Manchester United Banter Mobile

24 Jun 2026 19:22:16
Spurs noise around Fernandez is growing. If that’s the case, where do we think we look? Tchouameni been mentioned, Scott from Bournemouth. Obviously we need quality in midfield but some of the prices seem prohibitive to us. Long summer obviously, but a lot of work to do to have as squad capable of coping with a busy season ahead.

24 Jun 2026 21:29:39
It will be alright, Tim.

24 Jun 2026 22:15:00
I know it will, Ken. Just interesting to see where we turn next. We seem to like players with Premier League experience, so Scott ticks that box, maybe Baleba will come back into play again although he wasn't great last season. If u had to pick another midfielder, Ken, who would u want? (realistically)

24 Jun 2026 22:22:47
I'd prefer Scott. It has a better 'feel' for me than Fernandes.

25 Jun 2026 00:06:02
Tim, be cool. Most of this stuff is background noise created by people who are trying to generate jeopardy.

West Ham are very keen on trying to instigate an auction. Clearly, that would be in their interests.

Remember, Jason Wilcox was instrumental in bringing him into Southampton 2 years ago, and he has kept in touch with his team ever since. He fully expects Fernandes to attain top level!

Fernandes has been very clear where he wants to go and will only look to other options if we withdraw from our chase.

West Ham's end of financial year is 30th June, and they may well need to agree a sale of a player by that time to satisfy regulatory issues. Everyone is manoeuvring their position to try for maximum gain. I think we will see a formal bid forthcoming from us in the next few days. I just hope we play our hand successfully.

25 Jun 2026 00:35:18
I'm not bothered at all, Tim. I think one guy has as good a chance as any other of being successful or being a flop.
So I'm not at all concerned by who it is. Who I want is irrelevant, I'm not picking the team.
All I'm really concerned about is that whomever comes in, they do well.
I could name any amount of players I'd like to see us sign, but if it's going to happen, no point in discussing it really.

23 Jun 2026 23:01:26
Watching England football was so so boring. No creative spark of genius and it kind of emphasises too how lucky Utd have been to have Bruno playing for us. If anything happens to him we will be in trouble.

24 Jun 2026 02:13:18
Made me think of many United games in the EPL, with teams defending against us in a low block and basically contributing nothing to entertain. England were lucky not to concede a penalty at the end. Rashford and Saka at least bought a bit of a spark, unlike Gordon and Madueke.

24 Jun 2026 02:53:04
It's England. Enough said.

24 Jun 2026 07:46:31
England needed someone to pass or run through the lines into the area, and I was so surprised that Mainoo wasn't given time. I also wondered if it was worth giving Toney a few minutes as plan B. It strikes me there is no special talent in the squad, no Rooney.
Thing is, most players in the EPL are basically super fit robots.
Onwards.

24 Jun 2026 12:09:29
Madueke and Gordon were dreadful. I suspect Rashford and Saka will come in now.

The whole team seemed to play safe, a real lack of penetration, but it's a long competition, so no harm done yet. We saw against Croatia how impressive we can be when we go for it. Surely, against 'lesser' teams, we should do that even more.

24 Jun 2026 12:31:44
If I was the ref, Pickford would be off and a penalty would have been awarded, but not to give either. Pickford could be argued 50/50, but the penalty? Shameful :(.

24 Jun 2026 12:53:08
Yes. With another ref, Pickford could have been gone. Neither he nor the Ghanaian player actually touched the ball, so hard to say, and there were defenders around, so no denial of a clear goal-scoring opportunity; a red might have been harsh, but it should have been a yellow and a free kick to Ghana rather than the other way.

The ref was very poor throughout the match, with some decisions being made long after the play had moved on.

There was one where a defender clearly obstructs Kane, rather than attempting to play the ball, hurts his back in the process, goes down in the area, and then the ref awards a free kick after the ball has been cleared into the England half. The ref was obviously out of his depth.

24 Jun 2026 14:07:43
Worst England squad I've seen in my life.

Absolute shambles of a squad.

Defensively, absolutely pony.

Midfield lacks creativity.

Wingers who couldn't beat a drum.

Kane is the only truly great player.

Gordon will be back in England after 18 months at Barca.

Who thought he was good enough for them?

Now I don't rate Rashford, but you're seriously telling me he's worth another £45 million on top of what they could have got Rashford for.

24 Jun 2026 16:42:13
Probably shouldn't comment on England as an Irishman, but I'll try to be objective. England will beat lots of poor to average teams easily because there are lots of players with really good stamina, a strong work rate in the team, and the players have good technique.

On the negative side: The defence is quite poor, the two starting CMs do the same thing and lack creativity or ability to break lines through their passing. In attack, there is a dearth of quality wide players. Rashford, as others said, should start, but Saka is crocked.

Kane is a top player, but Rogers, Bellingham, and lots of their players want to occupy the space he wants to go. Build around Kane and have fast players either side like Bayern do, and they'll be much better.

France are miles ahead. Argentina, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Brazil all have some issues, but are better balanced than England. So I think they might get as far as a semifinal, but that'd be a really good achievement with the squad they have.

24 Jun 2026 18:37:48
100m Rice in midfield.
100m Bellingham in midfield. 120m Anderson in midfield.
Most would want those 3 at United.
It's only 1 game, there are good players there, none played well last night.

24 Jun 2026 22:08:52
TW

I don't think the aim last night should have been a battle to control midfield. We had control, they conceded it. So no need to rely on Anderson and Rice in MF. Said above, Mainoo would have been good to drive the ball forward. We didn't need to grab control of midfield, we needed to move it into their box.

21 Jun 2026 19:58:12
Seems Bergvall is seeking a move this summer. Decent box to box option.

I do have a sneaky feeling that Tchouemani will be the player we’re going for in the background.

21 Jun 2026 22:43:06
Am sure that chew my nanny is someone the club would love to sign. Would be the ideal defensive No 6. It would be a fantastic addition.

There is talk that Madrid may be prepared to let him go to help fund their spending spree this summer under Mourinho.



Also, following the major bust up between him and Valverde, it seems likely one of them will have to leave, maybe he is the chosen one!

Whatever, if he and Fernandes were to be signed that would be a fantastic summer and give us excellent midfield options.

22 Jun 2026 10:17:40
I don't think we'll sign a 3rd midfielder, and if we do I don't think they'll be the three of Ederson, Tchouemeni and Fernandes.

Even with Casemiro going and possibly Ugarte too, you'd be essentially signing three new players that would all want to play. Now, I know we have more games, injuries will happen, etc., but with Mainoo too, you'd have four lads itching to start.

This isn't the natural evolution of a squad either. If you sign Tchouemeni, he starts. Fernandes isn't signing to play second fiddle to him, and Ederson is then 4th choice with very limited game time.



That would absolutely solve the midfield problem, but I think we should be looking at the academy for the 4th choice midfielder, or even a player with a different profile than that of £70,000,000£80,000,000 player that will spend the majority of time on the bench.

Money is also finite. We have full back issues and need a winger and a striker. With Ederson done, I don't think the answer to the midfield conundrum is Tchouemeni and Fernandes.

22 Jun 2026 12:36:17
Agree, Mumbles. He is not what we need.

22 Jun 2026 14:05:56
I've no idea, but I have no desire to chew my nanny.

22 Jun 2026 16:33:47
Mumbles, maybe so, but chew my nanny and Fernandes are different types of players.

Fernandes is very press resistant and excellent at progressing the ball forward. While he is also good at getting his foot in and winning the ball back, he will probably be playing more as a No 8.

CMN is very much a defensive midfielder. He excels at that. Yes, he will be playing most of the time, but with increased games, injuries, suspensions and even loss of form, I think we need 5 players to adequately cover the midfield.

We have, most would agree, been lacking a quality midfield for many years. A quality midfield can improve your forward line without buying new forwards, through increased control of the ball and improved chance creation.

Additionally, it can improve your defence without new defenders by offering increased protection.

I do believe to be strong in this area we need 5 quality players to choose from, and just as we concentrated on forwards last summer, then this summer should be fully committed to this area.

Whilst, if (big if) we got those 3 players, it would be a spend of about £180,000,000. There should still be funds for other areas.

Just my view of course, but Bruno/Kobbie covering the No 10 position, Fernandes/Ederson as No 8s (both could play as 6s), and then Tchouameni principally covering No 6. This would give us plenty of options.

Completely different matter, the club have announced the purchase of additional land needed towards the new stadium build.

22 Jun 2026 17:09:53
I get that Iwotb, but I see it as signing 3 players to effectively fill one midfield spot, as Mainoo will be occupying the other one. Of course, injuries, form, suspensions will play a part, and I'm not suggesting we shouldn't have competition in midfield.

I just think doing it all in one window, signing players that will all want/expect to start, isn't a great recipe for success.

If Carrick fails to rotate or give minutes, the harmony could be gone quite quickly.

Emerson is in, and it looks like Fernandes is next. I think a younger player that is happy to deputize and grow with minutes should be the way forward.

Tchouemeni, Ederson and Fernandes is overkill considering the needs of the squad. Not particularly a bad problem to have, but I don't think those 3 are needed.

22 Jun 2026 17:33:39
Personally, I think that 3 midfielders is a must. Last season we were completely reliant on Casemiro and Mainoo once Carrick took over. Cas is gone and Ugarte will be following him. That leaves us with 1 established centre mid.

Next season, we could be playing double the amount of games if we compete in all competitions. We could rely on Mount, but his injury record makes it a risk and he isn't really a midfielder.

None of the academy lads seem like they're ready to play at this level either.

There should be competition for starting positions. That's something our squad has been seriously lacking. If we brought in 3 mids, they'd all get game time. However, they'll have to fight to start in big games. The way things should be.

22 Jun 2026 19:31:33
This is Man Utd. You should have 15/16 lads all itching to start, Mumbles. Our squad depth in terms of quality is dreadful right now.

And, as things stand, we have an unknown in Ederson (who still hasn't officially signed by the way), Ugarte who is dross, and Mainoo for midfield.

22 Jun 2026 19:51:28
I agree we need 3 midfielders, Eric, just not those 3 for the prices they'd cost. Unless the budget is there to fix the full back positions, get a winger and a striker, then I still stand by my point. The profile of those 3 midfielders mentioned isn't the right balance.

22 Jun 2026 22:51:13
I don't see us buying 3 mids... Reckon one will be a promotion or not at all. Tchouemeni would be ace, but I can't think of many Real players being let go at that age. More likely when they're crocked or looking for a final bumper pay day (we've fallen for that one a few times from them). He's a few rungs too high for us atm, in my view.


Also, I wonder if the fact that City haven't as yet managed to sign Anderson could be what's causing us some pause on whatever our next deal might be. It would be a shame for City to walk away for whatever reason, but we've already spunked the dosh on the next player along...

22 Jun 2026 23:43:30
Fair enough, Mumbles, pal. Each to their own.

However, I fundamentally disagree with you. Midfield has to be the absolute priority this summer, pretty much everything else should be secondary, and no concessions should be made.

If, unexpectedly, Tchouameni should become available, then I believe it would represent one of those rare, unprepared-for opportunities which you must go for, as they can prove so significant.



Fairly sure there would still be some funds for other players. I do not think for a minute that we will buy 7 or 8 new players. Can't see it being more than 4 or 5; any more, and there will be difficulties integrating them.

Anyway, we will know all the answers by 31st August. Hope it will be a bit like Xmas and we all get what we want!

23 Jun 2026 21:25:59
We cannot possibly go into a Champions League campaign without a ball-winning midfielder.

Imagine going away to PSG/Madrid etc. with a midfield of Mainoo and someone like Alex Scott. We wouldn't touch the ball.

Tchouameni, please.

20 Jun 2026 23:53:58
Market forces, i.e., supply and demand, determine transfer prices. Utd will have a maximum figure they are prepared to pay for any player.

I saw both Fernandez and Somerville play against Utd and was impressed by both. I think they would be a significant improvement on what we have, and both with their peak years ahead of them.

Are they worth the big fees? Impossible to say.

What really matters is what Carrick, Wilcox and the coaching staff think.
Carrick knows he will be under the microscope as manager. If he has the confidence in Fernandez to but him then (given his experience of playing in midfield at the very highest level) I think we should trust his choice.

21 Jun 2026 10:51:49
For me personally, Fernandes is 100% a player I think we should be targeting.

Somerville, though, I'm not convinced is someone we should be considering for anything above 35m max.

At best, he'd be a slightly different option off the bench. He's great at beating his man, but he doesn't know what to do once he does beat them. His decision making is average at best, but, more often than not, is terrible. He played the whole season on the LW for West Ham and managed 5 goals and 2 assists. Dorgu played as a LW player for 9 games and managed 4 goals and 4 assists (against some of the best teams in the league as well).



Somerville goes head down, beats the man and smashes a shot (normally either off target, straight at the keeper, or into the CB who's right in front of him, but he didn't lift his head up to see).

For a club like ours, he's a guy you bring on for the last 10-15 minutes against tired legs in the hope that he grabs a goal. But, every time he would start for us, the fans would be crying out for him to be hooked at halftime. He's a similar player to Garnacho, but less talented, and a few years older.

21 Jun 2026 13:41:31
Hard to say on Summerville. He looked really good for a half on the right for the Dutch v Sweden. Beautiful footwork to set up the first, an uncomplicated assist to set up Gakpo, and a really good shot for his goal.

He has the talent. He's been playing in a poor team. Maybe he would shine in the right environment. Does he have any defensive qualities? Is he better than Amad?

21 Jun 2026 13:50:20
Supply and demand may determine the price a club wants. United, having a price they are willing to pay, is the club's internal decision, guided by how much money is to be made available. Negotiation is important, but there will be a price a club wants; for example, Anderson & City. The price has to deliver benefit. If City win the next two leagues with Anderson, then paying the price will likely have been worth it.


If we want to maintain third or finish higher, the highest quality player has to be bought. Unless they find a player who will only come to us, then having a maximum price could see us move to second, third, or fourth choice, and likely a subsequent drop in quality.
It depends on what the club's aims are.

21 Jun 2026 15:50:17
Summerville looks a strange signing, but perhaps the idea is to have him as cover for both wing positions and use Mbeumo and Cunha as alternatives to Sesko?

21 Jun 2026 17:48:19
Summerville looked pretty good in the half he played the other night. The talent is there, that's for sure, and the price has probably now gone up, but you have to see more than that, because we're not in a position for more potentials.

21 Jun 2026 20:19:58
I don't think we sign an attacking player this summer unless there are some outs, unless maybe striker. I really think JJ will be part of the squad, we already have Cunha, Mbeumo, Dorgu, Mount (when he's fit), Bruno, Zirkzee and Rashford (he's back but for how long).

That's 8 players for 3 positions. I think we will be concentrating on some CMs, lb and CB. I'd also say we have Obi and young Rooney who will break through as proper 1st team players this season.

21 Jun 2026 20:56:28
I love your optimism, Danny, but from what I've seen, JJ is a long way from being ready. He may join the squad, but I don't see him getting a lot of game time. I'm not convinced Obi is good enough, and there's no way Rooney is getting in the first team next season.

22 Jun 2026 06:46:33
It would be a mistake not to add a striker. In the days when we were good, we had 4. Now we have just one central striker.
With AJH, I'm not convinced Obi is going to make it; far too early for Rooney. JJ will likely get a cup sub appearance.
We need a central striker who can run in behind. Kroupi looked the part.

22 Jun 2026 09:11:29
I agree we need a top striker. I would sign Lewandowski.
Free transfer so wages shld not be a prob.
Plus I can't see any other top UK team wanting him, and he surely would like to play in our league.
He will give Sesko and our other younger strikers the benefit of his huge experience.

22 Jun 2026 10:57:58
To be fair, Red Man, we played with two strikers back then.

Now that everyone is playing one up top, and with the other attacking options we have that can fill in as a striker, I don't see the immediate need for one when there are so many other areas of the pitch that need more immediate attention.



If there's money left over, all well and good.

I certainly wouldn't be averse to the likes of Lewandowski coming in.

22 Jun 2026 17:59:36
Nou,

One striker for the whole season, that's mad to me. Four for two positions, ok, but only one for one.
Striker needs immediate attention for me.

22 Jun 2026 22:53:53
I've always thought Somerville looked pretty useful whenever I've seen him. Very skilful and direct, although maybe not as much end product as needed. Still, a proper winger that can play on both sides is always welcome in a Utd side, I reckon.

20 Jun 2026 07:39:01
{Ed's Note - EHL2020 has posted a new article entitled, Why Rangers Pre-Season Matters This Year