- 3 years ago
A longer version of Q&A for both clubs.
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00:00 So, Michael, as we're catching up again, just give me a little transfer round-up on Man United.
00:05 What's the latest you can tell us?
00:08 Yeah, I mean, so we've got two in the door so far from United.
00:10 It's obviously Mason Mount wrapped up pretty early, at the start of July, and then Andrea Nanna, who was signed a couple of weeks ago.
00:18 United have agreed a fee for Raspus Hoyland from Atalanta.
00:21 We believe that transfer is going to be wrapped up probably, potentially this week, maybe.
00:25 Certainly in time for the Premier League season to get underway. Obviously, United get to play on the Monday, so they've got a little bit of extra time in that regard.
00:34 But yeah, I think it's an interesting signing for United for a number of reasons.
00:37 I think that obviously they are in desperate need of a new centre-forward and Hoyland comes in and fills that void.
00:46 But obviously, there's a bit of a risk there that he is such an inexperienced striker who's cost a lot of money and they're going to need him really to hit the ground running.
00:53 So, yeah, so that's, we're going to have three in by the end of this week.
00:56 I think, attention will pretty quickly turn to him if we learn.
01:00 Sofren Amrabat of Fiorentina is the man who has been identified as potentially an ex-signing.
01:06 I do suspect that one will get over the line and he will be a United player.
01:11 Later in the window, might even be a couple of weeks potentially in that one.
01:13 I don't think United have really reached out to Fiorentina at this stage.
01:18 So, yeah, that's what we're looking at the moment.
01:20 It wouldn't surprise me if they do make another sign of a tizzy later in the window, perhaps another striker, just to offer a little bit more options.
01:28 But as I've been saying, kind of all window with United, a lot of it does depend on players who leave.
01:33 The likes of Fred, Eric Bailly, we're expecting to leave soon.
01:37 Dean Henderson as well, although there obviously is a bit of confusion about Forrest at the moment being linked with the Arsenal goalkeeper, Matt Turner as well.
01:47 Danny Van Der Beek is another one that we suspect in the next couple of weeks will leave.
01:50 But there's other players now that are willing to let go.
01:53 Harry Maguire, I'm trying to think off the top of my head, Martial, Scott McTominay.
01:59 Yeah, there's quite a few.
02:01 We've obviously seen Anthony Allain got already leave as well, which we did touch on last week.
02:04 So, yeah, plenty going on.
02:05 And, yeah, by the time we speak next week, they'll be quite a bit moved on already.
02:11 Yeah, and just is there sort of a change in United's pre-season plans?
02:15 What's the latest you can tell us there?
02:16 Because obviously, you know, we are getting so close to the start of the new season now.
02:21 Yeah, so things are wrapped up in America now for United.
02:25 They had four games in the States.
02:27 They started really well with a win against Arsenal, building on the two previous wins before they flew out against Leeds and Lyon.
02:34 But they then did suffer kind of three back-to-back defeats in the States.
02:39 After that, they lost to Wrexham in a match that was mainly made up of under-21 players.
02:43 And then they also lost to Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, with certainly a first-team squad that the game against Madrid was what you would consider closer to a start in XI, its strongest XI.
02:53 And then the second game was made up of the likes of, you know, Maguire, Lindelof, McTominay, Van de Beek, kind of the second string XI.
03:00 So, listen, I don't think there's ever really any concern about results in pre-season.
03:03 But I do think there are certainly things to take in terms of performances.
03:07 I think Tennhagen should be encouraged with the first three performances and a bit disappointed, let's say, with the last two performances against Madrid and Dortmund.
03:16 So, yeah, you don't want to draw too many conclusions.
03:19 But I think that, yeah, if you can get into, let's say, patterns of play, get players playing a bit of confidence, that is important when you go into the new season to kind of hit the ground running.
03:30 They do have this final weekend before the Premier League season gets underway.
03:33 They do have two pre-season friendlies, actually.
03:35 They play Lens on Saturday and then they play Athletic Bilbao on Sunday in Dublin.
03:44 So, Tennhagen will pretty much split the squad in two.
03:47 You'll play one XI at Old Trafford and then you'll play another XI in Dublin.
03:51 I suspect the stronger XI will go to the Aviva and play Bilbao and kind of a slightly weaker starting XI will play at Old Trafford on Saturday.
04:00 But, yeah, it's a good opportunity for all the players to get 90 minutes, pretty much all the players to get 90 minutes in their legs before the season starts.
04:06 So, yeah, plenty going on at United.
04:07 And then, obviously, the season starts on Monday, the 14th of August against Wolves, the final match of the Premier League, the opening of the Premier League weekend.
04:16 Yeah, and obviously the Premier League fantasy is a huge thing.
04:21 It seems to be growing every year.
04:23 More people are interested, celebrities and everything sort of comes together for this new season.
04:28 I mean, I've picked my team.
04:31 In terms of your sort of thinking behind United, are there maybe a bit of advice for three players to select and avoid maybe in United terms?
04:42 Yeah, well, I had a little look because I think you're right.
04:45 I think a lot of people these days do have a fancy team.
04:47 So, I had a little look at a couple of players potentially that might be attractive for FPL players for United.
04:54 So, I think the obvious one is Mark Strasburg, just in terms of pure number of goals that he scores.
04:57 He's classed in midfielder as well and at nine million or nine, whatever the price is, he's deemed that.
05:03 It's quite a good price.
05:05 I've got Luke Shaw in there as well.
05:06 Obviously, plays almost every game.
05:08 United do keep a lot of clean sheets.
05:10 I think they're the most clean sheets last season in the Premier League.
05:13 And he obviously has full-back, gets forward quite a bit, scored a couple of goals last season.
05:17 So, he's rated for a price of 5.5.
05:21 I think he's a good one.
05:22 And then I've got Garnaccio, a bit of a difficult one.
05:24 You know, attackers get rotated a lot.
05:26 I don't think he'll play every game.
05:27 But going into the season, he almost looks like he's in the strongest XI.
05:30 Garnaccio, certainly cutting in off the left.
05:32 He's only priced at five, five million.
05:35 And yeah, I think he's a really, really good player.
05:37 I think he'll look to push on and develop this season after a good first campaign.
05:41 And then a few players to avoid potentially.
05:43 I've got Jadon Sancho and Anthony in there, both priced at seven million.
05:48 I just don't, I mean, they just don't score enough goals, really, or provide enough assists.
05:52 So, I think that's the main reason.
05:54 I do think Anthony will play most weeks.
05:57 And, you know, he will look to push on from last season.
06:00 I mean, Sancho has played centrally a lot in preseason,
06:02 so I don't think that's going to work through the season.
06:05 And then finally, a third one to pick potentially and avoid is Anthony Martial.
06:08 I mean, I'm not even sure he's going to be a Manchester United player
06:10 by the end of the transfer window.
06:12 But at 6.5, you know, he is a relatively expensive cost and just can't stay fit.
06:18 So, I mean, if you guarantee he's going to play,
06:20 he's going to be fit for the majority of the season,
06:22 he actually could be quite a good option.
06:23 But I put him in last year and had to take him out pretty quickly
06:26 because he just can't stay fit.
06:28 But actually, I do need to know, who have you picked?
06:30 Have you picked any United players on your team?
06:32 I don't know.
06:34 Obviously, Rashford came alive, didn't he, last...
06:38 that sort of period after the World Cup,
06:40 was one of the best players in Europe, really, wasn't he,
06:44 in terms of goals and numbers.
06:45 So, I do think he sort of made his way into my team.
06:50 Yeah, currently, so I have got two United players.
06:54 Luke Shaw is mentioned.
06:57 I think, yeah, as you say, points, he gets forward,
07:00 he does the job and a lot of clean sheets as well.
07:04 I've actually got three.
07:04 I've just noticed I've got Anana as well in goals.
07:06 So, I don't know.
07:08 I just think the clean sheets and the compactness they have,
07:11 and they've got a decent start to the season in terms of,
07:14 you know, possibly being able to get clean sheets as well.
07:17 So, I've gone with Anana.
07:18 He's reasonably priced as well.
07:20 And finally, it's Bruno Fernandes.
07:22 I think he's one of the FPL's big hitters, isn't he,
07:26 over the last however many seasons.
07:28 He's just been incredible at just providing from deeper roles as well.
07:32 So, yeah, those are my three United players.
07:35 And obviously, they face my team Wolves first,
07:38 but I'm sure I'll look past that if they get me some decent points.
07:44 So, Michael, Rasmus Hoyland, obviously,
07:47 you know, we've said quite similar name to Erling Haaland.
07:50 And obviously, went to you in Manchester club as well,
07:54 but maybe with a bit less risk was the Haaland signing to Hoyland.
07:59 What do you make of it all?
08:00 Because it is quite a big sum of money as well.
08:04 Yeah, I think there's a lot to unpack with this transfer.
08:07 I think it speaks to how difficult it is to sign a centre forward in the market.
08:12 I think if United could have gone for a slightly more experienced option,
08:16 namely Harry Kane or Viktor Oshman,
08:18 I think they would have gone for that option,
08:20 but they just weren't available.
08:21 I think it speaks to the fact that United don't have enough cash on hand to spend on transfers.
08:26 It's all tied into the takeover again, which we'll not get started on.
08:31 And yeah, I think that it also speaks to me a little bit
08:35 and indicates that Ten Hag is thinking for the future.
08:38 You know, he signed a 20-year-old centre forward.
08:40 And, you know, it doesn't indicate to me a manager who's thinking,
08:45 you know, if he had a bad start to the season, he could get sacked.
08:47 He has confidence and belief in his position at the club
08:50 that he is willing to go and take a bit of a risk,
08:52 sign a player who can develop over, certainly over the season,
08:55 but over a couple of months and doesn't maybe just have to kind of hit the ground running
09:00 just quite as much as he would potentially have needed.
09:04 And I think that it is a risk.
09:06 There's no denying there's a risk.
09:07 I mean, if you considered Hoyland to Kane,
09:09 Kane, you know, if he was to be, for instance, if he would have been signed,
09:12 there's no doubt, you know, what you're going to get from him.
09:15 He's going to come in, score goals, provide assists, fit into the team.
09:17 Whereas Hoyland, there is a bit more of a risk.
09:19 And I think time will tell if it is the right signing.
09:23 But I think the interesting thing for United is that, you know,
09:25 over the last couple of years, it's been a lot of, you know,
09:29 they've signed Zlatan Ibrahimović, they've signed Igalo, Cristiano Ronaldo,
09:33 Edson Cavani.
09:34 It's all short-term planning.
09:36 There's no long-term view, whereas Hoyland is a real kind of break from that.
09:41 I think probably the first young dynamic attacker that they've bought
09:45 as a ready-made first-team player, probably since Anthony Martial,
09:48 which I think was in 2015.
09:50 So it's a long time, really, that they've kind of gone with that approach
09:55 in terms of strikers.
09:55 So I do think it's a refresher break for them.
09:58 I'm really interested to see how it goes.
10:00 And I think, let's remember as well, United were in desperate need
10:02 to score more goals last season as well, which adds to the importance
10:06 that Hoyland does have an impact.
10:09 But I do think it's a really interesting transfer for just a number of reasons,
10:13 as I say, and only time will tell if it is the right transfer and whether United
10:17 can kind of make the title race this season.
10:19 I think a lot of it will depend on Hoyland and his impact at the club.
10:24 Michael, on to Manchester City now.
10:26 Just obviously we've spoke quite a lot, the transfer situation has been slow
10:30 and maybe not needed so much after the treble-winning season.
10:34 Just give me a little update on the latest there.
10:39 Yeah, you're right, it's very quiet.
10:41 As I said all summer, Manchester City are the best team in Europe.
10:45 They don't really need to sign many players and there's not many players
10:49 who can come in and add to the quality and strength that they've got
10:53 in their squad.
10:54 But I think that, I mean, we've talked about it for an hour, for a couple of weeks,
10:58 City want to sign Josco Guardiola of RB Leipzig.
11:03 I don't think negotiations are really far advanced at this stage.
11:06 I don't think that's one that's going to happen soon.
11:08 City will really have to step up their efforts in that regard to sign him.
11:13 I don't think there's a huge amount of panic.
11:15 I mean, City got quite a lot of their business done in August last year as well.
11:18 So I don't think they'll be worried about that.
11:21 But I think that obviously the interesting thing is, I mean,
11:23 in terms of outgoings, we've already lost Gylke Hegundegen.
11:27 We've seen Riyad Mahrez go last week as well.
11:29 So, you know, Coventry just come in to replace Hegundegen, that's OK.
11:33 Mahrez, there isn't really a replacement.
11:36 Is it Cole Palmer stepping up?
11:38 Is it Oscar Bob, another youth player, stepping up?
11:41 We'll have to see.
11:42 I mean, Pep has already kind of said in this last couple of press conferences
11:45 that they may need to go into the market.
11:47 I think they will.
11:48 And I know Guardiola likes to work with quite a small squad,
11:51 but I think he will just need a few more,
11:53 certainly at least one more player, if not two.
11:56 And then there's a couple of other outgoings.
11:57 I mean, Kyle Walker, we're still not certain if he's going to leave and join Bayern Munich or not.
12:00 I mean, City, he's gone on the tour,
12:03 played against Bayern Munich, captain City against Bayern.
12:06 It's a bit of a funny kind of turn of events.
12:08 They're now back in Manchester, so we'll have to see in that one.
12:11 And then two other, well, three other players, potentially, I mean, Cancelo and Laporte.
12:15 I think City would let both those players go if they got a reasonable offer.
12:19 But they really don't want to sell Bernardo Silva, who I think,
12:23 I think if an offer came, I think he would probably be interested in moving on from City as much as anything.
12:28 I just think he wants to kind of get back more to, shall I say, a more kind of European style of life on the continent.
12:36 But I don't think that will happen, especially given that Máraez has gone,
12:39 because he plays, Silva played a lot on the right wing last season.
12:42 Instead of Máraez, if they were to sell Máraez and Silva in the same summer,
12:46 that would create a lot of problems, I think.
12:47 So, yeah, pretty slow transfer window so far for City,
12:51 but I do think we'll see a little bit more action, maybe not in the next week or so,
12:55 but maybe in the kind of second half of August, let's say.
12:59 Michael, just on the Community Shield, obviously, it's the first sort of proper competitive game we see.
13:05 And obviously, because of City winning both the league and the FA Cup,
13:07 it goes to Arsenal in second place, who will play them at Wembley.
13:11 It'll be your first of probably many, again, trips to Wembley this season.
13:16 What can you tell us ahead of it?
13:19 Yeah, I mean, it's interesting.
13:20 I think you're certainly right when you say it is a competitive game.
13:24 I don't think Pep Guardiola always views it that way.
13:28 I mean, the last two seasons, he's basically used it as another pre-season friendly.
13:33 I think he will use it the same again this season.
13:35 I mean, it will be one of only four matches City will play before the season starts against Burnley,
13:41 just five days later, actually.
13:42 That's the Community Shield, which I'm sure Guardiola's not particularly happy about.
13:47 But yeah, I think he'll use it as an opportunity to get kind of minutes in the legs,
13:51 increase fitness a little bit for his players.
13:54 And he's lost the last two.
13:56 I mean, I was having a look this morning.
13:57 He's only actually won the Community Shield twice in, what, seven years in Manchester now.
14:03 So I don't think he's particularly bothered about that record, to be honest with you.
14:07 But listen, he'll want it to win it.
14:09 I mean, Jack Realish has spoken about the fact he's been a City player for the last two summers,
14:13 and he's lost the Community Shield on both occasions.
14:16 He wants to win it.
14:17 But I do think Arsenal go in there probably just a little bit fresher, a little bit sharper.
14:21 They will have played five pre-season matches already.
14:25 I think that they are already looking like a side.
14:27 I mean, I looked at the last game against Barcelona.
14:29 That's starting XI, very much looks like certainly close to Arsenal's strongest XI.
14:34 They've got a pretty full squad.
14:35 They've already got Declan Rice involved, although he did miss that last game.
14:39 They've got Havertz involved and Jurgen Timber.
14:42 So yeah, I think Arsenal are probably just looking a little couple of steps ahead of City at this stage.
14:46 You've got to make them a slight favourite, so to say, for the game.
14:48 But it is a glorified pre-season friendly to a certain extent.
14:53 So I wouldn't, if City lose, it's certainly not the end of the world.
14:57 And I don't think any fans would be making a moan out of a molehill over that one.
15:02 And finally, just on to fantasy again, in terms of City,
15:06 have you got a few players to select and avoid?
15:08 As the obvious two, you'd probably say,
15:12 will be selected by most FPL players going into the season.
15:16 Yeah, well, I mean, there's only one.
15:19 You've got to have Erling Haaland on your team, don't you?
15:21 I mean, you just can't not.
15:23 Many goals he scored last season in the Premier League.
15:25 36, was it, I can't remember.
15:27 I mean, you've just got to have him involved.
15:29 I mean, he's £14 million in the game, but I think he's worth every virtual penny, I suppose.
15:35 But I'm sure the other one you were alluding to was Kevin O'Brien.
15:37 I mean, he is a bit more expensive.
15:38 So I've just left him out really just because, for that reason.
15:42 So, I mean, the other two I've picked as potential players to have involved are Bernardo Silva at 6.5.
15:47 He doesn't score a huge amount of goals, plays every week.
15:49 I think he'll have a more important role this season as well.
15:52 Could play higher up this season with Mahrez moving on.
15:55 So I picked him.
15:56 And the other one is Jon Stones, who is a defender, but who's priced at 5.5.
16:01 But he's essentially a midfielder, almost the way he plays.
16:04 And he's already scored a goal in pre-season.
16:06 Started to score a few more goals at the end of last season.
16:08 So, yeah, I wonder whether this season could see him play a slightly more advanced role,
16:12 chipping in with a few more goals and assists.
16:14 And obviously, being a defender, that could be quite good.
16:17 And then I picked three to avoid as well.
16:19 I picked Julian Alvarez at 6.5.
16:22 Perhaps a little bit harsh because when he plays, he does score goals and assists.
16:25 But it's just, is he going to play regularly this season?
16:27 I mean, he's got Erling Haaland in front of him in the pecking order.
16:30 So it's a bit difficult to shift him out of the team.
16:34 I picked Gio Concello at 6 million.
16:36 That's another one to avoid.
16:38 A little bit because I'm not sure he's going to be a Manchester City player
16:40 come the end of the window.
16:41 And also, I just don't know where he will fit into the City team now.
16:45 The City player, he's kind of inverted full-back rather than Concello,
16:48 who likes to play overlapping.
16:50 I just don't really know how that fits into his kind of skill set.
16:54 And the final one is Jack Grealish, who, I mean, I'm slightly on the fence with that one.
16:59 I picked him just because of his goal-scoring record over the last two seasons.
17:02 Simply doesn't score enough goals.
17:05 But I do actually wonder if this is going to be a big season for him,
17:07 whether he's going to push on and start scoring more goals this campaign.
17:10 So a little bit on the fence with that one.
17:11 But I've said Jack Grealish at 7.5.
17:14 But I'm interested to know, I know you've picked your team.
17:16 How many Manchester City players have you got in your squad and who have you selected?
17:21 Yeah, so I've got two that you've mentioned, which is obviously Haaland.
17:26 I feel like he'll be in surely, you know, nearly...
17:31 He has to nearly be in 100% of teams, but I can't think what goes through someone's head not to pick him.
17:39 And it's John Stones as well, as you said.
17:41 He sort of drops into the middle as well.
17:43 I mean, it would have been De Bruyne, but, you know, my midfield says Fernandes, Salah and Saka.
17:49 Those three big players instead, maybe sacrificing them for KDB.
17:55 Could turn out worth it.
17:56 He maybe makes his way into the side,
17:58 but hopefully his price doesn't increase in that sense as well.
18:01 But yeah, John Stones, as you say, relatively cheap for what he does and the output he has for City
18:09 and the importance he has in Guardiola's side as well.
18:12 But yeah, those two are my City players.
18:15 And hopefully, if they continue, I can see there being more maybe added across the season.
18:23 I think the one thing I can just quickly add is Kevin De Bruyne.
18:25 He's actually carrying a little bit of a knock coming in from the end of last season
18:29 and hasn't really featured.
18:30 I don't think he's featured at all yet so far in pre-season.
18:32 So I don't think he'll be quite hitting the ground running at the start of the campaign.
18:35 So he actually could really be one to avoid in the opening weeks of the season.