A new episode of The Devils' Advocate is available to listen to and download now on BBC Sounds.
Gaz Drinkwater and Joe McGrath discuss United's time so far in the USA and celebrate England's Euro 2025 win with The Athletic's Cerys Jones.
Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesManchester United youngster Sam Mather is likely to look abroad for a loan move this season.
Mather, 20, signed a new contract with United last summer after being part of their pre-season tour to the United States.
However, he was overlooked for this summer's trip by head coach Ruben Amorim and, given the position he is most suited to is as a number 10, Mather knows his path to the first team is blocked.
That means the Salford-born player will almost certainly go out on another loan this season.
However, he wants to avoid a repeat of last season, when he went to Tranmere in January but only made two brief substitute appearances the following month.
It is felt, at his age, Mather's technical abilities make him more suited to playing abroad than in the EFL, with the potential for a permanent deal likely to be part of any arrangement.
Manchester United have entered the race for Paris St-Germain and France forward Randal Kolo Muani, 26, who is a top target for Juventus. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian), external
Meanwhile, United, Newcastle and Tottenham will battle it out for Serbia and Al-Hilal striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, 30. (Caught Offside), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column
Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter at the MetLife Stadium
Image source, Getty ImagesThere were a couple of moments in the first-half of last night's game against West Ham which summed up Rasmus Hojlund.
In the first, he showed strength, speed and aggression to get himself into a shooting position and smashed a shot against the outside of the post.
The second was far easier but he ballooned the effort over the bar, much to the frustration of head coach Ruben Amorim.
With rumours around Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins in particular refusing to die down, United face a stark choice.
Do they risk heading into the meat of the season with Hojlund as their number one striker, knowing Joshua Zirkzee and 18-year-old Chido Obi are the back ups if Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha are used as number 10s?
Or, do they head back into the transfer market and try to prise Watkins out of Villa – or Jean Philippe Mateta from Crystal Palace, although the chatter around him is nowhere near as strong - or abandon their policy of recruiting from the Premier League to get someone else?
There is certainly something about Hojlund – probably not £72m-worth, which is what United paid for him – but it is easy to see him scoring goals on a regular basis if he was fully confident.
But can Amorim afford to wait?
Image source, Getty ImagesManchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt says pre-season wins can "build confidence" for upcoming campaign.
The Red Devils came out 2-1 winners over West Ham United in their opening game of the Premier League Summer Series in the United States on Saturday, with captain Bruno Fernandes netting twice.
This preparation for the new campaign is the first time boss Ruben Amorim has had the chance to have a pre-season with the team after arriving in November.
Speaking after the game at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, De Ligt said: "It's been good [having pre-season with Amorim]. We train a lot, we train hard. Today you saw also what kind of intensity we can bring.
"I think we're still at the beginning. We have a lot more potential to show in that aspect, but I think for today it was good intensity and a good performance.
"Last season was not good enough, we know that, and now we have to find a way to improve. I think we've made some good signings already. You saw already Matheus [Cunha], he can bring a lot to the team.
"I like the mentality of us today, high pressing, a lot of intensity."
After just 11 league wins and a 15th-place finish, 2024-25 was regarded as the club's worst campaign since the 1973-74 relegation season and Amorim and his players will know they need to do better this time around.
"After a season like that, it's normal to have to build your confidence," De Ligt added. "That's why I think a win like today is really important. I think with winning, you become more confident. You start to believe more in what you're doing.
"[This win] was a good example of what we can show, and hopefully with this the group becomes even better."
Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter at the MetLife Stadium
Image source, Getty ImagesBournemouth manager Andoni Iraola and Everton counterpart David Moyes had a bit of a grumble about the state of the pitch at the MetLife Stadium on Saturday night.
This follows on from complaints during the recent Club World Cup.
It is not ideal given the venue will host the World Cup final in 12 months' time.
The good news is, it won't be the same pitch. In fact, the surface used last night for the double-header which also saw Manchester United beat West Ham was a different one to the Club World Cup.
This pitch was laid at the beginning of the week after three shows by country music star Zach Bryan and will be taken up this week in time for WWE's Summer Slam on Saturday and Sunday.
The pitch will be taken to a local farm where it will be used to make compost soil.
Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter at the MetLife Stadium
Image source, Getty ImagesManchester United manager Ruben Amorim is confident skipper Bruno Fernandes will get the help he needs at Old Trafford this season.
Far too often last campaign, Fernandes - who was deservedly named the club's player of the year - was alone in carrying United's attacking threat.
At the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Saturday, it was tempting to think nothing had changed as he scored both goals in his side's 2-1 win over West Ham in their first Premier League Summer Series outing.
But there was a subtle change.
Matheus Cunha was also demanding the ball and trying to threaten the Hammers goal. When he is fully fit and ready to join his new team-mates during a game, Amorim believes £65m new-boy Bryan Mbeumo will do the same.
"He will have more help this season," said Amorim.
"It's impossible to play all the positions. Last year I felt sometimes I pushed him back to have more possession in the build-up and then we missed Bruno near the box.
"Cunha and Bryan have different characteristics."
It was Amorim's predecessor Erik ten Hag who launched a fierce defence of Fernandes when his role as captain was questioned after his emotional response during the infamous 7-0 hammering at Liverpool in March 2023.
The 30-year-old's critics believe the flaws in his character remain.
However, Amorim shares the same view as Ten Hag - that Fernandes is a true leader.
"He's our leader, not just on the field, but also off it," United boss said.
"He leads by example. He works really hard and is always available. Sometimes he plays with pain.
"The problem is sometimes he gets frustrated and loses the focus on his job a little bit.
"Sometimes he wants to help his team-mates so much but it's not the best thing to do.
"They have to learn and they have to do their job. Bruno has to wait for the ball."
Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesBruno Fernandes underlined his importance to Manchester United by scoring twice as they opened their US pre-season tour with a 2-1 victory over West Ham at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
United have spent more than £120m on attacking players this summer in Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo but it was their captain who proved the difference, punishing two errors by Hammers goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.
Fernandes scored a fifth-minute penalty and added his second just after half-time from outside the box.
Jarrod Bowen pulled one back in the 63rd minute and United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir then made an excellent save to deny the West Ham captain in injury time but Ruben Amorim's side secured victory in their opening match of the four-team Premier League Summer Series.
Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter in Chicago
Image source, Getty ImagesManchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has labelled left-back Luke Shaw "world-class".
After two injury-plagued seasons, Shaw looks fit heading into the 2025-26 campaign. That could be crucial over the next few weeks, as the 30-year-old is expected to fill the left central defensive berth while World Cup winner Lisandro Martinez continues his recovery from major knee surgery.
Many United fans found it hugely frustrating that Shaw's only start in over 14 months - between February 2024 and April 2025 - came in the Euro 2024 final, when he completed the full 90 minutes in the defeat by Spain.
However, Amorim feels that - and the fact Shaw also featured for the whole game in the Euro 2021 final, when England lost on penalties to Italy and he scored the early opener - says everything about his qualities.
"Luke Shaw is a world-class player," said Amorim. "That is my feeling. You can feel it in the small things; when he touches the ball, the ability to play one against one.
"England had two finals. He had issues during the season, but in the final he is always there. That means something.
"But he needs to be fit. He needs to train at the limit, which is what he is doing at the moment.
"He is a great player and I am really pleased with him."
Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter in Chicago
Image source, Getty ImagesManchester United are using their United States tour to trial new cooling jackets kit manufacturers Adidas feel will be in widespread use at next summer's World Cup.
Extreme weather was a significant factor at the recent Club World Cup and with more early kick-offs likely at a 48-team World Cup, ways are being found to try to keep players cool.
Lead physical performance coach Charlie Owen and head of physical performance Ed Leng wore the jackets and explained the benefits to United's players at the start of their scheduled training session at Chicago's Soldier Field stadium on Friday.
The jackets have already been trialled in cycling and Formula 1. The United players will wear them after the warm-up and at half-time in all three games at the Premier League Summer Series, starting against West Ham at MetLife Stadium on Saturday.
Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter in Chicago
Image source, Getty ImagesManchester United head coach Ruben Amorim had his side training at 8am the day after they arrived in the United States this week to help them with the acclimatisation process.
United landed in Chicago late on Tuesday but with a six-hour time difference to the UK, Amorim had his players working early the following day.
Breakfast was available from 6.30am, although most arrived slightly later before leaving for the training complex at local Major League Soccer outfit Chicago Fire.
At least the players were spared having to load up on pasta at that time in the morning – former United defender Patrice Evra famously said he was sick after his debut against Manchester City, which had a 12.30pm start as he had never eaten so early before a game.
Players don't need to eat as much before training, so most stuck with omelettes or avocado on toast.
The timing was put back slightly on Thursday, when the players had to be in the gym at 8.30am and on the pitch at 9am. For the part-open session on Friday, the players are due to start training at 9.30am.
It was helpful in the sense it kept United's players out of the fierce mid-afternoon temperatures on Wednesday and Thursday, which climbed to over 30C.
Still, it might come as a shock to the body clock on Saturday when their Premier League Summer Series game against West Ham starts at 7pm local time at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, meaning the game won't finish until around 2am UK time.
The players who are not involved will have a training session on the pitch after the game.
United are flying straight back to their Chicago base after the game.
Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter in Chicago
Mason Mount is backing himself to force his way into Manchester United's starting line-up this season.
In signing what club sources have stressed were head coach Ruben Amorim's top two summer targets - Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo - United seem to have sealed off the two number 10 slots Mount seems ideally suited for.
With skipper Bruno Fernandes, striker Joshua Zirkzee, wide man Amad Diallo and midfielder Kobbie Mainoo also providing competition, and no European football meaning substantially fewer games, Mount knows the pressure is on to get on the pitch at all.
But despite the £55m signing struggling with injuries and a loss of form since his arrival from Chelsea two years ago, Mount retains enough confidence in his ability to believe he can find a role.
"Yes, 100%," he said from the club's pre-season training camp in Chicago.
"Any time you get that opportunity to be on the pitch, you want to do something, you want to affect the game. That's always the way I've looked at it.
"I mean, I'll always back myself. I know what I can do.
"Obviously the new signings are going to elevate us to another level and we all need to be at that level to really perform."
Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter in Chicago
Image source, Getty ImagesManchester United midfielder Mason Mount says the pain of last season's Europa League final defeat by Tottenham lingered well into the summer.
Mount started the final in Bilbao but, like many of his team-mates, failed to have a significant impact on the game as Spurs won thanks to a deflected Brennan Johnson effort.
The result condemned United to only their second season without European football in 35 years following their 15th-placed Premier League finish, their worst performance since the 1973-74 relegation campaign.
"It took some time, that's for sure," said Mount, speaking at the club's pre-season training camp in Chicago.
"You're just thinking about little things in the game. I started, so it was like: 'What could I have done in that situation?' Or: 'Could I have made that pass better?'
"You would drive yourself crazy, looking into loads of detail, but it hurts. The whole season hurt."
Aston Villa have told Manchester United 29-year-old England striker Ollie Watkins is not for sale. (Telegraph - subscription required), external
Chelsea have ruled out a move for Sweden striker Alexander Isak, after the 25-year-old said he wants to explore a move away from Newcastle. (Mail), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column
Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesManchester United's US tour squad has sharpened the minds of a few younger players when it comes to assessing options for next season.
Left-back Harry Amass was omitted so he could secure a loan move and a number of options have already opened up.
Midfielder Jack Moorhouse - who like Amass went on United's post-season tour of Malaysia and Hong Kong - is likely to go on loan to Leyton Orient in League One.
After his spell at Doncaster Rovers last season, 20-year-old wide player Ethan Ennis is looking at another temporary move.
And Ethan Wheatley, fresh from his goalscoring contribution to England Under-19s' European Championship campaign is another likely to be moving out, at least in the short term.
Goalkeeper Radek Vitek, a surprising omission from the US tour party, is also lined up for a loan deal.
For the latter two in particular, it will be interesting to see if United look at a permanent transfer given the Profit and Sustainability Rules benefit that would come from it.
Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesHarry Maguire arrived in Chicago on Wednesday night to link up with his Manchester United team-mates for the Premier League Summer Series, which gets under way this weekend.
Maguire did not travel with his team-mates on Tuesday for "personal reasons", sparking loads of conspiracy theories.
The answer may have been quite straightforward judging by the number of happy birthday messages posted to Maguire's wife, Fern - including one from the United centre-back himself.
Javi Guerra has rejected an offer to renew his contract with Valencia, with Manchester United monitoring the 22-year-old Spanish midfielder. (Marca - in Spanish), external
Tottenham are closely watching Kobbie Mainoo's situation at Old Trafford, with the midfielder yet to agree a long-term extension to his contract, which expires in 2027. (tbrfootball.com), external
Fulham are confident of keeping hold of midfielder Seth Ridgeon despite United, Liverpool and Chelsea showing interest in the England Under-17 captain. (Standard), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column
