Manchester United Banter Mobile

07 Jun 2026 19:35:22
Can I wish Christian Eriksen all the best. Difficult but I suspect this may be the end of his career.

07 Jun 2026 20:26:11
Shocking to see, and, sadly, probably the incident that will call time on a great career.

The fact that he has managed to play on for another 5 years since his first incident in 2021 shows how far we have come with sports medicine.

I wish him a speedy and full recovery.

07 Jun 2026 16:31:53
Would everyone be happy to only get Ederson and Fernandes for midfield, around 100mill, no World Cup, can join full preseason too. Then spend on other positions? We conceded over 50 goals last season, that has to be addressed too.

I accept a stronger midfield helps, but think we need a stronger back 4. A lot will depend De Ligt after his op and if Martinez can rediscover his form at the WC. Maybe FBs need an upgrade?

07 Jun 2026 18:38:57
With European and cup football, three midfielders isn't really enough. Fernandes is young and had a decent season. Emerson has played in a mid-table Atalanta. I think these two are great squad players, Fernandes having bucket loads of potential. However, Mainoo is young. All three are right-footed.

We really need a mid 20s player who's got amazing leadership qualities and is a nailed-on starter to help Mainoo and Fernandes. Ideally two-footed and great with their left, tactically disciplined, able to cover a boat load of ground, looks to pass forward, has a great passing range, and is an astute defender.

07 Jun 2026 20:02:07
Ederson had just been called up by Brazil, I've read.

07 Jun 2026 20:02:57
Kevin Strootman fits the bill.

07 Jun 2026 21:19:43
Schneider.

07 Jun 2026 22:12:50
Emerson, did well at Boro, but unlikely we sign him.

06 Jun 2026 21:26:47
Apparently our $33m target Christos Mouzakitis (who? when?) is taking Spanish lessons amid interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona (you know, the club that hasn't any money!), interest.

Silly season is upon us.

Someone should keep a tally of where all the players who are linked to us end up going.

07 Jun 2026 11:23:07
We've been loosely linked with him a couple of times, but in all honesty it was probably more a case of using our name to flush out other interested parties or as leverage in contract negotiations.

He's a talented lad, but I think it's a bit early for a move to a top European club where the pressure and expectations will be sky high. He needs a good stepping stone club where he can develop against better opposition, while also playing regularly enough to continue to develop.

That's the thing we often overlook as fans when we are linked to a "wonder kid." They need to be allowed to make mistakes and still be first choice in the next game, so they can learn from it. At top clubs, if you make a mistake you are often dropped (or taken out of the spotlight) in the next game, but the longer between the mistake and being given the opportunity to rectify it, the harder it is to do so.

They need to be given the chance to try again while the memory of the mistake is still fresh.

If you think about the wonder kids who move to top clubs and then reach their potential, they tend to play in positions where mistakes are easier to forgive or they have less impact. Forwards, wingers, full backs etc. Rarely do we see keepers, CB's or CDM's given the opportunities at top clubs when they make mistakes as it often costs the club points. These are also positions where experience is a vital part of the role.

Leny Yoro, for example, is potentially a generational talent, yet his development has been very stop-start. He has looked great at times, but has made costly errors at others. While he keeps coming in and out of the line up, it will be harder for him to develop. It'll certainly take him longer to reach his potential, while it could ultimately limit the maximum level he gets to.

06 Jun 2026 12:37:24
Reading an article on Lou Macari today, whilst sipping an ice cold Mythos by the pool in Greece.

Obviously there was nothing in it I didn't know already as regards his sterling work to help the homeless over the years.

But my question is, how on earth has that great man never received any official recognition for his work?

In an era where knighthoods are given out willynilly for far less, Lou hasn't even received a lowly CBE.

Unless he's indicated he wouldn't want an official state honour, and that's fair enough, how can that possibly be?

06 Jun 2026 19:20:38
Good question, Stevie. He's a saint. It's bizarre he hasn't been recognised for his work outside football. It shows what a nonsense the honours system is, an anachronism we need to move on from.

07 Jun 2026 07:35:31
I lived on the same road as Lou when I was younger, and when he came to United, I never saw him. However, his charity work is legendary. Perhaps he has the "wrong" political opinion, so he will not be considered? There can't be many explanations, because I agree, Nou, Lou deserves recognition.

05 Jun 2026 19:55:39
Listening to Berada's interview by Andy Mitten, it's clear he gets it. None of us know what the future has in store but we can rest assured that the new management team is working hard and professionally towards the right goals, in particular footballing excellence in keeping with the traditions of the club along with fiscal responsibility. This is not an executive team that's going to shrink away from hard decisions, as painful as they may be/already have been. It's all in pursuit of the necessary investments both to win trophies, improve the facilities and the fan experience.

The management team can't magic away the debt. That's down to the owners. The best they can do is produce profits/+ve cash flow to help reduce it. It was interesting to note a report in Bloomberg that some of the Glazer family are investigating how they can reduce or sell their stakes.

Why would they have any desire to remain as shareholders if the club is not appreciating in value and/or not paying dividends? Joel and Avram have Board roles so it's a different proposition for them. They won't want the family holdings diluted to the extent that they lose control. So you would think it would be a total sell out or nothing at all. They're already down to 49% overall, 69% of the voting stock.

Meanwhile the transfer window opens in 10 days, not before the World Cup, which is going to take 6 weeks this time around. It's hard to see how too many major transfers are going to be completed before top players start coming home. I guess we're going to be mired in a lot of speculation, most of it repetitious clickbait, until then.

06 Jun 2026 00:23:31
I think you may be a little naive there, buddy. Don't drink the cool aid.

The Glazers are going to make billions more by holding until after the stadium is built, and the club has bled as dry as possible. They will not be letting go until at least then. It would take a ridiculous offer.

European league will come at some point, Utd will only grow in value, and the fans have shown they will put up with anything.



What has Barada done that has been good? We are losing primary choices for players to rivals and other clubs. He has made more money off fans at the stadium. Might bring out an extra kit next year. Mitten will get a nice interview and some exclusives for putting out a soft glow up for Barada. That is all it was.

06 Jun 2026 02:24:02
They will be dead before a new stadium is built. Unless they get investors to come in, there is no chance a spade will be dug in the ground in the next 10 years.

06 Jun 2026 07:36:32
New name

"The best they can do is produce profits/+ve cash flow to help reduce it."

The Glazers are not reducing the debt though. Profit would let them pay dividends to themselves, potentially increasing the Net Worth of the business marginally. The debt is just sitting there. Stop kidding yourself. This is only about what the Glazers want to take out. Very likely the leeches have set Ratcliffe and hence Berrada an objective to be profitable so they can keep taking dividends.

It must have been tough for them in recent times to manage the upkeep of the mansions and yachts they have bought on the back of a northern working people's football club without precious millions in dividends. They even had to sell shares to keep going.

Do you think taking millions in dividends helps us?

06 Jun 2026 13:05:49
I'm no fan of the Glazers, and haven't been since day one. I've not had a nice thing to say about them. The LBO was an abomination and should never have been allowed. Their appointment and retention of Woodward was a disaster for the club. I'm no fan of Ratcliffe either.

The only naivete here is being shown by those who think investors should not be in it to make money, and resent them when they do. United is a public company. Why would I, you, or an institutional investor buy shares without the hope that they would appreciate in value and/or pay dividends? Any other reason is a vanity, whether it's one share or the whole club.



What I'm concerned about as a fan is the quality of the executives, who, as I wrote, have limited control over the level of debt, but have the responsibility for the product on the pitch. If Berada and his team get us back to competing seriously for and winning titles, and, preferably, playing exciting football on the way, it will not concern me one jot if the owners make out like banshees. As of now it's not Berada's fault if our lack of profitability and existing debt prevents us from spending £100m+ on individual players.

07 Jun 2026 00:22:43
Spot on, newname.

As a fan, I am really only concerned with how the team performs on a football pitch.

Two caveats, though...... I find it offensive and upsetting when loyal members of staff, who have worked at the club (sometimes for many years), are sacked whilst huge dividends are paid out and under performing players still get mega salaries.



Secondly, I hate that us working class fans are being asked ever increasing amounts for tickets to matches, and being priced out of attending.

07 Jun 2026 07:42:59
Newname

"The only naivete here is being shown by those who think investors should not be in it to make money."

Tell me exactly how much the Glazers have invested in the club at any time? I can tell you, zero, not one cent. Show me any time they have invested in the club.

I don't believe City owners take out a penny, nor, I bet, will Newcastle.

I hope Ratcliffe doesn't take dividends out of respect to the fans who pay hard earned money, and a lot of it. I have no issue whatsoever if Ratcliffe makes money on his investment in terms of asset value; at least he did put money on, however it was done (via Ineos?).

07 Jun 2026 12:05:35
I think there is a very clear difference between the people running the club and the people who own the club.

While ultimately the owners get the final say in club decisions, the problem we had previously is that the ownership was solely under the Glazers who had little to no interest in the clubs success beyond how much money it could make them. As such they left the running of the club down to those people who would ensure they got a return on their "investment".

The hiring of Ed Woodward for example was just full blown cronyism, they didn't even try to hide it and said in the statement of his hiring about how much he helped to owners previously.

That was not a hiring for the club but one for the owners.

Since INEOS have come in they at the very least seems to be doing things the right way. Initially people they knew came in to judge the lay of the land and to advise on what they saw and what would need to be put in place to fix the issues. People like Blanc and Brailsford for example could have easily have been given long term roles if they wanted to have "their" people in charge of the day to day running. Likewise Sir Jim and Dave Brailsford's close previous connections to Southgate could have got him the managers position.

Yet none of that happened, they've interviewed the best candidates and hired who they thought was best placed to run the club well. Not every hiring has worked out (no one every gets every decision right), and I'm sure there will be times when they need to replace people again in the future.

Yet they've seemed to manage to get a good blend of people, Berada, Wilcox, and Vivell seem to have a good balance and grasp of what is needed. They will of course make mistakes, but they are at least trying to make the club successful on the pitch.

The way they are clearing the squad of deadwood or those who just don't fit what we want to be. They way they have made a clear idea of they types of players we should be signing and how we are scouting and profiling targets, as well as how they are working to line them up. Whole club thinking, not just about this season with this manager, but future seasons under potentially different managers, how youth players fit in with potential first team signings.

Ultimately just being run as a proper football club.

The owners are a whole different matter, ultimately whether it's the Glazers or INEOS (Sir Jim) they will have their own agendas and ideas. They will want something from the club. What is important to remember is that the owners, just like the players and the managers, are just temporary custodians, they own the club for now, but they won't own it forever. Maybe the next owners will be better, or maybe they will be worse, who knows.

Personally, though I'm just happy that the club is being run as a football club again. Ultimately I'm here to enjoy the football, which I can say I am, and I feel hopeful again that we are on a pathway that will lead to future success. How long that takes I don't know, but it feels like we are at least heading in the right direction.