The latest episode of The Devils' Advocate has landed.
Gaz Drinkwater and Joe McGrath from BBC Radio Manchester discuss Sunday's defeat by Crystal Palace, and the departure of Marcus Rashford.
Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds
Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesWhen 17-year-old Harry Amass caught the eye on Manchester United's pre-season tour of the United States, it seemed the youngster might be catapulted into the first-team squad.
As it turned out, Erik ten Hag did not feel Amass was physically strong enough and that position has not changed under Ruben Amorim.
There was some talk Amass might be loaned out before the window closed, but I have now been told that will not be happening and the England Under-18 international will remain in United's academy.
Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesManchester United unveiled two defenders at Old Trafford on Sunday in Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven, and another who was expected to leave Old Trafford remains - for now - in Tyrell Malacia.
Those players may be needed even more now as Lisandro Martinez looks set for an extended spell on the sidelines after being carried off on a stretcher in tears during the defeat by Crystal Palace.
Martinez appeared to jar his knee as he tried to turn and went down in agony.
Head coach Ruben Amorim said he thought the damage was "serious" but we have not have any further communication from Old Trafford since.
Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesManchester City are yet to reach agreement with Porto over Spain Under-21 midfielder Nico Gonzalez.
Pep Guardiola would like to bring Gonzalez to Etihad Stadium as he tries to find adequate cover for Rodri, who is unlikely to play in the Premier League for the rest of the season.
However, they cannot agree over the price and until that changes, it will not happen.
There is also interest in Douglas Luiz, who had two years with City but never played a game for the club as he spent both seasons in Spain with Girona.
But again, City and Juventus cannot agree over the structure of any loan move for the former Aston Villa midfielder.
Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesIt was never plain sailing for Marcus Rashford at Manchester United.
A succession of managers have felt at times they were not getting the most out of a player with blinding speed, excellent balance and an eye for goal.
For the 2022-23 season, the first under Ten Hag, Rashford was diligent, going to the United States for personal sessions to ensure he was ready to go when the real preparations began.
The reward was a career-high 30 goals. It is a strike-rate no-one else in the United squad can match and is the chief reason why representatives spent time visiting some of European football's biggest clubs - Barcelona, AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund - gauging interest and trying to work out what kind of a deal was possible before the transfer window closed.
But was the goals output confirmation of Rashford's talent or the exception amid more mediocre returns in recent times?
The season before, he found the net twice in his final 28 appearances. Since August 2023, he has scored 15 in total. The drop-off is alarming. Even sources close to the 27-year-old accept he is not playing well.
However, despite missing the past 11 games, he is still United's joint-fourth highest scorer this season with seven, the same as £72m signing Hojlund, who has played four more games.
Only Amad Diallo (six), Bruno Fernandes (five) and Hojlund (four) have scored more goals under Amorim than Rashford (three), who has only been on the pitch in 35% of the new head coach's games at United.
United's record goalscorer Wayne Rooney has told Rashford in private he should leave. It is an observation he offered to a wider audience on The Overlap podcast.
"I've spoken to Marcus a couple of times," he said. "I've given him my thoughts. I've said: You need to leave the football club.
"I went into Carrington to take my kids to game day and Marcus was out on the training pitch with the fitness coach, right over towards where the parents were walking past for the kids' games. I remember looking at him thinking: How embarrassing is it that the parents are walking past?"
Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesManchester City have not suffered a Premier League defeat bigger than the one inflicted on them at Emirates Stadium on Sunday other than in the pre-Sheikh Mansour days, when they were hammered 8-1 at Middlesbrough in 2008.
The 5-1 loss at Arsenal will have sharpened minds about bringing in midfield reinforcements as City have been unable to plug the gap created by Rodri's major knee injury.
It seems Porto's former Barcelona midfielder Nico Gonzalez is the player that has been identified.
City have already spent £130m on new players this transfer window. It seems their recruitment campaign might not be over.
Image source, Getty ImagesWe asked for your views on Marcus Rashford leaving for Aston Villa on an initial loan with an option to buy at the end of the season.
Here are some of your comments:
Keith: Good for you, Marcus. Would love to have you back but wish you all the best whatever you decide.
Deepak: Sorry, but this is best for him and the teams involved. In front of our eyes, this sensitive sportsman of the highest calibre suffered year on year due to poor leadership, poor support and dressing room negativities. No doubt he was very well remunerated but on the pitch his full potential was not realised and he did not become focal point in the squad as he became known for a massive social cause. He needed a mentor such as Sir Alex Ferguson. It is a lesson for United's academy and for the larger organisation.
Tony: Rashford has gone downhill since he was given that massive contract and MBE. I wish him luck but feel United are best rid of him. He should have been offloaded 18 months ago.
John: Rashford is the essence of a Manchester United player - a local boy who has actually made a positive contribution. With proper support he could be even better. Amorim is a disaster. He has done nothing for United and isn't fit to clean Rashford's boots. My only consolation is that his reign is likely to be short. I just hope that the next manager doesn't have to fight to get back in the Premier League.
Dave: Hopefully this sends a clear message out to others with egos, poor work-ethic and and poor agent management. No player is bigger than the club. Time to give the young and fearless academy an opportunity to impress up front now!
Andrew: Rashford has had two seasons of note - his breakthrough and one a couple of seasons ago. Apart from that he's been disappointing. He was often better for England than he was for United.
Gareth: Good luck, Marcus. I hope it works out for you. Some things just come to an end. Thanks for the goals, the memories and your contribution to our amazing football club and the UK community.
Simon: I feel sad that a player who has been at the club for 20 years has been so quickly removed. At 27 years old it is too late to talk about potential, but when Rashford is playing at his best he is unstoppable. A shame that the new management couldn't find a way to work with him. Proven goalscorer gone when we are not scoring goals...
Alex Brotherton
BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty ImagesVersatile is the adjective that best describes Patrick Dorgu, though that is not meant to undermine his qualities.
The left-footed Dane has played at left-back, right-back, left wing and right wing in Serie A this season, all to a good standard.
"He can really play pretty much anywhere - he's very versatile," says Nima Tavallaey, Italian football journalist and co-host of The Italian Football Podcast. "Some people compare him to Gareth Bale, but they are quite different. He's much more versatile than Bale was."
Physicality and work-rate are Dorgu's standout qualities. He is a relentless runner who likes to take on opponents on both the inside and outside, just like his favourite full-backs, external Alphonso Davies and Theo Hernandez.
"He's a surprisingly good finisher - he drives the ball well," added Karsten Krogh, Serie A journalist at Danish podcast Mediano. "He's not really quick but because he's so strong, he's very good at shrugging people off."
As ought to be expected for a young player, there are weaknesses to his game, mainly defensive.
Dorgu is not the greatest one-on-one defender in the world. At times this season, he has struggled against opposition wingers - he has a 51.1% success rate when attempting to tackle dribblers (FBref).
Then there is the fact that Dorgu has hardly played as a wing-back before, the position Ruben Amorim is expected to deploy him in.
United do appear to be taking a gamble, but Dorgu is young enough for Amorim to mould into the kind of wing-back he requires. If Dorgu can handle the pressure and is afforded patience, then United could have a wing-back for the long term.
Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesThis promises to be a fascinating day at Manchester United.
On the one hand, there is word out of Old Trafford that this might be a quiet day. As Ruben Amorim has said, the club do not want to make the mistakes of the past - and there have been plenty.
On the other, United are 13th and, with the squad as it is, it is difficult to see even a top-half finish - in a season where eighth might get you into Europe.
So can they afford to spend? Or can they afford not to?
Image source, Getty ImagesFormer England internationals Theo Walcott and Danny Murphy gave their views on Marcus Rashford's loan move to Aston Villa on Sunday's episode of Match of the Day 2.
Walcott: "He's now got a very intense manager who hopefully will bring the best out of him, and he's in an environment where he's got a few England team-mates as well.
"This is now or never really for Marcus Rashford. But we want to see him enjoying his football again.
"It's a great signing for Villa, it just gives them that other option. They're a team playing with confidence as well, which will help him. He needs to get back to fitness because he's not played for a period of time."
Murphy: "It's a good move for him. Unai Emery's strength is improving players and the improvement he's made on some of those Villa players who were there before he got there is incredible.
"It's a wonderful opportunity for him and I just hope he grasps it."
We asked you what would ensure you are satisfied this deadline day.
Here are some of your comments:
Mason: We need a good, attacking striker who actually knows what to do with the ball within the final third. Someone who can track back at times with a good bit of pace.
Aaron: As a minimum, we need to keep Alejandro Garnacho. We keep selling young players under their value and buying in overpriced poor performers instead of swallowing the fact we're a mid-table side that are developing youngsters for the future.
Adam: United need a dogged winger who can zip up and down, chase every ball, and not be afraid to get stuck into goal-saving challenges. But also someone who has no fear to take defenders on at the other end and whip in enticing crosses for the likes of Rasmus Hojlund to get on to. Someone that fights for the cause; hungry to play and win at all costs. Is it too early to use that buy-back clause for Facundo Pellistri?!
Mike: Now Patrick Dorgu is confirmed, we have to target a striker who can be a nuisance in the box, as our scoring record from set-pieces is shocking.
Howard: We need someone up front who can score goals. I am hoping by the club releasing Marcus Rashford will clear space for a striker. Viktor Gyokeres would be good, but maybe only possible in the summer. It would be good to clear out a few players too eg. Casemiro and Victor Lindelof.
Musa: We have done everything that we can, considering our financial situation. We've offloaded Rashford, brought in Dorgu and Ayden Heaven, and sent a couple of the academy lads on loan - so it has been a good transfer window. Maybe the only request I would have is to try to seal a loan move for Tyrell Malacia, as he won't be getting any game time soon with Dorgu coming in.
We asked you what would ensure you are satisfied this deadline day.
Here are some of your comments:
Jeff: It seems that Andrea Cambiaso has been identified as our new right-back and we desperately need one. I feel sorry for Matheus Nunes, a midfielder by trade, playing right-back one week and left wing another. We don't need a midfielder, we just need to play Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Nunes in their natural positions.
Dazinho: I still think we need a right-back and a defensive midfielder. If we don't fill those positions, then we will always be vulnerable to attack. Douglas Luiz on loan and Ola Aina I like. But they probably won't happen now until the summer.
Brian: City must attempt to deliver a last-minute transfer surprise to buy a pacey holding midfielder. This would be the icing on the cake and complete an excellent January transfer window. January transfers are proving better now for clubs as teams re-position and re-profile for the remainder of the season.
It's the last day of the winter transfer window and Premier League clubs have until 23:00 GMT to complete their business.
We'll bring you all the news, views, twists and turns as the clock ticks down to deadline.
France forward Mathys Tel, 19, wants to join Manchester United but negotiations with Bayern Munich have collapsed at present, with the Bundesliga club keen for the inclusion of an obligation to buy or a permanent transfer. (Sky Germany, external)
Chelsea and France striker Christopher Nkunku, 27, is another option for United on deadline day. (ESPN, external)
Meanwhile, Manchester United have entered the race to sign Ipswich and England Under-21 striker Liam Delap, who has also been linked with a move to Tottenham. (Express, external)
Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full deadline day gossip column
Highlights and analysis from Sunday's three Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from the rest of the weekend.
If you missed Match of the Day 2, catch up now on BBC iPlayer.
And you can watch Saturday's Match of the Day here.
Listen back to the weekend's full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:
