07 Jul 2026 06:49:13
For a club that supposedly aspires to win leagues, having finished 3rd, we seem to be looking for bargains. The first preseason game is next week, no doubt tour not long after. We have a glaring hole for a midfield, yet only Ederson, who hasn’t even actually signed yet, may be coming in.
Now we have supposedly considered Chelsea reserve Andrey Santos for midfield.
Whether people like this or not, the club seem to look at top players, get plenty of press coverage to make fans dream, then have no intention of buying because the price is too much. The link to a Chelsea reserve has got to be a joke, right? Ok if he was the third choice, but why would he come to be third choice at Utd, unless he was fifth at Chelsea.
Yes, long way to go in the window, but the club have a lot to prove, their ambition for a start.
There was a time they seemed to like to be linked to players for clicks maybe, Woodward flying home for “urgent transfer business” then doing nothing.
Let’s remember when we finished second under Jose and everyone said the club didn’t spend because the owners thought they had got what they wanted, thought they would stay up there, make money without spending too much. Look where we are, finished third, appointed the ex player who, unlike Jose wouldn’t demand too much and now are baulking at spending big. That may be the pattern we are seeing again.
Yes, the window is open for weeks, but at this point we are not seeing a decisive club. If they want quality they are going to have to pay for it.
07 Jul 2026 09:02:10
Red Man, I don't think we have the money, nor do we want to go back to where we were previously, massively overpaying on salaries.
07 Jul 2026 09:28:29
Santos would be a very astute signing at the right price, Chelsea fans love him. He played in 43 games last season, more than United actually played. Pretty impressive for a 'reserve' that you've decided he is to fit the narrative of that post.
07 Jul 2026 11:13:09
Sjr is just as bad as the Glazers in a different way, he is a penny pincher. Just look at the mess he made of Nice. In fact, most of the sporting teams he has been involved with are not exactly doing great.
07 Jul 2026 11:19:47
GDS,
Like Mason Mount? That sort of astute signing. Chelsea fans loved him too.
We watch City get Anderson, Arsenal get Rice, even Spurs get two in, but hey, the answer is Santos for us. Astute? Not seen enough, but is that really, truly the level we are operating at now? Not the stand out players, but a nice bargain.
Sounds like we are starting to accept no value, not over paying commentary.
Dividends could be good again.
07 Jul 2026 11:21:53
GDS2, did you actually watch Santos play? Or just giving out the count of games to prove a point? Chelsea were hopeless last season, and perhaps Santos playing those 43 games could be a reason.
Fans giving in to this crap now. Ajh saying we should be like Brighton. Good lord.
07 Jul 2026 11:33:32
Selective quote UA, I said more like Brighton in terms of unearthing talent, as opposed to simply buying it.
07 Jul 2026 12:15:52
Red Man, there are a 100 different holes to be filled before we can start picking and choosing targets like Arsenal or City. Look at their history of buying, and then look at ours.
The club is in a position where we are correcting past failures, and, unfortunately, that is going to take time.
They are setting new precedents, and are unwilling to make the same mistakes as their predecessors.
Look at last year's window, 5/5 good signings? We managed to get them for good fees and good wage structures. I would call that very astute.
You just love a moan.
07 Jul 2026 13:13:44
Angel
My eyes are open.
Is the club looking upwards to unseat City and Arsenal or down to how we might stay in touch with spending too much?
If your eyes are open, you can see which one. A change in direction is needed.
07 Jul 2026 13:58:09
Of course they are looking upwards. But, in order to move there, there are an awful lot of old mistakes that need re-correcting.
New training facilities, a new stadium in the works, good signings made last season.
But, you want a change in direction? Which way is that then?
07 Jul 2026 14:39:20
I'm also frustrated, but we can't spend what we don't have.
07 Jul 2026 15:21:09
Where is the 250m that we were told we had? Plus the cash from sales. Ederson's purchase, if it happens, is essentially offset by the sale of Hojlund, so we still should have the 250m. If it were Qatar we would be buying the lot.
07 Jul 2026 17:40:46
Angel
When Jose finished second, they said they were looking upwards, then had a ridiculous window. Until proven otherwise, this looks the same.
The change of direction, one where we show real ambition to win the title, is needed. We haven’t done that since the Glazers arrived. It became obvious we were in decline when SAF was no longer there to deliver. Once the Glazers arrived, we stopped; the Rooney-type transfers disappeared. No value.
It looked like they questioned why we need to spend big when we finished top four. Now it’s not overspending, the modern no value. Finish third, let’s not overspend.
We have had a hole in our centre midfield for years, yet seem to be looking for a bargain, whilst competitors and even Spurs have better players. If competitors have better players, what do you think the result will be?
Maybe they will surprise us but so far it has been so uninspiring.
07 Jul 2026 16:43:46
Who told you we had 250m to spend