Manchester United rumours 3

19 Oct 2024 17:15:05
Ed are we interested in Florian wirtz and if Bruno was to leave what players would be target to replace him?

{Ed002's Note - Florian Wirtz (AM/F) Arrived as a replacement for Havertz and made an immediate impact with admirers in Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Manchester City, PSG, Liverpool and Bayern Munich sending scouts. Newcastle have a very experienced third party continuing scouting players in Germany for them and have also looked at Wirtz. He signed a new long-term contract in 2024 but struggled to play early last season due to serious injury. Newcastle remain keen if he could prove his fitness but chances of them signing him are very low. Bayer Leverkusen will not want to sell and will point to the length of his contract. Chelsea have him on a list of possible AM additions but have a preferred option. Liverpool have not made any offer for the player as many of the fans think and can likely be discounted with other English sides. Expect Bayern Munich or Real Madrid to try to negotiate a transfer, probably Real Madrid would be favourites but the player himself wants a move to Bayern Munich. A wildcard would be Barcelona or Manchester City.

Florian Wirtz (AM/F) Arrived as a replacement for Havertz and made an immediate impact with admirers in Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Manchester City, PSG, Liverpool and Bayern Munich sending scouts. Newcastle have a very experienced third party continuing scouting players in Germany for them and have also looked at Wirtz. He signed a new long-term contract in 2024 but struggled to play early last season due to serious injury. Newcastle remain keen if he could prove his fitness but chances of them signing him are very low. Bayer Leverkusen will not want to sell and will point to the length of his contract. Chelsea have him on a list of possible AM additions but have a preferred option. Liverpool have not made any offer for the player as many of the fans think and can likely be discounted with other English sides. Expect Bayern Munich or Real Madrid to try to negotiate a transfer, probably Real Madrid would be favourites but the player himself wants a move to Bayern Munich. A wildcard would be Barcelona or Manchester City.}

20 Oct 2024 07:58:20
Witz will be one of those top top players, not sure we are at the level when we can currently get the best players, we need regular CL appearances.

21 Oct 2024 20:15:26
He'd be a phenomenal signing, but not one I could see us getting any time soon.

He's a cherry on the cake signing, and we haven't even made the sponge yet.

22 Oct 2024 12:06:45
Agreed Grim. I've always felt that no player should be considered unobtainable to Utd, but sadly it's definitely shifted in the last few years. I don't see us attracting the very best young players right now, but it would easily swing back in our favour when CL is back on the table. Yoro is a good example of where we should be looking; not top end yet, but a growing reputation and great age to invest in. Wirtz is a step ahead IMO.

22 Oct 2024 12:16:22
Spenno,

I agree with you. Also Utd should be looking at buying young talent to develop and potentially selling them on for a profit in the future if needed.

Buying an established star player seldom works well for Utd.

22 Oct 2024 22:20:09
Back in the 80s and 90s we could buy the cream of English talent and usually the best of the Scandinavian countries.

Even then the best players in the world ended up mainly in Italy and then Spain.

Sadly we are now a once great team, foraging around in the nether regions of the football world.

{Ed025's Note - now you buy Dutch players that are not worth a carrot Grim.. :)

18 Oct 2024 10:38:41
Hi ed002

Hope all is well. Are united interested in Rios from Palmeras and do you see us making a move for another midfielder in the jan window,

{Ed002's Note - Richard Rios (CM/DM) Wolves, Liverpool, West Ham and Arsenal sent scouts to the Palmeiras game against Flamengo and all were apparently impressed by the youngster playing in CM. Manchester United and Leicester interest has likely gone. Real Sociedad considered him a Zubimendi replacement but stepped away because of the price. A wildcard would be Real Madrid, Milan, Barcelona, Chelsea/Strasbourg or possibly PSG. Interest of Getafe and Everton will go nowhere. €100M release clause and a long contract to fend off European clubs but financially they could be forced to accept less.

I expect a couple of departures from and an addition to midfield in January.}

18 Oct 2024 13:59:36
Hi Ed I hipe your alright.

Can you tell us the targets for january please?

{Ed002's Note - Frenkie de Jong (CM/DM) Barcelona will look for a new contract with reduced wages else he will be sold with possible interest remaining from Manchester United. PSG have spoken with his agent and additionally his agent has raised his availability with Chelsea whist discussing another player but they have no interest in him.}

18 Oct 2024 14:00:11
Also couls you tell us which players are likely to leave in January?

{Ed002's Note - Casemiro (DM) Manchester United would be willing to let him leave but will take a huge loss. Michael Emenalo spoke of him as one option for Saudi clubs but will be concerned about persistent injuries but MU will be hoping for a call or an offer from perhaps Turkey or Brazil.
Christian Eriksen (AM) The player has a contract until 2025 but will be allowed to leave in January. Interest of Real Betis in a loan was rejected as the club wanted a sale. Anderlecht or Ajax may take him else MLS or Middle East beckons.}

18 Oct 2024 16:18:52
Dr Jong will be awesome for us and will transform the midfield! Best news!

18 Oct 2024 19:37:55
De Jong is a great player, but I’d like to see us steer clear of Ten Haag’s targets from here on out. He’ll be gone by the start of next season (hopefully, a lot sooner), so it seems foolish to waste anymore money on players to fit whatever his system is.

18 Oct 2024 23:17:38
Redseven

So FDJ is a great player but because eth wants him you don't want him. okay then that makes a lot of sense.

19 Oct 2024 03:14:20
Ahmad. Yes. Not signing a player to play a certain “style” of football when we almost certainly won’t be playing that “style” of football in nine months makes a lot of sense.

I take it from your response that you’d rather we drop another 500m on Ten Haag targets in January just so the man can further prove how utterly out of his depth he is? I guess if he gets us relegated, we might actually finish higher than eighth next season.

{Ed004's Note - I think the main reason in getting the likes of Ashworth, Wilcox etc is that they should be shaping our squad for a certain style of play regardless of who the manager is. Last summer was not the correct time to judge their signings with Ashworth only joining 1 July etc but going forward I would hope our record in the market is a lot stronger.}

19 Oct 2024 09:05:40
Redseven

A midfielder who has an excellent first touch and turn who advances the ball, intelligent and good passer and a good engine on him can play for most good teams.

Don't muddy the waters. If he is healthy and if we genuinely want him and can be secured by people who are a lot more qualified than me and you, I am happy to go with it.

19 Oct 2024 20:36:41
Cas out and de Jong in would make be a very effective window.

20 Oct 2024 23:44:34
Given eriksens form, i'd hope he stays this year.

18 Oct 2024 01:47:09
Hey ed002,

Hope you are good. Just wondering if you get timd to answer is sebastien hoeness of stuttgart a candidate to replace ten hag? Thanks and have a good weekend.

{Ed002's Note - No.}

18 Oct 2024 06:59:15
Rumour is that ETH is keen to sign midfielder Frenkie de Jong, 27, in January as he attempts to rebuild his midfield. Not again, please

If the new board gives in to this nonsense I will lose a bit of faith in them. Stop pandering to the manager turning us into a dutch Ajax B team. I hope it's like Wesley Schneider who never turned up.

However, we could do with a magician in the club, Dynamo would be best and make the manager disappear.

18 Oct 2024 08:09:54
Hopefully he does sign him in January along with Antony.

18 Oct 2024 10:07:04
I doubt due to wages he wouldn't be an option now but I'd have him all day long. Not had a midfielder that controls a game since the days of Scholesy. I imagine we'll end up with Gomes or Ward-Prowse.

18 Oct 2024 10:45:21
A healthy a FDJ is a superb player and will have many suitors. I can see city and many other top teams lining up. He would vastly improve us so no issues from me if he came.

Unfortunately he seems to keep injuring the same ankle so its just another click bait story imo.

19 Oct 2024 06:53:27
Red man, it's Wilcox who wants him.

19 Oct 2024 12:40:07
Angel

Is it?

A 27 year old, with injury issues, doesn’t seem to fit with everything we we were told about the direction of the club on signings. Looks nearer to a Casemiro type signing.

We need someone to score goals.

20 Oct 2024 14:59:21
Red Man, you make 27 sound ancient! A midfielder at 27 should be in their prime. Can't compare with the Cas signing. The injuries, fair enough. But 27, c'mon mate ?.

16 Oct 2024 14:04:26
Hi Ed002,

Further to your info a few days ago about United having two scenarios should there be a need for a new coach - and them identifying ideal candidates for both scenarios - are able to reveal if Tuchel getting the England job has impacted either of those scenarios please?

Many thanks as always!

{Ed002's Note - Tuchel was originally first choice but turned the job down in the summer and had not changed his mind. So no.}

16 Oct 2024 15:24:22
Thank you for the detailed reply!

16 Oct 2024 16:04:47
Believe the deal with Tuchel was actually done a little while ago (10 days or so) according to reports so was never a chance of him coming in over the internal break.

14 Oct 2024 16:34:28
Hello Ed002, do you know how how much it would cost Utd to buy back Angel Gomes?

I think a midfield of Ugarte, Gomes and Mainoo would be well balanced and could grow nicely together.

{Ed002's Note - Nothing, he is a Free Agent in the summer.}

14 Oct 2024 19:07:09
Nowhere near good enough.

14 Oct 2024 20:50:58
Thanks Ed002.

Utd need a passer in midfield. A metronome who keeps the ball and starts the play.

Utd have limited funds

Gomes is young and free. He might not be top tier but he's good enough to play for England and he is only going to get better.

{Ed002's Note - Angel Gomes (CM) Newcastle will push Lille for a January deal before he can leave as a Free Agent in the summer. Spurs and Manchester United may also show an interest.}

14 Oct 2024 16:34:28
Hello Ed002, do you know how how much it would cost Utd to buy back Angel Gomes?

I think a midfield of Ugarte, Gomes and Mainoo would be well balanced and could grow nicely together.

{Ed002's Note - Nothing. He will be a Free Agent in the summer.}

12 Oct 2024 12:31:13
Ed quick question Is there any reason why we have no chance of appointing Ruben Amorim from Sporting. Is it because he is being targeted from another club?

Maybe Man City?

{Ed002's Note - Manchester United have others in mind should they need a new coach.}

12 Oct 2024 12:58:51
With southgate out of the running. Is it down to Tuchel and Potter? Can you give us a list please?

{Ed002's Note - It is not a matter for now.}

12 Oct 2024 13:35:56
Sorry to ask for clarification Ed002, but presume United would be looking at others to replace ETH in the short term, thus not looking at Amorim this season.

But what about looking at RA to take over next Summer?

Or or they not looking at him in any circumstance, short term or long term?

Apologies again!

{Ed002's Note - My understanding is that there are two scenarios that have been discussed should there be a need for a new coach and the ideal candidates for both scenarios have already been identified by the club.}

12 Oct 2024 14:47:20
Thank you for the quick and detailed reply Ed002 - very grateful to have the opportunity to ask you for details about what’s actually going on.

12 Oct 2024 19:50:33
Is anybody going to ask the obvious question?

12 Oct 2024 20:13:37
Can you tell us ed the two managers the club has decided on?

{Ed002's Note - - It is not a matter for now.}

12 Oct 2024 21:44:47
City want Sportings director of football. Seems like they are laying the groundwork for RA just like they did when Begurustan came from Barcelona and then Pep followed later. Unlike Utd they have a clear target and plan.

12 Oct 2024 22:42:37
Haha Salford ed is literally telling you we have clear targets and plans should we need to change manager.

Whilst I think we need to change manager now it's nice to know they have plans.

I would hope the plan doesn't have to go much longer as it is at the moment before they enact a change.

it's already a struggle to get excited for the games I settle in expecting the worst atm and I'm usually right even if we scrape a win it's awful football.

Anyway Brentford next week we usually play so well against them. not.

13 Oct 2024 09:45:39
Utds are as clear as mud and meantime we lurch from one game to another. I really want ETH and the team to succeed but fighting for the title looks a very unlikely prospect right now.

13 Oct 2024 09:46:51
I often wonder what things would look like now if we’d stuck to the plan of van Gaal to Allegri!

13 Oct 2024 13:21:06
Welsh, not a lot different. Would Allegri have won what Jose did? Maybe. But you'd have had the same numpties pulling the strings, and we'd be pretty much where we are now.

14 Oct 2024 00:54:22
Lots of press reports around today that we were interested in Stuttgart's Sebastian Hoeneß, but he turned us down in the summer.

If this is true or if we are still interested, I do not know.

05 Oct 2024 11:05:56
Ed are we interested in Svere Nypan the player from Norway?

{Ed002's Note - He is still a child. I know other clubs have been looking at him and maybe Manchester United havce aswell.}

06 Oct 2024 12:55:03
It has seemed as if the top clubs are more willing to use very young players (esp attackers) a bit more this season, take Arsenal and Spurs in particular. But I appreciate this guy plays further back and is a tad younger. One to watch.

08 Oct 2024 17:48:44
I think we need to get better at finding young talents and bringing them to the club BEFORE they have a huge breakout season. As they then become ridiculously expensive.

Then we need to make sure we have a clear plan to help develop them until they are ready to be in the first team.

30 Sep 2024 11:37:51
Ed002 is southgate the main and likely option we look to if ten hag is sacked?

{Ed002's Note - He is one of the options.}

30 Sep 2024 16:25:41
Ed002 is graham potter still an option.

{Ed002's Note - I understand that he has been discounted for now following discussions.}

30 Sep 2024 19:10:20
Ed002 could Mckenna be an ootion and attainable? With his style and united history would be a smart move or thomas frank and Allegri is available, maybe a option we could look at? Thank you.

{Ed002's Note - Another consideration but availability will be an issue. Frank will not be an option, Massimiliano Allegri strikes me as very unlikely.}

30 Sep 2024 22:19:26
I quite like the idea of Nagelsmann and wonder if he is under any consideration?

01 Oct 2024 00:59:04
Is it safe to say Tuchel is our number one choice followed by Southgate. Can you please providee us a list of order of preference. Thank you ed.

{Ed002's Note - Not at this time - Manchester United has a coach.}

01 Oct 2024 10:45:46
Ed002 could van nistelrooy taking over be an option we look at?

{Ed002's Note - Ruud van Nistelrooy - the soft option - perhaps give him the job until the end of the season.}

01 Oct 2024 11:28:29
Ed002 - if EtH was to depart, would Nagelsmann be an option?

{Ed002's Note - No.}

01 Oct 2024 11:55:53
ED002,

Appointing RVN as an interim manager might be a fairly decent idea. Appointing a new manager when the season has already started isn't ideal and some manager are known to not be keen on doing this.

Is the option if Fernandes leaving still on the table?

Or has that ended when he signed a new contract?

Thanks.

{Ed002's Note - Bruno Fernandes (AM) ME still beckons after an offer from Al Hilal was rejected by the player. Al-Nassr are willing to pay a premium fee to Manchester Unted and provide the player with significant compensation. A wildcard may be Bayern Munich who his agent approached - but they would not be interested if any significant fee was demanded.}

01 Oct 2024 12:18:50
Thanks ED002,

In surprised the club didn't sell him in the summer. It's time he moved on.

01 Oct 2024 12:49:10
Ed if you don’t mind- who would you appoint if you were involved with the club?

{Ed002's Note - Thomas Tuchel.}

01 Oct 2024 13:14:43
Thanks for all your answers Ed002: can imagine you’re getting lots of questions about ETH issue now!

So really sorry to be one of those posters but, given that RVN has been part of the failing results (and presumably coaching etc) so far this season, if he does get the job, do you think he’ll make any difference, or just more of the same? (Does he have a decent reputation in your higher-level football circles? )

Again, any response will be very gratefully appreciated! (And thank you for your precious time! )

{Ed002's Note - Realistically it would be a placeholder appointment until a new coach arrives.}

01 Oct 2024 13:55:40
Wallace all the Eth in people are pleading for time, whilst Erik has had 2 and this is his 3rd year our entire coaching set up has only been here this season they may deserve time he has had it.

01 Oct 2024 14:34:52
Sorry DB, bit confused:

You’re saying that, if given the job, RVN should get more time to prove himself?

01 Oct 2024 14:37:03
Thanks Ed002: makes sense I guess to keep RVN to the end of the season to give hierarchy time to deep dive into researching permanent replacements and get the manager they really want next Summer.

01 Oct 2024 14:31:05
Ed002 can I ask why potter has been discarded? Thought he would be a good choice with ineos and ashworth links.

{Ed002's Note - Graham Potter - I understand that he is down the list following discussions.

01 Oct 2024 14:31:05
Ed002 can I ask why potter has been discarded? Thought he would be a good choice with ineos and ashworth links.

{Ed002's Note - We are not going to get into any detail right now. This all started in the summer.}

01 Oct 2024 18:14:41
Wallace what I mean is you can't lump rvn and other coaches with Eth they have only been here a few months ten hag hasn't.

I wouldn't be concerned if a new coach or interim coach kept them all for this season at least.

02 Oct 2024 12:30:00
What makes Southgate stand out as an option, out of interest?

{Ed002's Note - The club have previously been interested, he has support from the club and his relationship with Ashworth.}

03 Oct 2024 08:12:38
Southgate rumour mill in full overdrive today.

03 Oct 2024 08:36:06
Please god no to Southgate. His football has been shocking considering the players available to him.

Tuchel any day over Southgate, but preferably Frank.

Tuchel is great tactically and no doubt is passionate, but has had bust ups with players and upper management.

Frank is a coach with great man management skills, passionate and tactically astute. At Brentford, he has shown he can work well within a structured environment and with the club's mindset.

EtH needs to get some fire into the players and tweak some tactics to get some wins going as his tactics have been found out. It's unfortunate, as we all wanted him to succeed, but I think the writing is on the walls and it's down to him. He has been back in the market heavily and these are his players not performing.

Strangely enough, I think his system would work better without Bruno Fernandes. Bruno's style is to attempt the spectacular, look for the cutting pass and create things. However, his passing accuracy has always been an issue. Right now his passing accuracy for this season is 81% passes completed.

That's nearly ever 1 in 5 passes going astray. While not discounting the chances he has greater and the fact he's been our best player over the past few years, his passion and drive for the team is immense. The risks he takes are just a little to frequent for this team.

I'd like to see him rested and a more stable midfield adopted (Ugarte, Case and Mainoo) to see if we can get things to gel together. Retaining possession while maintaining solid defensively will help us work play for our attackers to be better positioned before the final pass.

This isn't me saying I don't like Bruno in the team but just that alternative approaches need yo be taken and the club should realistically look to cash in on him whole they have the option to do so.