. Better getting sell-on percentages and buy-backs rather than eke out a few million now. Best we could have gotten for Vitek is 20m, but his potential is really good.

05 Aug 2026 14:06:54
Absolutely shocking by United. 6 million for one of the best goalkeepers in the Championship last season.
Coventry have just paid 22.5 million for Carl Rushford, who was on loan with them last season.
Should be getting at least 15-20 million guaranteed for him.

05 Aug 2026 15:52:42
Some add-ons are very easy to achieve, and if he was worth what people think he is, the current ownership would get that number. House cleaning is going on and needed.

05 Aug 2026 10:22:31
Bruno for 75m. Does that Tielemans and Santos look like a bit of good business?

05 Aug 2026 10:44:20
In no way comparable, different players and different clubs. Not relevant to anything really.

05 Aug 2026 11:40:05
75m for a CM, 28 years old, and 35m for a CM, 29 years old, both in the Premier League, to 2 top 4 clubs. Not comparable whatsoever.

05 Aug 2026 11:44:02
In today's inflated market it's money well spent. He is a quality player who will make Arsenal stronger. They are doing what a top team should do. Sign better, please, as much as possible, to consolidate their position.

05 Aug 2026 13:43:11
Does he definitely make Arsenal stronger, Salford? Zubimendi likely will play less and Rice would need to play more in the 6 to make it work, I think. He's a good player and improves their squad, but it's a lot to pay for someone that doesn't necessarily form part of the starting XI.

05 Aug 2026 14:07:47
I honestly don't rate Zubamendi, and I think it will be him that drops out.

05 Aug 2026 00:17:43
United should earn an extra £50m from the Betway sponsorship deal, the Adidas uplift, and the documentary. A decent run in the Champions League and the domestic cups and total revenues of £800m are not out of the question. That's a rise of about £140m. The club was already starting to become profitable at the end March 31st and hopefully we won't have the costs of firing a manger and his crew this next financial year.

For the above reasons I believe the club still has plenty room to make two or three significant additions to the squad. Whether they do remains to be seen. They're clearly not planning on being taken to the cleaners by anyone. But if they're really planning on contending for the league title by next year, they're going to have to stump up some cash or be very lucky/smart indeed.

04 Aug 2026 23:23:48
With Sancho finding it hard to get a new club and realising he isn't as great as he thought he was. I wonder how much that will be playing on Rashford's mind.

05 Aug 2026 07:48:07
I think Sancho could find a club tomorrow if he and his agents weren’t expecting 100-200k per week.

Rashford must be now thinking that, with the only concrete interest coming from Turkey, knocking down and staying at Utd and playing in a better league is surely the only way forward for him.

05 Aug 2026 10:06:36
If Rashford looked for a salary that he could justify, then there would be plenty of clubs interested in signing him despite his reputation.

05 Aug 2026 10:18:19
We have no idea as to what salary Rashford is looking for, Ken.

05 Aug 2026 10:32:18
Sancho is enjoying his freedom.

05 Aug 2026 10:34:54
I know he is trying to maintain his current salary for a loan deal, as that's widely reported and was the case in the deal he had at Barcelona.
I'm not sure what he wants for a permanent move, but it's too much to incite any offers from tier 1 or tier 2 clubs so far.

05 Aug 2026 11:45:29
I wonder if Barca come in late on with a low-ball bid if he hasn't moved to another club.

04 Aug 2026 22:03:31
I see Big Sir Jim Farage and co. have done a deal with Betway to be our training kit sponsor, nice to see the guys are classy as always.

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. 😁