Why are Man Utd the only big six club never to spend £100m on a player? | Transfer Talk Podcast

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Why have Man Utd still not spent £100m? Transfer Talk on squad balance, Rashford and left-back

This Transfer Talk episode looks at Manchester United's poor start, Carrick's use of his midfield and Rashford, the fallout from Manchester City's financial case, and why United have still not made a £100m signing. The discussion also highlights defence and left-back as priorities, with the panel arguing that United's problems are more about selling, squad balance and choosing the right positions than simply a reluctance to spend big; the panel is split on Rashford's future.

► Subscribe to Sky Sports Premier League: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsPL ► Watch Sky Sports with NOW: https://bit.ly/NOWPremierLeagueYT Pete Graves is joined by Sky Sports News’ Manchester United correspondent Danyal Khan and Stretford Paddock’s Adam McKola to discuss United's start to the season, whether Michael Carrick has got the balance of the new look midfield right, Marcus Rashford's reintegration at the club and whether the club need to sign a defender in January. Plus, their thoughts on Manchester City being found guilty of all charges relating to serious breaches of Premier League financial rules by an independent commission, a charge they deny and have since appealed. 00:00 - Man Utd’s disappointing start to the season 02:39 Khan on Man Utd reaction to City charges 14:59 - Use of Tielemans in deeper position 23:27 - Will Rashford continue to feature heavily for Man Utd, or are they still looking to cash in? 38:02 - Who is in charge of recruitment for Man Utd and how do fans view recent business? 47:48 - What is top of Man Utd’s ‘to-do list’ in January? premierleague football manchesterunited ► Premier League highlights: https://bit.ly/PL2627HL ► MNF, FNF, SNF & Super Sunday analysis: https://bit.ly/SkyMatchAnalysis ► Gary Neville Podcast: https://bit.ly/GaryNevillePodcast ► Saturday Social: https://bit.ly/SkySaturdaySocial ► Buy this season’s shirts: https://bit.ly/SkySportsShop More from Sky Sports on YouTube: ► Sky Sports: http://bit.ly/SkySportsSub ► Sky Sports Boxing: http://bit.ly/SSBoxingSub ► Sky Sports Cricket: http://bit.ly/SubscribeSkyCricket ► Sky Sports Darts: https://bit.ly/SubSkySportsDarts ► Sky Sports Football: http://bit.ly/SSFootballSub ► Sky Sports F1: http://bit.ly/SubscribeSkyF1 ► Sky Sports Golf: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsGolf ► Sky Sports News: http://bit.ly/SkySportsNewsSub ► Sky Sports Retro: http://bit.ly/SkySportsRetroSub ► Sky Sports WSL: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsWSL ► Facebook…

Transcript

This episode of Transfer Talk is brought to you by Lad Brooks. Whatever you're building, get more from your bet builder. Now that is Latisfaction. 18 plus TNC's apply. Visit gamblaware.org. Well, hello everybody. Welcome to a brand new episode of the transfer talk podcast. Thanks so much for being with us. My name is Pete Graves and today we're joined by a Sky Sports Newses Manchester United reporter Daniel Khn. Dan, nice to have you with us mate. >> Thanks for having me Pete. >> It's a very cool studio by the Thank you very much. Yeah, built it myself. [laughter] N great to have you with us, mate. We've also got Stretford Paddics, Adam Mcola. Um Adam, thanks for coming down to seeing us. >> Last time I was in here, we announced Tielemans, so >> Oh, there you go. >> Hopefully something interesting, equally interesting happens. >> Well, I'll do my best. [laughter] Might not get any transfers through the door as the windows shut, but uh but certainly there's always big news dropping here in Sky Studios. Uh, and look, we're going to be talking about Manchester United, of course, because we've got two fantastic voices on Manchester United, but we do have to touch on on Manchester City as well, which we will be starting the podcast with that. But, um, before we get into City, lads, on Manchester United, um, Dan, you know, you're in and around the club all the time. What have you made of the season so far? Just just briefly. H, [sighs] where do you start? Look, I think overall, you know, we were both on preseason at different points in Manchester United and I think there's a lot of optimism, a lot of optimism in that group and then you go five games in and also knocked out of the Carabal Cup and I think there's now a lot of disappointment frankly and I think they have a big month ahead of games in October and going into that next November international break and I think that's where we're really going to be able to assess where Marrick's team are at. Yeah, some of similar to you just just briefly thought so far. >> I'm always optimistic um around Manchester United. I'm always saying we're winning the league every single summer, but there was a genuine excitement. I think the landscape of the Premier League obviously changed with Pep Guardiola leaving um and you kind of felt the form that Carrick showed last season between January and May. We thought maybe we could do something this season, get ourselves into a position to challenge and then you have that start to the season and it kind of gives you a big reality check. But at the moment it's just kind of hoping that we are better a better team after the break not expecting. So it's >> Yes, >> it's a bit nervy. >> You you remind me of me actually. I'm always so uber positive all things new. Yeah. I think you got to be you got to be don't. Yeah. Yeah. And look, I think I think you're right. I'm I've been quite surprised by Manchester United so far this season. And I'm sure I'm sure that once he just gets the balance right in that that 11 that Michael will pull it around. Um, as I mentioned, we've got to touch on Manchester City, of course, cuz you you both spend a lot of your lives in and around Manchester. Um, Dan, how have the red half of Manchester reacted to this ongoing situation uh with the with the sort of the neighbors Man City? H I think it's a really tricky situation for you know most people associated with Manchester United to feel in terms of look the fan base I think will feel justified in terms of how Manchester City rose to power as quickly as they did in those 2010s and really we saw that shift of power in Manchester a little bit the Agüero moment for example but I think in terms of people at Manchester United I think they were first of all shocked by perhaps the kind of significance of how many of the charges is at the moment were you know proven and you know City are accused of and the Premier League have called a sham as well and you then question okay like Manchester United were involved in quite a few of those years right so the Aguero moment of course you know Jose Mourinho always talked about finishing second was the greatest achievement of his career and he's already talked about over the last few years he wants you know a medal basically for that season if city are guilty so and Adam and I were talking just before this you know I think too far to maybe say Manchester United should be awarded Premier League titles etc etc but it does shift how you talk about players managers I mean how we talk about gunskar who was impacted later on you know when he finished 2021 or 2022 and Michael Carrick was a coach right and he was a player under Jose you know how do we talk about players like Anthony Martial Marcus Rashford if they have a Prem league title >> yeah um it's very very interesting then you think of Fergie would have left with three in a row had, you know, they they not been bending or breaking the rules at that time. Obviously, I think the decision shocked me a little bit because whilst it has almost been after the leaks that we saw, it's almost been like an open secret in the footballing world, a lot of people kind of thought maybe they'd get a slap on the wrist, maybe they, you know, would kind of slip out of it and come away with it with a with a fine or a minimal points deduction. But it feels like the Premier League are coming down very very hard on them. And I think maybe Manchester City over the last however many years kind of, you know, delaying the processes and and and and not being so transparent in the uh in the dealing and showing of their accounts and things like that. I think it means the Premier League have to do that to protect the Premier League almost. And um it's interesting that the Premier League are doing this. I I am surprised that they they've not they are doing it and I'm not surprised that Man City have been found guilty because I think they >> the the why this is such an interesting story is because it's like you can go down so many rabbit holes and avenues right I mean you talk about so Alex could have had another Premier League title then the question is you know if that Aguero moment doesn't happen do Manchester United sign Robin van Persie that summer and then get the title you know This is why this is such a big story because there are so many knockons to so many clubs, so many players, so many coaches. And how far do you go back? How far do you feel invested to go back? And you know, >> I think it's also you can't redistribute titles. >> No, I think I think it would be fair to strip them of those titles um if their appeal is unsuccessful. Um but you can't reallocate titles now. And there's also the thing of if a team was third in this instance and United was second, >> does that team play a little bit with more intent? If it's first and second rather than City being being ahead of all it changes so many different things and also as Man United fans, we've got to be very careful because if we give Fergie an extra title, we also erase the Gerard slip. So >> yeah. Yeah. Fair. >> You know, like we got we got to be careful what we wish for here. >> Had to get that in. [laughter] I think that's I think that's really fair point to make that. And and funny a lot of the players you you mentioned as well Mata it's a great point Rooney's come out said he's not interested in that t getting that title he going to finish second I mentioned before before we came on air that Brian Brian Robson I was with him the other night and a lot of the players from that early 90s team and he he was of the opinion that city yes should be stripped of the titles they won but yeah redistributing to whoever they beat in cup finals and whoever finished second and so on it's too just gets too messy it's too messy at that stage because then who well who did City beat in the semi-final and then well we should have been in the final. It just goes on and on and This is going to drag on for so long though because obviously I think there's like a uh they've got the the opportunity to appeal then that appeal process I think could take 12 weeks and then you've got the hearing and all that and then if they're not successful with the appeal you got the sanctions and then they can appeal the sanctions and then you getting that dragged on and then we've got the whole mess of clubs and I don't know do players like does Marcus Rashford suddenly go well I would have had 25% extra of my wage that like do you know what I mean like it changes is so many different people have been impacted and I I found like Bonahor's comments on it because obviously I look at it from a Manchester United perspective but I found his comments on it very um interesting and I thought they were they were quite quite good from to hear from him because he's saying like Villa got relegated you know and in around that 0809 period they were kind of pushing for Champions League football and they lose a couple of their best players to City and they switch switch roles almost so yeah he's had an heavy impact on those teams as well. Manchester United have still spent money in that period and >> we should have still been winning a league or two in that time in my opinion. But >> then you've got the impact on clubs like Villa as well. So it's it's widespread. And just to finish on that point like bringing back to Manchester United, I mean ahead of the Tottenham game, you know, first game back for Manchester United after the international break, >> I'm already very interested to see how Michael Carrick is going to deal with that news conference because >> now the news is out, the Premier League have made a statement. It's very hard to deflect, you know, and say, "Look, I don't want to talk about this," es, especially someone in his position who was affected as a coach and as a player, you know, in both situations. So, you know, I know he is very straight and he does bat a lot of topics away, but, you know, he does also have to kind of stand up to >> No, of course they will, but I think it's very difficult to advise it because like I said, you can't really deflect it. So, you really do have to give some sort of opinion that reflects his own feeling as well as kind of the club's position. So, it'll be very fascinating. That's all. >> Thank you for that, Jens. I just felt I had to ask you both your opinion from the red side of of Manchester. Um, but we want to talk about Manchester United. >> I've almost forgotten how bad we were in these last couple of weeks. [laughter] >> It's all about Tyler. I feel good all of a sudden. >> It's [laughter] lifted your mood. We've lifted your mood. Look, there's been this long international break. Um the final game before the break was the one all draw against Fulham and now it's all coming back to you now, isn't it? Um I mean look, >> probably a performance that sums up the season so far, would you say? >> Yeah, maybe. I think there were signs in the first half. Signs. I'm being very polite here. Like there were, as I said, I'm an optimist by nature. There were signs in the first half, but generally speaking, the performances were really poor. And I think United have shown that throughout the season. I think, you know, there's been other games where we have shown signs of maybe a semblance of a performance or what we're trying to do. And I think if you look at the statistics, which I kind of hate to do, but it is important in football nowadays, like you look at the stats and the underlying stats are going, "Wow, we've had the most touches in the opposition box. We've had the least touches conceded in our box. We've hit the woodwork the most times. Our xG and this, that, and the other, but the eye test tells me we're not performing well." Um, and there has been some positives. I think Kabeno has been excellent. Um, and I'm delighted to see him continuing to play football, but overall defensively we haven't been good enough. And in attack, we haven't been good enough. It's that old David Moyes thing, doesn't it? We need to get better at what was it? Defending, passing, and scoring. It's like, wait, that's everything. But [laughter] it does feel like we we're conceding far too many goals and we're not scoring enough. We're going to look at transfers of course and who the players that you've ended up with and we'll we'll talk about Rashford and the inability to land a left back and so on and so forth. But just focusing on this break, we've we've heard stories of injuries and niggles to certain players. You know, Bruno Fernandez one that was was we we were told playing through the pain barrier in a game and so on. And I mean that doesn't help, does it? when you you know I mean a long international break and I guess you're you're hoping as a Manchester United it's a reporter fan and they're going to all come back sort of with a clean bill of health but it doesn't look like that's going to be the case. >> No and I would love a penny of course Michael Carrick looking at these players seemingly dropping like flies over the international break. I mean it's been reported Bruno Fernandez has been you know managing an injury since the Saba game in the Champions League and that's come to fall you know for Portugal >> had 90 minutes in that game as well. >> Yeah which a lot of people A lot of people question though, you know, and now seemingly maybe rightly so, that did he need to play, you know, that many minutes in that type of game, but Patrick Dori looks like he's picked up a hamstring injury. You know, new summerawi looks like he's picked up a knock as well for Morocco. You have Benjamin Shesho who has had a reoccurrence of a shin injury as well. So, you already have quite a few starters there that you're already coming back to the Tottenham game without. Now the good news is they will have Ahmad and Kos Blea fit for that game and you'd hope Luke Shaw had a few weeks to get his fitness right and a few other players you know like Mason man uh you know Matteas Kuna who was a surprise to me wasn't with the Brazil squad but some of these players might have just needed these few weeks to just get themselves right >> but it feels like the players who might have an injury concern are more outweighing the players who are fit. So, you know, and going back to the start of the season, I think that's something that Michael Carrick, you do have to say, no matter, you know, we can talk about the performances or results, but that is something he hasn't maybe had the benefit of is clearly in preseason, he had a midfield of Mason Mount, Andre Santos, he wanted Ahmad on the right, Brian Bumo through the middle. Ahmad starts the season injured and has missed all the games this season. That has meant Brian Bumo has to play on the right, Mattes Ka through the middle, and Marcus Rashford starting on the left. Now I wonder you know if Mason man doesn't get injured against PSG maybe it's a stretch to say he starts out of Yuri Tilman's maybe I don't know but Ahmad would definitely have started on the right I think and that balance of the squad maybe have looked a lot better I think in the beginning stage of >> Cody looks so unfit doesn't he I think that was the he was lacking that match sharpness at the start of the season I think that's why the manager probably went I'll put you through the middle so that you know you don't have to do as much work as if you were out wide and get you through the games. Yeah, >> that's his shade, isn't it? >> We we do miss Amadalo and I think Abumo >> was I know it's preseason so it's hard to gauge but he was performing quite well. He scored a yard goal here and there and >> he looked quite good in that position. So then I think I'm glad you brought that up because that's where my mind constantly goes back to like that's where things probably started to change for for my car. But you have to be able to adapt and react to injuries, right? Injuries are part of football. And I think one of the things that Mike Carrick got spot on when he arrived last season was his team selection was very rarely wrong and his substitutions were always spot on. And I think this time around it has been a little bit different. And I feel like there's been times in games. I think it was the Fulham game where he takes Kim Mayo off and you're like he's one of our most like most likely players to create something or make something happen and you've taken him off the pitch. And it's interesting with the Bruno Fernand injury. I think he's missed one game through injury in his whole time at United, which shows you how incredibly, you know, fit and match ready he has been constantly, but we have brought in a lot of midfielders and you mentioned Carlos Balabas should be available. He was on the bench against Fulham, should be available in the next game. I'd be very interested in seeing us go below Tieleman's a little bit higher up and allowing Bruno to have that rest because ultimately that is a good midfield three on paper albeit we haven't seen it together but we should now have the luxury of being able to rest or allow Bruno to have recovery and it just feels like we're just going to keep just flogging the horses like give him a break a little bit like allow him to to to get his fitness up because the games are going to come thick and fast. I was surprised that we've not seen Yuri Tilman's in that further forward position. You know, I think the Brighton game Mason Mount comes into the team and when I saw the team she I thought, oh, we're going to see something similar to preseason where man will partner Andre Santos and maybe Yuri Tman plays in that 10 and he played Mason Mount in that term and I thought against a Brighton team with legs and energy. I was surprised the balance he chosen in that selection. The Kobe Mayu uh substitution was interesting because the away fans who are obviously brilliant most games for United you know so vocal so loud they did question that you could hear them at Craven Cottage you know like not boo to an extent but I don't think they were very happy with that now Carrick did say afterwards he had a bit of a knock bit of an injury and that's subsequently why he pulled out of the England squad so there have been reasons but then you kind of wonder okay well he has had quite a lot of injury concerns to have to manage but to what you said, Adam, there have been some questionable selections. I look at the Manchester derby, you know, Patrick Dorg left back to start him there, but only the second time in his Manchester United career at left back. The first one was three days before against Sabah in the Champions League. >> You knew Samarawi on the bench. Now, we can talk about the Holland goal being controversial, etc. Of course it was. But in the buildup to that goal, does Newamawi deal with that long ball and try and head it and then follow that attack to the other side of the pitch? I'm not sure compared to someone who's very inexperienced in that position. >> Yeah. >> You know, and little selections like >> played so well there as well from Morocco in the World Cup. >> Yeah, absolutely. And you know it seemed at the start of the season Michael Carrick was playing Masarawi in that position you know in the first few games of the season coming off the bench replacing Luke Shaw and now he's obviously made a decision where now Patrick Dorgu is the deputy for Luke Shaw in that position which you know again we'll have to ask Michael Carrick about but he's clearly made this decision in the last month. >> Well on on those two I'm glad he brought up Dorgu and Mazari because there two others who got injury issues in this international break. There was already an anger from Manchester United fans. We heard from them on on the transfer talk podcast about the inability to bring in sort of defensive reinforcements and certain positions. Left back was obviously a key position that they