396: REVEALED! Man Utd's TOP 3 Transfer Targets!

0:01Hello everybody, welcome to the United Stands. I'm Mark Goldbridge and this is your latest Manchester United news and transfer news. Lots to get into today, plus the biggest reveal, you've not seen it in a year. The hotter meter's back and it's going to be on your screen in the next few seconds. But we're talking about Ramos coming in from PSG as a striker this summer. I don't think it's a bad idea, to be honest with you. I really don't. Another player talking about why Carrick should get the job. We've got updates on Rasmus' return. We've got Beth giving Luke Luke Shaw, 8.5 for the season. We're not letting that go.

0:33You can have your comeback at two o 'clock, Bethany, but we're not letting that go. We're also going to be talking about why Man United must sign at least six players, otherwise they'll be in trouble next season. Sky have given updates on their midfielders. We've also got some other stuff coming in around. Well, I want to start off on it in a minute, actually. We're going to talk about Man United going for Premier League experience. It's just dropped in the Manchester Evening News that Man United are going to go for experience in the Premier League. is Premier League experience better than like is a is a Tyler Adams and Alex Scott a João Gomez better than a Stilla or an Edison or a Chiamini or is this just more Manchester United bravado nonsense about something that they got lucky about that they think's worth it but this is where you're going to smash a like on the video and we're going to get hit a thousand likes quicker than we have done all year because in three two one boom it's back I'm going to give it its own little spot.

1:27Bada bing, bada boom. The Hotter Meter is back for summer. This is where the summer transfer window really starts. I'm getting goosebumps. This is the first proper signing of the summer. The Hotter Meter is back and it will be a regular appearance on our morning transfer shows. Now, if you don't know what the Hotter Meter is, we have the top seven players that we think are most likely to sign for Manchester United. Out of 10, or you could do it in percentage if you want. So seven out of 10 is hot. Nine out of 10 is very hot. 10 out of 10 is hotter than the sun. It was born around Rasmus, to be honest, wasn't it?

2:05That's why we did the Instagram hotter than the sun. So that's the top seven signings we think for Man United at the moment. Now, to be honest, look, we shouldn't probably have many people over a five at the moment. It is still early May, but the higher they are, the more likely they are. So we'll go through that in a minute. I think that right here, right now, and the way we produce the Hotter Meter is basically based on my and the rest of the United Stand team's opinion, the volume of stories, stuff that we've heard, and it's based on likelihood. It's a combination of things. So we put a lot of thought into it.

2:39I'm not happy with who's top, by the way. I just think the volume of stories we get about the Labour, the fact that Anderson may be heading to Man City, the fact that we tried to sign the Belaber last summer. It just feels like every journalist mentions Belaber. We definitely got close to signing him last year. And I think that what we've probably done is we've probably done some sort of agreement in principle that will come back next summer for him. And I think United are holding to those terms. But look, we'll go through the hot meter in a minute. That's for you just to have a look. You might agree with some of that.

3:12You might not. 70 % chance that we sign for Belaber at the moment. I'd still put Anderson in there. I'd still put Edison in there as well. But we will go through that in a moment. Robert McCormack says, where's Gareth Bale? Well, look, we're going to start off this morning talking about a few bits, but something just dropped this morning. And I really do want to just deal with it quickly before we talk about the Ramos story and something to do with why we must sign six players and a couple of bits about Rasmus, etc. etc. While extra stock will be placed on players with league experience, that doesn't mean all of United's summer business will be domestic.

3:51They are showing interest in Chumini and Diamonde and they've also been linked with Nathaniel Brown. However, buoyed by the way that Cunha and Mbermo settled into life at Old Trafford quickly, the switch in strategy towards Premier League proven players is set to continue. This is in the Manchester News. It also goes on to say that Man United will double down on their strategy of targeting players with Premier League pedigree in the transfer window who can make an instant impact, putting some of their rivals on notice that they're coming for their stars. Look, I don't know what you think about this.

4:22I'm not going to run a poll on it because I think it's a little bit too literal. But, you know, Premier League experience is a bit like we're only going to play by players under 26. Rodri didn't have Premier League experience. Zubimendi didn't have Premier League experience. There are countless us play it Zola yeah let's go back to the 90s Zola didn't have Premier League experience like there are so many fantastic players Eden Hazard didn't have Premier League experience there are so many players out there that don't have um Premier League experience um and I don't think that um apparently there's a new Sir Jim Radcliffe uh interview if if someone I'll get some stuff out from that uh me quotes okay we're live this is the whole point but i don't actually agree that um premier league experience is a necessity because as i said you could go for someone like tyler adams or amper do at leeds or james garner at everton and it doesn't mean they're going to be better than chuamini or stiller or um any other foreign player but united do seem to have you There's one criticism of United's recruitment is it's very basic.

5:36It really is quite basic. They go with under 26, Premier League experience, preferably British. And it's like that's the way they sort of go and they set these filters. And if you're only looking like that, you're going to miss everything else over here. You know, a rabbit, a rabbit has eyes in the side of its head. It misses what's in front of its nose. It's fact, it's nature. It is. Ask David Attenborough. A rabbit has its eyes on the side of its head, so it gets more peripheral vision, but it misses what's under its nose. Man United are bug's bunny in the transfer market. They don't look at what's in front of their nose.

6:13And I think that there are some good Premier League experience players when you look at people like Tonali and Elliot Anderson. But if you're not... Premier League experience is fine if it's top level Premier League players. If you're looking at people like Wharton or Belaber or Ampadu, I think there's better players outside of Europe and you'll get a better value for money. And also, when they say that they want to follow the Cunha or Mbwemo route, have they been actually that brilliant? Now, I like both players, but has Cunha had dips? Yes, I've seen it. Has Mbwemo dipped off since January? Yes.

6:51So, you know, even their own bloody bravado PR doesn't work. Oh, we want to buy more players like Mbwemo and Cunha who hit the ground running. I seem to recall that Mbomo's been pretty crap since January. So hit the ground running or worked in a different style of play. So Cunha's hit the ground running. Yeah, he's now playing on the left wing. It's a bit intermittent. So I don't think Premier League experience... It's the sort of parameter that United put out there to the journalists. The journalists lap it up, but they don't actually question it. And I think this is the problem with modern media.

7:24People just take something and don't check it. Like, I put a tweet out today. it upset Arsenal fans, right? Robbie's there outside the Emirates, AFTV. He's got some very excited Arsenal fan, fine. And he's screaming about the Wasp is back. He literally is making that noise. I find that noise more pleasant. But he's literally screaming about getting a gold cup because they're going to win the Champions League unbeaten, right? And it's that bravado era, isn't it? Don't fact check anything. just hear something and think it's true. 11 other clubs have won the Champions League unbeaten, including Manchester United.

8:05So, but there's somebody out there going, give us a gold, wrap it up in a Yorkie wrapper and give us a Champions League because we've gone unbeaten. And I'm like, 11 of the clubs have done it. Respect the trophy you've never won. Like if Arsenal win the Champions League, I will be there going, well done. But don't disrespect something you've never bloody won by saying you should get it in gold because you've won it unbeaten when 11 other teams have done it. You know, absolutely ridiculous. And I think that's a little bit like United sometimes. Let's go and get Premier League experience players because Premier League experience players really work really well, super duper duper.

8:41But they don't necessarily do that. And there are other players that you can go and get for Man United that I think would make a lot more sense that aren't Premier League experience. So look, that's just my two pennies worth. I want to talk, we'll go through Hatemita. I want to go, I definitely want to talk about how Beth has given Luke Shaw eight point. So Beth has put a clip out. It's not my, I didn't tell her to do it. You know, creative freedom is what I'm all about. Beth's gone and stood outside Old Trafford and given player ratings for the players this season. And she said with her own mouth, Luke Shaw, like Harry Maguire has got to be an 8.5.

9:17We're going to drop it there and we're going to come back to it later in the show. Now, 8.5 is very close to 9, which is very close to 10. Man United haven't actually played that well this season. We're in third place and we're giving people 8.5. I wouldn't give anybody other than Bruno above an 8. This is not a Premier League winning season. We are not going deep in the Champions League. Why are we giving 8.5s out in the first place? but again the bravado era you know doesn't matter that we're nowhere near one of the best teams in the league let's start giving 8.5s out but we'll come back to that um right Ramos Goncalo Ramos has been linked to Man United this morning or has he right story going out with a lot of people that Man United are looking at Ramos at PSG obviously we probably do need another striker to come into Manchester United because Sesco can't do it all on his own.

10:16Someone just said, maybe 8.5 crosses this season. That's probably about right. I'll tell you what, I'll tell you what, I wouldn't give Luke Shaw an 8.5. I'll come back to that. I've got some lines ready. But look, talking about Ramos, would you sign Ramos for Man United? This is where we will do a poll. Now, maybe before you vote would you sorry there will be a bit of background noise today on the morning show i've got some pipe work being done would you sign ramos um from psg i think that's best but best to say would you sign ramos from psg yes or no right okay ramos is actually only 24 25 in the summer Contracts up in 2028 He scored 30 goals in 64 Games for Benfica and 25 Goals in 67 games for PSG He's 6 foot 1 He's 25 in the summer And PSG are talking about a loan With an option to buy In a summer I don't mind that Because I think we need to remove Xerxe and we need to bring in another striker, more of a striker.

11:34I like Xerxes, but he's not a striker. So Man United do need to bring in another striker. And I like the idea of this type of deal where you bring in somebody that is Champions League experienced, has scored goals wherever he's been, whether it's the Portuguese League, the French League or Portugal. You bring him in at a low risk on a loan and you get him to compete with Sesco. And it costs you very little money. So I don't mind this deal at all. I actually think, you know, I can see people in the chat saying no, no, no. But look, we've got to spend 150 to 200 million pounds on our midfield. We also want fullbacks.

12:15We also maybe want a winger. The striker, you can't just go and buy 60, 70, 80 million pound players. So Ramos coming in with the pedigree that he's got, which is a good pedigree for a backup striker, and he's also not 35, he's 25. I don't mind this deal. I genuinely don't mind this deal. Sesco's number one. Ramos comes in as number two. They will battle with each other. If it works out, great. If it doesn't work out, it goes back in a year's time. And he's only got a year left for his contract at PSG. So it'd be cheap anyway. Now they're talking about 55 to 60 million pounds. He's only got two years left on his contract.

12:52He's not a starter for PSG. Nobody's going to pay that money. So it could be an interesting deal. And look, I'm very excited about this transfer window. I can feel the warmth from the hot-o-meter. I'm very excited. I'm very positive. You know, some people say Mona, but I am very positive about the transfer window. I always have been until you get let down. Some of our deals need to be intelligent. And not every player are we going to spend 50 to 100 billion pounds on, even though I think we do. So we need to. So some of these deals like this make a lot of sense. And I don't mind us doing a deal like this, if I'm being completely honest.

13:28However, some people are talking about this deal this morning like it's come out from the Daily Mail. It actually hasn't. The drop on this is that Man United were linked to Ramos about three weeks ago. The latest story is actually coming in from...

13:51Hold on a minute. I don't know what that is.

14:20I had to double check that. It's actually a smoke alarm going off. Fire, fire. The fair's on fire. But yeah, I do think in relation to... Still going off, isn't it? I might have to go and sort that out. We've got a fire. We've got a fire.

14:42So they've gone sort it out. There's a lot of people watching. You'd think somebody else might sort it out. But look, I think in relation to Ramos, the interesting thing about it is we haven't actually been linked to Ramos for three weeks. So Truthbridge, we will give you information. The hotter meter setting off the smoke alarm says keeping it real. Comment of the day. Comment of the day. It's so hot. It's setting off the smoke alarm. I really should have said that. I've missed an absolute sitter there. But look, in relation to Ramos, there are no legitimate links to him this morning. Some people are running videos on it.

15:21Some people are doing tweets on it. They might want to go and fact check their info because there's no actual legitimate story about Ramos this morning. We were linked to him three weeks ago. He's actually being linked to people like Newcastle. But what I would say is, all right, there's no legitimate links to him at the moment, but I don't think it's an unintelligent deal, if I'm being honest. I really don't. Goldfridge says, Premier League experience should mean being proven as a top player who has consistently delivered. So Balaba isn't even Premier League experience. He's been hit and miss.

15:52Yeah, I think with Balaba, and we'll come back to the Hotter Meter in a minute, the club are pushing this. And some of you are in agreement with it and some of you aren't in agreement with it. But the club are clearly pushing Balaba out there. There's no reason for a journalist to write about Balaba. There's no reason to put Belaber in the category of Anderson, Choumini and Tonali, but we keep getting it. So I think the club at the moment, and I don't feel sorry for them because they haven't done a great job. They're trying to convince people that Carrick's the right guy. They're trying to convince people that Belaber's the right guy.

16:23They're probably going to have to try and convince people that Rashford should come back. They may as well get Tom Cruise signed up this summer because I think it's mission impossible what they're trying to push onto people. but they're clearly up against it and they're clearly trying to push stuff that a lot of people are going, what's going on here? 53 % of you would go with Ramos. Please do share the video, by the way, and get involved. Very much welcome on the show as always. I've got loads to get through. People want to talk to me about the better stuff. I think the better stuff is great, giving Luke Shaw an 8.5, but it is quite opinionated and we'll want to get through some of the news first.

16:57I think that's the only fair thing to do. I've had a few super chats coming in. I also want to just cover those off. Silent314 says it would be good for Ramos and United if it happens in my opinion. I just see it working. Well, it's low pressure, isn't it? I think it's a low pressure deal. And I'm trying to think if there's anybody else because Xerxes does need to go and we do need to bring another striker in. And I like the Danny Welbeck stuff, but he has just signed the new contract at Brighton. So you need to find somebody that you can come in. I probably won't start straight away, but we'll definitely get minutes.

17:29will definitely get opportunities and will be comfortable with that. And I think Ramos at PSG at 25, with the experience he's got, probably comes into Man United, has that opportunity and doesn't come in with a load of pressure. There'll be other signings coming in who will have more pressure and also will expect Cesc go to start. So I think it might work. I mean, I'd love Harry Kane or Osamund Jensen, but I don't see them happening. Premier League experience, I've done that from Goldfridge. Marlowe says, Except for heaven, what left field signings have United done since Ferguson? We always go for easy or obvious, expensive and incompetent.

18:07John United says the Luke Shaw cult needs to stop. Shouldn't be in the team. I know this is about United, but I just want to say the only reason Arsenal are in the final is because they have to finish second them somewhere. Love United stands as Alex and where's Gareth Bale? Says something. Thank you very much, Robert McCormack. I know this is about United, but I just want to say the only reason Arsenal are in the finals is because they have to finish second somewhere. OK, I love that from Alex. I sort of blitzed through that, didn't I? OK, so we're speaking about Ramos. Right. So basically, Skyah Lincoln is into Scott and Adams and Fernandes this morning.

18:45I think this is where I go to the hotter meter for a moment. So what's in the press this morning a lot is about the midfield. the midfield overhaul, right? I think instead of just waking up each morning and getting a story from the Athletic or Sky or whatever, I think we have enough information out there to put the hot meter out. So here it is debuting on the 6th of May. And I think that when we take everything into account, this is where we are today. Now, this doesn't mean we're going to sign Balaba, Anderson and Edison. I just think sometimes, you know, you've got to assess all the stories, all the information, all the sources and opinion and go that at the moment is what I think are the most hottest transfers for Manchester United.

19:27And they will change and we probably might not sign all of them, but we do need to sign three midfielders. I think that in relation to Edison and Fernandes, I wouldn't get too excited, but I think by the end of the month, we might have one of those players pretty much done for Man United. Atalanta won the Edison deal done very, very quickly and it nearly happened in January. and United definitely are in talks and he definitely is under consideration. Now, he would be over the moon to sign for a Premier League club. From his side, he would rather come to the Premier League than go to La Liga and go and play for Simeone.

20:04You can't blame him. And Fernandes at West Ham, if they go down, would be over the moon to sign for Manchester United. So Fernandes, I've got 50 % at the moment and I've got Edison at 60%. The only reason I put Edison at six is because that deal's ready to go. And these deals are close in the sense that when I say close, I think before the World Cup, I think once the World Cup starts, deals become difficult. But pre-World Cup, I think Edison is a possibility, a very distinct possibility. I feel with Edison, United are, and speaking to somebody last night, I think with Edison, Man United are definitely interested, but are sort of, we're interested, but we might be looking at something else first.

20:47that something else could be Fernandes at West Ham. But of course, if West Ham stay up, I don't think that deal happens because I think it becomes more expensive. So watch Edison and Fernandes. I'd say, you know, 50-50 on both, but maybe Edison's slightly ahead because that's not dependent on relegation. He's ready to go. Atletico Madrid want him, but Atalanta want to move him on and he wants to move to the Premier League. So Edison, I would say, is a six out of 10 at the moment and Fernandes is a five out of 10. But Balaba have discussed, I just am absolutely convinced that this is the player that Man United are pushing.

21:23They're desperately trying to push the PR around Balaba. It doesn't make a lot of sense in relation to his actual profile. I don't know who has profiled Balaba. Some people say Stevie Wonder, but I think that's a bit harsh. But the reality is he's not actually a Casemiro replacement. His game is not like Casemiro. But every journalist is talking about him. So I think the Labour, whether you like it or not, it's a bit like this time last year. Liam De Lappe was at the top of our hotter meter. Doesn't mean everybody wanted him. It's just that that was the player that United were pushing. So I think Liam De Lappe last year, correct me if I'm wrong, was probably an 8 out of 10 at this time of year.

22:03So we didn't get him, but he was the priority. So you can't, the hotter meter, you have to respect the hotter meter. It's not about opinion and what you want. It's about what is most likely to happen. And at the moment, I think the Labour is. Anderson, I'd still put second on a six because we want Elliot Anderson. He is our number one priority. There's a lot of stories about that, but he's probably more likely to go to Man City. So whilst Elliot Anderson is at Forest, I still think he's got to be a six. It's just it's probably not likely, but he's got to be there. Tonali, I'd say he's 50-50. He should be higher.

22:38He should be the priority, in my opinion. But whilst, you know, United need a midfielder and they need a Casemiro replacement and Tonali's still at Newcastle. I think he'll go to Arsenal, but Tonali's probably a 50-50. Adam Wharton's the same. Whilst he's still at Palace and we need a midfielder, I'd still say he's 50-50. And then obviously we've done Fernandes and Ederson. And then Stilla, look, it's well known within the club that Favell is a big fan of Stilla. He's definitely an illegible midfielder. He can play either role, Maynou or Casemiro. I think he's a very talented player. Stuttgart are on the edge of Champions League football if they don't get it I think it makes it even easier but United are very quiet on it at the moment so as much as I'd like Stille to be higher I think it's a three out of ten 30 % chance and there's a raft of other players you could put in there there is a raft of other players that you could put in there you could put people like Scott and Jao Gomez but ultimately I'd probably say they're all three out of tens at the moment anyway um so yeah let me know your thoughts on that but i think that's where we are and i think the hotter meter at the moment is probably more reliable than the latest story coming out of the telegraph or whatever because everybody is just like man united are going to sign two or three midfielders um and it could be them them them them them i think what we need to start doing is using the hotter meter and the chat and figuring out okay it's another name it's another name but how likely are they and i think in relation to all the stories we've had all the leaks we've had that is how I would rank all our midfielders at the moment.

24:14I certainly don't think there's anybody who's not there that's more likely at the moment. Would you take anyone from Spurs if they go down, says Gamer King? I would like, I would take Berg, Vela and Vuscovic. I think that they are very good players. But I think, to be honest with you, probably not. Is the B &B show today, Mark? I don't even know what the B &B show is. Let me know. um belaba deal was likely locked in last summer says david he's been so poor that the board is over hyping his potential just to avoid looking like fools pure pr i do i do actually agree with you on that david and i was having this chat this morning with um one of the uh heating guys um who actually said it so shout out um it does feel like with belaba there is so much every story i was losing it last night about how he's on the top shelf you know they're saying that belaba is an alternative to Anderson and Tenali.

25:09And I'm like, if you're going to sign Balaba, sign him, sign Anderson or Tenali, then Balaba. But they're trying to put, they're trying to, it's not even just like we might buy him PR. It's like he might be the star signing PR. So I think there might be something in that. United have done this before. Ruud van Nisselrooy had a bad injury and we promised to go back and buy him. Jadon Sancho, we didn't get him one summer and we promised to go back and buy him. That's worked once out twice. You know, as a big football club, you sometimes say, we tried to buy you, it didn't work, and now we don't want you.

25:43But it feels like United have gone, don't worry, we tried to buy you, we trust our opinion, we're coming back for you. So. Beth and Ben show, I think it's tomorrow. It was only on Wednesday last week because Ben couldn't do Thursday. JSD says, what about Mateta on a free? Apparently Mateta's injured at the moment, So I don't know. I think I'd take Ramos over Mateta anyway. Mateta is like 29 next, isn't he? But look, I genuinely do think this is really important, right? However many players we buy this summer and however good they are, Man United must sign six minimum. And I want to say this because the transfer window is about to start.

26:22And I want it in the sand that Man United must buy six players minimum, right? Like, there's a lot of people talking about four, possibly five. It's not enough. It's just not enough, is it? You know, you can't just buy four or five players. You've got to buy six minimum, right? I personally think if Chelsea bring in an experienced manager and a couple of experienced players, I don't think Chelsea are that far off. I really don't, right?

26:57but forget Chelsea forget Liverpool forget Newcastle they could bounce back and they could go past us look at the season where Jose Mourinho finished second and everybody was like he's finished second to Manchester City we need a good summer to catch up with Man City we had a bad summer Liverpool and a couple of others had a good summer and we fell behind so no matter what Carrick's done no matter what the results are the expectation of this fan base will be we finished third let's go for second and first but man united multiple times have finished second and not gone for first we've ended up dropping down the league so you you've got when you look at the summer transfer window the reason we need to sign six and not four is that if you're playing monopoly or a board game and two people are in front of you but monopoly is a board game where you roll the dice and you go around the board and you buy properties and if you buy properties and people land on your space They have to pay you for it, right?

27:53And the first lap is a big race. If United are already behind Arsenal and Man City on that Monopoly board and we roll a four and they roll a four, we don't catch up. if we roll a two and they roll a six they go further ahead and I think this summer transfer window is very much like that think about it like a monopoly board Arsenal and Man City are ahead of us it's no point rolling a four if they're going to roll a four because we won't close the gap you've got to roll a six and then you start to close the gap we can't just walk out of this summer game we've signed four good players it won't close the gap people need to realize this and Man United need to realise this.

28:36Everyone else is still rolling the dice. They're not missing a go. They will buy players themselves. So if we buy four players, you can guarantee Man City and Arsenal are going to buy good players as well. So the gap won't get closed. And also, what if Chelsea roll a six? What if Liverpool roll a six? Man United need to roll a six. Four signings won't be enough. We need six minimum this summer transfer window. And I think that's really important. Some people might disagree with me, But I think it's really important that we realise that it's not just about quality. It definitely is about quantity.

29:10You know, I'm looking at that Arsenal squad last night and I'm like, bloody hell. You know, Zubman is on the bench for Lewis Skelly. You know, Maduweke is on the bench. Havertz is on the bench. You've got to have a squad. You've got to have a squad. Vlahovic can put Ramos in his pocket. Yeah, I don't really like the Vlahovic rumours. I've heard a few people talking about Vlahovic, but he's a player that we've spoken about on the United stand for many years. He's still only 26 and he won't be 27 until the summer. But Vlahovic, you know what my issue with Vlahovic is? You only ever hear about him in the transfer windows.

29:46You don't hear about him in the football season. Mic drop. But it's true. We only ever hear about Vlahovic when the transfer windows open. I remember hearing about Vlahovic last summer. I remember hearing about him the season before. I've heard fuck all about him during the season because you just don't hear anything. So that worries me. I just think sometimes there are players that you only hear about in the transfer window. What's his name? Rabiot. Rabiot is another one. And Ramos, to a certain extent. Naveen, you're right. You are right. You are 100 % right. Ramos is another one. Players that you only hear about in the transfer window.

30:26Rabiot. Rabiot is you only ever hear about Adrian Rabiot in the transfer window you don't hear about him in the season maybe if France are playing but there are certain players there we go it would be good for Ramos and United if it happens in my opinion this is silent I think I've done that one would you take Lewis Skelly now Marx as JSD well we won't be getting Lewis Skelly now because he's actually tearing it up for Arsenal but remember he's tearing it up in the midfield not at left back and we were looking at him for left back so I don't I don't, I don't, I think you're trying to make a good point, but I think you make a bad point.

31:01Louis Skelly, when he's playing like he was last night, of course you would sign him. But Arsenal were offering him up to us because they wanted to get rid of him. We weren't buying that Louis Skelly, we were buying the Arsenal flop Louis Skelly. And that's the difference, isn't it? All that banging, when are you going to admit you've locked Belaber in your cupboard mark to prevent him signing for this season? I wish I bloody had, Nick. It would be a better excuse that Belaber had been shit this summer because he's been locked in my cellar, which I don't actually have. I mean, unfortunately, we get to see him every week, you know, playing on the pitch.

31:30Patrick says, last year, no Champions League, but we had a manager and a project to pitch to players. Now we've got Champions League, but no manager. I wonder how that impacts a player's decision on whether to come. I think players will always sign for Manchester United, Patrick. I mean, I never fall for it. I never fall for this United. It's going to get to a point where someone doesn't want the Man United manager's job, or it's going to get to a point where someone doesn't want to sign for Manchester United. I think Man United and Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, they are probably five clubs where no matter what's going on, their reputation will still be alluring.

32:09So I don't think we're ever going to have a problem of players not wanting to sign for Manchester United, in my humble opinion. We've got nearly 8 ,000 people watching again. And don't forget to subscribe to the channel and smash a like on the video live every morning at 10 o 'clock, every evening at 8 o 'clock. Although tonight it will be 7 o 'clock because 8 o 'clock it's Bayern against PSG. I'll be live on That's Football for Football Heritage. We're also live at 2 o 'clock today and we have got Ben Jacobs on tomorrow at 2 o 'clock, I'm told. Naveen says the Belaba stuff feels like last year's De Lapp story.

32:39Yeah, but the only difference with that is De Lapp, there was competition. Chelsea, Newcastle, Everton. I don't think there's any competition for Belaba. So maybe it will happen. What happened to Diego Leon? I am going to talk about this. The one, two, three, four, five, six, seven GP. So I saw a story this morning about Kone at Luzon. So Sekou Kone, who we brought in a couple of years ago and was going to be the next. I don't know what he was going to be, the next Declan Rice or the next Caicedo. So it's likely that he's going to head out on loan again next season, although because they need to find a better fit than Luzon Sports in Switzerland so he can get more game time.

33:28So effectively, what is happening, sadly, is exactly what I predicted would happen. and that is that United have been papering the cracks by signing lots of young players, telling us they're going to be the next this, that and the other and then two years later you forget about them because it hasn't happened because actually we are absolutely terrible at developing players. We're really bad. We don't develop players. Look at Yoro. What's happening with Yoro? Two years here, generational centre-back. Where is he on the list? I mean, he's behind Maguire, Hevan, Martinez. He's fourth choice. And if De Ligt comes back, he's fifth choice.

34:12So we're not good at developing players. Kone, Kone's going to be this. Kone's going to be that. Kone is on loan at Luzon Sports in the Swiss League, who aren't even very good. And he can't even get any game time. Should have gone to a championship club. Why have we sent him to Luzon? Because it's Ineos owned. Absolute rubbish. absolute terrible development management of a player Kone is a Man United player he should not be playing well he's not even playing anyway in the Swiss League for a shit team he should be in the championship playing for bloody Derby County or something like that crap and Leon Leon what how many years has he been here now a year it's May training with the first team never on the bench anymore should have been on loan so that's two players that a lot of people got really hyped about oh my god leon oh my god kone ob like where are us three where are they all at man united well one of them's in switzerland should all be out on loan they should all be out on loan at championship clubs learning but these people people don't want this conversation, but it's true.

35:28And I'll guarantee we'll buy another couple of young players and we'll do the same. This is not how to develop players. I mean, I do worry about our talent profile and development, right? Because I'm no genius. You're no genius. But if you buy a young player at 17, 18 to come and play for Man United, and they're not going to play for Man United's first team, you send them on loan to a bloody championship club. That's what you do. It's so obvious. You send them to a league that's within your league structure so they can understand and learn the game. Simple. If Ineos had any brains, they wouldn't sign Belayba, says Irish Beckham.

36:09Le Mans, Heaven and Dorgue are developing well, says GGMU. Well, Le Mans is a goalkeeper, so I think that's completely different. Dorgue has only started developing well. Well, he's been injured, hasn't he? But, you know, he's only just started developing well. and heaven I agree is developing well but there's a lot of players that aren't developing well at Manchester United and they need to look at it. Melchert says Gracie, Schick and Sauloth available for under £30 million says Melchert not bad ideas there's one about Mainu here Stig says I've been looking at Mainu's movement and ball control and overall play yes I know you don't like comparing players but I do see a young Pogba there says Stig I get what you're I mean, I don't profile Manu like Pogba.

36:54They're very different. Obviously, they're very different for physicality. But in relation to where they play in the midfield, absolutely. You know, Pogba's best position was in between the 10 and the 6. And I think Manu's best position is there as well. Ng says, I have a good feeling about this window. I think they're keeping Belaba in the conversation in case they're unable to get the others on the list. I'd rather they're removed in from the conversation. But yeah, hopefully it won't happen. Thank you very much. OK, a couple of other things I want to talk about as well on the news front before we get into a couple of topical things.

37:27So Rasmus, Rasmus, it was confirmed yesterday that if Napoli finish in the top in the Champions League positions, then they will sign him for I think it's 38 million pounds. Inter have already won the Scudetta again. There are 20 teams like the Premier League in the Italian League. Napoli have three games left and they are five points clear of fourth. I think top three get the Champions League in Italy, maybe even top four. I don't know, but they are well placed to get it. So Rasmus to Napoli should be done very, very soon. Also, Casemiro has done an interview saying that Michael Carrick should get the job.

38:16Some people were talking about that as well. You know what? I don't, I even thought about this. Why are the club even happy for players? Well, I understand why. I'm answering my own question. If I was in charge of the football club and I was running a process for the manager, I would say to all my players who I pay, please don't talk in the media about Michael Carrick getting the job. And they might go, why? I would go, because I pay your wages. What we decide to do is what we decide to do. And you saying Michael Carrick should get the job is really unfair on the process we're trying to run because we're going to interview other people.

38:54And yet, constantly, it's one player after another coming out saying Michael Carrick should get the job, which obviously tells you the answer man united could stop these players from doing it i think they're telling them to do it i think they're encouraging them to do it because we know we're getting carrick so every interview i hear from a player saying michael carrick should get the job that shouldn't be happening if you're running a proper process because it undermines the process so you know for anybody who thinks we're not giving it to carrick come on wake up and smell the coffee we're definitely giving it to carrick most of the first team are coming out on a daily basis saying give it to Carrick which you wouldn't allow if you weren't going to give it him so it's very obvious I as I said before would not listen to players about what they want I mean these players at United are so inconsistent you never know whether they're going to turn up I don't give a shit what they think about who the manager should be I want consistency I'm not going to listen to the players I'm going to chase consistency um Mark your thoughts on Chiamini do you think he could be a success here in the Premier League.

39:54Not sure if he's a workhorse or a playmaker, says GGMU. I think Schumini in a Real Madrid side, you've got to respect that Real Madrid are a very good footballing side and you can't be in a Real Madrid side and not work hard and not be good on the ball. The transition from La Liga to the Premier League is always interesting. We've seen Rodri, Zubmendi recently, as I mentioned, come in from the Liga and do very well. Casemiro has done well I think Casemiro's big issue has been his age uh it's the it's the speed of the Premier League that he struggles with I mean you look at his defensive actions and his goals and his passing they're all still there Casemiro struggles with the legs if Casemiro was 26 like Chiamini I think he'd be even better so I don't think there's any reason to think that he wouldn't be a really good signing um for Manchester United um whether we can do it or not we'll have to wait and see Gamer King says sorry Gamer King has gifted five memberships thank you very much and Mid says transfer news aside I'm tired of the growing head coach culture in the Premier League bring back the managers I think that with regards to the head coach thing and I was talking about this on That's Football the Chelsea model has failed badly now whether we are following the Chelsea model or they followed our model I don't know But what is very clear is that at Arsenal, Arteta works closely with Edu.

41:24At Man City, Pep runs the show with the board. At Chelsea, the manager had no power. Look at what's happened at Chelsea. They want a head coach they can manipulate. It's a fucking mess. And now they're begging coaches to come in and be managers, basically. And they're going to sign experienced players. If Man United want to do the Chelsea model, it's going to fail. If Man United want a coach that listens to Jason Wilcox and just gets on with their job, it's going to fail. If Man United are going to keep buying people under 26, it's going to fail. You have to have an open mind and an open view to how to run a football club.

42:00And history shows you that the most successful teams in the Premier League are teams with experienced coaches who have power in the dress in the boardroom. And, you know, it's not rocket science, but I think we're going through an era of football owners who want to be in control of the football side of things. And, you know, even yesterday I read an article about Sir Jim Radcliffe and him being a, you know, being involved in transfers. there was there was a story about sir jim radcliffe and sesco i mean sir jim radcliffe in my opinion is not a lifelong man united fan he's an observer as a man united fan because in the last two years he's not behaved like a man united fan most of his decisions are not the decisions a man united fan would make whether it's ticket prices sacking people recruitment he doesn't behave like a man united fan i think he's just a an observer i think he likes football and he observes it.

42:55I don't think he spends his days on YouTube watching Man United fan content or on X interacting with tweets. I think he's an observer of football. I don't think he's a fan. And therefore, he won't have a fucking clue about the European transfer market. I doubt he's got a thorough understanding of the Premier League transfer market. So he shouldn't be involved in football decisions. An owner should buy a football club that they care about and get best-in-class people in to run it for them. Slaze says, I don't want Carrick, but I understand those that do. We've suffered for 13 years. He wins games and winning feels good.

43:32However, I remember how we dominated games for two decades. I want that back. Fair comment. Absolutely fair comment. It's interesting, actually, because I think in relation to Carrick, Manu is doing really, really well under Carrick and Heaven has... I mean, Heaven's only just started playing and he might not play. Heaven might not play on Saturday. like will he drop heaven for martinez on saturday i think that's a big big topic so main who's done well under carrick um absolutely but that's probably because we're playing a midfield three and there's no one else to play with bruno and casemiro under mainu so he fits into the system i i saw something yesterday about somebody saying you know carrick's brought back the feel-good factor at manchester united and you know mainu's doing great and he is um There is a flip side to that coin.

44:21How many players are not doing well under Carrick? Jorro? Embermo? You know, there is a flip side. The results hide all weaknesses. Results hide all weaknesses. If we'd lost the last three games, would people be saying the feel-good factor's back? We could have lost to Chelsea. We probably should have lost to Chelsea. We probably should have done. We could have drawn with Liverpool and we could have drawn with Brentford. We didn't. We won. And we have to say we deserve to win those games. But results hide all weaknesses. Remember, there are certain players that are not playing well and Ahmad as well.

45:03So there is still a lot of work to do at Man United. That's my takeaway. And I agree with Slaze. I understand the people that want to give it to Carrick. But beyond the results, there's a lot of question marks. there's a lot of holes and those results at the moment hide all weaknesses um i'd say united at the moment you know sometimes you you see you see the water and it's calm and it looks nice and it's a sunny day and you think i might go for a swim because that water looks great but under that water, there's a crocodile, there's sharp rocks, there's an undercurrent. I think United at the moment, we are like that beautiful lake on a sunny day.

45:51It looks great, but it hides a lot of hazards. And if it stays sunny and that water level drops, we'll start to see those hazards. They've got to keep that water level high. And there's ways they can do that, but they can't stand still because water will evaporate. Embermo isn't doing well and clearly unhappy, says Denise. Thank you very much. Okay, it's time. I said I'd talk about this so I will talk about it. Right, I've tweeted about it. I've said it, right? It's all about opinion. Somebody actually put a good comment in the other day. They said, why is it we watch your match reaction after a game and then we go to the fan forum and they say, a lot of them say completely different things to you and i say because that's football that's you know it's almost like i'm meant to go right you're not allowed to say this you're not allowed of course you are that i think that's brilliant i think it's great that you watch one person's match reaction where we interact and then you go to a fan forum where you get some people who might be saying completely the opposite that's that's the conversation it shouldn't be you shouldn't be dictated an opinion exclusively on the united stand you want different opinions and trust me some of the stuff that's coming up for next season you'll get a lot more of it but doesn't mean we can't interact and have our own opinions within the community so i saw luke i saw this clip on the united stand x from beth saying that luke shaw is with harry mcguire on an 8.5 this season before we get into Luke Shaw I don't think any player apart from Bruno Fernandes should be above an 8 like out of 10 6 is average 7 is good 8 is very good 9 is excellent and 10 is perfect that's how I do it now you're telling me that Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw are nearly excellent I'd say Maguire is somewhere between 7 and 8 for the season I don't know why we're giving 8.5s to anybody other than Bruno Fernandes this season.

48:01You know, you take Bruno out of that team and we're probably 10th. So we're third in the league. That's very good. But I don't see many excellent players this season. Maybe Casemiro up to an eight. Bruno would be between eight and a nine for me. So 8.5 is way too high, way too high for Maguire and Shaw anyway. I'd probably give Maguire a 7.5. I'd probably give Casemiro an 8. I'd probably give Bruno an 8.5, maybe even a 9. That's it. That'd be my top three players. But look, everybody's entitled to their opinion. One person's legend is another person's great. So I understand that that's how it works.

48:44But Luke Shaw, for me, out of 10 this season is a 5. He's below average. And I'll have this argument with Beth, Ricky or anybody, right? I think you're falling off a cliff with this. I don't think you can hold your ground, right? Under Amram, as a third centre-back, I thought Luke Shaw was probably a six, average, maybe even a 6.5. But since he's gone to left back, I'd say, I think he's been crap. He's slower than a bag of cement, right? I've seen more adventurous bloody ice cubes in a heat wave and he crosses the halfway line less than he'd cross a lake full of bloody crocodiles. It's like, I don't get the glaze.

49:32I really don't get the glaze for Luke Short. Like, I've got eyes. I do every watch along. I don't get how you'd give him higher than average, let alone excellent eight. I mean, what are you watching? The guy averages less than 1.4 crosses per game. People like Anthony Robinson, they're up at five. He stays back most of the time. If he's in a foot race, he loses it. His passing's okay. I mean, people talk about him going to the World Cup. The only way he's going to the World Cup is if every British left-back in the Premier League goes extinct. I just don't get it. And I know Ricky loves him, but to be fair to Ricky, Ricky has strange takes anyway.

50:18I'd say 80 % of the time he talks sense and 20 % he gets lost in you know whatever world he's in but normally normally I could understand it but I just don't I do not get this one at all I absolutely back myself 100 % on this look there's a chance we sign Belaber and he could do well and I'll back him if we sign him I just think it's a massive mistake maybe we shouldn't get rid of Xerxes. Maybe he could be a useful player next season, even though I think he should go for his career. Maybe Rashford could come back and be decent. I think it's a big mistake, but maybe he could. But Luke Shaw is not at an 8.5 season this year.

51:00He's not at an 8 season. He's not at a 7.5. He's not at a 7. He's not at a 6.5. At best, it's average. In reality, at left back, I think it's been below average. I mean, I would replace him tomorrow with Dan Byrne at left back. And I don't think Dan Byrne's amazing, but I think he's a better left back. I don't get the Luke Shaw thing. I just don't. I really don't. And I think he deserves massive credit. I mean, I'll give him 10 out of 10 for staying fit every single game. I think that's a miracle. I think he might be getting a passage in the Bible in future years because he's got healing legs.

51:39It's incredible. And I'm not joking about that. In fact, there is a chapter in the Bible called Luke. And I think they're going to put an extra bit in because the guy, and I'm not taking the piss, he deserves huge credit, right? This is a guy that for the last three years has barely been fit. And then this year, and I don't know why, I don't know what's happening at the end of the season that might make him motivated. But look, in fairness, he's played every single game in the Premier League this season. And he's had knocks. Like last week against Brentford, he went off with a knock on the ankle.

52:13He's playing on Sunday again. So he's played every single game. How has he done it? He deserves credit for it. The guy is broken and he's 30. He's going to be 31 in July. How is a guy who spent most of his 20s injured playing every week in the Premier League at 30. It's a miracle. It's a miracle. And it needs to be studied. And that, I'd give him 10 out of 10 for staying fit. Unfortunately, when he's been fit, you know, the only adventurous thing Luke Short does every game is this, when we score a goal. This is about as ambitious as he gets. Woo! We scored a goal! Woo! Woo! We've scored a goal.

53:05Woo! That's about the most adventurous thing he does each game. He jumps on someone's shoulders when we score a goal. He doesn't go forward anymore. And look, I am very harsh on Luke Shaw, but I don't know the guy. I'm a football fan. And when people used to call him fat and crap, I used to say he's one of the best left backs in Europe. So three or four years ago, I think he was one of the best left backs in Europe. So this is not coming from an agenda or hate or anything like that. I've literally backed Luke Shaw for years. In fact, didn't I get called? I'm sure I got called racist for backing Luke Shaw by somebody a few years ago, which I don't know how that works.

53:47But I actually think Luke Shaw, I really liked him as a player for years and years and years. The England thing pissed me off, to be honest. But ultimately, like Rooney in his last season was nowhere near the levels of what Wayne Rooney was. People drop off. People lose ability. And Luke Shaw is not the player he was when I think he was one of the best left backs in the world. He's just not. He's just not. And 8.5 is criminal. And, you know, some people have said disciplinary hearing proceedings need to start with Beth. Well, look, that will be dealt with in-house. I'm joking. Some people take that so seriously.

54:29But yeah, he's just not an 8.5. But you know what? In fairness, everybody's entitled to an opinion. That's what it's all about. And, you know, there will be people out there that think Deleu should win the Ballon d 'Or. There will be people out there that think Agathe is misunderstood and is actually better than Declan Rice. You know, there we go. thank you so much everybody for watching would you extend Luke Shaw's contract based on this current season I don't even know what Luke Shaw's contract looks like let me have a quick look I still think he's got a long time on it I mean I think he's got a long time he's still got another year on his contract I wouldn't extend it no but you know we've extended Harry Maguire so we probably would Hi Mark just want to thank you for all the work you and the crew do I've been watching you since your walks to work on the canal and I'd love to bring them back I want to know your thoughts on no breakthrough players yet again I suppose Aiden Heaven is slightly a bit of a breakthrough but it's you know let's see if he plays on the weekend really but it's a hard season to break through players Amrim was under a lot of pressure.

55:54Carrick's chasing results. So hopefully next year with more games, we can break. It's hard to break through players when you're not in Europe and you're not in any of the Cups. The opportunities are slim. And Carrick has been... I'll defend Carrick. I like Carrick. He's chased results. He's relied on Casemiro, Bruno, Maguire. He's relied on results. He's gone for results. That's what he's done. Delo had a better season than Shaw says GGMU can we get the cold meter out I'm thinking about bringing the cold meter back Stratford Elite so you have a cold meter on players that are likely to leave but United ain't going to do anything big in the window are they no one's leaving apart from the players that have already left 50-50 on Mbwermo sorry 50-50 on Ramos from PSG by the way that's a poll for you that is a poll right I'm on the 7 o 'clock show tonight because we've got Bayern PSG tonight on That's Football I'm so excited about that we've got Beth back at two o 'clock she's going to be defending Luke Shaw for an hour telling us why she's great why he's great but no probably will do right to reply two sides to a story and all that great show this morning absolutely loved it thank you so much for tuning in and I'll speak to you later take care