Talk of the Devils: The Athletic FC's Manchester United show

We're back! Alright, we're still scattered across the globe on World Cup duty and the much more important matter of a summer holiday. But, we are podcasting and there is some news to get through...A new Old Trafford may be one step closer with reports that Manchester United have acquired an important plot of land. However, there is still a long way to go and with the club's debt in the news again it's that same old question... how will it be funded?Manchester is so hot right now... literally. But the hottest takes are reserved for transfer news, of course. Is West Ham's Mateus Fernandes, now courted by Spurs, the man to bolster United's midfield? Let's hope his national teammate and namesake Bruno is putting in a good word.

Zidane Iqbal has been on a journey; that's a cliche, of course, but in this case it's also literally true... and there are more air miles incoming.The Manchester United academy graduate was raised by a Pakistani father and Iraqi mother just a stone's throw from Old Trafford. He became the first British-born South Asian to represent the club when selected as a substitute in a Champions League fixture in Switzerland.Now playing for Utrecht in the dutch Eredivisie he has also adopted his mother's country of origin as his own, helping them through Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, even scoring himself in the Philippines. Iraq will be in a "group of death" with Norway, Senegal, and France in the US & Canada having qualified by beating Bolivia in a play-off in Mexico.Where next on this footballing odyssey? The Premier League?

As Talk of the Devils heads toward our well-earned end of season break (albeit we've one more fun treat for you before we do), it's time for us to take a look at the 2026 World Cup.Man United players would usually be headline acts but this renewal, hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the USA, looks a little different. There's plenty of interest, of course, but it's unclear how central the club's players will be to their national teams beyond Bruno Fernandes and one or two others.Will Kobbie Mainoo force his way into the England XI again? Can Mazraoui's Morocco outdo their 2022 semi-final? We look at every group through an MUFC lens before picking teams in a draft game we'll be tracking throughout the tournament.

The dust is settling on another Premier League campaign and, as the summer solstice looms on the horizon, it's time for our annual end of season awards.It's a much happier, therefore considerably less tongue-in-cheek, set of awards than this time last year as we decide the player of the year (who's not the marvellous captain bruno) and the best first-season United player.We also choose our favourite from a pretty healthy selection of United goals as well as the best moment not involving a goal. There are no prizes for picking out our favourite podcast guest, but plenty of smackdown for our (very) bad takes revisited.

It's the last Q&A of the season (or the first of the new one, depending on how you look at it). Either way, it's a whopper, with a massive influx of questions.Mixed fortunes for Manchester United players past/present/on loan/future(?) when it comes to World Cup call-ups. We discuss the merits of Harry Maguire's omission by Thomas Tuchel, and whether Anthony Gordon's Barcelona move will skupper Marcus Rashford's hopes.Ederson looks like he might become United's first midfield signing; what do the lads know of him, more than even they thought... how might the Brazilian fit in to Carrick's plans for next season? And what are those plans? And, of course, the heated question of former players criticising the current team. Do they go too far?Once again, please click here and provide feedback to the TotD team.

Michael Carrick was appointed as Manchester United's permanent head coach before the final game of the 2025/26 Premier League season and he will start his two-year contract off the back of a comfortable three-nil win on a beautiful day in Brighton.Bruno Fernandes was once again mobbed by his teammates after his corner was headed strongly home by Patrick Dorgu; he has now made the Premier League assist record his own with 21 for the season. The skipper would go on to score in the game as well with Bryan Mbeumo having finished a slick passing move on a day where everything went right.There were also appearances from the bench for academy players Tyler Fletcher and Shea Lacey, a more positive showing from Mason Mount alongside Kobbie Mainoo, and Luke Shaw completed an entire season of Premier League starts, one of only five players to achieve the feat.To provide feedback on our end of season survey please click here.