Manchester United director of football Jason Wilcox and manager Michael Carrick both want to sign a Premier League forward in the summer transfer window.

The Red Devils have been heavily focusing their recruitment on signing a new midfielder in the summer, but there’s no doubt they’ll be looking to strengthen in other positions.

Qualifying for the Champions League was a huge achievement for the club, but it comes with the need to spend significantly in the market.

Not only do United need better players in order to deal with the stronger opposition, they also need a deeper squad.

Signing a versatile forward could be a useful option for them, and it appears multiple members of the team are keen on signing one player.

Man Utd Want ‘Superstar’ Forward

According to a fresh report from talkSPORT, Manchester United are interested in signing Aston Villa forward Morgan Rogers ahead of the summer transfer window.

Director of Football Wilcox is known to be an admirer of the England international, but he’s not the only one.

A previous report claimed that if Carrick was appointed as the permanent manager of United, their number one target could change to Rogers in the summer window.

With multiple figures at United who are involved in the recruitment strategy in favour of signing Rogers, it will be interesting to see if they make a move.

Rogers Could be Expensive Addition for United

Although Rogers would be a huge signing for United if they can get a deal over the line, it’s certainly not going to be cheap.

The report from TalkSport claims that a bidding war could drive Rogers’ price up to around £100m, which is a huge fee even in the modern era.

Rogers, described as a ‘superstar’, is attracting interest from a host of clubs this summer, so it’s never going to be an easy deal for United to complete.

It will be interesting to see whether the England international does leave Villa in the coming weeks and months, as the £100m asking price could put people off.

Liverpool are in talks over a deal to sign star forward Yan Diomande this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Reds had a disappointing campaign in the Premier League and Champions League, finishing fifth in the top flight after conceding a record number of goals and losing 13 games, while they were eliminated in the Champions League quarter-finals by Paris Saint-Germain, losing both legs of the tie.

The Anfield club are now planning major upgrades during the summer transfer window as they look to replenish their squad, and talks have begun for their first big signing.

Liverpool Open Talks for Yan Diomande

Diomande, who has been described as ‘lethal’, has been one of the breakout stars of the 2025/26 season with RB Leipzig, registering 13 goals and eight assists in all competitions in his first season with the club.

The 19-year-old has emerged as one of the most sought-after attackers in Europe ahead of the transfer window, and the Bundesliga club have slapped an £87m asking price on his head as a result, while they have also offered the Ivorian a new contract to boost his wages and include a release clause, in order to keep hold of him for another season.

But Liverpool are keen to get a deal done to bring him to Merseyside as they search for long-term replacements for Mohamed Salah, and they have now opened talks with the player’s camp to find an agreement.

Diomande has previously revealed that it is his dream to move to Anfield, having grown up as a Liverpool fan, but the club are also looking at alternative options just in case a deal cannot be done.

Paris Saint-Germain also have a strong interest in Diomande, and have also opened talks over a deal.

Diomande a Legend in the Making

While it may be early in the career of Diomande, he has all the attributes and quality to become a true legend at Anfield.

Liverpool fans love having tricky wingers who can get them off the edge of their seat and provide excitement, and Diomande is someone who can do just that, and more.

The massive transfer fee may prove to be a bit of a hurdle, but the club showed last summer that they are not afraid to splash the cash if they feel it’s the right thing to do. Diomande would be the spark this squad needs, and it could be a huge statement signing this summer.

Pep Guardiola has always demanded more from his players than goals, assists and trophies.

The 55-year-old has called time on his days as Manchester City manager after 10 years, delivering 20 trophies that include City’s first-ever Champions League title, and a record four Premier League titles in a row. His former assistant and former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca is reportedly close to replacing him, as Guardiola takes up a role as Global Ambassador for the City Football Group, with him making it clear that an immediate return to management isn’t on the cards.

As reported by The Athletic, a story that emerged from inside the club during what was the final campaign of Guardiola’s tenure perfectly captures that mentality, and interestingly, the example he chose to make his point came from the other side of Manchester.

Guardiola Used Manchester United Star to Make a Point to his Squad

Following September’s Manchester derby, a match City won 3-0, Guardiola gathered his squad together for a routine post-match debrief. Players expected the usual tactical breakdown, analysing what City had done well and where improvements could still be made. Instead, Guardiola prepared something completely different.

Rather than focusing on his own team, he directed attention towards the reaction of one United player immediately after Phil Foden opened the scoring in the 17th minute. Guardiola reportedly had clips prepared and ready to show the squad, determined to use the moment as an example of behaviour he’d never want to see from his own players.

The individual in question wasn’t a fringe player, or an inexperienced youngster. It was one of United’s senior figures, a footballer regarded as one of the Premier League’s most talented creators and somebody Guardiola himself is believed to admire greatly.

Guardiola’s issue wasn’t with the player’s ability. In fact, those present say he made a point of acknowledging the player’s quality before delivering his message.

Instead, the City boss focused on the reaction itself. In frustration following the goal, the United star had openly turned on his teammates, visibly berating them as City celebrated. Guardiola used the clip to reinforce the standards expected inside his own dressing room, where public blame and visible frustration towards teammates are seen as damaging behaviours.

The player Guardiola used as the example was Bruno Fernandes, the new holder of the Premier League’s all-time assist record and Player of the Season.

The article explained: “The day after September’s derby, one source who was present describes how the manager did not want to highlight what his players had done — the focus was instead on Bruno Fernandes. The Portugal midfielder was livid with his United team-mates for their role in Phil Foden’s opening goal, openly berating them as City celebrated.

The incident in question appears to have occurred after Foden scored the opener vs Man Utd in September 2025. As the footage shows below, Fernandes doesn’t track his man but immediately expresses his frustration with his teammates instead of taking responsibility.

Pep Guardiola’s Obsession With Mentality at Manchester City

Those close to Guardiola’s methods say moments like this are entirely consistent with how he’s always operated. Throughout his managerial career, he’s obsessed over details many others would overlook, believing mentality and body language are just as important to a player’s game as ability is.

A similar lesson was reportedly highlighted after City’s victory over Arsenal in April. Guardiola pointed to Rodri immediately sprinting forward after losing possession, forcing William Saliba to track him and creating the space for Erling Haaland to score. At the same time, Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard was said to have hesitated before reacting.

Those tiny differences matter enormously for Guardiola. His belief was that titles are often decided not by moments of magic, but by mentality and reactions in split seconds.

Ultimately, City fell short in the title race this season, as Arsenal ended were crowned champions following two disappointing draws for City against Everton and then Bournemouth. But even during the final weeks of his reign, stories like this suggest the City manager remained every bit as demanding and obsessively meticulous as the figure who transformed the club into one of football’s great modern dynasties.