Should Signing Donnarumma Be United's Top Priority?

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0:35BBC Sounds. Music, radio, podcasts. Donnarum, he's 26. He's one of the best keepers in the world. It'd be crazy if my night don't go for him. We used to go to games a lot and play really badly, but find a way to win. I had it in DC with one of my players who got racially abused and he was crying on my chest.

1:00Hi guys, the Wayne Rooney Show is back for episode two. In case you haven't seen enough of Wayne Rooney across the BBC this weekend, we're going to get even more of his thoughts on the action. Kay Curd alongside myself, Kelly Summers and Wayne. So Kay, firstly, did you have a good weekend? Yeah, it was great. I watched Wayne on Match of the Day, smashed it. It was nice to see him have a debut without ripping his shirt. So that was good. Do you know what? I've obviously been told about how long you're there in the offices before match today. And weirdly enough, I actually got there two hours early.

1:36So, yeah. Why would you do that? As someone, I mean, I love the show. But as someone that's presented it before, it's a long day anyway, Wayne. I think it was to nick that BBC sign in the background. No, it was a long day. But no, it was all good. And I dropped one of my boys off at his game. And then I got there to make sure I could watch my other boy who was playing for 2018. So I made sure I was there and I could watch him play before, obviously watching all the games. Of course, so you're literally got a full-time job now as a football dad and the busiest man at the BBC. I know, I need paying more.

2:10There's a message to the boss if ever I've heard it. Okay, we are here to review the weekend's action and there is only one place for us to start. Manchester United losing their opening game of the season 1-0 to Arsenal in the Sunday 4.30 kick-off. So Wayne, firstly, how are you feeling after that one? Yeah, obviously disappointing result, but I think there was lots of positives within the game. I think Kunja looked fantastic. I love the way he picked the ball up and he was driving the players. Playing with the freedom and the creativity, which maybe he's been lacking in the last few years. I thought Ahmed, when he came on, was a game fantastic.

2:47We know what he can do. and Bueno was in and out of the game I felt started really well come out of it a little bit but then got back into it and Cesc when he come on I think he done what we expect him to do he held the ball up he put himself in the middle of the goal and was waiting to try and get chanted so I think there's lots of positives still a concern for me in the middle of the pitch I think with Casemiro and Bruno I think they need more legs in there I think Bruno fantastic player and I want to see him a bit more higher up the pitch where he can be more creative and try and create and score goals.

3:23And Casemiro, I just think we're a little bit weak in there and covered in the full width of the pitch. So, yeah, I don't know what has happened with Kobe Mainu. I think he looks like he's not in the manager's plans. But, yeah, I think there's so many positives from the game. And Dorgou was really good. And then we go on to the goalkeeper situation, which I'm sure every Man United fan is asking the same question. And for me, Donnarum is out there. If there's a possibility you can get him, he's 26. You have to go for him because clearly that was an issue. Yeah, no, I agree. I mean, look, there were so many flashes of brilliance from Cunha and Mbwemo.

4:09I mean, when I was looking at Cunha, what I liked about him was not only is he good with the ball, he's got a great attitude as well. It's like never say die attitude, which I really like about him as well. But Mason Mount played the best game I've ever seen him play in a Man United shirt, I thought. There was a couple of chances where I saw a couple of moments in the game where I saw him like there was a few balls that he put in that were quite encouraging. And I just like seeing him do well, which was a great start. Yeah, I think he's got energy, Mason Andy, and he hasn't been fit since he arrived at Man Utd, really, for a period of time.

4:46I don't think he's missed a day he's training in pre-season, so I think he could be a huge player for Man Utd this season if he can stay fit. But yeah, I think there were so many positives throughout the game. Them players will be disappointed, Amron will be disappointed, they've lost the game. But I think for the fans, looking at it, there's positives. It's not going to change in one transfer window, which Amorim has obviously had January, but one window, which he's had in the summer. It's going to take a little bit more time, but certainly it's looking like it's on the right track, for sure.

5:20Absolutely. But the midfield, if you were Amorim, would you not be crying out for Belieber to just be put 3-0 right now? You would be, yeah. But obviously with PSR and all the financial fair play rules, we don't know what situation Manchester United are in to try and do that. But I would for sure try and get a midfield player in there. I think midfield player and goalkeeper is a priority. And if they can address that before this window closes, then I think they'd be in an okay place. It seems like you see the top three, the three forwards. it seems like he doesn't have his best sort of combination there at the moment.

6:04Where would you, if you were playing, where would you want to play as well in this system? In this system, I'd want to play as the forward, as the nine. But you can be flexible, you know, you can go with two up and maybe push Bruno into a number 10 role or Cunha into that number 10 role. What I liked is in the second half, you went for him, put Amadon as right wing back, in which Mbweno then could come in tired. It gives you another attacking player on the pitch. So in certain games this season, I think he can afford to do that. In the bigger games, obviously Arsenal's a big game, but when they're chasing to try and get a goal, then you can do that.

6:40But I just think getting players in the right position is key. And, you know, sometimes everyone seems to have gone away from two forwards. And, you know, it's crazy over the years you go with one forward and two wide men and you've got midfielders trying to make the box and sometimes two forwarders is so difficult for defenders to defend the game you give them different if you had Cesco up there and Cuny for instance the two defenders have to be aware where they are then a midfield run from deep might occupy them then someone might get more space so I think at times being changing up like Thomas Frank we've seen him in the Super Cup But with a back five, we've seen him with a back four.

7:26Or even yesterday. I mean, you see Kudus and Richarlison together. Yeah, on Saturday. And it causes problems. Then it allows you to put balls in the box and pick up second balls or get the first contact and score goals. But I think today was... I don't think Amorim will change away from his system. I think he's been quite strong on that. But I think there was lots of positives for sure. Guys, we can talk all we like about players that Manchester United need maybe in the middle of the pitch. Wayne you tried to gloss over it the goalkeeper situation at Manchester United it's been something that the fans have wanted addressing for quite a while you mentioned Donnarumma then is that a key thing that Amarim now needs to sort out in the final weeks of the window yeah I think it has to be I think I think it was last season we seen a goal from Son as well very similar where he scored direct from corner this one Olympico that's what they called it I didn't know that until it happened and then they tried it the week after as well and I was like when did this get named yeah no so I think that was and then again today you see a difference with David Rea in the second half where it was the same corner same he's fighting I can't remember it might have been De Ligt but he's moved De Ligt out the way he's come and punched your goalkeeper I go back to when we had Roy Carroll and Tim Howard in goal now I don't think there was 100 % trust from the defenders in front of them two goalkeepers but the minute van der Sar comes in and calms everything down the defenders trust him a lot more you see a better output of performance and I think that's where these United players are they want that confidence and that trust in the goalkeeper behind them to marshal them to be telling them where to go and I just don't see that from the keeper What does that come from Wayne?

9:08Is that charisma that the keeper needs to have or is it an air of leadership about them? What is it that makes them feel? Yeah and sometimes it can be just being having a calmness but speaking at the right moment and And, you know, sometimes you see goalkeepers, I think we've seen it with Onana in one of the first pre-season games, you know, shouting at Harry Maguire. And sometimes you have to do it at the right moment. And I think the goalkeeper is so important to give you that calmness right throughout the team, especially your back four or five, as it is now. But that gives you the calmness right throughout the team.

9:44And Van der Sarge had done that for us, where I think since Stavad de Gea has left, Onana's come in you know he's a fantastic keeper I watched him at Inter Milan and he was brilliant so you hope if they don't bring a new goalkeeper in you hope that he can get back to that but he certainly didn't fill us with confidence last season I don't think I'd be saying get Tom Heaton in that in 2025 Tom's a good lad and I can't believe he's somehow managed to get a new one year deal to be honest so he's doing something right but no listen Tom's a safe goalkeeper and I think he's probably more there as a training keeper I'd imagine at the minute but I think Donnarummi's 26 he's one of the best keepers in the world it'd be crazy if Manon don't go for him but do you think it's his wage demands because I know Ineos have come in and they don't want to break the bank for players wages and stuff like that they don't want to ruin the wage structure would you just risk it for this?

10:44well I don't think he's a risk I've seen a statue today the errors leading to direct goals is with zero and some of his other stats weren't right at the top but I think that's really important you know when a goalkeeper makes a mistake it's very difficult to recover certainly in that game and then moving forward so I think that's important but yeah depending on what he can do salary wise and what he wants that's another question whether they can do it or not but I'd certainly be asking the question and trying to to bring him into the club. And Kay, the argument as well is how many world-class goalkeepers or top-class goalkeepers are there out there at the moment?

11:23As Donnarumma feels the obvious one, doesn't he? Yeah, he is the obvious one. Diogo Costa as well is another one. But yeah, I mean, right now, if he's available for 26 million, it seems like a steal. I mean, I'd be sending Sancho, Malassia, anybody else the other way as well, if I could. That was another thing which I thought was refreshing today is, I think I've seen a fight at Manchester United who I haven't seen for a few years a togetherness which and you have to give Ruan Amaran a lot of credit for that because he's made big decisions with obviously Rashford with Garnaccio with Sancho in purposely keeping him away from the group and that seems to have strengthened that chemistry amongst the players and I think it was obvious today you could see that even though they lost the game but they kept pushing they stuck together they kept fighting there was tackles going in heads didn't drop and they kept going until the end so I think the manager deserves a lot of credit for that for making them decisions so yeah hopefully moving forward we see a lot more of what we're seeing today at times but also just being a little bit more solid and then restart team Man United slowly getting back on track the one thing I liked as well was when Cunha was giving Odegaard a bit of a bit of Archie Bartsch you know what I mean that's what that fixture is all about isn't it yeah come on a bit of needle come on get a tackle stuck in here I used to love it playing against Arsenal you know and obviously there's there's some big ones which everyone knows about obviously do you want me to list them out for you all my favourite Wayne Rooney against Arsenal we've been doing this haven't we in our messaging group today we've kind of all been throwing in and there's some brilliant memories Wayne isn't it but it kind of shows what a different fixture this is now I think yeah I remember my first game a hybrid for Man United was the game with Roy and Vieira in the tunnel and you feel it, you feel, you know, the game's on a knife edge and you can feel that and, you know, even the referee got it.

13:23It was, you know, you had the Fabregas one with Alex Ferguson in the tunnel with the throwing of Peter at him and, you know, there's fights in the tunnel which, you know, everyone was involved in as well and, you know, I think when we beat them 2-0 after the Keown incident, obviously the key moment was before I was there but next year we beat them 2-0 and Saul Campbell didn't speak to me for over six months we'd meet up with England and Saul still wouldn't speak to me Were you happy about that though? Sometimes I was with Saul but no I'd say to him come on man we're playing for England here and he wouldn't speak to me because he felt I dived which he left his leg out I think there was a small contact Did you ever have it out Wayne?

14:10how did you get over that? Yeah, actually you do and I think it was a big game for Arsenal if they won it was 50 games from beating him so he was disappointed but yeah, it was about six months he wouldn't speak to me so that fixture was always the rivalry was big and when I joined Man United that was the big rivalry we had then and I think that's died down a little bit, throughout football as well I think you're right though I think that rivalry dying down is indicative of where the clubs are at. I think both of them for so many years have lacked a lot of leaders and a lot of characters in the squad.

14:47I know, especially at Man United, we haven't had those characters where, you know, they demanded excellence throughout the whole squad. And I think at that point you did get that in that era. Yeah, you didn't. But I think the game has changed as well. You know, when I was playing, you could put the armband on any player, really. Because you had lots of players with leadership on the pitch. and maybe that's not the case. I think I've seen Tony Adams talking about Odegaard and Declan Rice should be captain. Whether that's the case or not, I think Declan will go on to be a fantastic captain maybe for Iceland but also for England as well.

15:25But that's what you need. You need players. Sometimes players don't need to wear the armband as well. You need players who are just going to lead and lead by example on the pitch. I think in the way the game is now, that's a little bit... I don't think players are as close to each other than what it used to be. Sometimes that shows where I think fair play to Arteta over the last few years, they're just missing a major trophy. You're certainly starting to see over the last two years in particular, that steal and that fight with Arsenal. Then all these little tricks which you're doing to win free kicks or waste time, I think they do it really well.

16:08I tell you what, I bet this is something that an Arsenal fan never thought they'd hear. Wayne Rooney complimenting Mikel Arteta's team. And we're actually joined by an Arsenal fan now. Rimadi joins us. Thanks for being with us on the Wayne Rooney show. We're keen to get the Arsenal viewpoint. I know David Rea said post-match that maybe there was a little bit of relief. Are you relieved to get out of Old Trafford with three points? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I thought that today, it wasn't really a usual, typical game that we'd see from Arsenal. Usually, we'd see the clean football, the crisp football passing through the lines.

16:44But today, it was completely different. We got an early goal, lucky some would say. And then it was just a slog the entire game. And to be honest, I felt that maybe at times, someone like an Mbamo, someone like a Cunha, they really threatened us. but I didn't really think you guys were kind of on top of us we couldn't get out I think there were still moments that we could have still hit you guys on the counter-attack but I just think from our point of view if I'm looking at it directly as an Arsenal fan sure Manchester United were great but I also think our level was completely terrible today and I don't think and I hope that we don't see something like that again going forward during the season.

17:23I think that is an unbelievable win for Arsenal today. Obviously, a lot of talk of Man United and New Sand, some new players and trying Amaranth's first pre-season and can get back to the level we all want to see them at. So I expect Man United to come out firing and make it difficult for Arsenal. A sign of a good team is when you go to these games. We used to go to games a lot and play really badly, but find a way to win and figure out a way to go out and win that game and move on. And so I think for Arsenal, Arteta will be delighted with that win because it allows them to go to the players and say, we need to be better.

18:08We need to be more on the ball and dominate the game a bit more. But to figure a way to leave Old Trafford with three points, I think that's a massive plus for Arsenal today. But that's how you win leagues, you're right, you grind out 1-0 results. You take 1-0 every week if it means you win in a league, wouldn't you? Yeah, of course. 100%. So yeah, I think that's why for Arsenal you'd be delighted. For Man United, there's lots of positives, but ultimately you lose the game and that makes next week even bigger now for Man United. but can we talk about Jokeres please because there was this big fanfare of him coming in and I'm seeing the names online they're calling Medi Jokeres they're calling him Jokeres like great play on words if you ask me yeah Rimadi what did you think because he did look a bit sluggish didn't he he looked sluggish Saka looked sluggish Martinelli looked sluggish I think the entire team I don't know I don't know Wayne like maybe you looking at it from the player side of things do you think Arsenal were fully fit for me I don't think we were at the races fitness wise as compared to a Manchester United?

19:13Yeah, sometimes I always think you're never really fully fit. First game of the season, and a lot of that game you play on adrenaline. And then I think a big issue now, which obviously is a bigger discussion, a different discussion, is in the off-season and players don't rest. And it's so important to rest. I think you're seeing players on Instagram and whether they train or not, or they're just putting it up to show people at the ad and changing their outfit 10 times a day and getting a few pictures in the catalogue. But players need to rest because then they go on these trips to the States or to Asia, which is all great for promotion work and making money.

19:56But when you're playing in that heat as well, it takes it out of you. Mentally, physically, psychologically, it takes it out of you. And then to come back in, I don't know where Arsenal went in this pre-season, but you have to get through that first. That's why I think it's such a good result for Arsenal. You have to get through the first. Until you come out of the first international break, I think you're still trying to find your full fitness because the pre-season games, they don't compare to the league games. Wayne, keen to get your thoughts as well on Jokeres because we spoke about, obviously, Isak and you were excited about Szczeska, you said on the last pod.

20:33What did you make of Jokeres and when should we really judge him? because obviously it was his introduction to the Premier League today. Yeah, I think to be fair to him, he didn't have much support as well at times. Today he was a bit isolated and I think he showed the strength. There was one time, I think it was Dalit, he completely ran into the channel and completely pushed him off the ball. So I think you don't become a bad player after one game. I actually played against him a couple of seasons ago when he was at Coventry. And from then you could tell he was a good player. the one thing I will say this league is completely different to where he's been and there's a lot more pressure obviously Arsenal have been in need of a striker for the last few years and he's the one they've put the trust in he's the one they've spent the money on so there is a lot of pressure now the question I would have can he handle that pressure because like we see at Manchester United some players just can't do it can't handle the pressure of playing in a big club and I guess we're going to find out over the next few months It's now or never for Arsenal though.

21:35I think this season, they don't have time for a striker to be finding his way. I think Oliver Glasner matched Arteta's trophy hall in one season. This has to be the season where you get it done. Isn't that right, Remedy? Remedy's smiling I can't work out if that's a smile of fear or a smile of you're on the wind-up, Kay A bit of both A bit of both No, I understand I think kind of consensus amongst Arsenal fans this season is, okay the first two attempts at us challenging for the title the first one we were a young team no one expected it I think the second one was we tried our best we pushed it all the way to the end I think the third one kind of like the consensus amongst Arsenal fans is we had a ton of injuries I think this one is probably you signed your strike you signed your players.

22:23I think this one, it's all or nothing. So there's going to be that internal pressure from Arsenal fans as well. I think maybe from a board level, maybe from a higher up level. I don't know if that pressure is on Artel, but definitely amongst the fans. Definitely for me, I always just think the season is now or never. Winning cycles, they don't last forever. We can't just be a young team forever. Everyone's getting older. Everyone's getting more mature. And I think that pressure is on the team. And I think everyone feels it. So I know I wasn't too happy with the performance today, but I'm very, very happy with the three points only because I always just think if we improve on our points tally from last season, that's something to improve on because we drew last season at Old Trafford.

22:59We beat them this season. So we're plus two on the season so far. The game was very similar. I felt it, not last season, the season before. I think it was two or three games till the end of the season and Arsenal were very poor in that game as well and they come away with a 1-0 victory. But I think what I would say is the two centre-backs, I thought they started a little bit shaky actually. at the start of the game. But then they showed the class towards the end of the game. I thought they were excellent in leading the team, getting cleared and out the box. And I think they're going to be huge if Arsenal are going to be successful this year.

23:32Well, Rimidi, hopefully these guys have cheered you up a bit. They sound like they were a bit more optimistic about the Arsenal performance than you. No, I'm very happy with the win. I'm happy with the win. Three points. We go to the next game. We play Leeds. So hopefully, I don't know, another three points next week. Take the three points and run. Rimidi, thanks so much for coming on the show today. Thanks for having me. Take care, guys. Cheers, mate. See you later, mate. Wayne, I didn't want to ask you while he was still on the call. From what you saw today, can Arsenal win the Premier League?

24:00Yeah, I think they can. I think it would be tough, but I think they can win the league. I don't think you can judge it on today's performance from them because I know what it's like first game of the season, first few games of the season can be tough, but I think that they're certainly one of the three or four who could win it that's for sure Wayne did you take stock of our team's performances when you were playing so if you were on the first day of the season if you saw Arsenal or Liverpool doing well did that matter to you? Good question Yeah you want to start well you want to start the season well of course you do but there's obviously 38 games and there's no need to panic like Manchester United now there's no need to panic because you lose the first game I think because of what's happened over the last few years there becomes more pressure on the next game and to try and get that first win of the season but no, in general you keep your composure you keep your calmness and start trying to put a run of consistent games together and consistent wins which Man United haven't done that I think I heard today for all last season or since Amron come in they didn't put back-to-back wins together you're not going to win any league if you don't start winning 4, 5, 6, 7 games in a row and then you might lose one, you might draw a couple of games, but you have to win these games back to back to give yourself any chance.

25:25That was the talk of a manager, wasn't it, Kay? You can tell he's been in management recently. That was very, very level-headed. Don't get carried away. I bet there's a few players going home changing their opinions. Okay, well, that is Manchester United nil, Arsenal one covered off. And we do like talking about all the big football stories on this show, but we do also have to address what happened at Anfield on Friday night. Of course, Liverpool getting their first three points of the season, but that match was overshadowed by the horrific early incident during that game when Antoine Semenyo reported being racially abused.

25:59Kay, firstly, your thoughts on this. When you were watching that unfold at home, how did you feel? Well, it felt horrible. It felt absolutely disgusting. And the irony of it for me was you're seeing a fan with a badge on his right arm saying no room for racism racism racially abusing a player and it just goes to show that a lot of these campaigns that they run it just feels a bit like we've got symbolic gestures in place but we don't actually have any protocols in place for when something like this happened everybody was like oh well that's the way to answer racist by having a man of the match performance but that shouldn't be the owner shouldn't be on the victim to play out of his skin in order to you know uh provide a response against racism.

26:45We should have something in place where that doesn't happen in football stadiums. If Semenya didn't play out of his skin and he did have a hard time after that and that would have been a correct response as well. You can't tell victims of racism how to respond to it. There should be things in place where you take the responsibility away from them and you go, hold on a minute, that's not on. Whether they stop the game, whether they punish clubs for allowing these things or whether there needs to be other action taken. I'm sure there's people smarter than I am that can find ways to get rid of this.

27:24But it's indicative of the society we live in at the moment where people are becoming a lot more open and brazen to saying these sorts of things. And I think clubs and the league need to be a lot more hard on it. They need to come and clamp down on it as soon as you see something like this happen. Wayne, we did a really candid interview last week where you opened up on the fact that you took time during your playing career to educate yourself on things that maybe you hadn't been educated on previously. And you mentioned about black history and wanting to understand other cultures that players kind of come from.

28:00Is education for you the key with this? Is this just another example of it? Yeah, I think massively it needs to be a strong campaign for society, for children, but not just children, I think for parents, for grandparents to be educated on it because we're seeing it constantly in terms of people getting racially abused. and as you said there about the campaigns, I remember in that, when you talked about the Arsenal game, we had the bracelet on as a campaign. You're putting the t-shirt on. You're taking a knee. When I was manager of Derby County, we were taking a knee and then the black players were standing, the white players were taking a knee.

28:45Now, for me, that's a divide. So you have to do one, there has to be one signal. You're all taking a knee, you're all standing whatever so straight away there there's a divide there's a split so I think there has to be a huge education campaign in place I think in the schools we need to do more in the schools you know I think there has to be more done there has to be more education for people to understand it but I think in these occasions it's you have to hit the clubs in my opinion I think that's the only way it's going to stop because there's ignorance the fans are still going to do it and you have to hit the clubs whether that's you know taking points off them or hitting the clubs in the pockets and taking money away from them because otherwise it's going to keep going it's been going on for hundreds of years and when you think you're seeing improvements then all of a sudden it continues so hopefully the right people sit down with the right organisations to try and get something serious in place I think you said something really poignant there and I think it's about consequences there needs to be consequences for these actions if there isn't consequences people are going to be emboldened to carry on doing these sorts of things in grounds up and down a country because they know they can get away with it I completely agree and you see the other day the game the fan gets taken out of the stadium the game carries on I was actually thinking about I was thinking how does obviously for Semenya it's it's terrible not for him just for him but for his family and his close friends as well and then I was thinking you know for Van Dijk for instance on the opposite side of the pitch for Mo Salah on the opposite side of the pitch how do they how do they feel how do they react to it because it's their supporters one of their fans who has done this and it must be a strange feeling for them I also wonder like you said there about the Liverpool players who will have been racially abused, I'm sure, at some point during their life, because it just seems like you said the society we live in.

30:56But also the Liverpool fans and the Bournemouth fans as well, maybe, that are sitting there in that stadium witnessing it, knowing that that has happened, knowing that it's one of their fans that has done that to one of their players. I think for the fans as well, Kay, that must be really, really tough. I don't know how it makes them feel. Of course, of course, it's awful. I mean, I remember when there were fans racially abusing Paul Pogba and it was scary to you because you're like, well, hold on, I might sit with you in the stands. And if you've got that opinion about him, you must have that opinion about myself or some of my friends or other people.