Manchester United Rumours

10 Dec 2024 13:34:35
Lots of rumours and articles being written that Marcus Rashford could be on his way out.

All the talent in the world, that lad. I think the time is right for both the club and him to break. Could be exactly what's needed for both parties.

10 Dec 2024 14:05:14
Absolutely, he needs a fresh start and a move abroad away from British Media would do him a world of good imo. Need to move him on also for the sake of the team as he has become a bit of a problem when it comes to selection because, imo of who he is, local boy through the academy. Sad it has come to this but don't see what either party is getting out of him staying (from a footballing point of view, he may argue £300k P/ W is worth sticking around for! )

10 Dec 2024 14:05:55
If United can clear their £60m future commitment to wages and actually get a decent transfer fee as well, which will be all profit, then it would probably be a good thing for all involved. Rashford may well be very effective somewhere else but it looks like the EPL is no longer a place where his skillset outweighs his limitations.

10 Dec 2024 14:27:57
Never fulfilled his talent and quite honestly his head is up his a***. If we can find a buyer then great, it’s not like he’s a massive contributor on the pitch and saving his wages and setting a precedent is well worth it. No point being ruthless unless we apply it to the biggest culprits…the players.

10 Dec 2024 15:32:31
He is elite at some aspects of the game, but doesn't seem to want to put the effort into improving his all-round game. I assume it's desire as most of those aspects such as pressing, movement off the ball, hold up play, are all those that players generally improve on over time. As such it is too easy for him to be nullified if the game isn't working to his advantage. Definitely time to move on. The issue will be getting a club willing to pay his wages.

10 Dec 2024 16:31:35
The Telegraph writes that the club are "open" to a sale. I assure you they will be open to the right offer on pretty much all of the current squad. It's just a question of price. But in any event, being open to a sale - something that's glaringly obvious in the case of Rashford - is quite different from having offers on the table. I'd love to see it but, frankly, getting rid of him maybe even more difficult than getting rid of Sancho, or indeed, Martial. Another absolutely disastrous error of judgement committed prior to SJR. Let's commit £75m over the next 5 years to protect a wasting asset.

Part of the process of great managership is to know when to sell. Clough and Taylor were masters of the craft. Sell at the crest of the wave and buy the next thing cheaply. Liverpool did extremely well with Coutinho and Suarez. Ferguson sold RVN and Beckham. He also sold Ronaldo, of course, but at that time the money went to debt repayment and was not reinvested.

No player should be allowed to get too big for the club. If you're so scared of losing a player that you're prepared to overpay up the wazoo to renew a contract then your team is already well on the way to decline. Moyes was desperate to keep Rooney, De Gea became the best paid goalie in the EPL to the tune of £100k per week: Rashford is but the latest example. It's another extremely dysfunctional aspect of the club that needs to be fixed.

I can't guarantee SJR will be successful but were the value of United not buoyed by our global recognition, making it more valuable by far as an asset that the income it now generates, I could have seen the Glazers driving the club into bankruptcy. That's how bad it had become.

10 Dec 2024 18:20:46
Shawthing, I never usually post but feel obliged to with your ludicrous statement that Glazers could have bankrupted the club your supposed to be a figures man so how can you substantiate that remark! Total made up waffle more like a child’s statement.

10 Dec 2024 20:37:55
I can’t see a permanent move but a loan abroad could do him a world of good.
Don’t see much coming in in terms of a ready-made replacement and we might not need one right off. But LWB is a priority, maybe Dorgu. Nypan in mid.

10 Dec 2024 21:41:20
Germansupp: I qualified my remark, by saying that the club's global recognition makes it more valuable than its profitability warrants. Without that, the £1bn in debt, would quite possibly not be supportable. They could not easily increase it, and without more money, could not get back into the game. The Glazers gave up 27% of the equity not because they wanted to but because they had to. Under their leadership it was headed down the toilet. What would two or three more bad seasons and a trip to the Championship have resulted in? Any other business with revenues of £650m, potentially declining, no profits, and £1bn in debt would have a hard time staying on its feet.

11 Dec 2024 04:08:48
Sorry that’s opinion not factual…. They sold 27% because what fool would not, if another fool comes in wants to give you shed load of money more than you originally purchased for and still only by minority then take over the running, if it works they end up with even more money, if it don’t they still own controlling interest and had there money back, you seem to think the Glazers are fools and someone posting on a forum is more qualified then them and there multi advisors who play in billionaire circles daily…. Your trying to spout big words and untruths to sound like your more qualified than them, which is just nonsense.
BTW the minority owner is making a pigs ear of it anyway!
I don’t like Glazers or SJR BUT running the business into the ground is poppycock and you know it… football is not like any other business and you with your spreadsheets and zero activity in it won’t wash.

05 Dec 2024 14:17:56
In the absence of Ed002 : (
I take news where I can find it, for what its worth.
The muppeteers posted this

United have been looking at GKs and had asked about James Trafford between summer and now, expectation is they may replace Bayindir. Trafford will not be joining. Almost all the "links" recently being pushed are just nonsense. United have not started any concrete talks for Gyokeres and are unlikely to any time soon if at all. They are mostly following left backs on the more emergent basis as I've maintained since the season started, and I'm still hearing most of the same names, but I would believe more reports on scouting additional names like Dorgu, and the player in portugal mentioned by Wheeler and Nathan Salt.

They're still following a number of young attacking mid/ wingers such as Nypan, Mastantunonou, Rigg and others and have to consider whether a signing is needed or possible there.

They're still looking at moving any assets they can in January to get financial space for a deal if they can make one. Including esp, Eriksen, Antony and Casemiro as players on big wages. Midfield is being viewed as a growing priority for sure, but still a left sided defender has been the top regardless of manager.

In all other areas Amorim is yet to decide on priorities and finish his full analyzing of needs in order to decide what else is really necessary, but they hope to have some solid initial assessments before January in case they can work it to spend on key position (s) that could give them the chase for CL which is VITAL financially after the extra manager expenses.

05 Dec 2024 23:19:14
You do realise, that he got most of his info from Ed. Now that he has passed, James doesn't seem to know much, hence why his content has changed a lot. No shade, but it's obvious to how it used to be. Ed was the true goat and such a shock when I read the news on here. Will never be the same, that guy had amazing knowledge and contacts.

06 Dec 2024 10:18:41
Facts Elvis.

06 Dec 2024 23:48:00
RIP bozzo.

08 Dec 2024 11:22:41
💯 if been calling out Muppetiers for recycling Ed002 and even dropped links to this site on his YT.

The punk don’t have the decency to pay homage to our man 002. RIP sir, life is different without you.

26 Nov 2024 19:17:55
One of the more interesting stories I read this week is the possibility of zirkzee going on loan to juve with Douglas Luiz coming to united on loan it's not gone well for him in Italy. Good player when at villa. He is a player that would suit us at the moment I would think.

27 Nov 2024 22:33:07
Doubt it would happen. Amorim hasn't had enough time to assess if Zirkzee fits into his plans, it would also leave us lacking more numbers up front. While Zirkzee isn't a striker, he can play as a 10 or false 9 whereas Luiz is a CM. I don't see him leaving Turin where he only recently moved with his partner, Alisha Lehmann.

28 Nov 2024 07:07:05
Easy story to write that.

28 Nov 2024 13:37:14
Not that anyone has been necessarily impressive to start the season (bar Amad), has anyone else been severely disappointed in Zirkzee? I don't see him excelling in any traits out there on the pitch.

28 Nov 2024 13:57:15
I can not believe after watching Martial is last few years, we signed one of the only strikers in the world that Martial could beat in a race.

28 Nov 2024 15:49:12
Very good dsg. 🤣
Martial tearing it up in Greece.
1 goal in 12 games.

08 Nov 2024 11:56:24
Luke shaw back in training. I know everyone gets very skeptical but its great news and so is Malacia.

Every bit will help Amorim and having almost a full squad after the break is great news. Post break we have loads of games both league and europe and cup competition and having everyone back gives me hope to still have a good year.

I think that only leaves Kobe and Maguire yet to return.

08 Nov 2024 12:50:46
Please don't have hope. You'll only be disappointed.

08 Nov 2024 13:17:48
If nothing else, it's a short term boost to get us through to January when the club can look to bring in someone more suited to the type of wing back role Amorim wants.

08 Nov 2024 14:59:41
Nothing speeds up muscle recovery like the presence of a new manager.

09 Nov 2024 01:56:11
Or a euro final.

09 Nov 2024 07:36:51
Hopefully Shaw stays fit for the rest oft he season and a club comes in and buys him.

09 Nov 2024 10:01:34
Shaw being fit is like a solar eclipse, temporary.

No doubt he will get fit again at some point, but he'll end up injured again soon enough. He's also likely to pick up more injuries and take longer to recover as he gets older.

Unfortunately given his wages and injury history it's unlikely that anyone will be prepared to take him off our hands. Which means he's likely to be here until his contract expires in the summer of 2027.

We will have to bite the bullet with him and buy a replacement for the first team, while keeping him as an incredibly expensive squad option.

I don't think he suits playing the wingback role that Amorim uses as it's very physically demanding. Amorim also tends to value attacking output over defensive solidity in those positions.

I've said previously that Shaw might need to become a CB as he ages to prolong his career as fullback is probably the most physically demanding position currently in football, and his body increasingly doesn't look up to the demands.

In that respect a back three system is probably ideal for him as it allows him to play as one of the wider centre backs which is sort of a half way house position between being a CB and a fullback. It'd be much easier for him to adjust to that position.

Amorim has also has previous for playing fullbacks in those wider CB positions.

Maybe he can be back up or competition for Martinez at LCB. Although given Martinez's own recent issues with injuries I'd be slightly concerned about having potentially two players for that position who are both injury concerns.

To be honest the more interesting news is that Malacia is now back and will potentially soon be available.

Maybe I'm paranoid, or maybe it's my Spidey senses tingling but something just doesn't seem quite right about Malacia's injuries.

The club have been fairly tight lipped over his injuries, when they aren't with others. He's now been out over 18 months with a knee injury. Luke Shaw snapped his ankle and wasn't out for that long. Other players with ACL injuries are back within 6 to 8 months nowadays.

He showed some promise before the injury, whether he can get back to that level again after such a long lay off remains to be seen. I'm also not sure about his suitability to be a wingback. From what I remember he was solid at defending, very good on the ball and inverting into midfield but wasn't a rapid overlapping attacking fullback. While unlike Shaw he doesn't have the physical frame to become a CB. I'm not sure he has a natural position in the 343 shape.

He might need to go on loan next year to play regularly and get the number of minutes he will need to get back up to speed after such a long lay off. Although his contract expires in 2026, which would mean letting him go for free, or extending his deal. Maybe the best option is buy a new LWB in January and loan Malacia out then until the end of the season to try and prove his fitness and attract buyers. Then maybe sell him for something next summer.

Our LB/ LWB situation really is an absolute mess. Shaw and Malacia who neither look ideally suited to playing LWB, neither can be relied on to be fit, and neither can realistically be sold. Young Amass who is highly rated, but isn't quite ready yet, and we sold Alvaro Fernandez who is doing a great job at Benfica.

We need to buy at least one LWB/ LB at a bare minimum. Depending on how soon Amass will be ready and whether he can deliver on his potential; we might well need two new players in that position.

I think for that reason we absolutely have to go big and buy the absolute best option available next summer, or in January if they are available.

For me that's Rayan Aït-Nouri, as simply put I don't believe we can get Alphonso Davies. Players like Grimaldo at Leverkusen and Nuno Mendes at PSG are other great options who have also played as wingbacks before. But again both are probably out of reach for us.

Other good and available options would be Antonee Robinson at Fulham, Alfie Doughty at Luton and Milos Kerkez at Bournemouth all look really good EPL proven options. While Miguel Gutierrez and Bradley Locko look the most suited young up and coming options who are unproven in the EPL.

I'm not a fan of Tyrick Mitchell as an option as he seems far too defensive and lacking on the ball quality for me. He'd be fine on a free as a back up option maybe, but is nowhere near the level we need for the first 11.

Of those that we could probably sign Aït-Nouri and Doughty are the ones who have excelled when playing as a wingback in the EPL with a back three. Which should probably put them higher on the list of options. Ideally we should be looking for a player who has shown top class potential/ ability when playing in the role we want them to play for us. Antonee Robinson I think could easily adapt as he started his career as a winger, he's also a nice age profile (27) if the club has real faith in Harry Amass becoming a top class player. He'd be able to hold down the position for the next few years until Amass (who'd only be 20 at that time) could start to take over.

However, given Aït-Nouri's form, potential, suitability as a wingback and proven in that role, age (23) and EPL proven status he just seems like the ideal choice above all others available.

09 Nov 2024 14:05:20
Must be an international break coming up.

09 Nov 2024 15:02:23
Definitely a fan of Aït-Nouri, and seems obtainable in that he plays at (supposedly) a much weaker team who could easily be changing a few things around in January. Great attacking outlet too. Energy, pace and stamina are vital in these wingback positions (assuming Almorim chooses to use them) and I don't feel we have that on the left, beyond moving Garnacho back, which initially might sound like a demotion of sorts into a less attacking position but needn't be, Amorim has deployed both fullbacks and wingers in the roles.
Agree Davies will be off the table, if he goes anywhere it will be to win something at a top club, we're a few rungs down from there atm but will hopefully come.

09 Nov 2024 20:27:33
Garnacho should be left as an attacking winger on his day he is one of our most potent attacking forces. With a strict demanding top coach he willearn to do his defensive duties and improve his delivery of passes into the front men.

10 Nov 2024 16:27:47
Milos Kerkez and Leif Davis are 2 I'd keep an eye on.

10 Nov 2024 18:59:22
Spenno

Aint noory is terrible and a head less chicken defensively. I can't see us being interested at all.

Tom

spot on.

11 Nov 2024 07:50:36
Luke Vhaw is a very good lad and know him and his family. He is not what you lot make him out to be. He trained hard to play for his country. No shame in that and no shame in getting injured for trying. Most will not be playing football if you saw his leg after he broke it. Right mentality and united type player.

11 Nov 2024 10:14:42
I'm sure he is a nice guy. I don't think anybody is making him out to be anything in particular. As a united player he has been very average or below imo. He as you say got a bad injury that he never fully recovered from. That no doubt stunted his potential and meant that he had both mental and physical challenges that never allowed him to be as good as people hoped he would be. Missed more than half the games we had since he signed. Struggles also with his body shape and that's also been a big issue for him. Perhaps a new manager will see him have a nice swansong to his Untied career which imo will be remembered by me as very underwhelming for a whole host of reasons. Hopefully he stays fit and starts making a positive contribution soon we need all our players to do that.

21 Nov 2024 23:38:36
Luke Shaw was outstanding the last time he returned from injury. While I agree that some of these overpaid celebs don’t need molly coddling LS has always given his all and deserves a little more respect than some of these comments suggest.

27 Nov 2024 20:13:35
Shappy a bit came out about Malacia.

Apparently he refused to use the clubs preferred surgeon. Went for surgery in the Netherlands and there was loose cartilage or shards of some kind found causing irritation post op meaning he had to go back under the knife.

My expectation is that club don’t want to make this a big deal and also protect resale value. Might me wrong.

01 Nov 2024 18:00:42
Ed now Ten Hag has gone are we still going to be interested in going for Frenkie De Jong?

{Ed002's Note - Perhaps.}

01 Nov 2024 22:46:18
At least now we can read stories of us being linked to every Past or present Sporting or anyone Portugese. Will make a change.

03 Nov 2024 10:00:03
Amorim had said in a press conference that he will not look to sign any Sporting players in the January transfer window.

He seems like a man of his word, so any media outlet linking us to Sporting players in January are almost certainly talking out their rear end.

I'll be honest there are probably only a 4 or 5 players that might be worth getting from Sporting. Players like Inacio, Diomande, Debast or Quaresma obviously know the system and we will need at least one CB.

We've been linked with Hjulmand in the past (last summer), but if I'm honest I don't see us going for him after we've signed Ugarte. He isn't quite the profile of midfielder we need in my opinion, and he'll cost a premium.

Gyökeres is probably the big one that'll be linked. Mostly because we lack goals and strikers are sexy players to link clubs with and articles linking strikers get the most clicks. Yet I cannot see a world where we go for him. Not after spending 100m on Højlund and Zirkzee in the last two windows and when you consider that Gyökeres will cost a bare minimum 80m but more than likely north of 100m. I can't see us blowing 50-70% of our summer budget on a player for a position that we have good options in. Not when there are other areas of greater need.

Marcus Edwards will probably be linked, especially as he's English. I'm not sure he's at the level we need and we probably have enough options in the wide forward positions for Amorim to try and get something out of them. Players like Bruno, Mount, Amad, Garnacho and Rashford. Even Zirkzee could play in one of those positions. While we have some interesting youth players coming through like Shea Lacey, Jack Fletcher, Amir Ibragimov, Bendito Mantato, Ethan Williams and Samuel Lusale who could all end up playing in those roles and might offer some more depth. So I don't see us needing to sign a player in this position.

The final one I could see us maybe looking at is Geovany Quenda the 17 year old right wingback that has broken through this season. He fits the profile of player the club are looking at under the new ownership. But with us having both Dalot and Mazraoui at the club I think if we were to look at Quenda it would be in 2-3 years. Let him get a few seasons under his belt, see how he develops and then if we need a new RWB look to bring him in when he's still very young at 20 or 21.

Overall I doubt we'll go for Gyökeres or Hjulmand, as both would be expensive and while they are probably amongst Sporting 3 or 4 best players neither are profile of player that is of greatest need.

Quenda is someone who I expect we'll keep an eye on over the next couple of seasons, but not someone to pursue right now.

Really just leaving one of the CB's who could be a realistic target as they are all good enough, know the manager and the system, play in a position of need and fit the clubs profile of transfer targets. Also if Sporting's new manager moves away from the 343 shape then Sporting could probably afford to sell at least one of their CB's without it really hurting their squad.

One of Inacio, Diomande, Debast or Quaresma are the most likely possible signing we could look to get from Sporting next summer.

Although with the new structure at the club, of actual football experts
in key management positions, I doubt we'll see the club pursue former players of he current manager as a transfer strategy moving forward.

04 Nov 2024 15:17:26
Amorin needs to start the job and assess what he will be working with first.

There will certainly be a keep and sell list. Hopefully he is able to promote and develop a few youngsters aswell, as it is always great to see a few academy players come through.

Personally, he will have to hit the ground running. Hopefully Ruud can get 2 more wins before he hands the reigns over.

05 Nov 2024 05:08:00
A lot of the players have 7 months to convince him they deserve to be here next year imo. It will be a busy summer and depending on our financials we may see quite a few gone. Quite a few are out of contract anyway so we will need to buy many players if they are let go or bring some kids from the academy through.

I watch the academy games to cheer myself up and they are a really good bunch. No idea if any are ready for first team.

I watched Amorim's press conference for their CL game and some British reporter's behavior was appalling and really disrespectful and insisting he speaks in English which he declined. It was very strange behavior by the reporter. Need to block out the noise.

05 Nov 2024 08:34:45
Bom trabalho Ahmad!

05 Nov 2024 18:01:22
Hardly disgraceful behaviour lol, playful at worst.

05 Nov 2024 18:53:11
Spenno have you seen it? It was actually pretty bad. Insistent and entitled, and the reporter came across like a bell end.

I thought Amorim handled it well, and came across classy and unruffled.

The reporter has previous for trying to harass managers.

He did a similar thing with EtH while he was still Ajax manager but was agreed to join United. He chased him and tried sticking a microphone in his face, demanding he answer questions about Manchester United while he was preparing for a game with Ajax.

He's a clown and should be banned from all future press conferences.

05 Nov 2024 20:36:02
Of course I’ve seen it, or I wouldn’t have an opinion :p
You’d think he’d commited murder from the reaction.

06 Nov 2024 18:59:48
Amorin was ready for it and he and the Sporting media team were totally prepared and dealt with. He was sending out the message he was solely focused on the City game and not being distracted and it worked.

I rather fancy the reporter fell into his trap, an English reporter at a press conference deliberately held in Portugese, the reported got played here.