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15 Aug 2022 11:34:52
Hi Ed,
Is Garner being offered for sale? If so, who is interested?
Many thanks.
{Ed002's Note - James Garner (DM) Could push to leave as their is no future mapped out. Nottingham Forest will certainly look to a permanent transfer after promotion. Southamton are a potential option as they look to competition for Oriol Romeu. Leeds interest has gone. Manchester United may look to a loan rather than a sale.
1.) 15 Aug 2022 12:25:52
Absolute flabbergasted we are not even giving him a try when the likes of Fred and mctominay get to play every week
I feel I’m being punished in my adult life for supporting united in my childhood.
2.) 15 Aug 2022 12:33:13
Bolger,
Ever thought he’s just not good enough?
3.) 15 Aug 2022 12:48:39
GDS2, he had a very successful loan spell in a promotion team last year. He might not be good enough right now but we also have some real duds in midfield who will never be good enough. Does he deserve a chance to play?
Either way he should certainly not be sold and certainly not for the paltry sum of £15 million. Liverpool, City and Chelsea sell their academy players with less experience for far more.
Try secure another loan.
4.) 15 Aug 2022 12:54:37
Thanks, Ed. Do you expect the Rabiot deal to be completed?
{Ed002's Note - If the wages are agreed, yes.}
5.) 15 Aug 2022 13:05:17
I watched him a bunch of times last year, he was pretty much anonymous every time. However, I do think we should give some of them game time and see how they do.
6.) 15 Aug 2022 14:54:08
Mumbles so we just keep him, like Ole done with so many, same ones you moan about on here, but now you want to keep someone who never plays.
We are still waiting for DVB to come good, what’s he had now 4 managers, all who don’t bother with him!
Just have to cut your loses on some, same as we should do with Sancho, Varane, AWB, Dalot, McFred, even Bruno, he started of great when no pressure on because no fans in stadia, now gone to pieces, if he don’t pick up by January, he should go too…you can’t be sentimental if you want to win things, you can’t keep defending the indefensible, you can’t keep referring to stats to back an argument. End of day not winning, not playing decent football, so sweeping changes need to be made, everyone loves a scapegoat but I would say there are many here not 1 or 2.
7.) 15 Aug 2022 15:12:44
Eriksven, read the last sentence of post. I said try and secure another loan for the lad. He may never be good enough but he had a decent year last year, he should have been earmarked for another loan in my opinion.
8.) 15 Aug 2022 17:33:52
For years we have had far too big a squad, if a player is not going to play better to get them sold and recoup some money and reduce wages that gives more to reinvest.
19 Dec 2020 09:39:40
Hi Ed 002, hope you’re well. Are you able to confirm if Amad Diallo’s work permit/ passport issues have been resolved? Also would like to take this opportunity to say thanks to you and all the Eds for the wonderful work you’ve done for this site, especially during this tough year. Merry Xmas and hoping 2021 is a good one.
{Ed002's Note - I understand it was resolved on Thursday.}
1.) 20 Dec 2020 17:29:19
Thanks Ed. Hope you are safe and well. Do you think Diallo will be ready for the first team or will MU adopt a similar approach to Pellestri and mainly play him in U23s?
{Ed002's Note - I would doubt he would be ready just yet.}
2.) 22 Dec 2020 12:19:31
The club will have Mata/ Diallo/ Pellistri/ a new right-winger at flanks in January and a new DM, Matic or / and Fred, McTominay, VDB, Puigmal, B. Fernandes in CM then Pogba swoop deal with SA giants Juventus with non comment which player it is!
22 Jan 2018 11:07:30
Eds with the Bilbao keeper signing a new contract, does that mean Real Madrid will make another attempt to sign De Gea in the summer?
{Ed002's Note - Real Madid want two "high-end" goalkeepers and were looking to Kepa to be pusing their first choice. They have an alternative in mind for Kepa but have never taken their eye off adding a true first choice - which may ne DDG or someone else.}
1.) 22 Jan 2018 12:44:42
Thanks for the reply Ed. Are MUFC planning to offer DDG a new contract?
{Ed002's Note - I have zero interests in contracts. Sorry.}
2.) 22 Jan 2018 12:55:42
I could see them going for Donnaruma.
{Ed002's Note - That is not their intention at all.}
3.) 22 Jan 2018 15:51:23
Courtois.
4.) 22 Jan 2018 21:09:36
Forgot about him.
5.) 22 Jan 2018 20:56:57
No probs Ed, thanks again.
25 Aug 2014 12:48:09
Eds, do you know of any interest from MU in James McCarthy?
Thanks.
{Ed002's Note - Nope.}
1.) We should hoping for world class talent not just common talent. Even Cleverly is good talented player just not world class talent. I hope we will sign Vidal. If not better we wait for strootman or De jong before we can participate in UCL.
12 Jan 2014 10:06:49
Eds, any truth that we put in a late bid for Daehli and tried to invoke a buy back clause but he refused to come back as he wanted to play for OGS at Cardiff?
{Ed002's Note - Sort of.}
1.) Thanks Ed. Will be interesting to see how he gets on at Cardiff.
2.) 13 Jan 2014 20:05:23
Why would you go to Cardiff instead of Manchester United
3.) Probably playing time, hope he and ole do well
4.) No chance we were back in for him just talk but good luck in Cardiff he will need it to beat the drop
5.) Daehli will do great. Always liked him, brilliant talent and the closest in terms of style to Iniesta that I've seen. I think he'll be a top top player.
Doc SK's banter posts with other poster's replies to Doc SK's banter posts
29 Mar 2023 06:25:04
Hi Ed002, hope all is well. Do you know much about Thomas Zilliacus? Is he a ‘serious’ bidder for the club?
{Ed002's Note - Thomas Zilliacus, a Finish telecoms investor, will use Far Eastern banks and XXI Century Capital to assist by leveraging an attempted buyout of the club. Will likely make a low-ball offer and then float.}
1.) 29 Mar 2023 21:41:02
Thank you for your reply Ed. One final question if I may; in your esteemed opinion, do you think the Glazers will stay put or sell?
{Ed002's Note - Hard to say - without an offer matching the asking price they will look to selling a minority stake. I suspect a buyer might be found - but it may drag on a little while longer.}
2.) 29 Mar 2023 23:11:54
Cheers for the great info Ed. When you say buyer found, still potential for another besides main 2 of Jassim and Sir Jim (and the odd finnish fella) to crop up?
{Ed002's Note - It could be one of them but no doubt they would listen to a different bidder as well. There are also bigger calculations Chris which need to be understood. What happens to the existing debt? What is the cost of upgrading the stadium and facilities at the training facility? What are the exploitation opportunities to increase revenue? very difficult.}
3.) 29 Mar 2023 23:48:04
Very true. Really tricky situation. It’s hard to understand how a partial sale solves the problem, unless with Elliott it includes repackaging debt at a longer term and doing a cheaper refurbishment than rebuild on stadium. And I don’t see how Elliott opens doors for revenue. Really hope Sir Jim ends up with it as I can see how he could resolve these issues.
{Ed002's Note - Elliott are Vulture Capitalists and would look to boost the bids of other bidders. They cannot bid on their own.}
4.) 30 Mar 2023 08:30:48
ED002,
Do the Glazers need to sell a minority stake in the club if they don't agree to selling their sharing control in the club?
Given the need to refurbish the stadium and training ground, would they would need outside investment to achieve this, given the costs involved?
Thanks.
{Ed002's Note - I really don't know - you appear to be clutching at straws.}
5.) 30 Mar 2023 15:50:48
Looking at Q2 results current and non-current borrowings are now £740m and liabilities, predominantly unpaid transfer fees another £380m. As Ed002 points out there's the whole question not only of the debt but what to do with OT and Carrington, a combined cost projected to be > £1bn+. The club isn't making any money, either profits or + cash flow. They can't even pay dividends for the time being. How is United going to afford to compete for top players without further investment in the club itself. Yes, they could sell off naming rights, and my guess is that's exactly what will happen if a major stadium overhaul is to be undertaken, but that income will be offset by the cost of financing the work, and doesn't even include capital repayments. The problem with football teams from an investment point of view, compared to a US sports teams, is there's no franchise income guarantees. The ESL was an attempt to resolve that issue. It failed. for now.
This is indeed a very complicated situation. If someone is offering £4bn and taking on the debt as well it's hard to see why the Glazers wouldn't snap their hands off. From a purely financial point of view the club isn't worth it.
6.) 30 Mar 2023 18:15:08
The problem with the partial sale is it most probably gets rid of some glazers not the others and money would go to the ones leaving not the club. or am I way off? So in a way partial sale doesn't really change anything and there's no reason other than if some of the glazers want out not all?
{Ed002's Note - The money goes to the owners and not the club regardless of who buys part or all of it. There is no scenario where the sale money would go to the club.}
7.) 30 Mar 2023 20:10:10
Thanks ed yes I think we are agreeing.
My point is an owner who would receive that money could choose to invest it but that most probably wouldn't be the case with United as the money would go to the departing glazers (Brian, Darcy and I'm sure there's another) to "buy them out" not to the remaining ones (probably Joel and Avram) who could use it to invest.
What I'm saying is probably an overly simplistic way of saying something a lot more complicated.
Obviously they could all take a cut and split it/ invest some but I don't think they would have tried to sell if this was an option.
{Ed002's Note - It is not complicated at all. There is no means for the club to get any money from the sale.}
8.) 31 Mar 2023 10:05:34
New here
A sale can happen with the current owners having to settle the debt as part of the transfer of ownership hence the club does benefit. The reported numbers of a bid will always factor in the debt and someone will pay it.
Its a bit off fiction where the new owners hand the glazers a massive cheque and not factor the debt and in, in all cases the people who are holding the debt i.e banks have to agree which usually means settling the debt as part off the deal whether all equity or a leveraged/ financed buy out. basically you pay the old lenders off and arrange new financing if its a leveraged buy out.
I would not sweat this too much Qatari's deal will get done at around 5.2 billion. This was communicated a while ago by someone who is involved, which includes the glazers paying the debt. new owners will take over with no debt at the club. NO Idea what Sir Jim's bid is at and I assume he will borrow as will the Qataris.
The 6b being sprouted is all bs and just click bait. Glazers are definitely going and that's a positive anyway you look at it.
No different to selling a house with a mortgage on it. As the current owner you have to settle the existing mortgage with the bank, how the new owner funds it is another chapter.
9.) 31 Mar 2023 19:42:14
I find all this fascinating. If you had £6bn knocking about, there are much quicker and easier ways to make money by investing it. Pure ego and play toys drives all this. No deal will make financial sense.
10.) 01 Apr 2023 09:22:23
As soon as reaches 5.5 bn, they’ll sell.
Detached owners only interested in money but very shrewd businessmen.
04 Nov 2020 22:57:09
Hi Ed001, we discussed about OGS a month or so ago after the Spurs game. Think you basically said the next few games would tell us about his leadership skills and if he and the coaching staff would step up to the challenge. Is it fair to say that it’s pretty much game over for him now? False dawn after the PSG/ Leipzig games?
I genuinely can’t see how he can turn this around now.
{Ed001's Note - I don't understand how it was a false dawn? Those two games were the exact same pattern repeating of picking up good results against teams that come to play by hitting them on the counter. Nothing has changed, he hasn't improved tactically, he is still no leader and his coaching staff are not leading either. The first goal yesterday is the most obvious symptom of a lack of leadership from the bench I have ever seen. Ba is in acres, Phelan has spotted it and is pointing at him but the bench aren't all jumping up and screaming at the players about it. A complete lack of organisation, which is the coaching staff's job, to organise the team. It has been clear for a long time that you have the wrong man in the job, about 3 years before you appointed him really it was clear. The writing has been on the wall since his first season, I just don't understand what more proof the board need that Ole is out of his depth than yesterday?}
1.) 05 Nov 2020 05:23:42
Thanks for the honesty, Tris. Sadly however much I want it to work out, he has to go. Think Everton will rip us a new one on Saturday.
So realistically who do we go for now? I know you’re not a fan of Poch but this club is such a shambles, I really don’t know what they’re thinking. Have no idea when this sh*t show of terrible recruiting and bad organisation will end. The board/ whoever’s running things surely have to see what a laughing stick we’ve become especially now C.V. has hit us hard in the pocket.
{Ed001's Note - you are a bit of a mess from top to bottom, but a top class coach should at least be able to get more from the team. I am not a fan of Poch, but a lot of his problems are recruitment-based, as he obsesses over physical aspects. As the coach of United he would not have as much of a say over recruitment as he had at Southampton and Spurs, so not the worst appointment for you.}
2.) 05 Nov 2020 06:31:56
Thanks Tris. Do you know if there’s been any contact with Poch?
{Ed001's Note - not off the top of my head, no. Sorry.}
3.) 05 Nov 2020 06:33:57
Ed001
It didn’t happen even at the level I played at and that first goal showed everything that is wrong. The manager one of the coaches, players on the sidelines would have been screaming to get someone back. There is no excuse of not being able to hear people shouting. Ole will have been sat there with the usual straight face not doing anything.
The simple fact that some miss is that Ole is accountable for that, as the boss you are accountable and that on its own waves the biggest red flag about incompetence. If he hasn’t gone this morning then Woodward and co are more sentimental than even I thought possible.
{Ed001's Note - I can't believe it, just how quiet your bench were throughout the game. When I watched the Liverpool game the previous night, even at 5-0 Klopp was in their ears give them pelters if they fell asleep. You can't tell me Ole didn't see it, so why on earth was he not straight off the bench screaming at them?? Communication is the most important part of leadership, if you want to organise people well, then you have to give them clear instructions to follow and, if necessary, get in their ear. It is really not difficult, though he is making it look like it is!
I have honestly never seen such a sloppy piece of defending as that last night for the first goal. The second one was bad, but the first was the worst I have ever seen. You expect those kind of breakaways when you are losing by one goal in the dying minutes of a game and you have thrown everyone forward in a desperate attempt to score. But it was early in the first half! It was just unreal.}
07 Oct 2020 08:53:46
*doing (sorry pressed send too early! )
{Ed001's Note - the academy is and youth set up is fine, it is very good, with some excellent coaches, methods and scouts. The issue is that once they start looking at the future after the youth team there is a problem. Unless they are slotting straight into the first team, then there is little plan of action for their future. United are not alone in this. There needs to be more thought and something done in terms of staff to work with them at the late teenage stage. They need more individual mentoring, if they are not jumping straight into the team. Someone who can keep them motivated and ensure that loan moves are the correct ones, liaise between them and the clubs and also speak up on their behalf when the club has it wrong. It is probably the most difficult area for any club to deal with, as the investment can often outweigh perceived returns.}
1.) 07 Oct 2020 14:44:13
Not sure if its true or not but I read and heard recently in a podcast that despite a few off field problems (! ) Nicky Butt is held in very high regard and has been viewed as being given more responsibility within the club. As I say, no idea if that's true.
2.) 07 Oct 2020 15:24:50
I think there are a couple of issues with bridging that gap between the academy and the first team.
Firstly, we have too many squad players. How are lads like Mengi supposed to get a game when we have players like Jones and Rojo ahead of them. We have just sold Smalling which is good. Leaving Maguire, Lindelof, Bailly and Tuanzebe along with Jones and Rojo.
Then we have players like Lingard and Andreas Pereira who played 60+ games between them last year. Yet players like Garner and Levitt hardly got a look in.
If we want these youngsters to make it we need to make space in our squad for them. We have something like 32/ 33 first team players. That should be closer to 20/ 22 out field players. With the best of the young players stepping up and playing with the first team on a more regular basis.
Some will step up seemlessly such as Williams and Greenwood. Others might struggle and need a loan at a lower level to bridge the gap. We need a top class loan network. Working with teams that we can loan players out too and they can get the minutes they need at a higher level than the under 23's league.
We used to believe if you're good enough then your old enough. Look at Dortmund, Sancho, Reyna and now Bellingham all playing regular first team minutes as 17/ 18 year olds.
But you'll never know if they are good enough unless you give them a chance.
I read about club's on the continent using a buddy system where they pair up kids in the academy with senior players for them to take them under their wing, help mentor them in how to deal with being in the first team. It helped both the kids and the mentors as it gave them a chance to reflect on things and kept them grounded. No idea if it's a system used here often, but certificate something to look into.
Personally with transfers fees going the way they are it make much more sense to invest heavily in your academy. Get the best coaches, use the best methods, the best education, the best equipment, keep looking for new and better ways to do things. You could spend 50m on a player like Fred, or you could invest 50m in your academy and produce 3, 4 or 5 Mason Greenwood's.
I know what I'd be doing.
3.) 07 Oct 2020 14:59:54
Wow, interesting insight Ed. Would this be the ideal position for some of the retired players who still want to serve the club in other capacities?
{Ed001's Note - that is exactly what I was thinking of. They could be so much more than mere ambassadors. These are children we are talking about and they are going to do silly things and make mistakes. What they need is someone they look up to who can be there to guide them in the right direction and that they know will stand up for them when they need it. Not many will make it at United, but you could put United in a position where clubs come from all over the world to try and sign the ones that don't if you play it right.}
4.) 08 Oct 2020 03:21:01
Shappy you mentioned Dortmund. I tried to see some matches last year because of Sancho. I don't know what's going on with them but every time i saw a game i was thinking that Greenwood would score 30 goals last year. Its the ideal place for attack minded players because of their structure and teams are more open at the back. Unfortunately you can't do the same at Premier League and that's the reason we see a lot of English talents go to Germany at teams like Dortmund, Bayern or Leipzig. Their 17-18 is ours 19-20, i think talents can play 2 years earlier at Germany but they need two year more experience for our league.
5.) 08 Oct 2020 07:56:59
Thanks for the brill reply Ed. Currently who has the best youth setup?
{Ed001's Note - probably Atalanta right now.}
07 Oct 2020 08:53:19
Ed001,
How do you view our current youth/ academy setup? Did we just stockpile these European/ international lads because the rules were changing or is there an actual plan? Ed002 mentioned that a few of the young players left (Sotoni, Gomes etc) because there weren’t specific pathways for them. I’ve read good things about Neil Wood and what Nicky Butt is doing but am always wary about what the club is ‘apparently’.
05 Oct 2020 09:49:18
Ed 001, hope all is well mate. What happened to you boys yesterday?
Question about MUFC coaching again; was yesterday’s result just a culmination of what we’ve previously discussed that we have a poor coaching setup/ lack of coaching ability?
Surely that performance can’t be just down to lack of training sessions/ C.V./ lack of fitness.
I was willing to give OGS/ Mckenna etc benefit of the doubt but I cannot fathom how bad that level of play was yesterday.
Other than the obvious of letting OGS go (which won’t happen unless results well and truly go down south) what else can be done? I don’t see the anyone at the club (from boardroom to players) having the level of self-introspection to improve and want to be the best.
{Ed001's Note - we were awful and Villa were excellent.
It is a bit of everything, the crazy situation, lack of time to do any coaching, tinkering with the defence, poor coaching, Maguire being crap. It is lots of things. The problem is that it is all hitting together at the same time and making it look worse than it actually is. At the end of the day, no matter how bad the coaching set up, there is enough there to be doing better than that. It was just one of those days. You have to ask questions of the selection though, there have been two players who have been routinely awful all season in Maguire and Pogba, yet they seem bulletproof first-choice players. When you go down to ten men, Pogba has to be the first to come off, he is already a luxury with eleven.
At the end of the day, yesterday was a one-off, an extreme situation that will almost certainly never be repeated. Jose has now proved a point and so next time he faces United his team won't be so wound up. They won't benefit from a soft sending off and Ole won't get the tactics and selection quite so badly wrong. The only time you find out how good your players and coaching staff are is in moments of adversity. It is easy when things are going well, it is when it falls apart like that when you find out what they have. Not in the moment itself, but in how they respond to it. If they are not coming out all guns firing and absolutely flying for the next game, then Ole clearly is as bad as feared. This is his time to shine.
Other than that, it is going to be difficult to really show the players just quite how bad that was. They could never have hidden on the pitch if fans were at the game. However the situation is special. It is a shame they can't see how the fans were reacting while watching that game. To understand just how important it is to them and how badly they felt let down. Normally you would expect the coaching staff to fix the problems on the training ground but it is difficult to have faith in Ole etc to do so. Watching him, it felt like he didn't have a clue what to do to fix things and seemed to think the problem was purely the sending off. United fans will have to hope he doesn't allow that to be an excuse the players can hide behind.
At least he won't have to pick Shaw any more, his attitude after the game was so defeatist. There was no fire in his belly, which I would have expected after that. You don't seem to have anyone to lead, including among the coaching staff. No one to rally the players and get them roaring back. That is a worry.}
1.) 05 Oct 2020 10:21:05
Villa were good, well impressed with them. It seems Barkley coming has freed Grealish up so he didn't feel he had to do all the work.
Grass was too long as well though when that happens you have no chance of winning.
2.) 05 Oct 2020 10:44:01
No leaders for me ed. The fact shaw was the one who came out and spoke was ridiculous. For me the captain has to be coming out and addressing that. The players have huge responsibility to take and if I was ole I’d be dropping Bailly, maguire, shaw, matic, pogba immediately. Bring in some kids if need be. It needs to be shown that those performances will not be tolerated.
{Ed001's Note - it is not like you need to play kids, you have about 8 senior centre-backs and Donny Osmond arrived recently who could easily replace Pogba. Worrying the lack of leadership though, there is a fair bit of experience there, so no reason for a lack of it.}
3.) 05 Oct 2020 10:56:08
The most telling part of that Shaw interview was when he was asked, how do you fix this and he said he didn't know how. That is the most worrying thing.
4.) 05 Oct 2020 11:38:44
Shaw won't have a clue, he can barely string 2 sentences together. Plus it's not down to him to fix it. If it was me, one fix would be remove him from the side immediately.
5.) 05 Oct 2020 11:01:20
Thing is ed I’d rather see mengi or Williams playing yesterday because it means something to them. Look at the state of shaw chasing back yesterday. Van de beek needs to start for me, he’s been good any time he’s played.
Yesterday is the sort of day pogba should step up, matic, maguire etc. Those experienced heads should have been calmer in the chaos.
What’s even better is that we will scramble around like mad today looking to sign a winger!
{Ed001's Note - it would be understandable if it was a one-off, but these same concerns are being expressed every week, so something needs to change.}
6.) 05 Oct 2020 11:38:17
Spot on about Shaw ed. Just seems happy to be on the pitch.
Ed, I value your opinion and always find your articles and player reviews interesting. I honestly think Maguire is awful and when I say awful I mean for the standard of Manchester United. Now that we have spent 80m on him, we are stuck with him. My question is how do we now get the best out of him?
{Ed001's Note - to get the best out of Maguire you have to play with a back three. He is better suited to a 3 than a 4.}
7.) 05 Oct 2020 11:48:59
Thanks for the measured reply Ed. Did you not think this thrashing was overdue? Brighton arguably should have achieved the same result last weekend.
I’ve read that OGS has a nasty streak in him but it doesn’t come across like that. I hope this is a cathartic moment for him, as you’ve said if they don’t come out firing after the break then we are well and truly stuffed going forward.
Pogba is a joke, playing exactly like someone who wants to leave, flinging his arms in the air when he’s made a mistake, no accountability. Maguire, just needs to be dropped and somehow work on his game (and not wrestling his own teammates) but think it’s too late to coach him to improve. Shaw, just comes across as someone with a lack of intelligence, football or in general. Hopefully Telles will do better. AWB has lost all that initial enthusiasm and now just jogs around.
Would you play Henderson now? I just feel DDG for all he might make a great save, he is now part of the problem. Watched him closely yesterday, he was shouting at players AFTER the goals had gone in, rather that communicating with his defence during the game.
Tactics wise would you perhaps play McT alongside Matic or go 3 at the back?
Thanks.
{Ed001's Note - not sure a thrashing was, but you have certainly been due a defeat.
I would have started Henderson from the moment the season began, he deserved the place. Sheffield United have looked much worse without him in the team.
If Maguire plays it has to be 3 at the back, but I wouldn't pick him and stick with a 4. McTominay, Donny and Bruno should be in midfield, depending on the opposition. Matic is doing what he always does and looking slow and cumbersome after a good run. He seems to lack stamina and can't play every week in a normal season, in a season this compacted, he needs to have regular breaks.}
8.) 05 Oct 2020 12:06:37
That was going to be my next question ed. I don’t think we should ever play with a back 3 and that’s why it’s best not to play Maguire. Not sure who we play in a two though.
{Ed001's Note - I have no idea which 2 would work best, but that is what training should establish.}
9.) 05 Oct 2020 12:24:54
It seems Smalling may not leave after all. I think he will come in to the team and start. That doesn’t fill me with any confidence either.
10.) 05 Oct 2020 22:31:33
A very accurate synopsis of where we are Ed001.
16 Apr 2024 13:00:08
Ed002 thank you for your response, amazing amount of info. May I ask if there is still interest in Inacio or will he be going elsewhere? Thanks.
{Ed002's Note - Yes - he should have been there:
Goncalo Inacio (CB) Watched by scouts from a number of PL sides, including Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United, with each declaring an interest. Sporting will not be keen to do business with Liverpool although the club could potentially arrange to pay his full Release Clause in a single payment and force the situation if the player is interested - and that seems a strong possibility. The other sides to declare an interest are Newcastle and PSG, but PSG have a plan over another player but it is looking unlikely he will join - so Inacio might become the focus. Real Madrid offer a wildcard option. Sporting would rather not sell and are looking to a further new contract and an increased release clause. Newcastle have held talks with Sporting in order to be able to speak directly to the player and to understand if there is flexibility in the payment schedule – but there isn't. Arsenal interest would have departed with the signing of Timber although it has returned with the injury to Timber and impending departures. They are actively seeking talks with Sporting. The player has also been offered to Chelsea by his agent when discussing another player, but they have preferred options for a long-term Silva replacement although do have an interest in Inacio's CB partner Diomande. Arsenal have made a tentative offer that has been rejected. The player's agent has also said that Inacio is open to a move to Manchester United and they may push depending on departures.}
05 Apr 2024 11:49:04
Hi Ed001, please correct me if I’m wrong, but think you rated Potter quite highly and how he did things differently in Sweden. Do you think he could be a success for us with the right setup?
{Ed001's Note - yes, given time he could be. But is he likely to get that? I am not convinced he would. I am not sure there is any big club right now that would give him the time and public backing he needs to succeed. So yes he could be, but I don't think the conditions are right for him at the moment.}
25 Aug 2022 17:47:40
Hi Ed002. Amazing amount of info, thanks. Do you think we will make an offer to Lazio for SMS in next few days?
{Ed002's Note - There is someone at the club very keen on him. There is a chance but an offer may arrive from elsewhere.}
15 Aug 2022 12:54:37
Thanks, Ed. Do you expect the Rabiot deal to be completed?
{Ed002's Note - If the wages are agreed, yes.}
20 Dec 2020 17:29:19
Thanks Ed. Hope you are safe and well. Do you think Diallo will be ready for the first team or will MU adopt a similar approach to Pellestri and mainly play him in U23s?
{Ed002's Note - I would doubt he would be ready just yet.}
22 Mar 2024 11:37:26
Thanks Ed001. How would you compare him to some of your homegrown/ young midfielders?
{Ed001's Note - different types of players, they were mainly attackers that are just now evolving into midfielders. Mainoo is a fully read mid. The only one who can really stand comparison with him as being on a similar level is Bajcetic, but his injury might have affected him adversely. So right now Mainoo looks ahead of all of them.}
29 Mar 2023 21:41:02
Thank you for your reply Ed. One final question if I may; in your esteemed opinion, do you think the Glazers will stay put or sell?
{Ed002's Note - Hard to say - without an offer matching the asking price they will look to selling a minority stake. I suspect a buyer might be found - but it may drag on a little while longer.}
05 Nov 2020 13:42:52
Ed002, presume there is strong interest from other teams and he may spoken with them? Understand if you don’t want to say.
{Ed002's Note - Right now Manchester United has a manager.}
05 Nov 2020 06:31:56
Thanks Tris. Do you know if there’s been any contact with Poch?
{Ed001's Note - not off the top of my head, no. Sorry.}
05 Nov 2020 05:23:42
Thanks for the honesty, Tris. Sadly however much I want it to work out, he has to go. Think Everton will rip us a new one on Saturday.
So realistically who do we go for now? I know you’re not a fan of Poch but this club is such a shambles, I really don’t know what they’re thinking. Have no idea when this sh*t show of terrible recruiting and bad organisation will end. The board/ whoever’s running things surely have to see what a laughing stick we’ve become especially now C.V. has hit us hard in the pocket.
{Ed001's Note - you are a bit of a mess from top to bottom, but a top class coach should at least be able to get more from the team. I am not a fan of Poch, but a lot of his problems are recruitment-based, as he obsesses over physical aspects. As the coach of United he would not have as much of a say over recruitment as he had at Southampton and Spurs, so not the worst appointment for you.}