MUFC BASE

𝗢𝗺𝗮𝗿 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗮 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁:
“I think the template of what we did last summer will be replicated.

“You always go into a window and you don't know how you're going to come out of it, but you have to be really prepared.

“You have to have a clear plan, you have to know exactly what positions you're looking to strengthen and you also have to be prepared for any eventuality.

“There could be exits we're not expecting, there could be opportunities in the market that perhaps weren't there at the beginning of the window.

“So, we have to be ready, we have to be agile and flexible. But we have a clear plan. Jason Wilcox and his team are very well set up to execute that plan.

“I do think what we saw last season is a good way forward for us, which is we want a mix of experience and youth, we want a mix of players who have demonstrated they can perform in the Premier League and perhaps also players who are doing very well outside the Premier League.

“But we will always do it within our terms, ensuring that whatever decision we take is not just for the short term, but also for the long term.”

𝗢𝗺𝗮𝗿 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗮 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗲𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱:
“We believe that we have the right coach, the right players and the right Setup to be able to compete in the Champions League, get closer to competing to win the Premier League and to also do well in the domestic cups.”

𝗢𝗺𝗮𝗿 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗮 𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗻 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:
"We had to make tough decisions, but the worst is now behind us.

“We are in a much better position to continue growing and investing to bring the club where it belongs."

𝗢𝗺𝗮𝗿 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗮 𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝘂𝗯𝗲𝗻 𝗔𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗺:
“I actually think that Ruben deserves a lot of credit for many things.

He went through a very difficult season last year. He was put under difficult circumstances, but he did help raise the standards in the dressing room.

“I do think that he's going to be a successful coach and I wish him all the best.

“But, we did feel that we needed to make a change and in the end, it's worked out with Michael Carrick”

𝗢𝗺𝗮𝗿 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗮 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗯:
“We have to be really disciplined, it's simple. We have a plan, we know what we can Invest in and we have to stick to that.

“In some cases, we may decide to make an investment knowing it's the right thing for not just the next two or three years, but the next 10 Years. But clearly, we need to stay very focused on what we're trying to achieve.

“It's very important that you don't let the market or the agents dictate what we should be doing.

“When I look at the football leadership team, plus the investment we've made in Michael Sansoni director of Datal's team on the data side, we're in pretty good shape and I think the quality of the decisions will continue to improve as the team settles and we continue investing in those areas.”

𝗢𝗺𝗮𝗿 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗮 𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘄:
“The four senior signings that we made last year have worked out really well. They've all played an important part in the success we've had.

“They're all very different. Senne is way more mature beyond his years, Cunha is a very charismatic player and we've seen that on the pitch.

“Bryan is a bit more quiet but as soon as he steps on the pitch he becomes a leader and Sesko has shown a hunger to improve every day he has been here and we've seen the results over the last few months.

“So, I think we're very happy with the four senior signings we made, now we want to continue on that track, without forgetting that we have a squad that is hungry for winning and for success.”

𝗢𝗺𝗮𝗿 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗮 𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝟭𝟱𝟬:
“One of the goals that we've set out is to win the Premier League, the 21st title before 2028.

“So, ideally, we do it next season and if not, then the following season.

“I think we're in a good place. We’ve seen some really good progress on the pitch this season.

We're going to continue building on that. Investment will be made in different areas of the club.”

Make sense? 🤔

A proven performer, an emerging Premier League talent and a smart data-based signing would give the squad the right balance of quality, potential and value.

Premier League-proven (⏳)
Premier League talent (⏳)
Data-driven signing (Ederson ✅)

That’s how I think United’s three midfield signings should be structured this summer.

With reports now claiming that Manchester United have added Iliman Ndiaye to their left-wing shortlist, the realistic options are starting to take shape.

Current names being linked include:

Barcola
Diomande
Summerville
Ndiaye
Rafael Leao

Man United fans who are you picking? 🤔

This summer transfer window just became a lot more complicated for INEOS, especially given their reported interest in Mateus Fernandes.

Only a few days ago, Mateus Fernandes was valued at around €35m. Now, after the latest update on Transfermarkt, his market value has jumped to €50m.

Whether people agree with those valuations or not, clubs often use them as part of the negotiation process.

And if we follow the usual trend where buying clubs end up paying 20–30% above a player’s assessed value, then suddenly you’re looking at a fee in the region of €60m–€65m.

INEOS would probably need to offer minimum €65m to have a serious chance of getting West Ham to negotiate.

For United, the question now becomes simple: how highly do they rate Mateus Fernandes compared to the other midfield targets on the list?

Because €65m is a lot of money.

If we’re being honest, the Tchouaméni links always felt more like a dream than a realistic expectation.

Real Madrid simply don’t sell elite, cornerstone players just as they’re entering their prime years. Once they identify someone as part of the long-term core, it usually takes something extraordinary for that player to leave.

Anderson is reportedly leaning towards Manchester City, so City believe they are currently the frontrunners for his signature.

With Tchouaméni and Anderson seemingly out of the picture, Tonali now looks like the most likely marquee midfield target for United.

There’s also a possibility that we don’t sign any of the three. The chances may be low, but the fact remains that it’s still a possibility.

Gun to your head… bring Rashford back into the squad or sign Rafael Leão for €50 million?

We’ve signed a player, but there’s no real excitement in the fanbase lol. I actually like the lack of hype around the Ederson signing. Every time a potential United signing is met with little excitement from the fanbase, it somehow ends up working out better than expected. Dorgu and Lammens got the same reaction.

I also understand where the frustration comes from.

A lot of fans expected INEOS to kick off the window with a statement signing, the kind of £100m arrival that instantly changes the mood around the club.

But there’s a strategic reason why that hasn't happened.

The moment you spend huge money on your first deal, every club you negotiate with afterwards starts using that fee as a reference point. Suddenly every target becomes more expensive because the market assumes you're desperate and overflowing with cash.

By getting deals like Éderson done first, United can still operate from a position of relative flexibility before moving for bigger targets later in the window.

So I don't think the reaction is really about Ederson.

I think fans are comparing him to the dream signings they've created in their heads rather than judging him on his own merits.

And that's not the fairest way to evaluate a new player.

There’s something really interesting about Tonali. When you watch him play, the eye test almost makes you feel like United should just pay whatever fee Newcastle ask for and get the deal done.

But when you start digging into the numbers and comparing him to players like Anderson, Baleba, Mateus Fernandes and James Garner, things become a bit confusing. Statistically, he doesn’t stand out as much as you’d expect. His numbers for goals, assists, possession won and some defensive metrics are actually lower than several of those players.

It really makes evaluating Tonali so difficult. The eye test tells you one thing, while the data sometimes tells you another.

He’s still one of my favourite options for the marquee midfield signing though. There’s just something about his presence, intelligence and overall influence on a game that doesn’t always seem to show up fully in the statistics.

Unpopular opinion: You don’t have to think Dalot is the best right-back in the league, but I honestly don’t see how he gets left out of the top-three conversation.

I think Diogo Dalot was comfortably one of the top three right-backs in the Premier League last season.