Latest / Let's Kick It Off! / Man Utd’s MOST SIGNIFICANT Summer Transfer Window with Dan Khan of Sky Sports | LKIO - Ep 63

Transcript

Man Utd’s MOST SIGNIFICANT Summer Transfer Window with Dan Khan of Sky Sports | LKIO - Ep 63 · Let's Kick It Off!

• 0:00
  This podcast is sponsored by Go Play Sports.
• 0:03
  The brand new mobile app changes the game for grassroots.
• 0:07
  Whether it's Sunday league or five aside, Go Play Sports makes
• 0:10
  it easy to track attendance, manage teams and cut out the
• 0:13
  manual admin. No more endless group chats, no
• 0:16
  more chasing payments. Just turn up and play Go Play
• 0:20
  Sports. Download now from your App
• 0:22
  Store. We'll get into the the summer
• 0:40
  transfer targets. I'm sure Ron and Ashley are
• 0:42
  going to ping some names that you shortly.
• 0:44
  I'll. Let I'll let you set the scene.
• 0:48
  So how are the club looking at it heading into the summer?
• 0:51
  Obviously no manager confirmed at this point and unlikely it
• 0:54
  looks like you know, as we get into the transfer winner
• 0:58
  opening. So how are the club playing that
• 1:00
  in terms of targets and trying to sell it to players of come
• 1:03
  and join the biggest club in the world, but we don't know who the
• 1:05
  manager is. Look, I'm not trying to give it
• 1:08
  a big end just because deadline day is our thing.
• 1:10
  Don't feel like you feel like this is going to be the most
• 1:15
  interesting, the most significant summer transfer
• 1:18
  window for a long time in Manchester United.
• 1:19
  I mean, and I say that for a few reasons.
• 1:22
  I mean, and I'll go back to your questions, Steve, understand, I
• 1:25
  think to give context, I mean you look at the outgoings.
• 1:28
  First of all, there is a reason why United are linked with so
• 1:31
  many players incoming because they're probably going to lose
• 1:34
  around 8 to 10. You know, senior players, right,
• 1:37
  whether those are on loan, Rasmus Hoyland, Marcus Rashford,
• 1:41
  Andrea Nona. But then you also look, you
• 1:42
  know, they're very likely to lose.
• 1:44
  Joshua Zerksy, Emmanuel Legatee, Terrell Molassio, who look,
• 1:48
  they're not playing a lot, but they're named on the on the
• 1:50
  match day squad. You know, they filled the bench.
• 1:53
  So, you know, those are players United after a place.
• 1:55
  Now, whether those are some Academy players like Oshea
• 1:57
  Lacey. Let's wait and find out how some
• 2:00
  of the Academy players progress before the end of the season.
• 2:03
  But they are going to lose quite a few players.
• 2:05
  But with that, and if they do get back into the Champions
• 2:08
  League, teams who get back into the Champions League or who just
• 2:11
  gets the group stage get £60 million.
• 2:14
  The English teams this year who've reached the last 16 have
• 2:17
  made well over £40 million in total.
• 2:19
  So that is quite significant. You add the fees they're going
• 2:23
  to get for Asmus Hoyland, whether Marcus Rashford, Enza,
• 2:26
  Boston, we can maybe talk about him separately, but whatever fee
• 2:29
  they get for him, that will be well over 25,000,000.
• 2:33
  So you're actually looking at United's recouping, probably
• 2:37
  getting back in the charm is like over 100,000,000 lbs with
• 2:40
  wages saved as well in Casimiro, Jane Sancho.
• 2:43
  So look, is that that in itself is quite significant, the amount
• 2:46
  of players who are leaving. And then you look at the players
• 2:49
  incoming. I mean, I actually said this to
• 2:52
  a friend the other day. The fat Man United linked to the
• 2:55
  biggest midfielders, best young midfielders in the country is
• 2:58
  quite incredible. Let's not forget, you know,
• 3:00
  let's not forget the journey we've got to get here a few
• 3:03
  January's ago. We're talking about OD Nagalo
• 3:05
  and about Vegfall. Yeah, but, and that's no
• 3:08
  disrespect to them, but yeah, yeah, that is true, right.
• 3:12
  Yeah, we finished. We finished.
• 3:13
  We finished 15th 9 months ago. Oh, 16th or whatever it was.
• 3:16
  Yeah, and you look at Tom, you. Went to Bilbao.
• 3:18
  We know the pain, yeah. And, you know, I was there as
• 3:21
  well. And, you know, you think you
• 3:23
  also look at where Tottenham went from that final as well.
• 3:25
  Yeah, yeah, You know, yeah. So that that's all I'm thing is
• 3:28
  there's so much context here and kind of like it's been a really
• 3:32
  rough few years, you know, people leaving the club for
• 3:35
  financial reasons and having to cost cut.
• 3:37
  And but you look at where they're looking at in the market
• 3:40
  they're looking. I'm not saying that justifies
• 3:42
  people losing their wage and or anything like that.
• 3:45
  All I'm saying is the club is in a very different position to
• 3:48
  four, 5-6 years ago. And look, midfield is of course
• 3:52
  the priority. But you know, as I reported last
• 3:54
  week, left wing and left back I think are pretty high up there
• 3:58
  now as well. I think with the change in
• 4:00
  formation under Carrick, I think left back to me is perhaps most
• 4:05
  interesting position. I think we all know what they
• 4:07
  need him in field. But left back is very
• 4:09
  interesting because of how Carrick plays.
• 4:11
  You know, when they attack, we don't ask him like Reuben Amram
• 4:14
  about tactics and formations. But when they attack one of the
• 4:17
  full backs with that steer, Godalo kind of inverts quite
• 4:20
  high up on the opposing line. Now, Luke Shaw maybe isn't
• 4:23
  capable of doing that anymore physically, so he comes back
• 4:26
  into that three. But I think what United misses
• 4:29
  that width on the left when Kenya comes in.
• 4:31
  So that's why they're looking at left backs like Nathaniel Brown
• 4:34
  and Lewis all. So I think that's very
• 4:36
  interesting because Luke Shaw's contract expires next summer and
• 4:39
  he's also I think going to be 3132.
• 4:42
  So they need to really future proof that position as well.
• 4:45
  So in short, that's kind of what we're looking at.
• 4:49
  Cool, I'll let the boys ping you now.
• 4:51
  Ron, I know you. I know you've got go.
• 4:52
  On Ron You, you've got names. Oh, good, good, all you got.
• 4:56
  Just give the names go. I've got I've.
• 4:58
  Got a long list? He's got a list, yeah.
• 5:00
  That's all right. I'll finish the list right.
• 5:03
  Before before we get into names and, and Dan, thanks so much for
• 5:05
  that context. Just sort of around planning for
• 5:08
  the summer, Are they still sort of scenario planning sort of
• 5:13
  Champions League? And without Champions League,
• 5:14
  would you say are they pretty sure based on league position
• 5:18
  and with seven games to go we're going to be in the Champions
• 5:20
  League? Would you still think there's
• 5:21
  that contingency in place of not meeting Champions League?
• 5:25
  But all I can say is we were talking about your Elliot
• 5:28
  Anderson's, your college believers, well before Michael
• 5:31
  Carrick was in the job. And this was where Manchinati
• 5:35
  were under Ruben Amrim in January, even before January,
• 5:39
  before he was sacked by the club.
• 5:41
  So even in December, from my understanding, they were already
• 5:44
  still pursuing these types of midfielders.
• 5:46
  Now I think Champions League football opens up the
• 5:49
  possibility of reinforcing the squad in other positions, not
• 5:52
  just left wing left back. But I think it'd be very
• 5:55
  interesting as well to see maybe if they look at another forward
• 5:58
  or even potentially a right back, for example, because
• 6:02
  there's not a lot of depth there for another season, new summers
• 6:05
  around. He hasn't played a lot of
• 6:06
  football this year either. You know, really when you think
• 6:09
  how important he was last year. So I think it's very
• 6:12
  interesting. Do they look at another
• 6:13
  goalkeeper? Fine day or so leaves.
• 6:15
  You know, Braddock Vitex had a great learn at Bristol City.
• 6:17
  But anyway, to answer your question Ron, I think there's
• 6:20
  always their long term targets haven't changed with or without
• 6:24
  Champions League football. I just think the amount they
• 6:26
  would be able to do in the way. It gets harder if you, of
• 6:29
  course, if you don't have the Champions League.
• 6:30
  Yeah. And would they would they try
• 6:32
  and get that depth, you know, without Champions League
• 6:36
  football? Probably not.
• 6:37
  You know, when they look to upgrade some positions, probably
• 6:40
  not. So I think also just to go back
• 6:42
  to Steve to your question, kind of answers your question as
• 6:45
  well. Ron, I think with Michael
• 6:46
  Carrick, he is being canvassed, you know, of his opinion on what
• 6:50
  they need and what, what maybe some players would look like in
• 6:53
  this team because they have to. I mean, he is, you know, the but
• 6:57
  I think it's very interesting that, you know, they are asking
• 7:01
  his opinion. I'm not saying his opinion is
• 7:02
  final, but they're definitely asking him about his thoughts on
• 7:06
  different players who are at the club, but also central targets
• 7:09
  as well. I think it'd be quite silly, you
• 7:12
  know, not a disrespectful way to the hierarchy, but certainly not
• 7:15
  to include him in those discussions and decisions.
• 7:18
  Of course, yeah. So if we look at sort of
• 7:21
  positions and you're touching a few that are already around left
• 7:24
  back and the wing back areas. But you know, for me, obviously
• 7:27
  the biggest hole clearly in the summer that we're going to
• 7:29
  address has, you know, been been meted is very much a midfield.
• 7:33
  Obviously with with Casamero on his way out.
• 7:37
  I still think there's question marks.
• 7:38
  And perhaps you can talk a little bit more to that around
• 7:40
  Bruno Fernandez and whether you know, he will be staying or
• 7:43
  another year or whether he will be departing in the summer.
• 7:47
  But clearly there's a gap in midfield and we've had that, you
• 7:49
  know, for the last couple of years now, I would say at least.
• 7:52
  Obviously Kobe mainly coming back into the folders has
• 7:54
  certainly helped that. But just wanted to get your take
• 7:57
  on on some players. We've been linked quite heavily
• 7:59
  in the last few days, or certainly the last couple of
• 8:01
  weeks around some of the Newcastle boys and Denali and
• 8:04
  Bruno Camarage. Any sort of truth in in in those
• 8:08
  players? Yeah, I mean, you're absolutely
• 8:10
  right to talk about Bruno Fernandez.
• 8:12
  I think first of all, I think he made it clear he doesn't want to
• 8:18
  talk about his future until after the World Cup.
• 8:20
  But I think United, who made it quite clear they want him to
• 8:23
  stay, you know, for quite a long time.
• 8:27
  The problem is this clause, right?
• 8:28
  There's £57 million clause that teams outside of the Premier
• 8:31
  League can activate, which, yeah, yeah.
• 8:36
  So that, that exists, that that is a thing.
• 8:40
  So what I think United will work towards is probably a, a new
• 8:44
  contract. I'm not saying a longer contract
• 8:46
  per SE, maybe an extra year added on, but probably to get
• 8:49
  rid of that clause. But again, context is really
• 8:53
  important because I, I this is my opinion by the way, but I
• 8:56
  think under Ruben Amarin, Bruno Fernandez is expendable in his
• 8:59
  system. You know, if Amarin somehow
• 9:01
  makes, you know, the season are positive and they finished top
• 9:04
  four, I think Bruno Fernandez is expendable in that system
• 9:08
  because there weren't a lot of legs there.
• 9:10
  You know, I think in a two he, even though he was still
• 9:14
  performing extremely high, you needed more legs in that
• 9:17
  midfield. Quite clearly.
• 9:18
  You know you needed more dynamic midfielders because you have the
• 9:21
  10's and the striker and the wingbacks.
• 9:23
  So his numbers just wouldn't be there, right?
• 9:25
  If he's playing in a as an example, compared to a 10, yeah.
• 9:29
  Absolutely, Ron. So you know, although he was
• 9:31
  still dictating games a little bit, the system didn't suit him.
• 9:34
  So if United would have got 80 million for him again in the
• 9:37
  summer from Saudi, I think he's do sell him in that sense.
• 9:41
  But now under Michael Garrigan isn't he's absolutely priceless.
• 9:46
  I mean, he is, you know, and I'm really happy to see finally
• 9:51
  everyone getting on the bandwagon.
• 9:52
  AV is one of the best players in the Premier League and he
• 9:55
  should. I asked Michael Carrick the
• 9:56
  question after the Tottenham game in February.
• 9:59
  I asked him can is it fair to say he's one of the best players
• 10:02
  in the Premier League right now and really happy everywhere
• 10:04
  else? So talk about the podcast after
• 10:06
  that. You know, quick one, Dan, is he
• 10:08
  your player of the season, Bruno?
• 10:10
  He is, absolutely. He he's, he's the most
• 10:13
  influential player this season and that to me is the player of
• 10:16
  the season. I don't look at anyone in the
• 10:18
  Arsenal team who, you know, of course they're going to win the
• 10:21
  league, but I wouldn't say any of it as a collective.
• 10:24
  They've won the league. Have any of those individuals
• 10:27
  influenced where that league has gone?
• 10:29
  I don't think so. I mean, I think they've shown
• 10:31
  right. They've had injuries throughout
• 10:32
  the season, they've changed the striker, they've changed the
• 10:34
  midfield. As a collective, by far the best
• 10:37
  team, but you know, Solibo Gabrielle, you know, have missed
• 10:41
  games, but mascara comes in or you know, so look, that would be
• 10:44
  my argument. But look, Bruno Fernandez I
• 10:48
  think want to stay as well. But it'll be really interesting
• 10:51
  if he sees, you know, as you're going for these big targets, Why
• 10:54
  would you not want to stay? You know, if you know you're
• 10:56
  finally going to be surrounded by top talent where you don't
• 10:59
  have to. If you, you know, in a dream
• 11:02
  scenario, have Ellie Anderson and Kobe, man, you and Collis
• 11:05
  believe are doing a lot of your running and you're not having to
• 11:08
  be the guy. You know, look, I think that's
• 11:11
  been the positive of United's last few games is he hasn't had
• 11:14
  to play hero ball every game. You know, maybe some of the wins
• 11:18
  haven't been there, but he they're not as reliant on it
• 11:22
  because Matthias can you can score out of nothing.
• 11:24
  You know, Brian and Bueno, although he's been a bit off the
• 11:27
  ball. They have other players and
• 11:29
  actually I think the hope is if they enforce the midfield, some
• 11:32
  of these other players will probably improve as well.
• 11:35
  So to answer your question, Ron, I think his future will
• 11:38
  absolutely be a topic we talk about, but don't think there's
• 11:41
  any feeling that he's definitely leaving this summer.
• 11:44
  Think Bruno Gamerage is very interesting because he's been
• 11:47
  consistently someone I've been told that there's not really
• 11:52
  that much interest in, you know, he's someone united like, but in
• 11:55
  terms of we're prioritising the list, he's not that high up.
• 11:59
  Cassandra Tanali absolutely is. So, you know, I think Tanali is
• 12:03
  an interesting one. I think from what I've heard and
• 12:06
  why I'm understanding that I think at one point his career
• 12:09
  he's going to want to go back to Italy.
• 12:11
  So whether that, I mean Italian football can't really afford him
• 12:15
  at the moment. You're good Italians in
• 12:17
  Manchester. To be.
• 12:18
  Yeah, exactly. San Carlo and.
• 12:21
  I think that that's the only caveat is I just wonder how much
• 12:24
  of this is agent chat. There's no doubt Manchester
• 12:27
  United like him and he's very high on that list if he's
• 12:30
  attainable. How really?
• 12:33
  Look, my colleague Keith Downey, we did a transfer show together
• 12:36
  the other day. He said it himself, you know,
• 12:40
  and there's no one who knows more, you know, than Newcastle
• 12:42
  at Newcastle United. Then Keith said, look, Bruno
• 12:45
  Gemarez very unlikely to leave the club as captain in his age,
• 12:48
  but if one of those human fielders were to leave, it would
• 12:51
  be Sandra Tanali. So there'll be an absolute race
• 12:55
  for him. But with the United, you know, I
• 12:59
  thought call anchor from the FSA made a great point the other
• 13:01
  day. I was listening to him and he
• 13:03
  made a great point about Kobe Menu when we talk about the
• 13:06
  midfield, and I absolutely agree with him is we are really asked
• 13:10
  to talk about this as well. When we talk about the midfield
• 13:11
  is who do we think is a good complementary piece for Kobe
• 13:14
  Menu as well, You know, because if he's going to sign a new
• 13:18
  contract, which looks like he is, who do we think is good next
• 13:22
  to him? I mean it depends on the games,
• 13:23
  of course, but you know that that's probably why to me, I
• 13:26
  think Elliot Anderson, Collis believer, probably the two I
• 13:28
  think United should go for. I don't see Adam Morton as a
• 13:32
  natural complementary piece to next to copy it, for example.
• 13:36
  So I think it's very interesting to see how that will unravel.
• 13:39
  But with Elliot Anderson, for example, there's a lot of
• 13:41
  competition for him. You know, Manchester City really
• 13:44
  like him as well, but that might be dependent on Pep Guardiola's
• 13:47
  future. So you know, I wish I could tell
• 13:50
  you wrong. Kind of Exactly, of course.
• 13:53
  But it's just funny when you work in the world of transfers,
• 13:56
  so many things are attached to others and also some decisions.
• 14:00
  Semi Laman's is a great example. That decision was made so far at
• 14:05
  the end of the transfer window, You know, like essentially
• 14:08
  between him and Emmy Martinez. And I was like Carrington when
• 14:11
  he comes on Deadline Day and, you know, Emmy Martinez is, you
• 14:15
  know, really upset a body morph Heath because he's been told,
• 14:18
  you know, it's not going for him.
• 14:19
  So you know, a lot of these things.
• 14:21
  I I can talk about it on TV and, you know, report all week what
• 14:25
  United are going to do right now.
• 14:27
  But it's just crazy how things change in such a short space of
• 14:29
  time. Sure.
• 14:31
  Thank you. I'll let us come in.
• 14:32
  I know he's itching to to. Go I think on that basis, like
• 14:35
  as we speak today, like on the team midfielders, my my
• 14:39
  preferences like, and I'm accounting budget as well.
• 14:44
  Elliot Anderson #1 for sure. I think he's been outstanding
• 14:48
  all the metrics that I don't need to like go into with you,
• 14:51
  Dan. But let's just say I agree with
• 14:53
  you by the way. If if we had the money I'd get,
• 14:56
  I'd still get Carlos believer. I think he complements mainly
• 15:00
  well. He's got the ground coverage,
• 15:02
  the angles with the left foot. So there's a nice balance and
• 15:05
  he's a good age profile. But let's just be realistic and,
• 15:08
  let's say, brighten us to the crazy type of money that they
• 15:11
  generally try to do. I think kind of like an
• 15:14
  underrated midfielder and like, he could be relegated soon.
• 15:19
  Is Gel Gomez at Wolves? I think if we got Elliot
• 15:23
  Anderson and someone like him, you know, for me, that's like
• 15:27
  midfield ticks, you know, in terms of, you know, like
• 15:30
  transfers done in that position. But yeah, what's the talk about
• 15:34
  like Gel Gomez? Like, do you think that's
• 15:37
  someone that United are looking at?
• 15:39
  I mean, he's probably a little bit lower down.
• 15:41
  Was the second midfield option. I, I think there's also scope by
• 15:45
  the way, for potentially 3 midfielders if they can make the
• 15:48
  money work. If about saying, as I mentioned,
• 15:50
  they recoup all this money we talk about in the summer, you
• 15:54
  know, they're going to need a fourth midfielder anyway.
• 15:56
  You know, in there. I completely agree.
• 15:59
  I I actually love Gio Gomez and I said this the other day on the
• 16:03
  transfer show and Alan Pardew kind of agreed with me as well.
• 16:06
  That and with I used to cover a lot of wolves and I actually
• 16:09
  broke the news when Gio Gomez joined wolves.
• 16:13
  I had AI had a free Gio Gomez T-shirt because there's a whole
• 16:16
  Wolves campaign around freeing him from Brazil.
• 16:19
  But he's someone I really like. And to be honest, again, context
• 16:23
  is everything. I think he's he and Andre have
• 16:26
  been a bit disrespected this season because of where, you
• 16:28
  know, Wolves have found themselves this season.
• 16:30
  But two defensive midfielders or more defensive midfielders are
• 16:33
  never going to shine. And a really poor defensive
• 16:36
  team. So when he was like, oh, what's
• 16:38
  he done this season? You know, it's only a year ago,
• 16:40
  by the way, when he played against England for Brazil,
• 16:42
  everyone was saying, Oh my God, Joe Gomez, what a player.
• 16:45
  He's a great midfielder. So yeah, I absolutely think he
• 16:49
  would be a great fit for Manchester United.
• 16:51
  And I think like you mentioned, he he would be somewhat cheaper.
• 16:54
  I think with Collis Belieber, I don't think Brian can demand the
• 16:57
  fee that they demanded or wanted last summer because of his form.
• 17:02
  And I think they also have to be quite pragmatic with that
• 17:04
  business approach that, you know, they mean his value could
• 17:08
  only decline potentially. So this summer might be the
• 17:11
  biggest fee they can get through him, you know, if that form
• 17:14
  continues. So I think they they will have
• 17:17
  to take a lower fee regardless. But look, I think Joe Gomez
• 17:20
  again will be a player who a lot of clubs look at as that
• 17:24
  slightly cheaper option. He is on the list for Manchester
• 17:27
  United. He's absolutely someone they're
• 17:29
  monitoring. And I wouldn't be surprised if
• 17:33
  because like Manchester United, they want a six and an 8.
• 17:35
  That's why they're looking at a believe Anna Anderson.
• 17:37
  Anderson can do a bit of both and he is progressed into an
• 17:43
  outstanding midfielder. I did his first interview
• 17:45
  Nottingham Forest and I used to cover the Midlands and you know,
• 17:48
  he was just the shy kid. And I'll ask him are how you how
• 17:51
  you find your media? And he's like, I'm a bit
• 17:53
  nervous, you know, I I not used to yet.
• 17:57
  I don't know how I come across and to see how he's just
• 17:59
  developed. I mean, he did the England news
• 18:01
  conference today, you know, next time it's too cool, you know,
• 18:04
  and the authority he now speaks with.
• 18:06
  And even at that time he was playing left midfield, then he
• 18:09
  played right midfield, then he was playing as a tander, then
• 18:11
  now he's a great A under 6 for England and Nottingham Forest.
• 18:15
  So, you know, I think he fits Manchester United and I think he
• 18:19
  would be the most exciting, I think, signing of the summer.
• 18:21
  In a way. I think Belieber and Anderson,
• 18:24
  they were both needed because they're going to have different
• 18:27
  games next season, aren't they, you know, in Europe and in the
• 18:29
  Premier League. So those are why.
• 18:31
  And you also just can't forget the defence of abilities.
• 18:35
  Cut you lose with Castamero, right?
• 18:38
  I mean, yeah, regardless of his roller coaster United career,
• 18:43
  his ability to just read where that game is flowing, Look, that
• 18:47
  won't be believer right away. But you have to hope that he
• 18:51
  can, you know, do that. I think that's probably my only
• 18:54
  regret from last summer is I wish they could have got
• 18:57
  believer last summer just so he could spend the year behind
• 19:01
  Castamero a little bit. Obviously that wasn't they
• 19:04
  weren't able to do that. But you're he is a punt though
• 19:07
  at this point in time, right, because of his form and he's
• 19:09
  been taken off early in games. So that will be a concern for
• 19:12
  Manchester United. But that's also an argument to
• 19:14
  Brian as to why they need to sell them a bit cheaper.
• 19:17
  I think one thing we've learned is, you know, it's not going to
• 19:19
  budget on their evaluations of players maybe compared to the
• 19:24
  hierarchy of the past. I mean, Brian and Bueno,
• 19:28
  remember last summer they were Adam, and they're not going to
• 19:32
  spend any. It was the fishing trip, wasn't
• 19:33
  it, where I got signed off in the end.
• 19:36
  Yeah, absolutely. But you know, they they have
• 19:38
  their evaluation. Shashka was the same, you know,
• 19:40
  their deal for Shashka was less than what Newcastle ended up
• 19:43
  offering. But I think this United
• 19:46
  leadership, rightly or wrongly a very big on, we want the players
• 19:51
  on to be here. So this is our evaluation.
• 19:54
  They want the player to almost not tell the club they want to
• 19:57
  leave. But yeah, I want to be a
• 19:59
  Manchester United player, you know.
• 20:01
  So that will be the interesting thing in the summer is who that
• 20:04
  works with and who it doesn't. If they have Champions League
• 20:06
  football, obviously it's much more attractive.
• 20:09
  Yeah, fair enough. We'll give you some other names
• 20:11
  in other positions because I know we could talk about
• 20:13
  midfield all day. So you mentioned left back, you
• 20:16
  mentioned Lewis Hall, but how much are we linked with the West
• 20:21
  Ham lad El Hajjouf? Yeah.
• 20:24
  I think he is someone United are looking at.
• 20:30
  I mean, I'd be really surprised if he wasn't someone on the list
• 20:35
  in that sense. But look, I think it's very
• 20:38
  early for Doof. I mean, I think a bit like Joe
• 20:40
  Gomez, he's had more experience in the Premier League, though
• 20:43
  Doof is still very young, one year in the Premier League.
• 20:46
  I think when you compared to Nathaniel Brown and Lewis Hall,
• 20:49
  the one thing they have is multiple seasons up of elite
• 20:52
  football behind them. And I think Manchester United,
• 20:56
  look, maybe they learned a little bit around when the
• 20:58
  soccer, you know, just having, you know, a solid season at
• 21:00
  Crystal Palace. They really need to future proof
• 21:03
  that position, as I mentioned before, behind Nick Shaw.
• 21:06
  And by next year, I think it's probably very early for Duke.
• 21:12
  So like he'd be someone I'd be surprised at this moment in
• 21:15
  time. He's not someone I've had a lot
• 21:17
  of momentum behind. I don't know if you're about to
• 21:20
  ask me about another left back, but Miles Lewis Kelly, for
• 21:23
  example, is someone I'm hearing a lot more.
• 21:25
  I was going to ask you about him.
• 21:26
  Yeah, he's someone that, you know, I've heard a lot more
• 21:30
  noise around just over the last few weeks and you know, from
• 21:32
  different contacts, not just around Manchester but around
• 21:35
  London as well and even England camp.
• 21:37
  So he's someone that, again, I would be really excited about if
• 21:41
  United could make that work because Arsenal, from our
• 21:44
  understanding, are quite not happy to sell him, but willing
• 21:47
  to sell him for financial, you know, reasons.
• 21:50
  And they'll want to go again in the summer of next season.
• 21:53
  And he's just not playing football.
• 21:55
  So he's young. He's, you know, English in the
• 21:59
  sense of, you know, helps having, you know, the lights of
• 22:02
  Harry McGuire, Luke Shorter, also the, you know, quota, but
• 22:06
  also he can play midfield as well.
• 22:08
  You know, Neil, I think he would be a fun signing because he'll
• 22:11
  want to prove something, you know, having not played a lot of
• 22:14
  football. And I think that's what unites
• 22:15
  need a little bit as well. So though I think I think he's
• 22:18
  probably more someone I've heard of than Deuce in.
• 22:21
  Recent but fair enough and I'll give you like 2 last ones to
• 22:25
  like touch on. So you mentioned a left winger
• 22:28
  attacker, give us some names. And then finally, because it's
• 22:32
  been talked about centre back, but it's probably a little bit
• 22:35
  lower down the list, like give me some names, like I'll throw
• 22:38
  one at you and then you can tell me Schlatterback.
• 22:40
  And then you can just freestyle away with those positions, my
• 22:45
  friend. No as well I've said about
• 22:48
  Schlatterback only because it's unlady signing a new contract of
• 22:51
  the American. So I think Schlatterbeck looks
• 22:53
  very unlikely. I think since the back think
• 22:56
  it's something united if they can, it's a bit like last
• 22:59
  summer. You just can't address every
• 23:01
  position, you know, I mean like you know, it's really hard
• 23:04
  because last time everyone was talking about oh they need a
• 23:06
  midfielder, they need, well they've just spent £200 million
• 23:09
  on attackers and a goal. Yeah, you no team can just buy
• 23:12
  it. Maybe unless Manchester City
• 23:14
  about 8 years ago you can buy 4 new fall backs and the
• 23:17
  goalkeeper like just not possible anymore.
• 23:19
  So I think centre back that Aiden Heaven and Lenny or
• 23:23
  haven't actually played a lot this season.
• 23:24
  So you hope that they take a step next season.
• 23:28
  I mean, Aidan Heaven was training with Thomas Tukal's
• 23:30
  team over this international break, which I think is a great
• 23:32
  step for him. Harry Maguire looks like he's
• 23:35
  going to sign a new contract. I think the question mark, you
• 23:39
  know, this is a slight turn into question Ash, but they will have
• 23:42
  a decision to make on the likes of the Sandra Martinez Mathias
• 23:45
  to let Mason mount because their injury records as good as they
• 23:49
  are quality wise And Mathias delay was probably united player
• 23:52
  of the season to, you know, beginning of December.
• 23:56
  You know, all November went when he got that back injury.
• 24:00
  He's not been seen since, you know, Reuben Amber and said in
• 24:03
  his news conference he's, he'll be back soon.
• 24:07
  Next week, I think. Yeah, yeah.
• 24:11
  We're. In a few days.
• 24:13
  We're in April so that a bit his career has had a period of that
• 24:18
  right as it had a pattern of injuries as Sandra Martinez now,
• 24:22
  you know, another injury Mason Mount, you know, is really
• 24:26
  upsetting because he started the season so well.
• 24:29
  So like sensor bag might be something they have to look at
• 24:32
  if they decide that we just don't feel solid enough in that
• 24:36
  fitness records, though, we might need another sense back in
• 24:39
  that sense. Don't think it's a priority
• 24:41
  right now, but something they're going to have to make a decision
• 24:44
  on, I think as they approach the end of the season thing.
• 24:46
  Left wing reported last week. But look, in January, I
• 24:50
  mentioned the end of Monday was something that they were looking
• 24:53
  at. I think it's very interesting
• 24:54
  because what I'm hearing now is he is becoming quite a big
• 24:57
  priority for Manchester United because that left wing position,
• 25:02
  again, maybe this comes with a change of system, but it's
• 25:05
  become quite apparent. United want this right footed
• 25:07
  left winger. I think it's also becoming quite
• 25:10
  apparent. I know that there's about a few
• 25:11
  players, but again, it shows where United are at.
• 25:15
  He is a player in quite high demand around Europe, you know,
• 25:17
  19 years old. He has quite a lot of goal
• 25:20
  contributions for his age this season.
• 25:23
  Also his metrics are very impressive, again at 19 years
• 25:26
  old. So my colleagues in Sky Germany
• 25:29
  were reporting today that they might look to offer him a new
• 25:32
  contract and they would hope he might stay another year.
• 25:35
  But they also willing to sell him for, you know, under £100
• 25:39
  million this summer. Obviously you hope that would be
• 25:42
  significantly less for anyone interested in him, but I'll be
• 25:45
  live to give really good sellers as well.
• 25:47
  So left wing is a position. Yandu Mande's the one I've heard
• 25:51
  the most about eliminating. Jai is another one but very
• 25:54
  different profile, probably more similar to them, says Kunya.
• 25:57
  So if he is someone united and monitoring, but I'd be very
• 26:01
  surprised if they went down that route.
• 26:04
  It's funny, in January this was only a whiff, but someone
• 26:07
  mentioned the name Callum Hudson Adoy, you know, not as but as a
• 26:11
  potential option they could look at again, probably a bit more
• 26:15
  direct, which compared to enjoy would make more sense, more
• 26:20
  affordable as well. You know, and I think in the
• 26:23
  summer it will be very interesting because I wonder if
• 26:25
  you know what to do, make some of these supplementary signings
• 26:28
  a bit like semi Laman's where you do just take a few pumps,
• 26:31
  you know, with the squad beef on the squad.
• 26:33
  Exactly and. You kind of look at the depth
• 26:35
  chart and you kind of go, OK, well, maybe we do add 1 here and
• 26:38
  one there just for some competition and as you mentioned
• 26:41
  to beef up the squadron. I'm interested and this.
• 26:44
  All links to what we've been talking about with the
• 26:46
  transfers, Yeah, any US talk about Project 28 and trying to
• 26:49
  win the league, right by that point.
• 26:52
  I just wonder now in terms of, you know, how aggressive they
• 26:55
  are with the strategy in the transfer market and your intake
• 26:58
  on this as to are they do they actually believe that?
• 27:01
  I mean, it's one thing saying it, but they believe they can
• 27:03
  win the league and that will then drive, you know, the
• 27:05
  transfer market and the calibre of talent they're going to go
• 27:08
  after clearly. And I just wonder now, is this a
• 27:11
  poignant opportunity? You know, you look at PAP and
• 27:13
  City, you're not quite sure whether Pep's going to stay.
• 27:15
  You know, Liverpool are struggling at the moment,
• 27:17
  Chelsea are struggling. You know, we sort of walk into
• 27:19
  next season and we can clinch that Champions League players,
• 27:22
  you know, obviously Arsenal or Arsenal at the moment and it
• 27:24
  looks like they're going to go on to win the league.
• 27:26
  You know, are we set up perhaps, you know, to really have a tilt,
• 27:30
  a potential, you know, tight arrest next season depending on
• 27:33
  transfers. So just your take on how
• 27:35
  aggressive they can be around that, that point.
• 27:37
  Yeah, absolutely. I mean.
• 27:38
  You even think this season run, I mean, you turn some of those,
• 27:42
  you know, draws and losses and you think Everton, Old Trafford
• 27:45
  and the Wolves draws and West Ham at home.
• 27:48
  And you know well, you know, there are some there are some
• 27:51
  games where you go nothing forest away.
• 27:52
  That's just a good point. You know, Tottenham coming back,
• 27:55
  you know, to get A-22 draw some some of those are just fair
• 27:58
  enough points. You look like, you know, this
• 28:00
  could be if those really bad performances were turned into,
• 28:04
  you know, they would be a point or two off Arsenal, right.
• 28:07
  And maybe that's a result of where the season is at.
• 28:10
  But anyway, it's answer your question that I think the 28th
• 28:13
  project of winning the title by then.
• 28:15
  Look, I think it's good to have a collective goal in any
• 28:17
  business to bring everyone together and have that kind of
• 28:20
  tunnel vision of this is the aim.
• 28:23
  This is what basically this is what we're making all of our
• 28:26
  decisions based on right now. I also think there'll be some
• 28:30
  realism in Carrington as to where the team are at, you know,
• 28:33
  say based on next season, how they perform.
• 28:36
  I mean, look, start this season when people were saying United
• 28:39
  should be in a Champions League position, everything I was
• 28:41
  hearing was like, what? We'll be happy just to be back
• 28:44
  in European football. I mean, not.
• 28:46
  One thing I would say is I don't get the feeling, and this isn't
• 28:50
  me kind of backing people at the club for the sake of Auckland
• 28:52
  there every week. But one thing I have to say is I
• 28:55
  don't get a feeling that is unrealistic kind of dreams at
• 28:59
  Carrington where everyone goes, we're Manchester United, so we
• 29:02
  should be at the top, you know, we're Manchester United.
• 29:05
  You know, I think they're very realistic as to where the team
• 29:07
  are AT and where they want to be.
• 29:10
  Now. Look, I think the 28 target,
• 29:13
  we'll we'll see. Like you said, I think it does
• 29:16
  give them that ability though. I think in the transfer window
• 29:19
  to go for it though. And that is kind of the means as
• 29:23
  to all the cost cutting over the last few years and whatnot.
• 29:26
  To be honest, I think the aim just needs to be a bit like
• 29:29
  Arsenal. And that's not to be like, oh,
• 29:30
  we should be like our rivals, a bit like David Moyes.
• 29:32
  But I think the main objective for Manchester United is not to
• 29:35
  be up and down anymore. It just needs to be solid top
• 29:38
  three, solid top 2 for a few years.
• 29:40
  Just be consistent in the Champions League so you build a
• 29:43
  pattern. The 28 is great.
• 29:47
  I'm sure everyone hopes that that's still a possibility.
• 29:51
  But that's not dependent on Manchester United, is it?
• 29:53
  I mean, that that's dependent on where Liverpool are at, where
• 29:55
  Manchester City are out, where Austin are.
• 29:58
  You know, there's Pep Guardiola still in the Premier League, for
• 30:00
  example. You know, So I think there's too
• 30:02
  many factors to say, you know, is that still going to happen?
• 30:07
  Right. Yeah, Yeah, yeah.
• 30:08
  But to answer your question, though, I think that's still the
• 30:10
  feeling that that's what everyone's aiming for.
• 30:12
  And Michael Carrick was actually asked about a news conference I
• 30:15
  was in, and someone said, like, is that a thing?
• 30:18
  And he was like, yeah, like that.
• 30:19
  I know that's like the messaging, but it's still really
• 30:22
  early to kind of say where we're at in correlation.
• 30:25
  Yeah. Yeah.
• 30:26
  I mean, would anyone guess this season in the Premier League?
• 30:29
  Well, yeah. Exactly.
• 30:29
  Yeah. Exactly, You know well, if you
• 30:32
  if you plot it on a graph last season and this season, we are
• 30:35
  going to win the league next season, right.
• 30:37
  But but Dan, you've been very, very generous with your time.
• 30:40
  I'm going to save you now because these boys will go out
• 30:42
  you all night with names. So just very final point.
• 30:46
  I just want to ask you around is like, you know, I think you
• 30:48
  mentioned it there. We're Manchester United,
• 30:50
  especially as us fans, you know, for us, we're the biggest club
• 30:54
  in England in the world, arguably.
• 30:56
  How is it for you? Like, you know, you've mentioned
• 30:58
  there some of the other clubs you've covered in the past,
• 31:00
  like, you know, Wolves Midlands areas, right?
• 31:03
  So like, what's the journey been like for you just briefly in
• 31:05
  terms of now reporting on Manchester United for the
• 31:08
  biggest sports broadcaster out there?
• 31:11
  Like tell us briefly about that journey.
• 31:13
  Yeah, I mean it's been. Pretty incredible, really.
• 31:16
  This is my fifth year being a reporter, Sky Sports News.
• 31:19
  I've been at Sky Sports News since I was 21.
• 31:21
  So All in all, 8-9 years, nine years, nine years.
• 31:26
  I'm now thirsty. Well, anyway, Oh, nice,
• 31:28
  Congrats. There has been a journey and I
• 31:32
  think that you know, Manchester United, you know, as you
• 31:35
  mentioned, see massive club, one of the biggest in Europe, one of
• 31:38
  the biggest in the world. Of course, you know, it's not
• 31:40
  the biggest of I'm sure all Manchester United fans are since
• 31:43
  this will say they're the biggest.
• 31:44
  But I think the most incredible thing is you.
• 31:47
  I don't think you can quite quantify that size, you know,
• 31:51
  until you work on Manchester United.
• 31:53
  You know, for example, I remember start of the season,
• 31:55
  Tom Blast is back from you know, the wilderness and his training
• 31:59
  for the first time with, you know, the first team.
• 32:02
  And you know, I was open training that day and we see it.
• 32:05
  Well, I'm doing lives about it for the rest of the day.
• 32:08
  And this is about, you know what, a third choice left back,
• 32:11
  He's barely played 10 minutes all season.
• 32:14
  But I say that to everyone. So I'm like, what other team in
• 32:16
  the league, what do we do this about?
• 32:18
  Like even Liverpool, you know, Arsenal, City talk.
• 32:21
  I mean, you just wouldn't, you know, But there is such interest
• 32:25
  isn't that in everything that goes on at Manchester United?
• 32:28
  And I think, yeah, I hope I do this when I report on United
• 32:33
  consistently and, you know, when you see me report a Carrington
• 32:37
  or Trafford. But I think it's just really
• 32:39
  important to stay, you know, in the middle.
• 32:41
  And I know managers, you know, Cliche, say this all the time.
• 32:45
  I don't get too high and don't get too low.
• 32:46
  But I think it's quite easy to get caught up in the one minute
• 32:50
  disaster. One minute, the best team in the
• 32:52
  world, you know, and I think everyone outside of United, you
• 32:56
  know, whether that's my colleagues who sometimes are in
• 32:58
  London or, you know, just the social media atmosphere can just
• 33:02
  be quite extreme. And you know, it's quite nice
• 33:06
  for you guys to have a bit of stability now with the Carrick
• 33:08
  because there's less of that extremity and you know, just to
• 33:11
  finish off see really quick. It's just funny because I see a
• 33:13
  lot of fans at the moment talk about Tottenham, you know,
• 33:16
  Tottenham fans saying Oh my God, our club are getting demolished
• 33:20
  in the media, everyone hates us. Why is everyone pick but Sky
• 33:24
  Sports News doesn't cover a club like this around the league?
• 33:27
  I'm like, do you not remember the start of the season?
• 33:29
  I was outside character, all drama every day talking about
• 33:33
  United. Yeah, every club has to go
• 33:35
  through this at some point, you know, so it's nicer they're not
• 33:39
  there anymore. But yeah, Steve's answer your
• 33:41
  question. So dream job.
• 33:42
  And, you know, it's, I think everyone on the patch, I I'm
• 33:46
  sure I speak for everyone on the patch who covers Manchester
• 33:48
  United. You know, there's no one, I'm
• 33:51
  telling you as I've got to know everyone this year.
• 33:54
  No one has an agenda. And I'm telling you, all of us
• 33:57
  would love to be at covering Manchester United on their
• 34:01
  journey back to the top because frankly, there wouldn't be a
• 34:04
  biggest story in the country. You know, to see Manchester
• 34:07
  United to be successful again consistently would be kind of
• 34:10
  the story of, you know, the last 20 years, to be honest, you
• 34:14
  know, because it it's the story. So I think that's what we're all
• 34:18
  hoping for eventually. Yeah.
• 34:20
  Hopefully sooner rather than later.
• 34:22
  Yeah. Great, great.
• 34:23
  Place Great place to end project 2028.
• 34:25
  Here we go. We're all on board, Ron.
• 34:29
  Indeed, I just want to say. Dan as well, I mean, thank you.
• 34:31
  We listened to you on Sky Sports and you do a tremendous job, you
• 34:34
  know, in terms of just telling the story as it is and reading
• 34:37
  it back to us fans. So yeah, thank you for your
• 34:40
  great work. Keep up the good one.
• 34:42
  Thanks. So much British should ask.
• 34:43
  Thanks. Steve, appreciate it.
• 34:45
  So it's great chat to you about all.
• 34:46
  Cool. Alright, we'll wrap it up.
• 34:47
  There thanks for joining us this week and we'll catch you on the
• 34:50
  next one.