Manchester United Banter 3

24 Apr 2026 21:42:06
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new player profile about, Andy Robertson

24 Apr 2026 10:22:26
Seeing De Ligt back on the grass, good news but had me thinking how bad the summer transfer windows were under ETHs time in charge.

Window 1:

Licha - injury prone but good player
Casemiro - Expensive but overall worth it all things considered.
Antony - Useless

Window 2:

Onana - Calamity
Hojlund - In over his head
Mount - Waste of Time and Money

Window 3:
De Ligt - Crocked
Zirkzee - Underwhelming
Ugarte - Useless
Mazraoui- Steady.

3/10 - 30% at a push successful recruitment rate.

24 Apr 2026 10:40:04
It was a disgrace, wasn't it?

24 Apr 2026 11:17:56
Yep, agreed, Jimbo. Not really blaming Erik ten Hag, although there was that weird thing with the SEG agency and Keith Voss.

My point is more around how sometimes we are probably better off not making a signing than signing someone for the sake of it.



Would the club have been any worse off if Mason Mount didn't join and we didn't sign someone lol?

Something to think about this summer imo.

24 Apr 2026 13:14:39
If you read Laurie Whitwell's insight into those windows, it was a complete shambles how we operated. The players we and he wanted against the players we got, and how much was paid for it.

There definitely seems to be a change in recruitment since Ratcliffe has come in.

I think Licha, Mount, de Ligt have been unfortunate. They are good players, but haven't been on the grass enough.

Maz, I think, has been good for us to be fair, and now needs a good run in the team, but I wouldn't have many complaints with him.



I like Zirkzee too, I think he is a very good player, but not what we needed at all.

But like I said, it seems to be running a lot smoother and this summer is so important. Whoever the manager is, we need more quality on the pitch and we need the money on the pitch. We are looking at 60 games next year.

24 Apr 2026 13:23:41
I would definitely be looking at getting rid of Mount. Absolute waste of space. It's irrelevant if he's a good player or not, he can't stay fit, end of.

24 Apr 2026 14:55:31
Can the club even break even with Mount if they were to sell him? A loan with an option to buy is a more likely scenario.

24 Apr 2026 16:25:57
Mad Hatter, probably not when you consider his injury record and the obscene amount of money he earns.

24 Apr 2026 17:25:17
I don't know Mount's length of contract, probably 5 years with an option for a further year, so we would have a book value of about 20m at the end of this season, and an exposure to about 20m in wages over the next 2 years. So we would need a fee in the region of 30m to break even after costs, pay off, etc.
I like Mount. All the coaches he has had speak about him in the highest of ways.
But he just can't stay fit.
2 big questions are, will a club be prepared to take a risk?
Will he move to a lesser club and what financial sacrifice is he prepared to make?
So a loan with an option to buy and a contribution to his wage is a possible outcome.


If the right deal can't be struck, we can only hope he stays fit next season. If he was fit and available, he would be a good asset in a 60 game season imo.
I could see a club like Newcastle or Villa taking a risk on him. I think Newcastle will have to wheel and deal a little this summer.
I usually don't enjoy the transfer windows at all, and I doubt I'll enjoy it from a United perspective with the endless title tattle and links to nowhere. But I think there will be a lot of clubs selling and buying on a bigger scale than usual, so I'll enjoy that. Throw in the WC delays into the mix, it will be carnage.

{Ed025's Note - i say put him up for sale at 50p and hope you get an offer Ken, terrible player even when fit mate..

24 Apr 2026 18:22:04
I feel for Mason. There's a very good player there.

24 Apr 2026 18:43:03
Mason Mount reminds me of Jesse Lingard. Except, he can't stay fit.

24 Apr 2026 18:12:22
Terrible player even when fit 😂😂 I mean he is definitely not that ed025.

{Ed025's Note - im afraid he is Angel mate...imo of course

24 Apr 2026 19:46:29
Good player for me when fit, but therein lies the problem. It's been too long since he has proved he is good.
It's hard to see a move coming. Sick notes usually tend to hang around due to lack of better options.

24 Apr 2026 21:40:29
I'd happily sell the lot.

Licha, with a heavy heart, is not it.

24 Apr 2026 22:39:20
You can not be terrible to play at that level, mate. Hyperbole at its finest right there.

{Ed025's Note - why do you think Chelsea could not wait go get rid of him?, him being injured so much has helped UTD no end if you ask me Angel mate..

25 Apr 2026 07:05:05
I dunno, Angel.

There have been a few shockers over the years and not just at United.

25 Apr 2026 11:36:16
You don't know keefy? That he's terrible or not? I mean come on, he's not a terrible player. Come down sunday league and I'll show you some terrible players lol.

Ed, I like him. It's his injuries that hold him back and that's why Chelsea couldn't wait to get rid of him. I mean Chelsea have really done well with their recruitment 😂

{Ed025's Note - i thought he was awful at Chelsea Angel and i cant for the life of me understand why you ever went in for him mate..

26 Apr 2026 03:11:23
No Angel, that's not what I meant at all. I meant there are some shocking players that have milked a few seasons out of the EPL.

26 Apr 2026 06:11:14
I don't agree Mount is an "awful" or "terrible" player, but I have absolutely no idea why we bought him, and here we thought he was supposed to play?

26 Apr 2026 06:30:46
He was Chelsea's player of the season for two years before he join United though Ed. The reason why Chelsea sold him was because he didn't want to sign a new contract with them so instead of letting him leave on a free, they sold him. Ultimately though, he can't stay fit after moving to United so he is an overall poor buy

{Ed025's Note - its all about opinions Drac i suppose, i have never been a big fan myself mate and i just go on what i have seen with my own eyes, availability has to be a major factor and his injury record makes me class him as a dud..

24 Apr 2026 08:01:12
I watched the U18 Premier League Cup final on Wednesday night. We lost on penalties to Palace.

We were ahead 1-0 and had so many chances to finish the game. JJ and Chido were both very wasteful, and as so often happens, we were sucker-punched in added time, made worse by it being a dodgy decision. Albert Mills was sent off for a last man foul, which started a long way from the area but carried on into the box.

The ref gave a penalty. The sending off was correct, but with 2 mins left we would have likely held out but for the ref giving a penalty.

A disappointing night, we should have been out of sight, onwards and upwards to the FA Youth Cup final.

24 Apr 2026 10:02:26
Ajh, as we know, Jj is considered the most talented, but I'm always impressed a lot by Thwaites, Healfu and, more recently, Ajayi. It's a very good bunch of players in that group, and I'm hopeful a handful might make it here.

24 Apr 2026 10:41:16
Thwaites is absolute class.

24 Apr 2026 13:23:32
Agree, Jimbo. He looks a very good player. Now he is a few years younger than Kobbie. 😉

25 Apr 2026 06:20:07
Love it, angel. 😁
I see Thwaites as having the potential to sit in the 10 spot quite nicely. He should be sat in the first team next year, learning from the best in the business.

25 Apr 2026 12:25:18
He does look a good player, I must admit, but it is very hard to tell how they might fit in the senior team.

Most importantly, we need 2 excellent CMs for next season. It means we can bed the younger players in nicely for cup games, cameo appearances in the league, etc.

That way, it will help players like Thwaites succeed.

This summer's window is so bloody important, I know I keep banging on about it, but 3/4 signings of quality are really going to push us on and help whoever the manager is succeed.

23 Apr 2026 17:47:34
Hypothetically, if Spurs were relegated, which of their players would you want utd to go for?
Van De Ven, Porro, Palhinha?
A fit Kudus or Kulusevski?
Solanke/Richarlison?
Not many names jump at me as making us better.

23 Apr 2026 18:46:46
Kulusevski is the best if that bunch, but is coming back from injury, and his best position is Bruno's one.

Honestly, after the past two seasons, I wouldn't want any of their players at the club.

23 Apr 2026 20:35:43
Gray is the only one that has shown any fight.

23 Apr 2026 21:23:04
Wouldn't mind Djed Spence.

23 Apr 2026 22:36:56
Archie Gray is the only one who I'd seriously consider if Spurs go down.

I saw him play for Leeds a few years back, and it was obvious that he was going to be a great player.

Van De Ven is a player I'd actually avoid. His positioning and defensive reading of the game is terrible.

Probably because he can rely on his speed to dig him out, but he's already started to pick up a few muscle injuries. I wouldn't be surprised if he's pretty much finished by the time he's 28, struggling to make 100 appearances in a top flight league after he turns 28.

24 Apr 2026 00:43:04
Loads of good quality players at Spurs.
Not many have played well this season, but I think there are lots of players there that would enhance our squad, or a few others, and play better at a new club.
Bergval and Gray would both do well at United imo. I'd argue Solanke is a better cf than Zirkzee. Spence is at least as good as Dalot imo.
Romero looks like he has been trying to get sent off in games, and, while I'm quite happy to have a bit of a loon at cb, he seems to be all over the place.


Porro is better than Dalot and Maz imo.

It will be interesting to see how many they can sell or have to sell. Not all players will be sold, obviously.
Perhaps the likes of Bergval and Gray will be kept, as they will be on lesser wages and are still very young.

{Ed001's Note - loads? There is one - Kulusevski. The rest are not good quality.}

24 Apr 2026 05:34:22
What if West Ham go down....
I'd be trying to snap up
Diouf
Fernandes
Disasi

In that order.

{Ed001's Note - Disasi is on loan from Chelsea why not try and snap him up anyway?}

24 Apr 2026 06:20:57
I think we should be trying to sign Fernandez anyway, he looks like he could make the step up with a bigger team.

24 Apr 2026 07:24:04
Agree Ed001, he has been class since his loan. Same as the other two players. All three would improve our team.

{Ed001's Note - I don't think he is a good player, he is very limited and just suits the way Nuno sets the team up to sit back and doesn't let his defenders get on the ball. You tend to give your defenders the ball at times and want to play football, he would just revert to being 'Disaster' like he was before.}

24 Apr 2026 08:39:00
Not seen enough of Fernandes, but lots of noise about his potential, especially as maybe the 3rd CM brought in to be part of the rotation next year. Personally, I like Gomez at Wolves as this option, and think he would add quite a bit to what we have.....

not hard from the current crop after Casemiro/Mainoo

Always thought Van de Ven was decent, and maybe has just lost his way and not been well coached.

24 Apr 2026 09:15:27
Wouldn't look at any Tottenham players. I'd be looking at Wolves players before Tottenham, to be honest!

24 Apr 2026 09:21:29
Ed interesting that you single out Kulusevski alone, don't you think Kudus is as good a player?
Also good shout on Desasi, I believe same, he is played to his strengths.

{Ed001's Note - Kudus has a crap attitude, very much plays for himself rather than the team. Shame because he has great ability and I love watching him but he is not helpful to a team looking to win trophies regularly. Bit like Fernandes at West Ham, the ability is there but the attitude is wrong. Fernandes is great when things are going well, but when it is going badly, as he showed for Southampton and at West Ham initially, he just throws his arms up in the air and stands around hands on hips. Even when it was him giving the ball away, he would be too busy stropping and flouncing about like Kevin the teenager to chase and work and attempt to win it back. I hate to see that and it is not conducive to a team ethic.}

24 Apr 2026 17:17:30
Jarred Bowen. Only one I'd take.

24 Apr 2026 18:24:55
I'd take Porro. A full back that can actually score and assist.

25 Apr 2026 12:27:12
Eric, I have said for years, if I ever saw a United player, Bowen is the one. What a player, and person.100 percent all the time and we have lacked those over the years.

We need to ensure that we are buying food characters, fighter, workers as well as having that quality. Bowen ticks all those boxes.

Ed001, I agree, Kulisevski is very good but I have a sneaky suspicion they may look at someone like Van Der Ven

25 Apr 2026 23:11:32
Totally agree about Bowen. Can not understand why a bigger team than West Ham has not tried to buy him. He is a model pro.
Always puts a shift in. Scores and makes goals. Never gives trouble. Team player and skilful.

23 Apr 2026 17:10:57
What are people's thoughts on United taking on Maresca as manager?

He had a pretty good record at Chelsea and his style of play could suit Utd, although he would need better midfielders and fullbacks to make it work.

23 Apr 2026 17:29:50
Too much like Amorim; can be overly rigid, sticking to his system even when it does not suit the game, and his in-game management has been questioned.

That is not to say he is a bad coach. I think he will do well on the continent with a team that suits him, or he will end up in Manchester, just on the other side.

23 Apr 2026 17:37:52
That's a big fat no from me. I don't want Carrick either, but think it will be him.

Enrique would be the choice, but don't see him leaving PSG.

Not exactly a great bunch to pick from.

23 Apr 2026 20:36:28
I'd be violently sick across my laptop.

23 Apr 2026 21:16:34
I'd rather s*** in my hands and clap!

23 Apr 2026 21:52:31
It's going to be Carrick. There would have been some serious links or leaks if they were truly looking at anybody else.

To be fair to them, it's a tough situation. If they go with Carrick and he fails, they will get blamed for not choosing someone else.

If they choose someone else and he fails, they will get blamed for not sticking with Carrick.

Just have to hope that whichever way they go, the chosen one does alright and at least stays in and around the top 4 next season.

23 Apr 2026 23:08:31
So that's a No then? 😂

24 Apr 2026 08:18:10
I couldn't have put it better than Peter Griffin. 😂

23 Apr 2026 14:07:49
Pretty tough run in for us. All of the teams have something to play for at the moment, although Nf may become much more relaxed if they're out of the relegation battle. Technically any of the teams down to 12th could pass us if they win all their games.

Which of course they won't. And we lose all ours. A big performance on Monday would be great, but somehow one feels that this club will keep us all on tenterhooks for a while longer.

23 Apr 2026 17:37:17
We aren't suddenly going to lose all 5 games, and even if we did, we would likely still finish top 5.

23 Apr 2026 17:45:14
We have Brentford, Liverpool, Sunderland, Forest and Brighton.

Brighton have Newcastle, Wolves, Leeds, United.

Bournemouth have Palace, Fulham, City, Forest.

Chelsea have Leeds, Forest, Liverpool, Spurs, Sunderland.

Brentford have United, West Ham, City, Palace, Liverpool.

Of those currently outside the CL places, I think we have one of the better run ins. As you said, beat Brentford and only Brighton can catch us really.

23 Apr 2026 20:37:45
We also have something to play for....

23 Apr 2026 23:57:55
It would be some party if we lost to Brighton on last day, safe in 3rd, and they snatch 5th.

24 Apr 2026 09:29:20
Ken, I know it would go against the spirit of competition, but if we have 3rd or even 4th secured and Brighton need a win to get 5th, I'd love to have Ugarte, Malacia and Onana back for 1 game, all start!!

24 Apr 2026 11:35:03
Nah I don't like that thought, Ports. I remember Liverpool beating Blackburn on the last day of the season in 95. We just couldn't do our part and beat West Ham to win the league.
Be professional, but I wouldn't cry if we lost in those circumstances.

23 Apr 2026 13:28:29
Listening to Enrique in the lastest PSG press conference, he is going nowhere soon, already planning for next season with PSG. Think Chelsea will go for Iraola so we are sticking with Carrick or going for Naglesmann, I don't see too many options out there.

23 Apr 2026 15:23:20
If the club stay with Carrick, they are incompetent. That simple.
This, no or not too many options other than Carrick, is total nonsense.

23 Apr 2026 16:39:53
Appointing Carrick would be short sighted. I think he was an excellent choice for interim coach after Amorim because he is very light on tactical instructions when in possession. With the players clearly unhappy with the way Amorim overloaded them with instructions, Carrick gave them the freedom to play without the fear of not doing what the manager wanted.

This has worked to an extent. The first month was an attack playing without freedom and innovation. The problem is that everything in our attack hinges on Bruno, and, in the long term, we need a manager who is capable of striking a balance between allowing players a bit of freedom and coming up with different strategies to create chances that don't come through Bruno.



For me, Carrick was exactly what we needed to get Champions League this season. However, he hasn't shown enough to prove that he's the right person to get us back challenging for titles. The most damning thing is that the longer he has been in charge, the worse the performances have become. There's nothing to suggest that the early form was more than a post Amorim bounce.

23 Apr 2026 17:52:21
Chelsea were going for Filipe Luis, I heard, and Iraola is off to Spain as his family is homesick.

23 Apr 2026 20:39:57
I thought they had a slight interest in Silva also. Don't rule out Lampard.

23 Apr 2026 21:57:05
Fabregas has also been mentioned.

23 Apr 2026 22:39:44
Alright Red Man, I'll bite. Name me ten serious options who we could bring in who are definitively better than Carrick and who are available this summer and willing to join?

23 Apr 2026 23:31:50
Iraola
Naglesmann
Simeone
Emery
Pochettino
Allegri
Conte
Enrique

Id take all of those over Carrick.

24 Apr 2026 06:58:24
Shappy

Why ten?

We only need one manager.

12 days above has a list of better options; there are many more.

Carrick has no CV, and only the emotionally trapped United fans, who cannot see the danger here, are pushing the Carrick bandwagon. He is one of our own. Nonsense.

If SJR appoints Carrick, then it is his Moyes moment.

The club goes backwards for 12 months, pending the idiots at the top realising there is no real vision, just Southgate football.

Let's be honest. I am now worried that if they appoint Carrick, I may not live long enough to see us win the league or Champions League again. It would be that stupid by Ratcliffe.

24 Apr 2026 10:04:29
I don't know what will happen with the manager job. I think, on the surface, for some fans, it will feel like a Solskjaer decision, but I do think circumstances and personnel within the team are very different now. No more Lindgards, Pogba's, Martial's, or Rashford's. We have a lot better characters around now, and more experienced coaching staff around also, and also a more structured, more football experienced hierarchy.



But, I do think the transfer window is more important than the manager decision this summer. I'd take a good transfer window with Carrick manager over a poor transfer window, but a more experienced coach.

24 Apr 2026 10:24:34
Ports

We need a leader as a manager. Carrick isn't it.
I was 13 years younger when the idiots appointed Moyes. If it happens again with Carrick, they get the club they deserve. Pathetic lack of decision making.

24 Apr 2026 13:08:18
I agree with Red Man on this one.
There are plenty of managers out there that can do a very good job.

24 Apr 2026 18:30:10
Comparing Carrick with Ole is a bit silly.

Amorim cleared out a lot of the bad 'uns.

Totally different circumstances.

23 Apr 2026 07:39:01
{Ed's Note - Kloppo05 has posted a new article entitled, Why Slot Feels Wrong for Liverpool

23 Apr 2026 16:05:57
Nooo, Slot is great for Liverpool. Stick with it, lad, he's doing a fine job. 👍

22 Apr 2026 17:08:41
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Matchday 33 - Quick Round Up

23 Apr 2026 15:24:56
Thank you Ed

{Ed001's Note - very welcome mbd.}

22 Apr 2026 09:46:03
Yip, top five seems set now, just need the order finalised. It will be huge to get third, and must be the focus. I assume it would avoid any early qualification rounds etc. Last thing you need is a big game in early Aug, especially with a World Cup year, players given more time off if they advance in the competition etc.

22 Apr 2026 16:44:51
I wouldn't worry about qualifying rounds, they don't exist for EPL teams.

22 Apr 2026 23:17:18
For quite a while now there's been no qualifiers for us.