03 Jun 2026 14:49:58
I know there have been many posts on transfers, so please forgive one more. And I also know real life is not like a game of FIFA. But if I was handed control of transfers for United this summer, this is what I would do.
I’ve tried to keep this realistic. It’s been suggested a few times there could be around £250m to spend, so I’ll stick around that area.
Left Back -
Need somebody with energy to get up and down the pitch. Shaw can’t do that anymore. And Dorgu isn’t great at left back.
Raum from Leipzig - £30m. Entering the last year of his contract. Loads of energy and gets crosses into the box. I’d like Lewis Hall here, but likely to be hard to get out of Newcastle.
Midfield -
Ederson - £35m (done deal apparently). But would be a rotation player for me.
Tonali - £90m. Headline midfield signing as first choice next to Mainoo. League experience, fairly young, lots of energy and skill. Would prefer Anderson, but he’s off to City.
Hackney - £25m. Last year of his contract. Carrick knows him, could be a future star.
Left Wing -
I think we need some serious talent here. Cunha is great, but he’s not a left winger. Need a player that can scare the right back and push them back and beat them.
Barcola - £80m. Very fast and skilful and adds width to the team. And comes from a team where you are expected to work hard.
Striker -
Lewandonski - Free. Only a short term option, the team needs another striker and he adds experience and someone for Sesko to learn from.
That adds up to £260m.
If there are some player sales I’d add another centre back. Someone like Lacroix from Palace. Fast and knows the league, and he can defend.
Bit of fun, and possibly unlikely. But that’s what I’d be doing. There will be plenty of lesser known players out there that could be great signings, but I don’t have access to tons of data and scouting info modern day teams do.
03 Jun 2026 17:16:47
Don't apologise, Fallguy, your opinions are as equally as valid as any others on here. That, after all, is the very nature and basis of this site.
Just remember the only opinion that really matters is mine. ???
03 Jun 2026 17:18:15
This sounds like the conversations I am having at home with my 13 year old. I will be surprised if anyone gets this spot on, as I expect some left-field options from Germany (Vivel contacts) or France. Here is what I would like:
Left Back - Lewis Hall would be my pick, and would add real attacking threat, either inverted or overlapping. He is press resistent, and would lock up the position for years. £60.
Midfield - We are not getting Anderson or Tchouameni, so it is Tonali as the next top option (£80m), and I would package the deal up with Hall if Newcastle are up for it. Ederson already in (£35), and I would then go for Fernandes (£60m), who could end up moving into Bruno's place long term.
Left Wing - I think, with Cunha and Dorgu, who I want to see progress into a Semenya type, we have this area covered.
Striker - Let's see if we can get a deal for Ramos at PSG on loan with an option to buy. I have always liked him, and if he can get back to his best, he is a clinical, dynamic, and relentless worker. Between him and Sesko, we would have a good pair.
Outgoings can help to fund additional positions, along with bringing in some of the youth players (Lacey and Tyler Fletcher appear most ready).
03 Jun 2026 18:14:13
Lewandowski - Free
Why the hell not. He'll get goals and show Sesko how to do it. He only needs to play for 20 minutes a game.
03 Jun 2026 20:24:10
It's Lewy or Vlahovic on a free.
03 Jun 2026 20:27:47
I meant to add, I'd rather have Lewy on a free.
03 Jun 2026 22:15:31
Lewy on high wages for a season would be fantastic. He looks super fit, and his workload needn't be overtaxing, sharing with Sesko. I think his presence alone in the squad is a fault basis. He brings know-how, big-game experience, and goals.
Is it out of strategy? I'm sure we would all agree it is. But opportunities sometimes present themselves that are worth the risk.
Only he knows if he has one more season at EPL and CL tempo in him, and if he wants to put himself under pressure.
15m+ for one season is the ask, no doubt he will want 2 years. So, it would be a huge part of the budget, and for that reason I don't see it happening.
04 Jun 2026 05:29:44
I can't see Lewandowski happening simply because his wages will be enormous. Though perhaps he would be happy to accept more reasonable wages for a crack at the Premier League (and Champions League) at arguably the biggest club in the country. It would be pretty cool to have played for Bayern, Barcelona, and United.
We should've signed Lewandowski in 2013 though, before he joined Bayern on a free transfer in 2014. At that point, though, we had Van Persie and Rooney, and we were looking to strengthen the midfield more than sign a new forward.
04 Jun 2026 05:59:16
Also, it might be real life, but when United potentially have £300 million to spend in one window, being Sporting Director at United this summer, and potentially next summer, might feel somewhat like playing FIFA.
Personally, I would go for Elliot Anderson, Matheus Fernandes, and Ederson for midfield. That would probably cost around £180-200 million. Obviously, Anderson looks more likely to join City at the moment, so if we can't sign Anderson, I would be happy with Tchouameni or Carlos Baleba instead. And if for any reason we can't sign Fernandes, I would be happy with Tonali or Lamine Camara from Monaco.
Left back would be next priority, and Lewis Hall and Nathaniel Brown from Frankfurt would be my top two picks in that order. Hall would probably cost £60 million, and Brown probably £30-40 million.
Left wing would perhaps be a luxury, but could make a massive difference in chance creation and help balance the team. Bradley Barcola and Iliman Ndiaye would be my top two picks in that order, though Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig would be fantastic if available for a somewhat reasonable price, though he looks more likely to join Liverpool.
We could also do with fresh faces at centre back and centre forward, though this will depend on whether we prioritise these positions over left wing. Goncalo Ramos on loan for a season could be an astute option, and Nico Schlotterbeck would be my first choice at centre back, though he has signed a new deal at Dortmund.
Ideal window:
Elliot Anderson - £80-100 million
Matheus Fernandes - £60 million
Ederson - £30-40 million
Lewis Hall - £60 million
Iliman Ndiaye - £60 million
More realistic might look like:
Matheus Fernandes - £60 million
Carlos Baleba - £60 million
Ederson - £30-40 million
Iliman Ndiaye - £60 million
Nathaniel Brown - £30-40 million
Nico Schlotterbeck - £50 million
Likewise, I think there will at least 1 or 2 surprises, and I certainly don't expect we will sign Anderson or Schlotterbeck, and Barcola would shock me somewhat too. But it is certainly fun to ignore reality for a while.