07 Jul 2026 09:00:31
So we find ourselves between a rock and hard place.
After paying silly fees and exorbitant wages for years, the new management have brought some semblance of control to things. All well and good and about time, but when the likes of Spurs are throwing money around it makes it doubly difficult to rebuild the squad.
Fees are one thing, but wages are just as important in terms of the impact it has on the rest of the squad. The Athletic podcast says we were confident Fernandes wanted to come to United, but Spurs offered significantly higher wages, outside of our structure, which would have meant lots of our existing squad would have been demanding more. The salaries we paid to Sanchez, DDG, Rashford, Sancho caused all sorts of issues in setting expectations for others.
We also have a lot of debt and transfer fees due, making cash flow a problem. We need sustained qualification for the Champions' League, but to do that we need to strengthen the squad. Right now, we simply don't have the money for the rebuild we need.
I don't think Anderson wanted anyone other than City, which I get, whilst Tonali appeared to only want to move to London, and Fernandes was happy to go where the bigger salary was.
The days of us dominating the transfer market are long gone, we are saddled with debt with a stadium that needs major work or rebuilding. If Bournemouth show any signs of being willing to sell Scott, I would expect another action, same with Tchouameni so chasing the popular targets will be problematic.
We need to be investing in the type of data analysis Brighton have used so successfully and start to unearth players before they hit the big time. I know people will roll their eyes at the risk involved here but Lammens is a great example, surely we have others we should be taking a punt on?
I have no answers, I didn't particularly want Fernandes, but the club did, and we lost out to Spurs. Let that sink in, we lost out to Spurs, almost relegated last year.
Strap in, this could be a rocky window.
07 Jul 2026 12:16:06
Ajh,
Good post. The club are being financially prudent now. The current debt levels, plus the impending stadium debt, need to be managed carefully.
I do feel that the club will sign another 3 or 4 players. Spurs certainly have thrown a cat among the pigeons, startling Utd and changing their transfer plans.
There are even gaps calling Edersem the new Klebersen because he isn't a big named superstar. I think Utd will turn to players like this, with their main focus on players wanting to play for the club, not just here for a pay day.
07 Jul 2026 13:56:10
Good posts, lads.
Paying for the sins of previous administrations, but many cannot see that.
There are a lot of issues to be ironed out before we are able to structure things in a way where big signings like Anderson etc. can be made again.
Many holes to plug before we are back there.
07 Jul 2026 14:35:06
But what of Berrada's claim that the club intends to be fighting for the title by 2028? How does he expect us to do that if our debt level means we can't compete for the best players? Sure, we don't want to be committing the sins of the past again, and we may need to maintain a salary structure, but the reality is that top players cost big money. Haaland is on £500k pw. Arsenal have 5 players in the £240-£280k pw range. Salah was on £400k pw, etc.
So, if it's true that United want Tchouameni but can't afford to meet or improve a little on his current salary of reportedly £205k pw, then I really don't see how we're going to get back into the mix at the top of European football.
Success costs money. It's all very well trying to rely on Brighton-style recruitment, but that's only going to get us so far. Brighton are not a club that has the wherewithal to win the EPL and/or the Champions League. And, let's say Tchouameni is a genuine target, even at £250k he'd be £100k less than Casemiro.
What we can afford, what we're willing to pay, who we're interested in signing, etc., is all quite possibly a load of clickbait based on nothing more than innuendo and rumour, but whatever the reality, there's one overriding fact at work. If you want to beat the best, you have to have even better, and that will require acquiring some top players at whatever the market price is.
07 Jul 2026 15:18:54
Good post, newname. The point people forget is the cash inflow of the CL as well. With names like Santos, we are not getting CL next season, and that further adds to the cash challenge and further delays the much needed rebuild.
We cannot simply rely on the second-grade players to reach where we hope to be. It's a one-time push that is really needed now. Any delay just pushes us down the line with everyone around us improving.
07 Jul 2026 15:53:20
It looks like we are shopping at the cheaper end of the market, both in terms of fees and player salaries.
This does not align with "We will win the league by 2028".
It is also frustrating that the club use media cronies to put messages out that Anderson is our number one target. Tchouameni is a priority, etc. Apparently they need him to ask to leave and to take a pay cut because 215k per week is too much.
They are trying to kid the fans that they are still competing at the top table, when they know they are not.
Bruno is underpaid versus his output. Mainoo was underpaid for his level too. We are going to try to be Wenger's Arsenal when they were trying to pay off the Emirates debt. So at least tell that to the fans and we can reset expectations.
Maybe we will be more successful with Heaven and Yoro. We tried pretty much everything else!
07 Jul 2026 17:05:59
Why on earth would Tchouameni want to leave arguably the biggest team in the world and take less money?
07 Jul 2026 17:50:18
Tchoumeni is just a smokescreen in my opinion.
07 Jul 2026 21:36:40
They are never going to try and go for Tchoumeni. In the same way, they were never really going to try for Anderson. We've seen this for years, leaking big names to the press to try and show fans they are trying.
Other clubs seem to get the name leaked and sign the player fairly quickly after that. For whatever reason, United like to drag things out for months and end up signing the player at an inflated price.
They either don't want to spend the money or, more likely, can't spend the money.
If they are waiting for top tier players to go and ask their current clubs to move to United to force a better deal, they'll be waiting a long time.
Sadly, those days are long gone.
My guess would be the midfield for next season will be Mainoo, Ederson and Berge from Fulham. Hardly inspiring, or, more worryingly, capable of being competitive in the league and Europe.
They've had months to plan for this midfield rebuild, I have no idea why they are dragging their feet now.
They also need to try and get Bruno to commit to staying. If he goes, the team really is in trouble.
All my opinion, of course. For all I know, they could go and spend £200m tomorrow.