Football Daily - Will Alexander Isak leave Newcastle for Liverpool?

Episode Date: July 31, 2025

Aaron Paul is joined by the Telegraph’s Luke Edwards and Mark Ogden from ESPN to dissect the Alexander Isak transfer saga. Will he be a Liverpool player by the close of the window?Newcastle United insist Isak is not for sale and Luke Edwards believes losing him would start a worrying trend for the club.Benjamin Sesko’s destination seems to have a big bearing on that, but Mark Ogden says the RB Leipzig striker favours a move to Old Trafford.Meanwhile, with Tom Brady speaking out against Wayne Rooney’s management of Birmingham City in a new Amazon Prime documentary, does this signal the end of Rooney’s career as a manager?3’30: The latest on Alexander Isak’s future 6’56: Newcastle have been prepared for this transfer saga 10’00: ‘Some managers can lie, Eddie Howe can’t’ 12’50: Have Newcastle’s transfer dealings been a disaster? 16’07: ‘The striker market is now just people’s cast-offs’ 17;20: Why Newcastle losing Isak will start a trend 17’50: ‘Liverpool are like a fisherman waiting for a bite’ 22’00: Why are Manchester United after Benjamin Sesko? 25’35: Other areas Ruben Amorim needs to strengthen 27’00: Donnarumma to Old Trafford? 32’06: Wayne Rooney v Tom Brady

Hello and welcome to the Football Daily, today we'll bring you the latest on the Alexander Isak transfer saga and ask whether Benjamin Sheshko is heading to Tyneside or Old Trafford. We'll also take a look at Tom Brady's comments about Wayne Rooney ahead of the release of the new Birmingham City documentary. And we do it all in the company of ESPN's Mark Ogden and The Telegraph's Luke Edwards, who once again is without clothes. Luke, how are you pal? I want to explain that comment because it doesn't paint me in a good light. I just got back from a run because I was told we

were just doing it on audio and then you popped up on a video call and I, yes, I was topless at the time. I've now got clothes on. You did Five Life Breakfast in just your boxes I hear. Yeah, I did actually. Yeah, but that was early in the morning and everybody else is in bed so I just got up and did it. So it's in the morning and everybody else was in bed so I just got up and did it. So it's not something I'm in a habit of doing although the evidence is probably slightly to the contrary bearing in mind my last two appearances I've been a state of undress. Mark Ogden, fully clothed?

I'm fully clothed but traumatised Aaron by the thought of Luke doing this semi-naked but you know. Luke's Luke. We will issue a formal apology to all of the listeners. Just precursor the episode with that. Mark, when did your season end? Did the football reporters get a little break? Have you had a break? Well, so I've had a kind of a mini break

because I went all the way through to the Nations League final, Portugal against Spain and Munich and then I had, felt like about three days off and ended up at the Club World Cup. So I did two weeks in America, went to the final. So I'm now kind of in my post season. I've got a kind of a summer off like a Chelsea player basically. So on and off but on again. Luke, you're just back from Switzerland having watched the Lionesses victorious against Spain. Yeah, I mean that was great. I mean, you asked your question, do we get time off? We used to.

It has changed and Mark will probably agree with me on this. You did used to get sort of all of June off in football if there wasn't a major tournament because the summer sports took over, but it hasn't now and obviously I knew I'd be going out to Switzerland so I did have a little bit of time off in June but yeah the Euros were great I mean I'm still sort of scratching my head a little bit trying to work out how England managed to reach the final let alone win it because they seem to be on the verge of going out multiple times but it was another great tournament from the women's football team and multiple times, but it was another great tournament from the women's football team. And they are the most successful senior English football team we've ever had.

And it was, I hate the word, but it did feel like a privilege to be over there for the final. And I've seen them win two finals now and they're just such an impressive group, just resilience, determination, grit, all the characteristics you would want from any sort of England team really and they have it in abundance. So yeah, really enjoyed that and I'm actually on holiday now supposedly but agreed to do this. Well worth chucking in then that right now on the BBC iPlayer if you head over you can find the mini documentary Lionesses History Makers which charts the journey to victory at Euro 2025 for Serena Vigman's Lioness is

definitely worth a watch. Let's dive straight into the transfer market. Only one place to start. This is the one that's going to rumble on all summer, isn't it? Alexander Isak, will he leave St James' Park? Is he Anfield bound? Luke, what's the latest? Your end? I think the latest is that the situation really probably hasn't changed that much from a week ago. I agree with you. It is the transfer story of the summer. It's moving into saga territory. The interesting thing about it, Aaron, is that Alexandre Isak hasn't actually said

anything. He hasn't said he wants to leave. He hasn't said he's injured. He hasn't said he wants to go to Liverpool. He hasn't said he's unhappy. And this tends to be the way transfers work. We all know that he would like to leave and Liverpool are waiting in the wings ready to sign him but he to all extents and purposes has kept his his hands clean so I had a conversation with someone very senior at Newcastle yesterday but they rang me, I hasten to add because I'm not supposed to be working, but they rang me, I hasten to add, because I'm not supposed to be working, but they rang me just to keep me abreast of the situation. And it was the same, that Alexander is not for sale. How long that position holds, I do not know. I'm sure Mark has his own views on it. But that is the stance at the moment. Whether that's a negotiation position, I don't

know. But at the minute, there's no bid to consider and then the line, the official line coming out on Newcastle, certainly off the record, is that he's still not for sale. So Liverpool are going to have to make a bid at some point to put that to the test, I think. Mark, everyone wants to be in the know, they want to profess to be in the know. You go on social media, everyone's got varying reports and people they're talking to. And so I think it's only fair that I ask you what you know and what your view on the situation is. To be fair, I mean, I defer to Luke on everything Newcastle because Luke has got great contacts there, he's been doing the club for a long time. And, you know, Luke has maintained for a while that he doesn't think he's a could be sold and Newcastle are still a powerful club and they've got the finances to resist the Liverpool offer,

but we've all seen how transfers work. And I think what is significant to what Luke said, that Isak has said nothing, well, his silence speaks for himself, doesn't it? It shows you that he doesn't want to say, no, actually I'm committed to Newcastle. So he wants to go. My view is that Liverpool, when it came out a couple of weeks ago that Liverpool had inquired about ESAC, it wasn't a club brief or it wasn't a... It came out in a very clever way, in a strategic way, to kind of almost put pressure on ESAC to say, look, we're here waiting. Newcastle rejected it, but it was almost like,

right, Alexander, we've made our move now. He knows the situation and Liverpool still want him. They've got the money to do it. People will question, have they got the money to do it? They spent almost 300 million pounds, but there's lots of reasons why got the money to do it. People will question, have they got the money to do it? They spent almost 300 million pounds, but there's lots of reasons why Liverpool can afford to do it. Didn't spend a lot last year, brought money in last year,

they won the Premier League, they earned a lot of money from the Champions League, they're gonna sell Gowing Nunes more likely, they've sold Luis de Azo. Lots of reasons why Liverpool can afford to do it. And my view on these transfers is that it always seems to go in the player's favor. There's been very

few examples I can think of when I played and get his move and the one that jumps out to me straight away is Luis Suarez back in I think it was 2013. I often bid £1 over the £40 million release clause fee and Liverpool said no he's not going anywhere and they kept him but I think time changed. Harry Kane Mark he went AWOL at the start of preseason training. That's the first. Yeah. He'd upstate for another season. That's a more recent one. It does happen.

I think I think my point when Newcastle is and I have written this in the telegraph, but they sort of wargamed for this scenario for a long, long time. I think they knew it was coming and I think they've always had this idea or a battle plan if you like, that they would hold the line, they would dig in and resist and whatever happened, whatever tricks were used, whichever way people try to unsettle Alexander Isak, they would resist. Now I agree with you that it all depends on how badly does Alexander Isak want to behave now because he hasn't said no, he hasn't said he wants to stay at Newcastle, but he

hasn't actually said he wants to go either. So I think we're moving into the territory. So if he's desperate to go Luke, why is he training at rail Sausage? Dad? Then what's wrong with the Newcastle United training facility? It's another it's another little ploy isn't it's lovely another little attempt to I mean, you know, the rest of the squad are in South Korea, so most of the the training people will be there. I don't think it looks particularly good. I think it is another move towards or signaling, shall we say, that he wants to leave. It's a bit sultry. But you can also, I'll put it this way, if he stays, because I don't think that's beyond

the realms of possibility that he stays, what has he actually done? He's never said anything. He hasn't said he wants to leave. He went to Real Sociedad to train. Well, he can probably just say, I went there to get some sunshine on my face while the rest of the squad were away. So it is, all of these things are kind of plausible deniability. At the moment for me, he hasn't done enough to force Newcastle's hand. The question we are all waiting for in the next week, two weeks, is he actually going to come out and directly say, I want to go because I think if he doesn't, I think Newcastle will continue to resist. Mark, just on him training at Saucy Dad, what do you believe that to be? Do you believe

that someone in his head going, right, get out and away from the Newcastlele environment maybe he doesn't want to talk to people maybe he's avoiding people at the Newcastle training ground or in and around the city he doesn't want to be in and around a real passionate fan base who are gonna be down his throat every day saying Alexander stay stay stay with us on the tune maybe he's gone away for a reason. I know I mean it's a 30-man squad that's gone with Newcastle to the Far East, so will there be anybody to train with at Newcastle for a start? I mean coaches, players, being in Spain, a club he's familiar with, it probably isn't

the worst idea. You know that he'll be in an environment where he's happy, where he's able to train, where he's able to do the work. Like Luke says, get a bit of sun on his face. Little things like that make a difference. The alternative would be being pretty much on his own in Newcastle with all the noise and all the speculation. So I don't see it as a bad idea. At least he's training. I mean, that is a good thing because it does turn out where he stays at

Newcastle is keeping fit. So that is a good thing. But I just want to raise something with Luke, which I think is really interesting. Eddie Hale for me is a real straight guy, very honest. And I think his honesty and his straightforwardness is kind of giving an indication what he really feels on this trip to the Far East. He's been very open in saying that it's not up to me, it's up to the board what happens to Alexander Isak and I think Luke, you know as well as I do, some managers are really good liars and I've been in press conferences with managers that have been happy to lie, happy to deflect. I remember a classic case once with Alex Ferguson when the United signed Robin van Persie back in 2012.

The Man United club website had literally just put it on their website that United had put a bid in for van Persie. So we asked Ferguson maybe five minutes after this had happened and he said, no, no, we're not interested in van Persie. Not for us, not at all. I mean, he said, Alex, it's actually on your website and in this click of a finger, he completely changed. Yeah, he's a great player. We think he'd be good for us.

So, but Eddie Howe is too straight for that, and I think his public press conferences have given away that it sounds like he either doesn't think he's going to stay or he's telling the board, sort it out, because if he's going to go, let it get done now so we can get somebody in, i.e. Benjamin Shesco or whoever else is left by the time they decide what to do with ESAC. Yeah, I mean Eddie is notoriously sort of straight talker, he can't

really hide. I totally agree with you there and that's what he's like. It does remind me as well famous Rafa Benitez quote which was, football is a lie, which always resonates in a transfer window in particular. But I think to understand the dynamic at New Castle, I think Eddie was being very truthful there. I think this transfer has gone beyond his control. And I think he's actually happily deferring to the ownership. And that's Saudi Arabia's public investment fund, Yasser El Ramiya, I'm the chairman, and Jamie Rubin, the co owner, they are the two people above him, and I think they will ultimately be the ones who decide what happens. And Eddie will have to pick up the pieces either way. He'll either have to reintegrate an unhappy, unsettled player, or

somehow have to bring in the players or, you know, to replace him. It's an unenviable task for Eddie Howe at the moment. But I think when he said that in South Korea, Mark, I think he's just being honest, but I think he's saying it's up to the ownership. It's up to the ownership what they do. And I think we can't underestimate this is PIF. They're not used to, they're certainly not bullied in anything they do, in any dealings that they've had in business or in sport, and all the ventures that they've had in business or in sport and all the ventures that they've done and Saudi Arabia they've not been bullied and they've had things their own way now this is a big test of what and they can

they bring that same belligerence that same stubbornness and refusal to be bullied or cajoled into doing something they want to do can they actually bring that into football when you've got a player of Alexander Isak's reputation, quality, value, can they resist? And I think it's a big pressure point, it's a pinch moment for them to see whether they can hold the line. Okay, so Luke, looking at the bigger picture now,

what's PIF stance on the window on a whole and how Newcastle United have navigated this transfer window, Who's taking accountability for it? It's not sugarcoat anything and I'm sure they aren't doing. It's been basically a disaster. I mean I think they've gone for, I can name, you know, five or six of their top targets this summer have all ended up going elsewhere and I know we're going to talk about him in a minute but Benjamin Sesko is the latest. Newcastle have, you know, open talks with him. Tentative

talks admittedly and exploring a deal and that great buzzword of transfers now they're exploring a deal and then suddenly Manchester United come in just as Chelsea did for Pedro, just as Manchester United did from Wemboe Mo, just as Chelsea did for Jalap, the list goes on. So they're in a bit of a mess. It's been a disastrous window. If you think they're brought in Anthony Alanga from Nottingham Forest, I think that is a good signing. But they've known what they needed to do in this window,

not for six months, they've known it for over a year, if not two years. They also, questions need to be asked about how, do they need to get more involved? Do they need to be more hands-on because it has been an embarrassing window so far. Mark, this football club, I mean they've missed out on so many targets this this window. Why? What's going on? Is it a lack of money? I mean they're playing UA for Champions League football next season, if that's not a

draw what is? Yeah I mean the PSL situation isn for Champions League football next season. If that's not a draw, what is? Yeah, I mean, the PSL situation isn't as bad as it was. So Newcastle got more flexibility, but I mean, Luke's written off the names of players that have gone elsewhere. Chelsea are a very attractive proposition during the Club World Cup, also in the Champions League. It's a London club and over the years,

Newcastle have struggled to attract or keep players in the Northeast because it's so far from where the players want to be. Man United, despite the fact they're not in the Champions League, is still an attractive proposition for players because it's Man United. And we can mention James Trafford as well, the goalkeeper who left Burnley for Man City, but Man City had a matching clause on the deal that Newcastle offered £27 million to City who are obliged to match that,

and James Trafford chose City because he left there two years ago, he came through the ranks at City so you can kind of explain every signing they've missed out on. Look, they've got money to spend, they are an attractive proposition in the sense that they're Champions League but you do wonder what they're going to end up with because they have missed out on a lot of targets and if they do miss out on Benjamin Schaeske or Toman United I don't know who's left, I don't know who is left to play. There's no striker left are there Mark? He's like the last one, if you're talking again bring it back to ESAC. One thing letting ESAC go but not signing a replacement, so I would say if they miss out on CSGO again that probably reduces the chances of them allowing ESAC to leave.

Rightly or wrongly, whatever the player thinks, whatever his emotions are, who would they bring in that would be even comparable, not even quality, but potential. There's nobody left. It's that stage of the window. All the strikers have gone. Jo-Anne Rieser, does he make a dent into what they're looking for? As a Callum Wilson replacement, yeah. Yeah. I mean, that's what they want him for. They've lost Callum Wilson this summer as well. He's gone, so they already needed a striker to replace him. When you look at Pedro, they were looking at Eketike, they were looking for versatile forwards and the idea was to play them with Isak, but I guess in the back of their minds they'd have been thinking whether that was later this summer or next summer, which I think was more

likely the plan, they would have that successor in place. At the moment, they were under huge pressure. The market now is other people's cast-offs, isn't it? It's Darwin Nunes, it's Nicholas Jackson, it's, you know, Rasmus Hoyland. I mean, we're talking about players that have got no future at the clubs of their art. And I think that is the problem. I mean, the one player that's not been mentioned with a move this summer, but every summer is linked with a move, is Harry Kane. I just wonder whether, you know, that Alan Shearer's record,

the chance of being back in the Premier League having two years in Munich the World Cup end of the year whether the Man United or Newcastle if it if push came to shove I don't think he'd go to Man United, but I don't know Harry Kane and Newcastle Luke is that a goer? Definitely not. What would it be his wages? I mean the age would be the thing that concerns me. But if they get 150 million for ESAC, you know They would have flexibility and what a way to respond to a terrible transfer window. So look, we're really pulling out here. I think it's, you have to think left field options now, don't you, because Newcastle in that situation where

all the obvious ones have gone. But you know, that's where they're at. Yeah, and they are, you're scrambling around, you're scrambling around. Just make one final point on ESAC, I think, to go back to what I was saying about the ownership, it's the optics. The optics are if you lose Esac against your will with three years left on his contract when you didn't want to sell him, and then your problem you've got, if that happens this summer, what happens next summer with Sandro Tinali, Tino Liverimento, Anthony Gordon? It would start a trend, I think. I think that's the big fear at Newcastle. If they lose Esac now, and they've said he's not for sale for months, all summer,

they said they're gonna hold the line. If they suddenly buckle under player pressure and rival club pressure, what does that mean for the whole future of the project in terms of their elite players will suddenly look at it and go, well, if Alexander Esac can force his way out, then I can do the same. And that's what I mean by it being a pinch moment,

a pressure moment. It's a really, really important decision they've got to make, not just for this summer, but probably the future of the football club over the next two years. On the flip side, let's get the Liverpool perspective on it. Mark, they're sitting, they're just waiting, they feel like the fishermen waiting for a bite, don't they? Yeah, and I think these transfers don't happen out of nowhere. Liverpool are sitting there comfortable and confident that ESAC is going to be

their place because they probably know that he wants to join them. So, I mean, Liverpool are a very, very compelling proposition to any player. I mean, we have to say that they are one of the biggest clubs in the world, the Premier League champions right now, they are the place to be in the Premier League, so they will appeal to anybody. And if you're Alexander ESak, peak of your career, you know, you want to win trophies, you're playing the Champions League with Newcastle next season, but right now and in the immediate future, who's going to offer you the best chance of

winning the Champions League, the Premier League? It's Liverpool. And they are one of the historic clubs. So Liverpool are sat there knowing that they can get the deal done but like Luke said if Saudi Arabia or the PIF, their own Newcastle, want to play hardball they can do it but I think that when it comes around to it football clubs and everyone like a business and the manager and the fan might be emotional but the people who hold the purse strings are not emotional they'll think well if we can get 150 million pound for this player we paid what 60 million pound for him three years ago, we could spend that, we could reinvest that money in three or four top players.

So I think it will come down to a business decision. I think Liverpool probably know that. Interesting for me is that Liverpool play at St. James' Park, I think the 25th of August. So if there's a time scale in this, I'd be very surprised if it's done before then. Is this one of those ones that's going to ramble on to the last knockings of the window, in your opinion, Mark? I do think it probably will, I think. Unless Newcastle make a decision that they want to end this now and get him out and then get some players in.

But like I say, can you imagine him leaving for Liverpool before the season starts and having to play for Liverpool at St James' Park a week into the season? That's a top of bad optics. That is a really, really bad look for Newcastle. So I think it will probably drag on. But I think ultimately he'll go Liverpool, but he has to go to Liverpool with Newcastle having enough time to replace him. And, you know, if you just said the options aren't really there anymore.

Luke, what's going to happen? I still think there's a very, very good chance he stays. If Newcastle can get Sessco and Visser in and they get two strikers in, I think we all know the direction of travel then, don't we? We know that that is probably unlocking the door and he'll be waved off to Liverpool before the deadline shuts. If they can't find a replacement, I think they are effectively, if they let him go, I think they are blowing up their season.

They don't sign a replacement as well. They're blowing up their season on their return to the Champions League before it's even begun. I think it will cause the collapse of this entire team because I think the likes of Tonali, Livromento and Gordon will also then be off over the next year, two years. So I still think there's a good chance he stays, but it's all going to come down to is Alejandro Andres going to behave so badly that he effectively forces his way out? I think it could go either way, but I'm still fairly confident he'll end up staying in the top squad.

Get closer to the action with live commentary from the world's greatest sporting events on BBC Sounds. It is all over! Balls, cross edge, ball behind. Including cricket, Super League, Women's Euros 2025, Wimbledon, Formula One and much more. It's all lights to the lights, adding foot to the floor. Oh what a dunnit! Drop shot! Winner!

On five Sports Extra, Sports Extra 2 and Sports Extra 3. Listen, only on BBC Sound. The Football Daily Podcast with Aaron Paul. On to Manchester United. Ruben Amerin's rebuild at Old Trafford continues. He's brought some faces in already, but it's the attack that they continue to look to bolster. Benjamin Sheshko, the latest name linked with the Old Trafford club. Mark, just going to come to you straight on this one. I don't want to ask straight off is it going to happen. I want a bit

of build up to it. I want to know the ins and outs. Why him though? Well, a bit like Newcastle in a way that their priority targets have gone elsewhere. Liam DeLatte was the first one they looked at. He went to Chelsea. They had a look at Hugo Ekateke who ended up at Liverpool. So Victor Jokers was another one they looked at, but he went to Arsenal. So you know, Cesco is a player that they've looked at before. They looked at him, I think in January 2023 when he chose to go from RB Salzburg to RB

Leipzig, funnily enough, and they've monitored him ever since. So he's now the the next guy on the rank and he's got a good pedigree. They've decided that he's a better option than Oli Watkins. So Watkins is 29, you know, familiar with the Premier League, reliable, proven goalscorer, but United feel the fee and the age of Watkins is too high. Sesco, 22, don't know why in the Bundesliga, but there are doubts over Sesco,

because obviously a lot of clubs have looked at him and they haven't taken a punt. Arsenal were very keen, but they decided not to, Chelsea had looked. So United are going for a guy that is probably fourth on their list, but they're in a situation where they need to find a proven goal scorer,

because Rasmus Halan hasn't cut it. So CSCO is the guy that they're looking at that are aware of Newcastle's interest. But United are fairly confident that if they can get the funds in place, that I think Leipzig are looking at €75 million, then CSCO favours a move to Old Trafford. But it's not as simple as that because United have got to get the money. They've got to be at a pay-per-imend. Yeah, and Newcastle have always suspected that CSCO did favour a move to Manchester United as well.

So that all sorts of tallies. I think their interest was tentative because I think they had been led to believe earlier in the window that Manchester United were there and waiting and given the summer they've had. Previous to this point, I think they were probably quite reluctant to get involved. But I guess the ESAC situation has forced them to get involved. But I think privately they've always suspected that he would go to Manchester United this summer. I mean he was the leading scorer under the age of 23 in Europe, well he has been since August 2023, 39 goals since then, which is a great return. He tops that chart, Rasmus

Hoylen by the way, on 26th. Do they need someone with potential or do they need someone who's ready, who's played Premier League football? I mean you see they've brought in Brian Mbembo. Is Olly Watkins the person they actually need in their front line just to give them that bit more assurance and that meant more solidity this year? My view is yes. The United over the recent years have taken so many gambles on young players. Hoylan being one, Joshua Xerxie being another one. They had a very, very young strike force last year and it showed that they could barely

score a goal. But it's a dilemma, isn't it? You go for a guy that, like I say, is 29, you'd probably get a season, maybe two seasons out of him. If you had a good season actually early Watkins and gets United back in the Champions League, it pays for the investment. But I think United's view is that they would rather play the long game.

They've signed two players in the mid twenties in Cunin and Bumo. That Sessco, I think people are worried that it could be another Razz with Hoyland. But I think Sessco's probably a bit more developed. He's had a bit more time in the top league than Hoyland. Hoyland basically had a season at Atalanta. Whereas Sessco's had a couple of years in the Bundes league than Highland. Highland basically had a season at Atalanta, whereas, Cesco's had a couple years in the Bundesliga,

had Champions League experience when he was playing for Salzburg. So, it's a better option, but to answer your question, I think United, what they need is a proven, seasoned goal scorer, but their view is that the investment in Cesco is a better, more sensible long-term option, but you need to win tomorrow and today rather than in the long-term.

Certainly in Man United, they can't keep taking punts for four or five years down the line, they have to start winning now. Do they need to focus on the back line or potentially in goal, Luke, rather than a forward? I think if you went through a highlights package of last season, I think you'd certainly be looking at a new goalkeeper.

I don't think Anand is particularly convinced the whole time he's been there. Marks is a lot more of them in the flesh than I do but I don't think he's a good enough goalkeeper to be at Manchester United and where Manchester United aspire to be. But the major problem last season for all Ananas gaffes and errors and costly mistakes and the amount of games he cost them you would still say that it was their attack probably that was the major weakness because they couldn't score a goal so I can see why they want a new a new number nine and I can see the arguments for

both I sort of agree with with with Mark I think Ollie Watkins would be better because I think I sort of disagree with it I agree with him but I think Ollie Watkins would be better. Cause I think I sort of disagree with him. I agree with him, but I think you'll get two or three years out of Watkins and you know he's a proven Premier League goal scorer. You just don't know with CSCO, but I think there's this idea, isn't there at Manchester United that all clubs want it. They want to sign young players who grow together as a team.

And that seems to be the route they want to go down. The defence, I actually think the defence is okay. I think the goalkeeper is a problem, but I think they had so many problems. Manchester United last season, you can kind of take your pick as to which one they want to address. It looks like they want to do the front line first. There's interest in Donnarumme at PSG. PSG have either about to sign or have signed Lucas Chevalier, the up and coming young goalkeeper. So it means that Donnarumma is going to be number two.

I do wonder whether it's a little bit of agent, you know, driven, but Donnarumma to Man United will be a sensational move, despite the fact that, you know, with his feet he's not the best in the world, but certainly he will be a massive upgrade on Andrea Narnar. And the number two, Althea Bounde,a Bandier. I think if you saw him at St. James' last year, their first two goalkeepers are probably the two weakest in the Premier League, one of the worst first choices and the one of the worst second choice. So they need to address that situation. But for me, and it's been overlooked so far by United I believe, is the midfield because they haven't got a midfield who can run. You know, Casemiro can't run, Cobb E'Main is not a great

athlete, Manuel Aguarte can't run. So they need to find somebody who can be... I don't want to take them to play from Newcastle, but Bruno Guimara is that sort of player who can get box to box, who can tackle, who can pass, who's young and energetic. Do they have a budget for that though? Right now? No, absolutely not. With players on the periphery like Anthony Garnaccio, Sancho, Malassia, the way they've handled the PR nature of trying to get these players off their books. It's just not a very tantalising prospect for clubs who are looking to get deals done with them. Actually on the flip side it is because they can go and hold them to ransom, surely. It's just a very strange way of doing things.

I think when I said risk being left with a lot of players at the end of the window that they're going to have to get rid of very cheaply because nobody else wants them all. They've been left in a situation where they're desperate to get money. There's four players you mentioned there. I can see them all being the final week of August, the final days of August. And United just basically shaking the tins saying, give us something for these guys. It just shows you how badly it's been run, doesn't it? And we, I know we sort of, we say it all the time, but they've wasted so much money. It's not like Manchester United haven't spent money,

they've just wasted a huge amount and they pay huge wages out to these players. And then Amerem, you can question the way he handled it is why the way he made it clear those players weren't wanted anymore. That's very rare, Mark, isn't it, to happen in football. The manager basically says, I don't want these players, they're not part of my plans and he says that in May June and then suddenly as you say you get to the start of August and they've still not gone

anywhere and nobody really wants them because because the one if they do go they'll be subsidising their wages as well so it just it just continues and continues. You know Liverpool can get 65 million for Lewis Day, Chelsea can get 44 million for Gio Felix, which is amazing. Man United are struggling to get anything for the players. Alandog and Achey you'd think has got some sort of resale value but clubs don't want to know. Notoriously Mark, over the past, since Alex Ferguson retired, I think they've only made profit on two players. It may be two, it may be three. Well that's because he spent so much to buy him in the first place. But yeah, I mean, listen, Edward Wood, Richard Arnold, a lot of these people over the years

have got a lot to answer for with Man United. They live the dream, as Peter Ridsdale once said at Leeds, and United are now paying the consequence for it really. What's progress for Ruben Amorim and how much pressure do you think you'll be under to deliver, you could say Champions League football, European football? Progress? Well, considering they finished 15th last season, listen, it's Man United so let's not say they need to get in the top 10. Man United need to finish in the Champions League next season. They cannot get away from that.

They can't have a gradual kind of return to where they were. And you know, they've got a very kind of quiet fixture list. There's no midweek games you have to worry about. So with a good run and the right couple of signs, they could, I think, finish top six. That'll be hard because they were so bad last year, but we could only take pre as a kind of a guide so far they looked okay in preseason it's a lot fitter but yeah Amriem has got a tough start and he'll be under big pressure he'll be you know ten games in if they're 12 and 13th and not showing signs of you know playing to his system which he was adamant that he's not going to

change then that could bring him down that the system could be the one that brings him down the end with the results because he's not flexible enough, but he's under big pressure, but I think to have a good season, actually, United needs to be top six at least. I think progress will be the bus not talking about him losing his job in October at the moment, and that's how bad things are.

I think they've done, I like the signings they've made. I like Cunha and Imbuemo. I think they will definitely improve them. But like Mark has alluded to there, it's not just being flexible with the system that is a problem as well, but it's the fact that he's just starting under pressure. I mean, everybody is sort of waiting to see whether he fails and I think they need to get off to a good start certainly. And then I think pushing, they'll be expected to push for the European places, but that is a big leap from 15th to even pushing sort of top eight, isn't it? So huge job and then I think pushing, they'll be expected to push for the European places but that is a big leap from 15th to even pushing sort of top eight isn't it so huge job and then they need,

like we just said to go back to the top of this segment, they need a new goalkeeper and they need a new centre forward I think to get anywhere near top eight. Let's push on and talk about Birmingham City of course back in the championship this year. Now in a new Amazon Prime documentary series due to air on Friday, minority owner and NFL legend Tom Brady is seen questioning Wayne Rooney's management of the club back in November 2023. Brady's quoted as saying, I'm a little worried about our head coach's work ethic before adding, I mean, I don't know. I don't have great instincts on that. This is gonna be entertaining Luke. Sounds like one of my end of year reports from work. A bit worried about Luke's work ethic.

So yeah, I mean, it will be entertaining. Does it show? I mean, we're so used to football and Mark and I will probably, our hackles will have slightly raised there. An owner sort of questioning the work ethic of a manager. I can seem to remember Sunderland's owner doing that to Roy Keane. You do get that where a lot of a lot of owners new to football will start interfering. Is that a sign that these owners are interfering?

Does it does it show that Tom Brady's interfering? Look, everything's gone so well for Birmingham, isn't it? That nobody's going to be questioning it at the moment because they've been on this meteoric rise and upward trajectory and they've just enjoyed an absolutely wonderful season and looking good-shaped to do well in the championship as well. But I think Wayne Rooney's reputation never really recovered, did it, from that short stint at Birmingham.

And this feels a little bit like kicking him when he's down. Mark, will you be getting the popcorn out, watching this, binging it? I might do, because I think the Tom Brady stuff is really interesting. I kind of disagree with Luke a little bit. Obviously owners shouldn't really interfere, but Tom Brady's got the credentials.

He's a supreme athlete who's had great success because of his dedication and his work ethic on the training pitch. So I think he's qualified to assess whether, you know, Wayne Rooney's not meeting the standards that he would have expected. And I think if you're a Birmingham fan, I'd be quite happy about this because it shows that at least somebody at the club has got the idea to aim high and be very demanding.

But, you know, Wayne's work ethic, who knows? But I think you're only judging by his managerial record. He's had four jobs now and each one has ended, you know, in the sack basically. Well, certainly two of them have, the last two have, and, you know, DC United didn't go great. Derby was a problem because they had the administration. He's not had a great run as a manager. So whether his work ethic is right or not, he's certainly not delivered

the results wherever he's been. So a manager can only be judged on his results and Wayne Rue and his results haven't been good enough anywhere near good enough. Just pick up on that on crossover though sports says what about Dave Brailsford at Manchester United? Has he had a great impact because he did well at cycling once? Yeah he was an athlete was he? He was a guy that had the clipboard and the pen so I'm kind of giving Tom Brady more credit than Dave Brailsford. Talking about cross code, I mean the stories I hear from what I also gailed, tales of the Clyde Woodward era at Southampton by Danny Higginbottom when I was in the USA and they

were hilarious to hear. It's quite funny to see people cross over. But I mean look, Mark, this new era of all access ownership, is it good for football? Every other day there's a new documentary out. Well the good ones are. I mean, Sunderland probably have mixed feelings about their Sunderland till I die documentary, but because it kind of chronicled the downslide of the club, but it creates a lot of interest in the US for them, so they've become much bigger brand on the back of it. You know, I'm quite relaxed about it. You know, let's not take it too seriously. Football is an

entertainment at the end of the day. And if people get a little bit precious about a camera being up their nose, then that's on them. I think it's good entertainment. I think some of them have been a little bit polished. I think some have been a bit fake. But the best ones are the ones that give you real access and a real kind of insight into what goes on. So, no, I'm all for them. I think they're great because they do give fans an insight and it takes a bit of the pretentiousness away of some people in football. Wayne Rooney, Don, as a manager in your opinion? Yes. Yeah, I think you only get two failures really, three at most. As a young manager, I think he's certainly failed twice now, hasn't he? And I think particularly that Birmingham,

just how short it was and how disastrous it was going in there. I think that probably has tarnished his reputation. And I think by the looks of things, he's launching a successful media career now, isn't he? And I think he could be a very, very, has the potential to be a very, very good pundit, but he's had a good try at management. He's given it a go and he's not been not being scared to take unfashionable jobs either going down to Plymouth, taking over at Derby when he did. He's given it a good go, but it just doesn't look like he's cut out for it, I'm afraid. I'm quite looking forward to watching this Birmingham City documentary and hearing more from Tom Brady. Thank you, Luke. Thank you, Mark. That's it for this episode of the Football Daily. On the next one John Murray, Ian Dennis and Ali Bruce Bull will be back again bringing you the best moments

from the commentators view. We'll see you then. Hello Chris Jones here from Rugby Union Weekly. We're all over the Lions Tour of Australia. Pre-match podcast, post-match podcast, on the whistle podcast from all the Lions matches down under. We also have a special Lions Top 10 series with two greats of Lions rugby, Matt Dawson and Jamie Roberts. And we've been ranking everything from icons to controversies. We've got moments, tours, tries. Tries.

You're in the controversies, Matt. Right at the top. Jamie, you're in the controversies too. Indirectly. Indirectly, not your fault. It is all there. Two men who have been there, done it and won it on a Lions Tour. Get it now, Lions Top 10s on Rugby Union Weekly on BBC Sounds.