27 Jul 2025 13:18:09
Lots of noise on social media that Antony is headed to al nassr. not sure if the sources are reliable but we can live in hope.

1.) 27 Jul 2025
27 Jul 2025 21:31:58
The noise! Worst part of be a united fan.

2.) 28 Jul 2025
28 Jul 2025 18:46:30
Shaw too i had to check it wasn't April fools day.
How perfect would it be to see Shaw and antony head to Saudi.

3.) 28 Jul 2025
28 Jul 2025 21:30:38
Shaw would be classed as pure profit aswell, not to mention his wages off the books aswell.

4.) 29 Jul 2025
29 Jul 2025 10:00:17
We needed to shift these players off the wage bill. They were signed in good faith and I don't doubt they've given it their best effort, but for various reasons it just hasn't worked out and they need to move on for themselves as much as we need them to.

I hope we can get as many sold this summer as possible, the outgoings are probably more important than the incomings.

I'm fairly confident that Garnacho will be sold, the rest I'm not particularly confident at all.

Clear the decks and make space for some of the academy lads if needed, especially this season without European football we can actually afford to have a smaller squad. In fact we would probably benefit from it, build a really good team spirit with a smaller core squad, give Amorim and his coaches the ability to spend more time with players individually to help develop them quicker.

Then next summer hopefully we have a few young lads who've really stepped up and we can add to the squad to fill it out to hopefully compete in European football for the 2026/ 27 season.

Players like Shaw, Malacia, Casemiro, Sancho, Garnacho, Antony, Bayindir, and Onana all need to be shipped out sooner rather than later.

While the likes of Mazraoui, MdL, Maguire, Mount, Ugarte, Collyer, Højlund and Zirkzee will also have to leave in the next couple of years unless they step up and find their place in the team on a regular basis.

Some might be good squad players, some might be good first teamers, if they can't do either consistently to the level we need then they will need to be moved on.

5.) 29 Jul 2025
29 Jul 2025 13:10:20
Shappy, it was a good post until you mentioned Mazraoui, De Ligt and Ugarte needing to leave.

In my opinion, all three comfortably make our best XI.

6.) 29 Jul 2025
29 Jul 2025 14:29:56
Downsie, I didn't say they need to leave, I said if they don't cement their places in the team this season then they might ultimately need to be replaced.

I really rate all three of them, but you'd have to be either hugely naïve or just plain ignorant to suggest that on the basis of their performances last season that they have/ should have a first team placed locked down.

I've been hugely impressed with the technical ability and adaptability of Mazraoui. I was concerned about signing him due to his injury record, but so far at least he's held up well on that front. Yet his best position is as a traditional full back in a back four. Which is a position that doesn't exist under Amorim, nor will it. Unlike Dalot I don't think Mazraoui can adapt to play as a wing back. His best position under Amorim looks to be as the RCB, which also happens to be Yoro's best position. Therefore I think he will need to really show he's first choice material in that position this season, as he's too good to be a back up and I don't think he'll want to be either. At the end of the day that's why he left Bayern for us.

MdL I think has been quietly solid for us, however, he's another who has a patchy injury record. That said is he perfect for what Amorim wants? I don't think so. He lacks the pace and mobility to play as one of the wide CB's. While he has the height and aerial ability to play as the central CB, a lack of pace and elite ball playing ability does limit him somewhat in Amorim's system. He can't play quite as high up the pitch, not does he offer that playmaker style passing Amorim wants from his CB's. Lots of people want us to sign a playmaking midfielder, but we won't understand Amorim as he relies on his CB's to be the playmakers and the midfield to add energy and defensive solidity.

Ugarte was another who was solid enough last season, but also made a few mistakes as he adjusted to the league. I'm fairly confident that of the three he is most likely to secure himself as a long term first choice player. Yet to suggest he has done so based on last season would be premature. At the end of the day Amorim did drop him from the biggest game last season, and also started to play him less towards the end of the season.

All three did okay last season, well at points. Yet all three also raised question marks over their long term viability in this side.

All I'm saying is that this season they need to answer the questions raised of them last season. If not then those questions will only get louder and that tends to ultimately result in players leaving.

7.) 29 Jul 2025
29 Jul 2025 15:08:23
Yes Downsie they do make our first 11. And there lies the problem 100% none of them are good enough, if we want to try get back up the table, they are all mid table players in the EPL at best.