Tom Sunderland

Marcus Rashford has taken 15-year-old Manchester United prospect JJ Gabriel under his wing, alongside Shea Lacey, and has advised him that adapting his mindset to first-team football is essential for sustaining a place in the team. Rashford has returned to United after a loan spell at Barcelona and a difficult period, receiving praise from manager Michael Carrick for his fitness, attitude and work ethic. Gabriel, who was previously too young to make his debut, is now eligible to feature and could travel with the squad for the match at Hull City.

Manchester United are seeking further signings before the summer transfer window closes, with Bayer Leverkusen reportedly valuing centre-back Edmond Tapsoba at £43 million. United are also negotiating a new contract with captain Bruno Fernandes after Galatasaray reportedly expressed interest and offered the prospect of doubling his salary. The club considers Fernandes unavailable for transfer and wants to secure his future as he enters the final year of his current deal, while defensive recruitment may be less urgent because of existing options.

Manchester United are seeking a long-term replacement for the frequently injured Luke Shaw and could pursue Arsenal midfielder-left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly, who has reportedly been offered to United and Chelsea. Arsenal’s reported signing of Bruno Guimaraes may have contributed to Lewis-Skelly becoming available. Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho is also said to be willing to offload Ferland Mendy, Eduardo Camavinga and Raul Asencio, potentially giving United further options. Newcastle United are reportedly reluctant to sell left-back Lewis Hall.

Manchester United are pursuing a cost-conscious transfer strategy under Ineos and manager Michael Carrick. Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel called the £35 million signing of Youri Tielemans a summer transfer “steal,” praising his versatility and technical ability. With Newcastle resisting efforts to sell Lewis Hall, United have reportedly contacted Club Brugge about 21-year-old Belgian left-back Joaquin Seys, who could cost around £30 million. Arsenal and Aston Villa are also monitoring Seys, while United continue to assess their defensive and attacking needs before the transfer deadline.

Jose Mourinho initially agreed to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson as Manchester United manager in 2013, but reversed his decision after committing to return to Chelsea. Ferguson said Mourinho phoned him in tears to explain that he could not break his word. Manchester United subsequently appointed David Moyes, followed by Louis van Gaal, before Mourinho eventually took charge in 2016 and won the Europa League and League Cup. Mourinho says he does not regret choosing Chelsea, while the documentary and the article raise the question of whether United’s post-Ferguson decline might have been different had he accepted the role earlier.

Manchester United are urged to consider signing Inter Milan left-back Federico Dimarco, who has entered the final year of his contract. The 28-year-old is presented as a cheaper and more immediately effective alternative to Newcastle's £70 million-rated Lewis Hall, a longer-term target. Dimarco is coming off a standout season in which he won Serie A, set an assists record and was named the league's Most Valuable Player. The main concern is whether he could adapt from Inter's back-three system to Michael Carrick's more traditional four-man defence, but his technical quality and contract situation may make the opportunity too attractive to ignore.

FIFA says it will continue consulting member associations on creating FIFA Forward Enterprise, a commercial entity that could sell a minority stake to private investors, while insisting that football itself is not being sold. UEFA’s 55 associations have threatened to boycott FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, unless the proposal is withdrawn and FIFA guarantees that its governance and competitions will never be privately owned. CONCACAF and European and global leagues have also opposed the plan, amid concerns that commercial priorities could lead to larger, more frequent tournaments.

West Ham’s agreement to sell Crysencio Summerville to Al-Hilal for up to £68 million has stalled after the player paused the move, creating an opportunity for Manchester United and Roma to re-enter the race. Roma’s interest is being supported by Donyell Malen and Gian Piero Gasperini, though their financial package is far lower than Al-Hilal’s. Manchester United are still seeking a left-sided winger and could move quickly to secure the Netherlands international, whose World Cup performances heightened demand following West Ham’s relegation.