MANCHESTER UNITED

Cunha and Mbuemo are both rampaging players who can pick the ball up deep and carry it forward, even more so than ever we'd need an effective holding player in there with those two in the team.

We'd certainly look a lot more exciting on the counter with them.

Brentford looking for 60m in regard to Mbuemo, way too high at that price for Utd's current situation, even 50m is a serious risk..

regarding where they play, both can play in the 10 roles and Cunha has played as a 9 at times though not his best position..

Fernandes likely to play deep if they were to get Mbuemo as well..not his best position as he gives the ball away too much in deep positions (unlike a Modric or even a Gerrard later in his career)

Every time I see those two, they are picking the ball up on or around the halfway line and running 30 yards with it before smashing it in the top corner.

ive always thought bruno is better in the last 3rd, i don't see him as a holding player, casemiro was but mainly because he was slow, similarly i think mainoo is better carrying the ball, he can't play as a holding player he looks lost, so that's about 5 now and then there's mount lol

if the manager changes and they bin 532 you'll switching again

Can Cunha play left wing.


The Mbuemo interest seems a bit weird. The club want to keep Amad don't they? It's the left wing they want to revamp, and get rid of Garnacho and Rashford.


And never mind getting a proper striker and midfielder.

Mbuemo and Cunha can both play wide in a 4-3-3  (and Mount has decent flexibility of role if not fitness) which is important as Amorim has till about November to show something..

tbf with the injuries of last 2 seasons (especially 23-24) we need 4 for every position anyway !

Amad pencilled in as RWB and 10 option imo..

Mainoo has had extensive scientific tests carried out on him and the conclusion reached was that he can't run....so he should be out on that basis.

With Sancho having not adjusted his pay at Chelsea and therefore Chelsea waived him back for 5m not inconceivable that pr*** we'll be in the mix as he has no previous with Amorim..

if they play 262 utd will be sorted

Amad won't have a long time career at United, he's done well in amongst sh1te but if United ever recover with better players he will be brushed aside. IMO

maybe, beats players one on one easier than most though...

Panic buying before a fire sale.....

It is nice and we're seeing it with Cunha and potentially Mbuemo that no matter how bad United are and how far they fall, the romance and history surrounding the club STILL count for so much in players minds.

Would be nice for the owners to nurture that rather than relying on it and taking it for granted.

And the wages, don't forget the wages.

But as long as you can pay top dollar you will get
who you want.

Of course when signed on top dollar they need motivation...

Need more like Bruno f...

Whatever way anyone wants to slice it, Cunha and Mbuemo, if he lands, are a massive fillip for the club and fans and a kick in the teeth to those that thought that United were done and no-one wanted to play for them anymore.

Two of the most exciting players in the league last season both looking at likely being United players, down to Amorim now to arrest recent habits at the club in turning silk purses into sow's ears.

And on this occasion you've got to credit the board if they are able to get both deals over the line.

6th favs to win prem on here

What are you saying Dragon, they should be shorter, longer or just laughing at the fact they are 6th favs.?

utd have leaked their new first team kit which they're apparently hoping will give their players a boost and inspire them to win more games

they'll be playing in sky blue shirts, white short and socks

"IF" Cunha and Mbuemo work, United are certainties to finish at least top 6 IMO.....regardless of what happens with the rest of the squad.!!!

I also think that there is going to be a momentum build through the Summer surrounding United, currently Newcastle and Chelsea are trading at 17 with United at 36, I expect United's price to contract much more and be very close to Newcastle and Chelsea come the start of the new season.

Improvement or otherwise is not linear, one or two players that work can make huge differences all on their own. Liverpool just won the league primarily due to one single player.

You can't overstate the importance and significance if both those two players land IMO.

duffy - 6th fav is crazy given their current position- maybe the new signings may impact but id be surprised if they finish in the top 6 next season

Price isn't to finnish in top 6 it's to win.

3% chance, no euro footy distractions, why not.

correct yhtl villa are 85. i know which looks the better of two teams that stand no chance of winning it

Villa skint, got Thursday night footy

Much depends on the starts they get and what they have to hold, inspire them


Like Liverpool 23/24 compared with 24/25

If Liverpool can't win title expect them to ease off again too.

Pool winning the PL is not primarily down to one player (or one single thing), the other players did more collectively than Salah, for example. The poor seasons of city and arsenal compared to previous were as big a factor as Salah's output, if not bigger.

One or two new attacking players doing well is not going to propel Utd to top 6 on its own. They are woeful playing it out and generally and get dominated in midfield in the PL. They were like this under ETH last season and were worse at it under Amorim. He's been a big step down from ETH, who wasn't good enough, so far. He may not be as good a manager but he needs a pre-season and a window (or three) to be sure of that. I was surprised he said the EL wasn't that important compared to the PL, when he'd have another much needed 80m+ to spend if they'd won it.

United have scored 57, 58, 57 and 44 in the last 4 PL seasons. The other 5 'big 6' clubs plus Newc and Villa are well ahead of them, apart from maybe Spurs, but Spurs will have a lot more to spend now. Winning that match meant so much to Utd's and Amorim's short-term future.

One or two new attacking players doing well is not going to propel Utd to top 6 on its own.

I disagree,United finishing where they did last season, as funny as it was to many and as disturbing as it was to many others, and regardless and understanding just how bad they were, was and will be a complete outlier and not something to judge United on in the round.

The step for a club like United and with the momentum that the club can create if things start to get better, to go from 15th to 6th is miniscule.

One or two top quality players coming in and doing well will definitely make a huge difference because like I said, it is not linear, momentum, other players will suddenly look better, improvement snowballs.

Forget formations, quality players on the pitch will see performances improve regardless of how the manager sets them out, United have been poor for many years because for many years they have had little or no quality on the pitch.

"If" Cunha and Mbuemo if he signs!!!aren't cursed as soon as they run out onto the pitch and they might be!!! but if they perform as they did last season United will finish in the top 6 IMO, it won't be difficult.

it's not a huge jump to top 6, the vast majority of teams that are mid table could have a run, look at forest, doubt they will do that next term

the problem is we've been here before, some big money signings and they then deliver nothing, so whilst there's loads of optimism, until they actually buy players that then prove they were worth it you have to think it's just dreaming, i'd be more confident if they got a proven keeper and a good holding midfield player, because that defence needs some help

Somebody has kidnapped the real duffy and is posting in his name (imo)...

never seen such optimism from him

agree with both sides to an extent, you're never as far away as some would have you believe (we're only a year removed from ETH finishing 8th with an injury decimated squad, and 2 years from 3rd) and unless Amorim is totally clueless you would expect some level of progress from this past season...frankly if he's not top 8 (minimum) he probably won't survive anyway...whether the likes of Cunha and potentially Mbuemo (who's only really had one big season at a small club) can translate their form to Old Trafford is anyone's guess but recent indicators suggest that it's very far from a given..

I'd share Elise's concerns over CMF and GK as well..the signings they've gone for suggest Bruno playing deep alongside either Ugarte or Casemiro currently in a first choice XI..that won't address one of the most fundamental issues they've had in the last two seasons.

Top 7 last season were ahead of the rest, it is quite a jump
for man utd to rejoin that group, but 2 or 3 strikers should
easily enable that jump, then it's game on.

I don't see them challenging and finishing above all 3 of
Citeh, arse, and lpool, but, but, but

id agree with the no top 8 and he might be gone, but utd have managed to save a couple of managers with cup runs and this year i'd think they might make the fa cup a big target, bet they go strong team every round

Forest were in there pitching last season, just tactics and catching
teams at right time, but for me citeh will take some beating, if world
club doesn't stuff them.

think it will stuff them

Just logged in to find out I've been hacked

yeah whoever it was was far too positive, welcome back

Buy a couple of strikers pmsl

Im sure Shaw and Boxhead at the back will step up to the plate next season pmsl....

maguire has committed himself for  2 or 3 more years, shaw's attempting 2 or 3 games

United have taken a chance delaying the Mbuemo move, they are relying on his apparent wish to join United to drag their heels in negotiations.

They should have realized that Franck to Spurs could provide an obstacle and therefore should have stopped messing about over a few quid that they are going to pay anyway and sealed the deal in this first window.

Now they have left the door ajar and risk undoing a lot of the good work and momentum that they've so far done.

spot on duffy...lets see if he wants to rejoin with frank at spurs

there's been stacks of noise but to my eyes all they have is one new signing and three aging types that have ended their contracts, it's early days but i'm not totally convinced they are really in control of the window

The likelihood is that Mbuemo will come but United have rested on their laurels a bit.

As mentioned earlier it is refreshing and pleasantly surprsing that the "ALLURE" of United is very much alive which must be disappointing to the haters, by the start of the new season it is very likely that all of Cunha, Mbuemo and Gyokores will be United players

one of the main problems united had last season was the lack of goals only everton other than the relegated three scored less than their 44 goals.

it will be interesting to see if the new sighnings will address that- on paper you wd think so but sometimes the reality can be differrent.

not sure about the haters comment - i think most football followers wd like to see a united team playing decent football and challenging for the top positions - challenging but not winning

If Tottenham match man utd pay offer the allure of Tottenham will
be as strong as the allure of manchester

if the relationship with frank is solid that cd be the decider

Is picking up players from Wolves and Brentford when the competition is no-one and maybe Spurs really a sign of allure? Not saying they'll be bad signings but it's hardly the return of getting Rio or Veron is it.

hey duffy - i see the gooners have put in a 48.6m bid for Gyokores

PorcupineorPineapple 13 Jun 25 20:49 
Is picking up players from Wolves and Brentford when the competition is no-one and maybe Spurs really a sign of allure? Not saying they'll be bad signings but it's hardly the return of getting Rio or Veron is it.


Newcastle were in for Mbuemo and Arsenal are now interested in Gyokores, but in any case, picking them up when the competition is no-one??

Does anyone seriously think that these players would be Wolves and Brentford players at the start of next season if United don't buy them, they cleary would be at other top clubs, but United have come in early and the players are quite happy with that even though their stock is massively high and could have easily wait to see who else is interested.

They know who is interested and how much cash is on table
for player and agent

This is the allure

If you offer the cash they are allured

United have always offered top money, but it is not as if the other top clubs offer peanuts for heaven's sake, these players could very easily go to any other top club and be very wealthy as well as playing CL football.

It's quite clear mbueno has been offered way over what Newcastle might have offered, indeed almost double, this is the allure

I see psv are not taking up their option on Malacia and are sending him back to united.
I've said it before and I'll say it again loans are a waste if time and a false economy.
Take Antony for example.
Excellent loan, done really well but not a budge on selling him.

The expectation is both he and Betis will sit it out until the last few days of the window and we will cave and loan him to them again.
Cheap player for Betis again and the player not having to take a drop in wages for another year.

Sancho and Rashford had ok loans but again not a hint of a move for either.

Rashford wanting an unrealistic move to Barcelona but will eventually take a mid ranking team on deadline day with us footing his wages again and Sancho seemingly  happy to sit it out to keep his wage levels as is.

United are a soft touch and need to toughen up.
Focus minds,   players will only be loaned once and after that it's up to them to find a club but no more loans and let them train with the kids if need be after that.
It will cost us the first time but eventually players, agents and buying clubs will start to get business done rather than purge careers and United can start taking in some sales again.

We're currently the fool at the card table.

Agree with all that, makes you sick listening to all the BS about getting players out the door, blah blah blah, we all know that those players are going nowhere, United are completely hamstrung with the contracts and wages they dished out and they are going to be a millstone around the clubs neck until they run out.

The only player that will leave and generate a decent fee is Garnacho, but FFS, let's get on with it and let's also stop fecking about attempting to look tough with Brentford and get Mbuemo in the building....oh and we need a goal scorer too by the way.

Hi Duffy, I,d actually disagree on Mbeumo tbh.
Were offering probably about 10 million more than anyone else would and should be prepared to walk away too,

Leave Brentford either at a loss or with an unhappy player.
Again it will focus minds for our future transfers when clubs are aware we do walk away.

The wage being mooted [north of 200k ? ] is another concern as its another unshiftable player if he doesnt work out.

Yes, good point, the thing with Mbuemo and Cunha though is at least we will be signing  players that has proved successful in the EPL which is novel for us.

Bought anyone who will change things yet ?

Presumably he sees Cunha and Mbeumo as his inside forwars. They should  suit his system better than Garnacho and Amad.
Still needs a decent No 9 plus 2 wingbacks who can actually adapt to his system. Midfield MIGHT be OK,certainly enough choices for 2 places,
Looks to have enough at the back in terms of the numbers at least.
Then there's the goalie.

I'm firmly of the opinion that as long as you sign decent players and get them playing the rest will take care of itself, the slant in recent years thanks predominantly to other managers, pundits and fans alike to see themselves as mini peps, insisting on turning the gane into some sort of cerebral conundrum, the solving of which elevates the competitor to some kind of higher plain of existence is, for a large part...complete bollox.

For the most part, if you've got better players than the other guy, you'll win more than you lose, to that end and coming back to Cunha and hopefully Mbuemo, those are two good players the like of which, aside from Bruno we haven't signed in 10 years or so, I expect their mere presence on the pitch to make the world of difference all on its own particularly in relation to the pitifully low bar from last season and I would expect in turn other areas that have suffered to automatically look better by default....Just a thought

duffy definitely on drugs.

Fair enough

sorry but i'm not sure that either of them are that good, dealing with the pressure of being in that team and carrying all of the deadwood has already killed loads of supposedly good signings in the last few years, they are going to need a lot more help and they still have yet to get rid of any of the pain in the @rse types, i just noticed malacia is also now back

yeah United hasn't turned good players into depressed donkeys for the last decade, no reason to think they're not going to flourish

Players of this type, namely proven EPL players, coming off of excellent seasons, both of these players would be in the top 5 or 6 performers from last season and the equivalent signings of which that United have signed in the past ten years you could number on one hand, these types of signings are a welcome novelty for United.

I get the concern about what will happen to them once at United but to say that there is a question as to whether they are that good as of now I don't understand and not sure what that is based on, certainly not their performances from last season, but the point is that United would have at least for once signed really exciting players to begin with and not has beens looking for one last pay day, or guys being chanced with potential.

Much higher chance of Amorim being fired before Xmas than there was with ETH last summer and much higher than the chances of either of these two looking like the players they were last season. The manager has looked increasingly depressed and made some very negative statements, must have already got up the board's nose a bit. He took you from 13th to 15th averaging a point a game over 27 games. That's worse than ETH last season and even RVN's short stint in charge. The writing is very clearly on the wall here.

Yes, he was prioritising the EL and will have a full pre-season but there is nothing yet to indicate that he'll even be top half next season.

It's based on that. If they were in the top 5 or 6 performers you'd expect that at least one of them would have been on the 6 name shortlist for POTY. Neither were and neither was VVD who was better than both. Maguire and AWB were the last 2 'proven EPL players, coming off of excellent seasons' that United signed. How did they turn out?

And both of them were signed 6 years ago, the point being, regardless of what happened to them, signing decent EPL players, that you would think is sensible, has been unusual for United.

If they don't work out, fair enough, but if we fail let's do so trying to make decent signings, no-one can point the finger beforehand and say, why did they sign those players, they have been good difference maker players in this league and that is fair enough, no-one has criticised United more than me on here in recent times but I'm not doing so for signing them, whether they are successful or not because I see the upside in bringing them in right at this moment.

Certainly difference makers in fantasy football.

Keeping Bruno Fernandes is bigger.

You can count on one finger the number of big signings that have looked good in a United shirt in that period and even further back, whether they were PL proven or not.

Coming into a clearly dysfunctional team (the worst ever united team by the manager's own admission) with the manager teetering on the brink (again), I don't get why you'd assume either of these guys will look anywhere near as effective as they did last season (and both haven't looked anywhere near as good as last season in previous seasons). You are buying these two after largely outlier seasons at their peak value, much more likely they will look like every other big money signing over the last decade in a few months. Then they'll join the dressing room clique of unmarketable hangers-on who know they have no chance of being paid as much anywhere else.

btw the ACN is on from 21 Dec to 18 Jan. Amad Onana and Mazraoui are likely to be called up for that. Mbuemo plays for Cameroon too.

Very interesting developments today,

Rashford does his annual looking forward to returning to training tweets even intending to train with full intensity no less.

Within about two hours the club issued their own statement saying the five players allowed to leave wouldnt be returning to training but could use the medical and rehab facilities if they wish.
Rashfords team have also been told Cunha will be getting the 10 jersey.

Ouch .

Need to take some short term pain and go the Chelsea 'bomb squad' route..otherwise will be happening again sooner rather than later..

they are all sellable but the players need to take some reduction in wages to facilitate..if they don't want to - let them train on their own..

They are all sellable in theory but only Garnacho and Mainoo are in reality without a payoff.

I know it's not a popular view but I feel sorry for Rashford. He's been very badly advised and has now blown his career.

Burnley beckons

Lot's of back and forward and talk of getting rid, he wants to go here, that club are looking at him blah blah blah, and when it's all said and done, the fee and particularly wages are the immoveable object blocking the road, Rashford is going to be on loan until his contract runs down.

The only glimmer is that he has delusions of grandeur and the World Cup encourages him to take a whopping wage cut, but I doubt it. I guess it depends on what type of guy you are but for me, I wouldn't be moved by the club trying to inconvenience within the complex, my attitude would be.....

You want me train apart from the first team, no problem, thanks for the 350k a week
You want to give Cunha the No. 10, no problem, thanks for the 350k per week.

United made a rod for their own back with these contracts and they are going to keep paying for it right to the bitter end and they are going to have to learn to get on with the job whilst this issue remains.

Roberto Rojos on twitter about your
new fullback

https://x.com/RobertoRojas97/status/1866978086291640764?s=19

..

Roberto is good guy and enthusiastic about
South American football

He's put together a thread..

elise • June 13, 2025 5:26 PM BST
there's been stacks of noise but to my eyes all they have is one new signing and three aging types that have ended their contracts, it's early days but i'm not totally convinced they are really in control of the window

pretty clear that they don't have a clue, aside from being hung by brentford on a daily basis they've achieved fck all

33 games in Panama

Possibly one for the future

TBF nobby, if Brighton had bought him we'd all be calling them shrewd, perhaps, just perhaps we've taken a leaf out of their book.

Hung by Brentford? how much you think he's worth elise...20/30?

Anyone buying Mbuemo would be paying 60 plus for him, they are currently squabbling over pennies relatively speaking as both sides want to look like they have the upperhand, pointless IMO, United are committed to him and the player likewise to United, if United did walk away Brentford would be left with one pi55ed off player...Spurs are a non starter.

brentford being rather silly, anyone other than a desperate utd would walk away especially as his contract has only a year left

Brentford have an additional year option but personally I won't have paid more than 50m flat..ideally 45m plus maybe 10m in performance add ons...he's had one really good season (a couple of decent ones as well) at a club that's very settled and well run with virtually no media scrutiny...how well that translates to OT is anyones guess..

Best thing for rasher get away from the poison that is Man U.

Hope he finds a club.

Thankfully we haven't got to pay it, if 50 million is enough to mitigate the concern about whether he can handle it or not then so is 60, what are we haggling over, if we are going to hand wring about how he will fair under the spotlight then we'll sign no-one other than top notch foreigners that would be highly priced.

Amorim needs EPL ready players, these are good targets, he's been solid for Brentford and really excelled last year, he's the right age, this target is a million miles away from the Antony, Hojlund type signings of recent years.

It's about constantly over paying by 10-15m for everyone they sign..if they were in the CL and top 4, even top 6 you can afford to be quite relaxed about the excess, Utd not really in that position currently..

well run clubs have a value in mind of a player and walk away if they feel they are being rinsed or played.

I agree that EPL proven to some extent probably makes a lot of sense with our recent transfer history but it's as much about the lack of playing at anything like a club with Utd's profile and scrutiny and that should be a consideration in what you're prepared to pay

.. I hope he more than merits 65m or whatever they end up paying (assuming they do), I just don't think that's his true market value so wouldn't pay it personally..

Paying 70 or whatever it was for Antony and 60 for Hojlund when they were unproven guesses is over-paying, haggling over 10 million is completely different IMO, if United pay 65 so what!!, the potential upside makes the extra 10 absolutley meaningless and if he is a bust, whether you've paid 55 or 65, is neither here nor there. IMO

Paying 70 or whatever it was for Antony and 60 for Hojlund when they were unproven guesses is over-paying,

certainly and that's the supposed point of a far more credible footballing operation with Ineos involvement..

you pay 10-15m excess on each transfer once you've brought in 3 that's one decent player you can't afford to buy...not to mention you re-enforce every clubs view of how easy it is to get an extra 10-15 on top of what anyone else would pay when you deal with Utd so the cycle continues...

OF course, it's hypothetical, no-one knows what the player is worth and no-one knows how much other clubs, if they needed him would pay, it is a simple perception because of recent dealings that United must be automatically on the wrong end of any transfer wrangling, but it is not necessarily the case.

Antony £81.3m potentially rising to £85.5m
Hojland £64m potentially rising to £72m

That's more than £10-£15m excess

Fairness Cuhna is a match winner and can score exceptional goals and Mbuemo is a good player, scores goals in decent numbers.
£62.5m and £65m is prob only £5m or so over the odds each in today's market.

How they do at Utd is anyones guess and a bit strange no champ league clubs came knocking at their door.

spurs came in for obvious reasons, but before that who actually wanted him?

spurs walked away at 60ish, does that say he's not worth it?

Newcastle wanted him too.

Wages made others walk away, on top
of transfer fee. Once a player chooses
a club it's not easy to change his mind
so look elsewhere.

Likely just arguing over timing of payments
and add ons, which are realistic.


Newcastle moving on to elanga so theres
10m or so coming to you there
to help pay for new guys.

Elanga going to Newcastle for 55 miilion is bad for United in more ways than one, not only is it yet another example of a player succeeding once he has left United it might also mean that on a strict line through Elanga's value Brentford might want to raise the asking price for Mbuemo to about 80 million

I see they have now given the dreadful Seb Coe some sort of vague job.
Could probably have kept a dozen cleaners/canteen staff for what they are paying the useless p***k.

Garnacho is being allowed back into the fold at Carrington!!!!!

You can probably look at this in a few ways two of which are, a complete undermining of Amorim's authority or adopting a bit of common sense with a saleable asset trying to gee up potential suitors.

I think it's just reality slapping Utd in the face.

They've made it obvious these players are not wanted. Which means the players know the game is to simply sit tight, talk about coming back in the summer and basically do nothing to jeopardise getting their contracts fully paid up. And interested clubs know that Utd are holding 2-7, so will only offer a bargain basement fee, while demanding Utd pay up a part of the new contract as they can't afford to match their existing deal.

The club have handled this appallingly. But additionally, the manager has acted like a spoilt teenager in this. The guy has clearly never played poker once in his life and just thinks he can manage his own squad to existence by ostracising players he doesn't want and somehow magicking up hundreds of millions that just aren't there any more for new players.

FYI it's the manager's job to win as many games as he can with the squad he's chosen.


What the last guy did, what the owners did; that ain't his concern.

If need be, we have an academy.

The message needs to be loud, work or leave.

lol


There's a third option. Sit tight and keep picking up your dough.

No head coach wants dissatisfied players in their squad.

So is he going to pay up their contracts then?

The head coach deals with footballing matters.

The CFO deals with the money side of the club