20 Aug 2026 21:11:19
How many teams from the 20 in the epl will sign players between now and the end of the window? 12 teams did last season every single one of the top 10 did.
The champions last season made 5.
The 3 biggest deals were done in last 3 days.
Last season deadline day had most transactions ever.
At least our recruitment team are not alone in their lethargic attitude and incompetence. They are not alone in being asleep at the wheel and not doing much until last minute panic. Not alone in having no plan. Not alone in not having things all their own way.
What we have seen this summer is what we have seen since transfer windows began in terms of trends of transfer timings. In fact as the years passed the trends are showing more signings in the last week of the window for all the clubs in the tradtional top 6 over the last 8 seasons and more again over lat 4 seasons. Some of you will be fit for the funny farm in a couple of years time amen these tens continue
The money has also sky rocketed in the last 8 years with with uniteds miserly owners spending only the 3rd most on epl transfers.
Crikey when you think of some of the crap signings we've made over that time. The wasted money the contracts etc we are now very close to the end of those contracts and crap players who have hung around way too long. The legacy and millstone around our necks left by woodword and co is being brilliantly managed out of our business at the moment. The pain will be so much less by the end of next season
Hope that negates some of the worry about our recruitment team being the only incompetent ones. They are all incompetent, all the clubs have no plan, no idea what they are doing, the lot of them, ?? using some people's rationale, so its a level playing field everyone is incompetent, that's one less thing to worry about.
20 Aug 2026 22:53:05
Or maybe that's just the industry they operate in. They all follow participar market trends in terms of their financial dekaings.
21 Aug 2026 00:41:35
I think Mr Tumbleweed is being a bot, tongue in cheek!
Clearly there are certain targets that may have been substantially agreed between the player and the two clubs before the window even opens, but the final pieces are inevitably contingent on other sales. For example, had Rodri gone to Real Madrid, perhaps Chew a many would have become available. Maybe not. But, until the icing was on the Rodri deal, maybe United preferred to keep their plans on hold. etc. etc. Once things are clearer, they go for Baleba, who has now moved to the top of the list. They've already made 2 of the 3 planned acquisitions, so there's no desperation at play, which is good, because Brighton know they can't squeeze too hard, or they might risk being stuck with a player who doesn't want to be there and won't perform that well.
So the last week or so is a bit of a merry-go-round as teams are finally able to shift the players they would prefer to sell, but couldn't do so earlier in the window, leaving squad places open.
I was watching a couple of Baleba clips. If he lives up to his potential, I think he could be very good for us. Strong. Pretty fast. Good tackling and anticipation, and can shoot. We will have a lot of scoring threats. If we acquire a good full back in the next 10 days, which I believe we will, we will come out of this window having spent around £150m net. Of course it may all be a big bust, but I prefer to be optimistic. Given the hand they were dealt when they took over, I think the Ineos team has done a really good job. Satisfying the impatient fans who want instant blockbuster acquisitions is neither realistic nor, quite rightly, on their agenda. Nor is feeding their plans to rumour mongers.
21 Aug 2026 04:08:33
Given the 3 we have, Baleba is good stylistically to bring in. He is strong and quick, presses well, and is more solid defensively, with bags of potential - shown more last season.
He also won't expect to start ahead of everyone, which could mean the squad balance and harmony is starting off in a good place, with 4 players competing for 2 spots in, hopefully, 2 games a week for most of the season.
I would like to see some players leaving, a left back, and a second striker. If Rashford stays, I doubt a second striker comes in. Being gready, I would like Maz or Dalot to move out and a top right back to come in, but have no honest expectation that we would be bold enough to do something like that.
21 Aug 2026 09:02:03
If they get Baleba sorted, then it's already a good window.
Both full back positions need addressing, but, assuming Rashford is back, we've got enough options up front.
There is a lot of negativity about Shaw, but if he's fit, it'll take a top-class signing to be a guaranteed starter ahead of him.
21 Aug 2026 09:11:26
Fans naturally follow their own club far more closely than they follow what is happening at other clubs. Which can mean fans see all the negatives and problems at their club but fail to fully appreciate that every other club has similar issues or challenges.
For example, we all felt that we needed 2 or 3 new midfielders, a LB, and a ST this summer, while a back up keeper, CB, LW, and RB are other areas that need attention at some point soon.
Now it looks like we'll get the 3 midfielders, and we have managed to get that back up keeper, and even prospect signings for LW. It also looks like the club are actively trying to get a LB as well (which I expect we'll get). But unless one of or even both of Rashford and Zirkzee leave then we probably won't get a ST, while injuries could leave us light at CB this season.
So we've solved some issues with the squad in the transfer market, but not all of them, and as United fans we are too aware of our clubs weaknesses and some fans even feel let down that the club won't have solved everything this transfer window.
Yet, that scenario is being played out at all the other 19 EPL clubs, where they will have areas of weakness that need addressing, and they will sort some of them but not all of them.
Let's look at Spurs for example, as they have spent heavily. After two seasons of poor finishes, just outside the relegation zone, it was obvious that Spurs needed a lot of work. They had some good options in defence, but lacked depth at CB and LB, they needed a midfield overhaul, and they lacked cutting edge in attack.
This summer they've managed to get Senesi and Robertson on free transfers to help give them more depth in defence, along with signing van Hecke. They also spent heavily on bringing in both Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes to address the issues in midfield. Spending over 200m, which is a massive amount, especially for a club that finished 17th in the last two seasons.
However, they haven't yet managed to do anything to solve the issues in attack. Meaning they still have to find a balance to get the best out of what they have going forward (Richarlison, Solanke, Kudus, Tel, Odobert, and Simons). Of which Simons and Kudus are struggling with injuries.
Meaning they (as yet) haven't solved the issues in attack. Meanwhile, they have also lost players this summer. Romero, Spence and Vuskovic all leaving in defence, as has Vicario in goal. While the loans of Palhinha and Kolo Muani have ended meaning they've lost options in midfield and attack.
They also have MvdV and Bergvall who might also leave (both players are actively looking for new clubs supposedly), while the likes of Udogie, and Kulusevski are also struggling with injuries along with the aforementioned Kudus, Odebert, and Solanke.
It's easy to look at Spurs with envy, especially when they beat us to the signing of Mateus Fernandes. Jealousy pointing at Spurs and holding them up as a more ambitious club than ourselves.
Yet, when you scratch beneath the surface you find that in defence they've made one step forward (can Hecke, Robertson, and Senesi), and one step backwards (Romero, Spence, and Vuskovic). Yes, they've improved their midfield, but their attack is still severely lacking and hasn't been solved.
It's the same thing with other clubs making signings and reacting to them etc.
Some clubs made signings earlier in the summer (ourselves included - Tielemans, Santos, Darlow), while some clubs will make signings later in the window. Most will make some signings earlier and some later, almost as if they are working through multiple deals for various positions but can't do everything all at once. It's almost like transfer deals don't entirely depend on one club, like there are other parties, such as players, agents, and selling clubs who all also have a say in how quickly or how long it takes to get a signing over the line.
Some people just like to complain, they'll argue that the club have let the manager down by signing a player later in the window meaning they aren't ready for the first few games of the season. They'll argue that the club should spend whatever it takes to get the deals done quickly as it's the players on the pitch and not the money in the bank account that matters. But these are the same people who complain that the club over pays for players, and that consistently doing so has put us in a terrible negotiating position moving forward.
All very hypocritical, wanting to eat their cake but still have it. But ultimately these "fans" change their stance every time to suit their negative narrative. Which to people like myself seems very odd. Why would you want to take something that is supposed to bring enjoyment and entertainment in your life, only to put so much energy into turning everything about it into a negative. It seems exhausting and very detrimental to your own happiness and wellbeing.
I suppose that's why Victor Meldrew from One foot in the Grave was such a relatable character. That idea of the aging man who, remembers things with rose tinted glasses and can only now see the negatives in modern life. We all know someone like that, and maybe it's a fate many of us will fall into as we age. Personally, though I try and stay positive.
I see the signings we've made as great signings that improve the squad.
21 Aug 2026 14:03:26
Shappy, top top post. And, of course, a big one. :)
21 Aug 2026 14:47:11
MvdV signed a new deal a few weeks ago. He's staying at Spurs.
21 Aug 2026 16:35:33
Danny, that proves my point perfectly, I hadn't noticed that MvdV had signed a new deal. Just goes to show how much more on the pulse we are with our own clubs compared to opposition clubs.