It's go time!

In.

What a difference a half season, new manager and new GK make.

Last offseason was a very good use of money. The brain trust needs to have just as good a window this time. They have a very good set of players up front and in goal. They need to add depth and replace Case. With the money coming off the books plus money coming in from Hojlund and Rashford, plus the CL income, they have money. It just needs to be spent well, something we haven't always been good at.

Last season's haul gives me a better feeling that there are people in charge who know what they are doing.

Agree on the wise spending last summer providing hope. I also appreciated how they took care of business rather quickly, not delaying signings until the last week. Hopefully more of that this summer as well.

In.

Who are the confirmed outgoing? Case for sure. Malacia.

Case. Malacia. I feel sure Ugarte and Zirkzee.

GGMU

Didn't realize that Carrick's contract is 2 years without an option for a third. Effectively means he'll either be renegotiated long term or fired by May 2027 at the latest.

No it's 2+1

https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/48789147/man-united-michael-carrick-appointed-permanent-head-coach

I assumed The Athletic would have been specific with that but apparently not. They only said two year contract.

Hope springs eternal.

Lots of reports that Ederson is close to done. A few are saying the package is <45M euros. If 5M are add ons, that is just under 35M pounds base. Not too bad. (Obviously more add ons drops more, I'm just guessing).

🚨 Manchester United are now close to an agreement on fee with Atalanta for Ederson.

Understand the final package being discussed is under €45m.

Ederson has agreed to a five-year contract already and is waiting on the clubs to resolve final points. pic.twitter.com/UXvqs9nv2A

— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) May 27, 2026

Also lots of reports about Newcastle having club discussions for selling Anthony Gordon to Barcelona, with I think personal terms agreed. If that happens, I kind of think we will have to come up with a new plan for Rashford. Raphinha, Gordon, and Rashford seems like a crowd for left wing.

Yeah, they made an 80M euro bid for Gordon. We are going to have to find a home for Rashford. Honestly, out of the top 5 English clubs plus Real Madrid, Barca, Bayern, and PSG, we make as much sense as anyone. People keep saying the relationship is beyond repair, but I'm not quite sure why. If he can keep his nightlife in control, which it seems like he did in Barcelona… do we really think we can get a left winger better?

I know there is some thought of moving Dorgu primarily to covering LW and finding a LB. But outside Lewis Hall, the potential LB options being mentioned either don't seem very realistic or very exciting (although we do need to start thinking about a world after Shaw despite his health this season).
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6431483/2026/05/27/anthony-gordon-barcelona-newcastle-transfer/?source=user_shared_article&unlocked_article_code=1.llA.rthX.RHncyqKSWYlz

🚨 Barcelona make proposal to sign Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United. Bid for 25yo #NUFC winger €80m + bonuses; no agreement yet as talks over England int’l continue. Interest of other clubs ongoing but #FCBarcelona + #FCBayern strongest @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/MvUHXko2r0

— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) May 27, 2026

Sounds like a ploy by Barcelona to lower the price for Rashford. Go offer a competing club a low price for a young winger in response to our telling them the price for Rashford would not be lowered below the option price.

Will be interesting to see if we lower the Rashford price or stick to the number.

Big story, with implications for Marcus Rashford, who has enjoyed his time at Nou Camp. Barcelona’s €30m option to buy expires June 15.

Hard to see a return to #MUFC - full wages restored due to Champions League. Further exit talks ahead.

England dynamic interesting ⬇️ https://t.co/ngrob7X7C6

— Laurie Whitwell (@lauriewhitwell) May 27, 2026

I think they are trying to get Gordon. It doesn't make sense to offer 80M to get another club to drop their 30M price for a different player. If I were Newcastle I'd sell for close to that (but I've also never really been a huge Anthony Gordon fan, even when he was at Everton).

Well that's certainly more than I would value Gordon. He is one of those players I watch and just don't ever see it. He seems to disappear too much in games for me, but what do I know.

Ben Jacobs now reporting agreement in principle between Barca and Newcastle. Medical later this week. In fairness, he's also saying it doesn't preclude Rashford deal, but I personally have a hard time believing they would have 3 left wingers, but I guess we will see.

I don't see Dorgu as being a set in ink starter at either LW or LB. He's looked better at LW than at LB, IMO, but I could see him playing similar time in both positions pending how we move in the transfer window. Great squad player to rotate but need other options than him.

I honestly have no clue why cash strapped Barca would throw 80m at Gordon. 25 years old so he's not exactly young. 6 G, 3 A last season. Has scored double digits once (11). Whether they do or don't, United shouldn't be budging. If Rashford wants to leave United so badly, he can cut his wages in half so that Barca can afford him and Gordon...or make himself more appealing to other clubs.

Romano just went "here we go" status on Gordon so guess it is happening. 70m + 10m in add-ons.

This will be an interesting test of Carrick right off the bat. What does he say? How does he say it? Is he even allowed to say anything?

I'm really torn.

Rashford should have been a Red Devil for life. Unfortunately he ran afoul of 2 managers in a row that expected him to play defense and it's clear he and Amorim never got along. Thats fine. Amorim appears to have been an inflexible idiot. I can respect Rashford's opinion. But he also started pouting before Amorim even came aboard, reportedly out partying during the break week when Amorim was trying to get in practices. It seemed pretty unprofessional at the time.

The club needs depth and he's certainly talented enough.

In the system Carrick was playing he would not be a fish out of water and an extra LW would not be a bad thing.

I would say the ball is in his court to show some contrition and see if something can be worked out.

Isn't Dorgu left footed? It's kind of wild, we've gone from not having hardly anyone that is a left footed winger for the right side (it's an inverted world up front) to too many. Meanwhile, all of our left wingers have kind of (spectacularly) fallen out with the club in various ways. Sancho… Rashy… Garnacho. Oof.

I watched some Barcelona (admittedly because of Rashford, so I'm completely biased). He's not good defensively, he never will be probably, but he was rarely in CR7 mode at Barcelona where defense was immediately someone else's problem on a possession change like he was here. Sometimes he'd backslide, but he was far better. (I.e., there was at least a little effort if not results).

That said, I have a strong feeling that his heat maps will have a splotch right near the defensive side of the halfway line near the left line even at Barcelona.

Yep, he's left footed.

What's even wilder to me is that he's actually younger than Garnacho. I don't think people fully appreciate that. And let's be honest, who would a rational person rather have as a LW option right now...Dorgu or Garnacho?

After this year… you could put names in a hat and I'd take my chances over Garnacho. He's in the conversation for worst signing by Chelsea this year with Delap. Really bad. Chelsea fans seem to straight up hate him.

Yeah, I think the next move is probably Fernandes, but I would note that apparently Italian outlets are saying we are near a deal for Tonali. I'm not really buying that because: 1) I think he's a good player, but some outlets are throwing out 80-100M GBP fees, and I don't think he's great (it's funny how everyone at Newcastle is supposedly worth 70M+, yet they sucked this year almost as much as we did last year; I'm just saying) and 2) Italy isn't exactly married to truth, are they? English outlets aren't repeating it, nor is Fabrizio.

(Note: I do like Tonali, but if everyone is world class… why are you under 50 points? If he's 60M, which I would note is what we paid for Mbeumo and Cunha last year, so it's not nothing and they had good years before as well, I would be more enthusiastic.)

Aston94 said:

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Sounds like things are heating up on the Mateus Fernandes front. He apparently prefers a move to United over Arsenal or citeh. Between him and Ederson that would go a long way to retooling the midfield. Seems like a younger version of Casemiro, hopefully good terms can be reached with West Ham.

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keep the Portuguese pipeline going.

Btw, I don't have a link, but on the Athletic's Talk of the Devils podcast this week, Andy Mitten (who is very well connected to the club), said something like "People at United really like Fernandes a _lot_." They were talking potential signings I believe. I do think he was dropping a hint, so I think, yeah, probably Fernandes next.

(TOTD is a good podcast if anyone needs one).

I'm just thrilled they are doing things in May instead of August.

Mathguy64 said:

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I'm just thrilled they are doing things in May instead of August.

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seriously, that's been one of United's biggest downfalls for years now. taking way, way too long to get deals done.

Furlock Bones said:

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Mathguy64 said:

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I'm just thrilled they are doing things in May instead of August.

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seriously, that's been one of United's biggest downfalls for years now. taking way, way too long to get deals done.

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Any by taking so long it cost a fortune in "you are late and over the barrel so pony up chump" fees.

Antony says, "Hi."

I listen sporadically. Big Carl Anka fan.

Yep, I too think Fernandes is who they have earmarked for the role that Casemiro played last season. Ederson seems to be more an Ugarte type.