Current Avatar:
No Avatar image uploaded
No Avatar image uploaded
Manchester United Rumours Member Posts
Downsie53's Profile
Downsie53's Posts and Other Poster's Replies To Downsie53's Posts
To Downsie53's last 5 rumours posts
To Downsie53's last 5 banter posts
To Downsie53's last 5 rumour replies
To Downsie53's last 5 banter replies
Downsie53's rumours posts with other poster's replies to Downsie53's rumours posts
15 May 2025 17:52:02
I'm not buying the Semenyo rumours at all. He'd be the L10, which is exactly where Cunha is being bought to play.
L10: Cunha/ Garnacho
R10: Mbuemo/ Amad/ Mount
LWB: Dorgu/ Shaw/ Amass
RWB: Amad/ Dalot.
1.) 15 May 2025 20:38:04
What makes you think Cunha is nailed on? Remember Olise lol.
2.) 15 May 2025 20:47:04
I would take Semenyo over Cunha every day until the end of time, there is simply no comparison.
I'll say again RWB, no for Amad.
Dumfries, Ait-Nouri are two to consider.
3.) 15 May 2025 21:56:05
Yeah I think we need a wingback too. Vanderson of Monaco also linked recently who looks a good player.
4.) 15 May 2025 22:20:55
Jimbo red. Really Semenyo over Cunha? Cunha is far more talented and can play in many positions. He would be able to play in any of the top teams. Semenyo is a good player but I could never see him play as a number 8 or number 10 to the same level if at all. Cunha is a little bit Cantonaesque.
5.) 15 May 2025 22:32:54
Cunha is a bit like Cantona in every department. A bit lazy, a bit of a temper etc etc.
Watched both play, believe Semenyo offers more to the team. Cunha is about Cunha.
{Ed025's Note - a loose cannon Jimbob, but very talented mate..
6.) 16 May 2025 03:00:24
Not denying his talent Ed25, my main concern is whether he is the 'right' fit at the right time for us.
If we had an established squad that was competing week in week out, sprinkling a Cantona/ Cunha type player into the mix is a great idea.
I just have a feeling throwing Cunha to lions with our current squad could have far reaching damaging consequences. I would love to be proven wrong. Maybe I am just scarred from previous examples!
{Ed025's Note - i get what you are saying Jimbob, the thing is that he is a goal threat which is something you are missing mate..
7.) 16 May 2025 06:41:36
Rooney and Keane were loose cannons aswell. Sometimes you need players like that.
{Ed025's Note - i agree MH..
8.) 16 May 2025 09:19:31
Cunha all day long. Agree with comments about his temper and agressive nature at points, but on the flipside you have a player that lives for goals and assists and will not be pushed around by defenders.
We can have a player like this in the team and will transform our attacking play.
9.) 16 May 2025 10:10:33
Totally agree Ed, he fits the bill for goals/ assists.
I was and still am in the Cunha IN camp, I just have that slight reservation. But I guess you could apply the same concerns to any signing!
{Ed025's Note - he would certainly improve the team Jimbob..
10.) 16 May 2025 19:31:44
I think they sell garnacho.
11.) 16 May 2025 22:23:30
Garnacho and Hojlund should be sold.
12.) 18 May 2025 00:03:09
Garnacho needs to stay.
13.) 18 May 2025 11:17:21
Not for me, Garnacho needs to go too, his finishing is atrocious and becoming a one trick pony. If they can get 50 mil plus for him then use it to get more goals into this team.
14.) 19 May 2025 09:04:25
Or get a world class goalie.
15.) 19 May 2025 10:16:39
We need goals badly and a GK and a CB.
16.) 19 May 2025 17:11:55
With Garnacho I'm fine either way.
If we keep him then we have a young player with potential who has shown ability to be a very good player. He will need to knuckle down and develop further though to have a long term future at the club.
While if we sell him then we receive a large fee, entirely profit that can be reinvested in the squad. Hopefully on players more ready to be first team players and make a consistent impact in the team.
I mean we are almost certainly going to sign Cunha, and with Bruno and Amad in the squad that probably puts Garnacho 4th choice in one of the No.10 positions. If Mount can stay fit and rediscover his best form then Garnacho would be 5th choice. While Mainoo might be best in one of those positions rather than deeper. If fully fit and with a good pre-season behind him then he could well have an impact next season similar to last season. Which could then push Garnacho down to 6th choice.
He is a player I think we can afford to lose as his impact right now is not where it needs to be, and we have a lot of quality in those positions. So selling him could be the difference between adding a second striker signing, a midfielder or a keeper this summer. All of whom would be more likely to be first choice and improved the he starting 11.
17.) 20 May 2025 10:36:58
I not at all sold on Garnacho at all and think he should be sold, but to say Mainoo would be in front of him in that position is pushing it a bit too far….
Mainoo or Garnacho should not be in our starting 11, if we want to improve, we need to be setting our sights higher than either of these two.
02 Jan 2025 21:12:22
Gyokeres rumours for a JANUARY transfer heating up.
Can imagine us sending Antony and Lindelof there to lower the price. £50m plus those two, £30m of which will be recuperated by selling Casemiro to Saudi. So a £20m outlay on Gyokeres plus huge wages saved. Then Rashford to PSG in a loan swap for Nuno Mendes. £20m Jan window outlay, which sounds realistic.
1.) 02 Jan 2025 21:35:02
Give this man Ashworth’s job….
2.) 02 Jan 2025 21:49:21
Thought RM said on day 1 he wouldn’t go for any Sporting player in January?
3.) 02 Jan 2025 21:55:25
Sounds, great but wishful thinking I fear.
4.) 02 Jan 2025 22:57:43
Gyorkeres would struggle in this team.
5.) 03 Jan 2025 01:01:50
Sounds like fifa career mode. How on earth do you think that's realistic?
6.) 03 Jan 2025 11:17:12
Sounds good until a blind man whispers in the ear of SP CEO and says . that Antony fella isn't worth 5 mill. and Lindelof has all the confidence of a one armed boxer once he's within 10 feet of a football.
7.) 03 Jan 2025 13:14:50
Burrenwayboy,
I still can't believe the club triggered a 1 year extension for lindelof.
8.) 03 Jan 2025 18:28:57
Maguire?
9.) 03 Jan 2025 19:35:09
Casimero for 30 million to saudi? that is absolute gold! thank you, thank you.
10.) 03 Jan 2025 19:39:28
Why do a lot of folk continue to refer to Ruben Amorim, as RM? Is there a reason?
11.) 04 Jan 2025 19:32:59
No chance of Gyokeres this window.
12.) 05 Jan 2025 04:00:46
Ruben M-or-him? ?.
13.) 05 Jan 2025 13:27:03
Probably years of writing RM in short for me, (whilst having a shout ? at me) that’s in their auto spelling.
14.) 07 Jan 2025 22:29:52
Jimbobred,
RA sounds too scouse.
21 Aug 2024 07:33:49
Ugarte likely to come in very soon, possibly even today.
Pellistri, Mejbri, Oyedele all out by the weekend. Eriksen to follow next week.
I think McTominay will stay, but expect Sancho to leave next week, probably on another loan deal.
I just have a sneaky feeling we are going to do something big and unexpected in the last week, too. I think INEOS will want to make an absolute statement signing on deadline day to really hammer home their arrival.
1.) 21 Aug 2024 08:06:30
I wouldn't be surprised if we tried again for branthwaite, he was obviously a top target but i think that depends if Lindelof goes.
2.) 21 Aug 2024 09:59:42
I'd be delighted to keep Scott McTominay - he always gives 100% and never let's you down. He isn't a technical midfielder the way e. g. Eriksen is, but he offers other things. I'd happily say goodbye to Eriksen and Casemiro - both have been fantastic players but their age is catching up and slowing them down. At their peak they would have graced any team but their best days are behind them. I think both still have a lot to offer going forward, but defensively they are too exposed and that makes it very hard to Mainoo etc. However, it's not their fault that Utd paid too much, and both deserve respect for their achievements in the game - at his peak Casemiro was world class in his role, and Eriksen has always been a joy to watch and a model pro.
Sancho I am not convinced has the heart to be a Utd player - wonderful skill but also not a fighter for the cause: if we can get a good price I would sell and move on just to clear the decks.
So, my ideal purchases in last days of window would be Ugarte, a young and hungry left back (Shaw and Malacia just too unreliable with injury: the Turkish guy looks good but I think the Hungarian guy at Bournemouth is more PL proven - but what do I know? ) and if possible another effort for Branthwaite. Unlikely to get them all, but it would be a truly fantastic window if we could achieve this.
3.) 21 Aug 2024 10:58:38
We need a player like Ugarte in midfield, if that means moving McTominay I'd be fine with that. Ugarte's energy and ball winning ability is something we lack in the squad.
McTominay is the 2024 version of Fellaini in my eyes. Gives his all, limited on the ball, can't trust him defensively but if you put him in the opposition box, he's going to cause problems.
As for other departures and signings, I'd say Sancho, Hannibal and Pellistri need to go as they're clearly not at the forefront of Ten Hag's thinking.
If we are to bring in another with Ugarte, I'd target a wide player rather than a left back. When fit, Shaw will start so why sign a short term fix again? We saw how that worked with Weghorst, Reguilon, Amrabat and Sabitzer in recent years. In our wide areas we have youth in Amad and Garnacho and two horribly out of form players in Rashford and Antony. I'd say that is just as big a concern as the likely fitness issues at left back.
4.) 21 Aug 2024 11:39:29
RJmanutd interested you would stick with Shaw and Malacia - I agree Shaw when fit is still quality, but he's not been consistently fit for a log while now, so my sense is that we need to look to the future with a young player who can develop. Amass looks a good prospect but we can't expect him never to lose form or fitness as he develops physically and tactically in next few years, so another young player (like Kerkez at Bournemouth) would be a sensible way to balance risk. If Shaw gets fit consistently he can take his place back, if not he hs to work for it same as everyone should. Last season I think LB was a major weakness for us (although lack of left sided CB with Lisandro injured did not help) and we were targeted. Amrabat is not a bad player, but chopping and changing where he played didn't help him or the team - trying to use him at LB was insanity! I agree that Reguilon and Weghorst weren't great, but I actually thought Sabitzer was a good player and he's looked good for Austria, and in the upper levels of German league (Bayern, RBL and Dortmund - although I can agree their levels are a little lower than EPL overall, Bayern don't buy too many complete mugs) . Biggest problem has been we have brought in some players who look good in other teams and systems, but we haven't coached them well and we haven't had a consistent style of play, so each match we have lurched from system to system. Hopefully this is something Wilcox and Ashforth will address together with Ten Hag but it's not an instant fix and I suspect it will take at least 2 seasons to sort properly. But if we can settle on a style of play, buy players who fit that system and coach players to work in that way, we should see progress. although some players are not very adaptable (either too thick or too ego driven to do so) . Even a team like City - with a huge amount of money and some serious talent available to them, and a well defined system of play by now - buy players and then it takes months for them to really fit the system and settle in - and some (e. g. Phillips, Grealish) don't ever really convince. This season I expect progress, but breaking top 4 will be a big achievement and we shouldn't expect a lasting challenge at top end of the table. I am pretty sure most of us don't expect that, even if we would love to see it.
5.) 21 Aug 2024 12:21:07
I'm not sure we will move for LB now. It's a bizarre situation we find ourselves in, looking for a player who technically could only be 5th choice in that position behind Shaw, Malacia, Mazraoui, Dalot. Last resort should be Martinez, then Amass. Better solution is to find a long-term starter in this position next summer. I think at least one of Shaw/ Malacia will be offski.
6.) 21 Aug 2024 12:27:34
Phil, I totally agree that Shaw and Malacia as LB options is risky. Shaw when fully fit is a very good left back, hence why he is first choice. It's just I don't see the club buying a new 1st choice left back this window, and ultimately, they'd need to be a pretty good player to justify not playing Shaw when he is fully fit. Some of the players linked like Alonso are very short term signings, then players like Chilwell who are good but just as injury prone, if not more so, than Shaw. Others such as Kerkez could be good signings but with limited funds don't seem too feasible this window.
I'd rather see us spend the limited funds we apparently have available on a replacement for Sancho this window. That'd give us sufficient depth in wide areas and still allows for Amad to continue to develop or maybe Rashford / Antony to regain some form. Then next summer sign a top left back to takeover from Shaw.
7.) 21 Aug 2024 19:11:59
Or keep Sancho in the wide areas and see what he can do?
8.) 21 Aug 2024 22:34:42
Eric,
We’ve seen what he can do, nothing.
22 Jul 2024 11:56:48
Now confirmed that we've bid £30m for De Ligt this morning.
In my opinion we absolutely need him, but that must surely mean that the departure of Lindelof (or Maguire? ) is imminent? We can't possibly justify Martinez, Yoro, De Ligt, Maguire, Lindelof and Evans being at the club.
1.) 22 Jul 2024 12:11:41
I'd prefer keeping Lindelof and getting rid of Maguire, but I expect Lindelof will leave.
2.) 22 Jul 2024 12:29:02
I would let them both go tbh. However Maguire performed better last season without the Captaincy and didn’t do much wrong. As cover either is fine, DeLigt and Yoro this window would be very good though.
3.) 22 Jul 2024 12:31:05
I'm sure they will push to sell both Lindelof and Maguire. From there they can hopefully bring in de ligt.
Having Evans, Martinez, Yoro, De Ligt and AN other would be a fantastic selection. i still think they go back for Branthwaite.
4.) 22 Jul 2024 12:31:10
Really good news if true, it would give us 3 very good options at CB.
Maguire surely has to go if he’s got anything about him. He can’t sit on the bench at 31.
I’d sooner keep Lindelof. He’s a good passer of the ball, and I think is better than most seem to think. It wasn’t long ago that Barcelona were sniffing around him.
5.) 22 Jul 2024 13:04:50
Would be a great signing at that price. Can see why we wanted to get the Yoro deal wrapped up first. Not sure if he would have signed had he known we’d be bringing in a CB of De Ligt’s quality in the same window. I’m sure that both will get ample game time next season, but between them and Martinez, only two can be first choice.
6.) 22 Jul 2024 14:28:00
I would be relaxed with either Maguire/ Lindelof to leave or both if it was possible but we may want to be mindful of injuries again. If one of them stays for a further year as 4th/ 5th choice then that's okay.
I would be happy with Martinez/ De Ligt/ Yoro sharing the game time and think De Ligt/ Yoro are intelligent enough to cover left side when Martinez not playing.
We can then clear out all of the remaining next season with one additional CB/ bring through from the youth team.
7.) 22 Jul 2024 13:42:38
If you consider that we didn't have enough CBs last year (see Casemiro playing CB), We have lost Kambwala and replaced/ upgraded with Yoro (prospect ready to play first team games) . Varane (starter) has left and not been replaced - so i would see de Ligt as filling the Varane slot, bringing us back to as many capable CBs as last season, which wasn't enough (granted - bit of a freak with number of injuries) . Lindelof also covered (tried to) a bit at LB last year (as did Amrabat, who won't be staying), and there doesn't seem to be strong links to a new LB so his perceived versatility may count in his favour.
8.) 22 Jul 2024 15:52:47
We need another premium cb for sure the thought of going into the season with the prospect of maguire or lidelof playing 20 plus games fills me with dread.
9.) 22 Jul 2024 22:40:27
My tuppence worth is that Lindelof is far better than a lot of fans give him credit for. He’s suffered from the anti Maguire campaign by association. He’s actually pretty decent on his feet and can also fill in at right back. I’m not saying he’s a starting selection by any stretch, but as a back up player, the captain of Sweden isn’t a bad option. Maguire on the other hand is only going to get slower given his age and physiology, so it doesn’t bode well!
10.) 23 Jul 2024 13:47:33
Agree, Fireman. Lindelof's versatility and comfort on the ball compared to Harry, means if one goes it's Harry for me.
11.) 22 Jul 2024 13:49:52
Angelred,
Getting another cb after buying Yoro and De Ligt makes no sense. No club in the world has so many cb options. Martinez, Yoro and De Ligt is amazing, one of Maguire and Lindelof will surely stay, plus we have Evans. 3 top cb options plus two who can get minutes in cup games and when the main guys need rest.
08 Aug 2022 09:54:53
Adrien Rabiot is this morning's link. Reported by Ornstein though, who is usually fairly spot on.
Another with an attitude problem and an agent who loves the limelight.
Interestingly, we are starting to get linked with £20m players. Has ETH decided the squad is so poor/ light thaT he'd be better off with four £20m signings than one at £80m? Interesting week ahead.
1.) 08 Aug 2022 10:19:19
Hope neither is true. Would be better off with neves and take a risk on the young kid from salzburg, although i suspect he will find it difficult and will need time and probably will get slammed here as the pl is a tough school for a 19 year old from austrian league.
2.) 08 Aug 2022 11:00:49
I'm hoping the Rabiot and Arnautovic rumours don't lead anywhere. Both decent players, better than what we have, but neither look good enough for where we want to go and both have had attitude issues in the past.
Given our dressing room issues we need players with good attitudes, ideally players with EPL experience as we need players who will get to grips with the league immediately and not take half a season to acclimatise.
Fabian Ruiz would have been a great option, but given his impending move to PSG it looks like that boat has sailed.
Ruben Neves gets a lot of love and I wouldn't be against it, that said he would likely cost MORE than FDJ.
Matheus Nunes seems to be the hipsters pick, always seemed a gifted player when I've seen him. Although personally I think he's more suited to a box to box role than as a holding midfielder.
Youri Tielemans is probably the player I'd target, EPL experience and available for a reasonable price. While also probably being closer to the skillset EtH seems to be looking for in a midfielder (technically gifted, mobile, quick, press resistant, with an expansive passing range) .
Up front Sesko is the name that keeps being linked. Supposedly a talented player from everything I seen written about him. Only seen him in a UCL group game last season. Looked decent but didn't really stand out at that level at the time. Maybe by the time he's 22 he'll be considered world class. But we need a player who can make a difference this season not in 2-3 years time.
Mitrovic has been mentioned and I wouldn't be against it, seems a much better player now to the one who was in the EPL previously. Although he would likely cost a lot.
The EPL striker I'd go for would be Ivan Toney. works hard, presses well, good technical level linking well with teammates, and has a clinical finish when in front of goal. He looks very well suited to EtH's style of play. Again though cost could be prohibitive.
Both Mitrovic and Toney would likely cost upward of 40-50m as they are vital in their sides fight for EPL survival this season. Which is a lot of money to pay for a striker who won't necessarily be a long term first choice option.
Which leads me to Moussa Dembele of Lyon, proven scorer decent link play, good technical striker, good in the air and on the floor. While entering the final year of his contract and would be available for under 30m.
For me if you cannot get your first choice option then you cannot be paying top whack for your 2nd or 3rd choice compromise options.
If FDJ isn't going to happen and Ronaldo is determined to leave then maybe Tielemans and Dembele for less than what FDJ would cost initially let alone in total are probably the smartest moves available to the club.
3.) 08 Aug 2022 11:33:42
Shappy come on mate both are average. and one is a complete racist
If we do end up with the 2 players above then we have well and truly fell off. what are we actually trying to accomplish buying cheap mediocre players that would get a sniff in any other top 6 side never mind the top 4 or a team wanting to win trophies.
4.) 08 Aug 2022 12:06:56
Arnautovic can stay in Italy. Why we’re targeting him is beyond me. Rabiot I’d take for the reported low fee but only IF he is not the alternative to De Jong.
Adding Rabiot and Tielemens/ Neves would improve our midfield but it’s surely not the route we want to be taking?
As Shappy has said, Ruiz would’ve been a decent alternative but he’s off to PSG. I can see us getting Rabiot and going for SMS late in the window. I’m certainly not against Savic as he’s better than what we have.
5.) 08 Aug 2022 12:33:06
Bolger, This is literally the first line of my post:
"I'm hoping the Rabiot and Arnautovic rumours don't lead anywhere. Both decent players, better than what we have, but neither look good enough for where we want to go and both have had attitude issues in the past".
All I have said is they are better than what we have.
I don't want them, I don't think they are good enough and their attitudes stink.
6.) 08 Aug 2022 12:42:13
A lot of reports now saying that we’ve agreed a deal for Rabiot. Looks like the pursuit of De Jong is finally over.
7.) 08 Aug 2022 13:07:19
I don’t actually think either are better than what we have
Shappy you just said in that last paragraph I don’t think they are good enough but yet you also said they are decent players ?♂️
Not making a dig shappy but these types of players if we are to actually show some ambition on wanting to win are not the players we go for
No wonder ronaldo wants to leave. 0 ambition the club is a shadow of its former self
Play Iqbal or savage play McNeil or ganarcho use the players within and development them if your not going to spend money on a ready made player now
Stop the short term stop gaps it’s not how you produce a winning team
If rabiot is an alternate to de jong then this is a joke of window tbh.
8.) 08 Aug 2022 13:15:58
Rabiot is 27 and is a very good player. His technique is miles ahead of McFred. He'd be a major upgrade. He's not a backup player at Juve. He's a starter for all his time there. Arnautovic would be signed as a squad player. Not ideal but he did really well with Bologna last year. Don't get the doom and gloom about those two.
9.) 08 Aug 2022 13:32:19
MA is 33 years old and would be just as inept at pressing as Ronaldo. I’d rather we brought through a youngster or signed somebody like Sesko than drop £10m+ on a stop gap player who doesn’t fit the manager’s system. We really should have signed Darwin when we had the chance….
10.) 08 Aug 2022 13:44:04
don we already have an abuser at the club we don't want a racist aswell
if they don't want to pay the money and get a striker to help score goals and you know maybe win something then just promote a player from the youth and work with him
this window has clearly become about the owners not wanting to pay the money for players.
11.) 08 Aug 2022 13:50:20
Rabiot I can just about get my head round. Although he’s moody and far from what we need. Arnautovic I’m literally dumbfounded. I reckon he must think all his Christmases have come at once. He’s nothing special and won’t be the kind of player to dig out blind for you, he’s also got dubious morals and he isn’t what we need at Old Trafford. I actually can’t believe we’re in for a player like him…………. panic and desperation spring to mind. We haven’t learnt a thing over the last 10 years. And I don’t care if ETH wants him or not. I’ve got eyes as have other fans, and he isn’t what we need.
12.) 08 Aug 2022 16:15:39
Sorry but perhaps i am missing something. Which players have the owners not paid up for or not willing to. hasn't the fee been agreed with Barcelona for quite some time now and that too in excess of 80M? So where is the issue with the owners here. Its literally EtH running the show here. All 3 signed have been his targets and all targetted are again his. don't get the hatred with the owners here.
13.) 08 Aug 2022 18:06:19
United it would quite glazer esk to bid
For a player who doesn’t want to join for them to then be able to turn around and say we tried getting de jong but instead we paid 15 million for rabiot.
14.) 08 Aug 2022 18:12:23
Bolger2 I wasn't aware of the racist allegations re Arnautovic. If true obviously we should steer clear.
15.) 08 Aug 2022 18:44:53
Dembele is terrible.
16.) 08 Aug 2022 19:38:15
Bolger2……exactly what I was thinking. Stick decent bids in for FDJ knowing full well he wants to stay where he is. Also stick a bid in for Anthony knowing full well it’s 20 million below their valuation. Gives the impression everything is hunky dory to shareholders. The club is skint in my view. The fees for Martinez and Malacia were offset by sales (albeit minimally) and would have been lumped on the debt anyway. No sign of the Glazers investing any of their own cash that’s for sure. And for the record, signing Arnautovic is a complete joke.
17.) 08 Aug 2022 20:11:23
RedWhiskey, he's decent without being outstanding. Even at that level he's better than Arnautovic as a footballer and almost certainly a better person.
18.) 08 Aug 2022 20:11:45
Rabiot is not good enough. Is decent but no more. Its no coincidence he can't settle and retain a first team place at the bigger clubs. As a squad member he is OK (and yes he is better than McFred) but he is not the calibre of player we should be looking to rebuild a teams midfield around.
19.) 08 Aug 2022 21:47:32
Good news, the Bologna president says Arnautovic is not for sale at any price. Let's hope he is a man of his word.
Another shambles of a transfer window for United, strangely reassuring.
20.) 09 Aug 2022 00:01:24
You can literally view the accounts if you want to, the club is not ‘skint’ and you’re embarrassing posting stuff like that.
21.) 09 Aug 2022 08:37:22
It’s the complete lack of anticipation and planning that is so troubling: United always so reactive….
Look at what RBL just done: sign Sesko in a year to replace outgoing Nkunko….
Appearing so panic-stricken now…
Surely a huge question mark over scouting also - hope analysts brought in can rectify this.
Downsie53's banter posts with other poster's replies to Downsie53's banter posts
13 Jul 2025 16:19:29
Anyone else really worried about Kobbie Mainoo?
If Bruno is staying and playing as one of the two midfielders, Mainoo doesn't get a game, surely? Bruno will start every week and under no circumstances can they play together in a two.
We should be building a team around Mainoo, instead it would surprise me if he moved on.
1.) 13 Jul 2025 16:51:49
He's still very young, needs an injury free season to back the levels he showd in his his season. I'm sure he will be a big player next season still for us.
2.) 13 Jul 2025 17:24:03
If a bid comes in, he will be released, he lacks any pace and mobility not that great for what’s needed in midfield in epl.
3.) 13 Jul 2025 17:31:33
German,
He won’t be ‘released’, he is staying at the club, your opinions are sometimes totally wild.
4.) 13 Jul 2025 17:52:16
German that is a crazy opinion. Mainoo is working hard on his fitness during the break. Several reports suggest Amorim rates him highly but has expressed what he needs to work on. The key issue is whether his pace will increase with added fitness. But his ceiling is so high that I've no doubt he'll be staying.
5.) 13 Jul 2025 18:23:31
Of course he will be staying, when we sign Mbeumo, we will still need another quality player for the 10s position.
You need 3 top players to cover that position and he can, of course, also play in midfield.
Released, indeed. I sometimes wonder if that is something that applies to you!
6.) 13 Jul 2025 18:26:09
Wild idea for you. One Of Cunha or Mbuemo is rested, Bruno plays as a 10 and Mainoo plays deep. Possible?
7.) 13 Jul 2025 20:01:44
Assuming mbeumo we currently have
Mbeumo cunha mount beuno mainoo amad zirkzee as no 10 options.
Imo amad will play mostly as a rwb
And Bruno will operate from deeper midfield position, which he did a lot last season.
For the deeper position in midfield as it stands I think ra will pick 2 from casimero colleyer ugarte bruno mainoo mount plus kids
Assuming bruno will play most weeks i think we need a very disciplined player alongside him.
Casimero lacks mobility and pace. Ugarte is weak in possession colleyer I've not seen much of and mainoo and bruno as a pair look a little weak to me defensively.
So I'm really hoping we go into the market for a mobile intelligent cm player to play with bruno.
Really only 1 game per week for the vast majority of the season.
Game time for a lot of players will be hard to come by.
Again assuming mbeumo and a cf come in they will need time to gel and understand each other's games. So it will be interesting to see who wins out.
I still reckon there will be a few more exits before the window closes outside of Anthony rashford garnacho malacia and sancho. I think there will be at least 2 or 3 more.
8.) 13 Jul 2025 21:57:39
Mainoos best work is in attack. Absolute waste of his talent to play him further back.
9.) 14 Jul 2025 02:31:10
I have a feeling that keeping Bruno will prove to be a huge mistake. He’s a top quality player, no doubt, but he lacks the discipline to play in a deeper position and will likely end up costing us a lot of goals over the coming season due to how often he gives the ball away in dangerous positions.
As OP points out, he also lacks the defensive attributes to play in a two man midfield unless the other midfielder is doing all of the heavy lifting, which pretty much forces us to line up with Bruno and Ugarte. I’m not sure Mainoo is the answer to our midfield problems (as others have said, he may be better suited to a more advanced role), but we’ll probably never get to find out with Bruno still at the club.
I just can’t wrap my head around the decision to keep a player only to then play him so drastically out of position, especially one whose value is going to start declining pretty quickly from here on out. The money he would have brought in would have gone a long way and made it so that our plans for the window weren’t so reliant on selling players who the club has made it very clear are not part of the manager’s plans (a fact that other clubs will no doubt exploit to get them at a fraction of their value) .
10.) 14 Jul 2025 05:09:18
Bruno, really is the only real decent player we got, so not sure how on earth you can sell that player, everyone else yes, but it’s not even a debate because he did not want to go anyway, so Redseven your making an argument that does not even exist.
Many many players on the out list before it gets anywhere near Bruno.
{Ed077's Note - While other players at the club are struggling to get interest on them, Bruno was subject to crazy money offers. Does that not say something too?
11.) 14 Jul 2025 06:10:18
Exactly Ed, the red tints are getting stronger by the day, virtually every player at United is available and no offers incoming for them, but still people think that we have some great players, people still think Martinez is great CB……. Some even saying Mainoo is going to be world class, but then they were the same people that a year ago were saying Garnacho is the new Ronaldo! How that turn out!
Some want Zirkee as our number 9 and a rookie in goal, our standards are getting lower than a snakes belly….
Yet some still think we have great players, apart from Bruno, not one of our squad would get into any of the potential top 4, even include Cunha and the supposedly arriving Mbeumo in that…… and some now saying we should have got rid of our only player that would break into those sides
Unbelievable.
12.) 14 Jul 2025 09:50:11
Pretty sure both Cunha and Mbeumo would get plenty of games for any of the top 4 sides, but they all have comparable players… which is why they are top 4. But we a few rungs below them in other departments.
13.) 14 Jul 2025 11:34:25
If the plan was always to spend £120m+ on two players who play in Bruno’s best position when we are in desperate need of a striker, defensive midfielder, and goalkeeper and seemingly lack the funds to buy them, then yeah. We probably should have cashed in when we had the chance.
He’s our best player at the moment, but at the start of next season when he’s 32 and has just had the worst season of his career because he was forced to play in a position that he’s not at all suited to, I very much doubt anybody will think that keeping him was a good idea.
14.) 14 Jul 2025 12:25:36
Redseven - what are you judging last season on? statistically speaking that was his 2nd most productive season he in a Man utd Kit.
24-25 - 19 goals 19 assists
23/ 24 - 15 goals 13 assists
22/ 23 - 14 goals 15 assists
21/ 22 - 10 goals 14 assists
20/ 21 - 28 goals 17 assists.
15.) 14 Jul 2025 14:32:53
Redseven you are overlooking he did not want to go
You are also overlooking the facts and making it up about being his worst season!
Oh yeah maybe Cunha or Mbeumo dislodge Salah for Liverpool too or Saka for Arsenal or could take Halaands place at City
So I repeat…None of our players get into any the top 4 teams that includes Cunha or the unsigned Mbeumo.
16.) 14 Jul 2025 15:02:35
German. If we play him in one of the two central midfield roles I think it’s very likely that he will have a terrible season (hence, this time next year, he will have just come off the back of his worst season for us) .
17.) 14 Jul 2025 15:49:56
That’s a bit of a wild wet finger in the air prediction though Redseven and totally a guess, you can’t go selling your best player and like I said he did not want to go anyway, so it’s irrelevant anyway.
We got a bad enough squad as it is, you don’t go getting rid of the best goalscorer we currently have either.
Plus he hardly ever misses a game, he hardly ever injured and he runs more than most of our players
So you take 19 goals and 19 assist out the team on the understanding he might have his worst season next year! And replace him with what Or whom?
12 Jul 2025 13:24:58
Would anyone else be highly tempted to publically pull out of the Mbuemo deal and move Bruno to the R10 position, using the £60m put aside on/ towards Baleba or Wharton?
Additionally, I just don't understand the love-in of Ollie Watkins. Poor finisher, missed loads of chances for every one that he actually takes, pace is his only attribute and that'll start to decrease in a year or so and likely to be ridiculously expensive. Makes zero sense to me why we'd even be interested.
1.) 12 Jul 2025 13:42:59
Why can’t we have Mbuemo and one of Baleba or Wharton. I’d take a points deduction to get some decent players in.
2.) 12 Jul 2025 13:45:56
Watkins at £60 million would be a waste of money. Villa have money problems and will need to sell.
My main concern would be that Watkins would only be a short-term solution.
I'd rather pay that extra and get Mbueumo instead. We are due to get £6-£8 million from the Elanga sell on clause.
3.) 12 Jul 2025 14:07:44
I love Baleba and Wharton, and feel it’s been a very long time (since Fergie era no less) since we had a great midfielder. But I also think the creative attacking players are particularly scarce at Utd and we should continue with Mbeumo until it concludes either way. Sadly it does seem to be holding everything up and we only seem to be capable of doing one thing at a time.
4.) 12 Jul 2025 14:20:30
No, simply because, as good as Bruno is, he slows the game down when out wide and lacks the incisive instincts to dovetail with a RWB like Amad. Worse still, if Amad has any injury/ fitness concerns this season, then the RWB would likely be Dalot - just imagine how badly he and Bruno would be run ragged by pacy, dynamic wide players.
I understand we need a proper defensive midfielder with legs and real quality on the ball, but we are probably more in need of a R10 who possesses the attributes required for the role and wouldn't press the subsequent need to shoehorn other players into positions they aren't really suited to. Dorgu would suit that role better than Bruno.
As for Watkins, I share the same concerns. I do think Mateta would be the more sensible option.
5.) 12 Jul 2025 14:32:54
Blackpool red, to your point, other teams can get creative to sign players and avoid sanctions yet we can’t. Suppose it depends on how ambitious you are.
6.) 12 Jul 2025 15:22:53
That might work if Palace or Brighton were prepared to accept 60m for either Wharton or Baleba. Yet both have said they want over 100m for their player.
Even if we got them down a bit on that price it'd still be more than we have to spend on Mbeumo.
As for Watkins, he does miss a few good chances, but then he also bags a lot of them as well. Over the past 5 years he pretty much has a 1 goal every 2 games in the EPL. While he also tends to do a really good job linking and creating chances for others. No striker has more assists than Watkins over the past 5 years in the EPL.
Given our lack of goals last season getting a striker who'll likely get at least 16 league goals, and probably double digits in assists next season would represent a massive improvement on our current squad.
We'd need to get that price down a bit from 60m, maybe something more like 45m plus 10m in performance based add-on's, so we only pay the extra 10m if he has been a success.
The only real downside to him is his age which means he has no resale value. Yet to be honest that shouldn't always be a deal breaker for our club.
Literally any other even remotely possible option is likely to be both more expensive AND a bigger risk.
7.) 12 Jul 2025 15:46:44
Tbf Shappy the OP did say save the money towards either, not instead of.
8.) 12 Jul 2025 16:47:37
No Downsie. I'd actually be quite happy if Utd only signed Cunha and Mbeumo this window.
9.) 12 Jul 2025 18:36:16
I would take Watkins in a heartbeat, how can anyone moan about chances he misses when we have Zirkee and Rasmus…. And so what about age we need some experience in this team
I am not sure where people are getting the Dalot don’t play in this team, he will be one of the first on the team sheet for RA, no way Amad gets in that position before him.
10.) 12 Jul 2025 19:29:11
I think amad will be the preferred rwb .
11.) 12 Jul 2025 22:17:55
German
Imo, the only way Dalot plays ahead of Amad is if Amass or Leon is selected ahead of Dorgu on the left.
Amorim likes one WB to be more defensive and the other more of an attacking threat and, imo, the only way Dorgu doesn't start the season as first-choice LWB is if Dalot's picked ahead of him, so Amad should 100% be picked for RWB.
Additionally, Amad is the better counter-presser which is a massive tick for a WB in an Amorim system.
Furthermore, if Mbeumo does arrive then there'll be the need to match his style of play with a more bombastic WB than Dalot, one who can dovetail with him in attacking phases. Amad has better ability on the ball, better dribbling and agility, better passing, and is far more of a goal threat than Dalot.
Barring injury, I fully expect Amad to start vs Arsenal.
I guess you believe he sits on the bench - let's see who's right.
12.) 13 Jul 2025 00:10:36
My concern with Amad as a wing back is that physically he is not that big or strong and it's not natural for him to defend. No idea how good his positional sense is either and all defenders should know to work as a unit A good winger could run rings round him.
13.) 13 Jul 2025 01:07:51
I’ve been saying this for a while tumble amad is our strongest rwb he has the engine and is just as effective there.
Personally I think Watkins at the right price is a no brainer given the current market for strikers, there is no one other than oshimen and gyokores who are both going elsewhere
In the past 3 seasons other than haaland and salah he has the most goals and assists in the league.
14.) 13 Jul 2025 05:28:16
No I did not say Amad starts on the bench, but he don’t start as RWB either, no chance, he will get roasted against Arsenal at RWB in fact will get roasted against most at RWB.
I like Amad a lot, but he is not capable against top teams to play there, far too weak and not great defensively, pressing teams will just target him.
100% Dalot starts in front of Amad without doubt.
Dorgu is not exactly great either, but am hoping he better in 2nd season.
{Ed077's Note - He doesn't have to start all the 38 games as RWB ?
15.) 13 Jul 2025 06:30:25
True he does not have to start all, I would suggest he won’t make 10 starts as RWB
I personally would prefer a settled back line, we already got enough poor players in it and poor GK…. so to keep changing it about to suit who we are playing that week, could spell more trouble.
Much as I like Amad and the tenacity and professionalism he shows (if only others could give what he does) I just don’t see him as number 1 choice for RWB at all….
16.) 13 Jul 2025 10:10:24
I expect he will start more games that over the season than dalot who imo is a very poor player in the final 1/ 3 and not a very good defender at all.
17.) 13 Jul 2025 11:04:28
German
We'll see who plays where.
Put simply, if we get Mbeumo, Amad will rarely start as a 10.
As for Dalot, I cannot get my head around why you think the slight defensive superiority of Dalot makes him such a better choice than the absurdly superior attacker in a 3-4-3 system.
The point of the system reference is that the 3-4-3 is a generally quite attacking formation implemented to make attacking overloads quicker and easier. Amorim, throughout his managerial career, has had a liking for converted wingers at WB, and there is absolutely nothing in Dalot's locker that should change that. Dalot looks awful at WB, and he'd make the 10s, whoever they may be, look badly exposed, just as he did at WB on both flanks last season.
Amad for me, all day.
18.) 13 Jul 2025 14:37:05
Every manager at the club including RA as always picked Dalot first choice at RB when fit, I really don’t see that changing, certainly not with Amad in that position, RA learnt a lot about the EPL last season and what he got away with in Portugal won’t wash here, so don’t expect more of the same, it will have tweaks that’s for sure.
I agree going forward Amad is much much better, but against superior sides which there are quite a few atm he will just be pushed back and back and roasted and our CBs have no pace whatsoever, the one that’s got a bit of pace got no experience and then we have a dodgy keeper, so expect lots of tweaks from previous RA sides.
19.) 13 Jul 2025 19:01:48
Every manager able to select a RB has made Dalot first choice, correct, but we're talking about RWB, and Dalot is a terrible RWB.
If Amorim used a RB then there'd be no debate, but he doesn't and Dalot isn't a RWB.
Dalot was used at RWB, as was Mazraoui, last season because we had to use Amad as a 10 - that, imo, is the only reason Dalot was the preferred RWB - rather a needs must reality.
You say tweaks are needed, I'd say making Amad first-choice RWB should be one of the first. As a defender playing RWB, positionally, Dalot is easily worse than Amad, and that causes the RCB all manner of problems as displayed by the amount of times Dalot was caught out of position while playing in a position that doesn't work for him.
Basically, you're expecting a chippy to master joinery without timespent development - it just doesn't work.
We do have, mostly, slow CBs, but your reference to GK is utterly moot in terms of the impact on just RWB - Onana's style and incompetence makes the whole team nervous and reticent.
We can all agree to disagree, but when you follow this opinion of yours with that tripe about Mainoo above, I do wonder just where your head's at.
20.) 13 Jul 2025 22:18:01
Amad's a lot stronger than people seem to think. Remember a few times last season where I thought he was going to come off second best in a 50/ 50, and came away with the ball.
21.) 14 Jul 2025 06:14:38
I agree 99 he is strong and a little battler, but defensive duties against top sides is not going to be there.
Martinez is strong and also a battler but another example of that’s not going to make you great at your job.
Amad gets in this current team any day of the week probably any position too apart from GK and that’s debatable given level of ours, but that don’t mean anything or he be good at it… for me RWB is just not going to be suited to him.
09 Jul 2025 16:05:36
The Vardy, Wilson, DCL rumours have got to be complete bs.
However, I wouldn't mind someone like Nicolas Jackson on loan from Chelsea, as a budget option. Likely to be third choice at his club, does miss chances but has over 40 G/ A in the PL in the last two seasons combined, something that none of our other centre forwards have got anywhere near.
Ivan Toney is the other one. £30m is believed to be the price. Would be good for 15 goals, not anywhere near enough to challenge for titles, but a better option that what we already have.
Let's be realistic, a top 9 isn't coming. So Jackson or Toney over some of the absolute rubbish we've been linked with, please.
1.) 09 Jul 2025 21:22:41
Toney at £30 million seems like a no brainer to me.
2.) 10 Jul 2025 10:54:16
Can you really see Vardy at OT with his wife trying to lord it over the Rooney family? Remember there are Rooney kids in the academy. Don’t want Vardy anywhere near and not worried the club are THAT stupid.
05 Jul 2025 10:02:38
I'd be all over a season-long loan swap with big teams for Rashford. Throw the possibility out there to big clubs.
Napoli for Osimhen.
Barcelona for Ter Stegen.
Inter for Dumfries.
Juventus for Douglas Luiz.
None of it is ideal but we've got so many players we need to get out of the door this summer That we are going to have to get super creative with due to their ridiculous wages.
Sancho is another that we should be looking at swap deals for.
If Betis are cash-poor, create some kind of deal whereby they pay us £15m for a season-long loan with an obligation to buy for another £15m next summer.
Get Villa to buy Garnacho for £50m and give them £20m straight back for Martinez.
If we just sit and wait for teams to bid £40m plus for some of these players, then they'll still be here come September.
1.) 05 Jul 2025 11:47:59
You can’t just get teams to buy your players.
15 Jun 2025 09:25:12
Napoli seems like the ideal destination for either Garnacho, Rashford or Sancho.
Surely we should be looking to do something creative with one of those, with Osimhen coming in other other direction?
£50m plus Sancho?
Season-long loan swaps with Rashford and a fixed buy-out option?
£70m either way in a Garnacho swap deal?
1.) 15 Jun 2025 11:35:33
Can’t see Osimhen ever happening. His wage demands will likely be far too much.
2.) 15 Jun 2025 16:07:57
Not sure why people are so obsessed over Osimhen. Might be good on football manager but his conversion rate is bang average and apparently his attitude stinks.
I thought we were trying to stay clear of those types of players.
07 Jul 2025 18:24:10
Not happening. Move on.
05 Jul 2025 16:57:48
I’d absolutely love Luiz.
Can’t see it happening though.
25 Jun 2025 18:59:50
RCB - Yoro
RWB - Amad
R10 - Mbuemo
Is a ridiculously talented right flank.
LCB - Licha/ Heaven
LWB - Dorgu/ Leon
L10 - Cunha
Is not quite the same, but still strong. Imagine if Leon comes and is a world-beater. Dorgu strikes me as the ideal 12th man - capable of filling in either side in a similar fashion to Dalot.
It’s now the spine of the side that needs sorting.
GK - two new ones needed. Simple.
CCB - De Ligt/ Maguire - actually fine IMO
DM - Ugarte/ Casemiro - jury’s out.
CM - Bruno/ Mainoo - fine when on top…
CF - let’s not even go there.
20 Jun 2025 17:12:46
I’d absolutely love it.
This squad lacks serious bollocks.
Him, Licha, De Ligt, Bruno and Cunha in the same side mean we actually have some fight.
13 Jun 2025 16:37:08
If (a big if IMO) Mbuemo goes to Spurs, then we should 100% get Bruno to play the R10 role with Amad overlapping him as RWB and spend the £60m on a box-to-box midfielder instead.
10 Jul 2025 19:30:46
I’ve been genuinely positive but Spurs’ efficiency in the past few days has really wound me up.
Take whatever we can for Rashford (PSR+), sell the likes of Collyer (it’s what Newcastle etc do) and bin off anyone whose name isn’t Yoro, Heaven, Mazraoui, Dorgu, Ugarte, Fernandes, Amad or Cunha if any kind of sensible offer is made.
Get Emi Martinez, Richard Rios, Bryan Mbuemo and Ivan Toney through the door.
06 Jul 2025 20:21:55
More than happy with a Bruno, Cunha, Mbuemo fluid front three if it means Rios, Estupinan and a proper keeper coming in.
06 Jul 2025 10:23:51
The only way that happens is if both Hojlund and Zirkzee leave, which isn’t going to happen.
1. New
2. Zirkzee
3. Chido
Will be our centre forward options for next season.
29 Jun 2025 16:12:11
Why will it be a hard season? We’ll play 45 games, maximum.
Squad needs to be seriously streamlined, rather than adding more bodies who simply aren’t good enough.
10 out, 4 in.
{Ed077's Note - Why only 45 games max ? the 2 cup competitions, in theory " can give more than 7 games in total no, with Utd getting in at earlier round than before
28 Jun 2025 10:24:32
Whilst I really like Eze, he plays in exactly the same position that we’ve bought Cunha for.
We’ll get Mbuemo in the end, I just hope we’re working on multiple other deals in and out at the same time.
Would be worth speaking to Brentford and asking them if they’d be interested in Collyer on loan for a year to seal the BM deal. Collyer would suit them down to the ground and with no European football at OT next season, he’s unlikely to get a kick for us.