Transfer Rumours Let's ignore the big ****ing elephant and blame the latest manager, again. Are we nearly there yet?

I agree with most of your post, but let’s face it, there were probably three players in that squad that were worth their salt last season.. Garnacho, Mainoo, and possibly Bruno. In that regard, McTominay was by far more dependable than any other player. The rest were largely liabilities either because of they were too new to the squad, or injuries, or just plain sht on the day.

 

How would we fit Bruno into that midfield? It will be interesting to see what ETH does with the starting eleven. Don’t forget Mount as well. He actually fits the system better than Bruno, I think.

I bet we are going to end up starting 8 midfielders lol

 

If we had Ugarte, Mainoo and Casemiro in a 4 3 3 formation, then Fernandes would have to be one of the front three.

That three would then be made up of three of Bruno, Hojkund, Zirkzee, Garnacho, Amad, Antony and Rashford. Too many options, we could have off loaded Rashford this window without noticing.

I suspect he plans to stick to the 4 2 3 1 (sadly!), and that Mainoo and Ugarte be the 2 long term, with Casemiro not playing as much. Mainoo still very young remember and will need a break here and there.

Bruno is then at 10, behind the striker, whoever that is, with two wide forwards from the above players.

If we were to go three centres halves with Shaw/Dalot and Mazaroui as wing backs, there are even less available slots for everyone.



Got decent squad numbers now, he's got no excuses.

 

In terms of their overall contributions to the squad, I would rather we had kept McT and sold Rashford. Asa home grown talent he would have brought in more cash than the sale of McT brought in and perhaps allowed us another signing.

 

The notion that McTominay is somehow not good enough for Manchester United is one of those puzzles. I’m not sure what fans use to gauge what is good enough for a club that persistently underperforms backed by consistently underperforming players who have added no value in years in the squad.

We have a very long sober road ahead.

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/ManchesterUnited/s/uS1RTgJX1l

Hilarious and crazy video at the same time.

 

Just seen our Europa league squad list and quite a few names are missing, such as Mainoo and Garnacho but I think that is because of their age and they will be added later (hopefully)

 

Just finished watching the legends game against Celtic. Great to see some of our best players back on the pitch, and a great goal from Rooney. Berbatov is still silky smooth, Carrick still has an eye for the ball and Nicky Butt will still fight anyone, for anything. So many great memories, the legs are failing, the pounds are piling on but the skills that made them such great players are still there.

 

There actually probably still beat our current team lol

 

Incredible size to Rooney now!

Amazing that Berba wasn't even first choice striker half the time he was with us.

He'd walk into the current team, provably even now.

I never really forgave him for casually missing a penalty in the FA Cup final shoot out, which we lost to Chelsea. Like he couldnt be arsed.
I don't think Fergie did either.

 

Sounds like Antony is definitively on his way out. No single player exemplifies the struggles of the team in the last two years than Antony. The insane transfer fee, follow by the inconsistencies in his performances, the single tricks and limited plan B, and the hope that more time would bring the best out of him.

 

Still think giving him some time on Left wing would have helped him a lot but we won't drop Rashford.

 

Again, with Rashford, why play a whole season with a player completely out of sorts? And yet, he’s in again this season as a starter. The great managers just don’t do these stupid things with players out of form or play them in ineffective positions at the detriment of the team. It is just plain stupid!

 

I have seen nothing, anywhere, that says Antony is definitively leaving.

He should definitely be given a chance this season, which is THREE GAMES old.

Part of me thinks that ETH is giving Rashford enough rope to hang himself by playing him and showing everyone how lacklustre the bloke actually is.

Dangerous game to play though. Be interesting to see who start against Southampton, in a game we not only have to win, we have to win by two or three.

 

I know it's only the Daily Fail but a loan deal seems to be on the horizon -

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/f...nerbahce-Man-United-finally-Old-Trafford.html

 

As you’ve followed up, that would be a ridiculous thing to do to Rashford mainly because it is at the expense of the team. A manager won’t rationally do something like that to prove a negative point. No one wins under such circumstance.

I believe ETH continues to play Rashford because he believes that Rashford will come good. No problem with that if you give him three to five games. But guaranteed start based on hope is irresponsible.

 

Manchester United have reported a net loss of £113.2m in the year to 30 June, their latest accounts show.

It follows losses of £28.7m in 2022-23 and £115.5m in 2021-22, and their latest figures take total losses over the past five years to over £370m.
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Add £670m spent on players in the last three years to that and what it really got us. The club is running itself to the ground in my opinion.

 

From the Telegraph -

United posted record revenues of £661.8 million for the 2023/24 season. The club are forecasting turnover of between £650 million and £670 million for 2025, which is expected to include the £50 million upgrade of the club’s Carrington training base due to be completed next summer, and £10 million of costs relating to what they are calling their “headcount reduction programme”.

 

Record revenue means absolutely nothing when you have a -26% operating margin. That needs to be the focus going forward. Otherwise the club will run itself into bankruptcy. I’m certain the INEOS group is in on fixing that gapping loss.

 

There has been some exceptional expenditure (allowable under financial rules), such as the costs of the take-over, recruitment, consultative programmes regarding OT, the investment at Carrington - the list goes on, all of them outside the normal ebb and flow of corporate finances in the football world. These are one-offs, never to be repeated and so our finances, with record revenues, will obviously improve. Ineos have some of the best commercial nous in the world at their disposal and that talent will be brought to bear at the club.