Manchester United Thread 25/26 - Teamtalk/Transfers/Gossip Mod Note in OP 12.02.26

Im not sure money would be the sole motivation. He's in his prime now and he should be thinking of titles and legacy. His next move will likely be his last and it wouldn't suit him to come back here to sulk for the money. Barca are **** him around too; he spent a season proving his worth, why would he accept another loan, when his asking is only 30m and he's agreed a paycut? If he has any pride in himself he'll go to where he's valued and has opportunities to win titles.

Anka mentioned on TOTD yesterday that he has watched a couple of hours of him so far and has more to watch for form a full opinion, but based on what he has seen he described him as 'Good Fred'.

Aparently Spurs want Baleba, makes sense with De Zerbi, could force United's hand….Wouldn't surprise me if he signed right after Ederson

I'm not basing my opinion off Fotmob ratings, like I said previously I've a friend who's opinion I'd trust above most others, who has seen Ederson in the flesh more times than most of us have seen him on tv, as well as being a regular Serie A watcher and he thinks we are getting a great deal. I was using the Fotmob data to counter your opinion of him being an Ugarte clone. I'll hold my hands up and say I've seen very little of him outside of the EL final vs Leverkusen, which by the way he was class in. I know you aren't going to change your opinion, same way I won't change mine. I was just giving the rest of the posters some additional info is all.

I'm ok with the CB options to be honest, even if Martinez has injury concerns and De Light is missing for a while, because I'd like to see both Yoro and Heaven become regulars next season. I think they have the potential, they are the future so lets get them playing and developing.

Do we buy another senior CB, Maguire and Martinez stay fit and stay the regular partnership, and we end up with the two young lads scratching on the bench all year?

In general it should be one of them alongside Maguire or Martinez, I don't see the need to spend money on getting another CB there, unless its a Johnny Evans style cheap backup option.

we need feed him 50 eggs and 10 steaks a day and have him lifting weights all day and night, we must turn him into a muscle machine….

Hopefully he will improve again this season but I think we are a few years away from his best football yet.
He is only 20 and If we have patience with him and Heaven we have 2 great talents as part of the squad.

The very second he doesn't track back or does his little walking around schtick in a match, then the crowd will be on his back and that situation immediately gets toxic again. The first time he posts on social media it gets toxic again. Score a goal and make some silly "told you so" gesture, it gets toxic again.

The whole act of him being there would be a media circus to begin with, and the circus only gets worse unless he is perfectly perfect in every way.

When you get out of a circus the best advice is to stay the **** out of the circus. We have just appointed a manager largely because he has brought a low drama environment, it would be an insane decision to bring a circus back into the club again.

Rashford, Sancho and Onana shouldn't be allowed in Old Trafford or Carrington ever again.

Maybe he has done some stupid things, but I don't think it's all of his own making. I think he was fighting against the bad culture at the club for a long time but eventually got sick of it - mainly because as the most important player for a period he ended up getting the most stick. I think he lost belief that the club knew what it was doing. I think the way he fought against the government also didn't help him with the media in the end.

Has he ever caused any problems in other teams? I think some folks comparing him to Sancho is way OTT.

Yeah it'd probably be better for all involved if he does find a new permanent club, but I wouldn't be horrified by any stretch if he came back in, especially if he admitted his own wrongs.

Totally agree - you won't get all that toothpaste back in the tube.

I said above that Barca are screwing him around by pushing for another loan. He shouldn't have to prove himself to anyone and there will be plenty of opportunities somewhere like Germany or Italy where he could smash in 25 goals a season for the next few years. He's already a multimillionaire, let him take a paycut and go and win some titles for himself in his last few years as a player.

The bad culture in the playing squad came from players like him, but I doubt he would ever acknowledge that.

It doesn't matter anyway, whether it was his fault or not, whats done is done and Rashford needs to be done at United.

Has he caused problems elsewhere? Maybe not, but I know that the two clubs he was on loan at didn't want to keep him permanently. Is that just because of the wages? Maybe, but then what does it say that he can't agree a fair and reasonable wage with any of these clubs? That neither of them made him first choice and neither of them want to push the boat out to keep him? (Im assuming Barca aren't keeping him)

It may be his god given right to pick up his contracted wages for the term of the contract, but playing it that way still says something about where his attitude and priorities are. And if thats the case, then its still the same attitude that caused the trouble in the first place.

Is Sensini coming to be first choice then? I'd never heard of him not so long ago, is he good enough to compete for titles and CL?

What happens if Martinez and De Ligt do fully return from their injuries, which is very possible? Are they dropped for Sensini? Would we really want to exchange a fit Martinez for Sensini, is that actually an upgrade?

Maguire has been consistent this year and as a backup will have a reduced load, but is he dropped for Sensini? What is Sensini expecting?

And what about Yorro and Heaven? What if they have 4 senior defenders available ahead of them?

I think it is very plausible that we sign Sensini and then don't need him at all. And yes, maybe we get to December and have to play Ugarte at CB. Who knows. But I can totally see why the management might decide to go with what they already have.

Back surgery for De Ligt - Id be worried if he will ever be the same player again tbh.

Another bad year for Martinez injury wise and his contract is up in 2027. This is potentially his last season coming.

Senesi as an established Center half on a free - would have been good business. Either Yoro or Heaven still need that bit of experience beside them imo.

I think Utd will be in the market for a central defender so that was an obvious one, for me.