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

Talk of the Devils streamed live to the four corners of the globe for the first time on the eve of the 2026/27 Premier League season.
The headline news is that a deal is progressing between Manchester United and Brighton for the transfer of defensive midfielder Carlos Baleba. The Athletic's David Ornstein reported 'amicable' negotiations on Wednesday, and Carl is happy, but will the transfer dealings end with an agreement for this long-term target.
Baleba won't face Hull City with the rest of Michael Carrick's squad, we can be fairly certain of that, but there are high hopes of an emphatic United win as the Tigers return to the top tier for the first time in a decade.
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Pre-season is over, finishing with a slightly dispiriting 4-2 defeat to Ruben Amorim's AC Milan in Wroclaw, Poland, but overall the feelings are positive. So, what are Michael Carrick's priority issues as the start of the new campaign gets ever nearer?
That also means it's time for our now-traditional season preview predictions... top scorer? ...player of the season? ...league finish? ...and, of course, Carl's bad take amnesty. We will keep the receipts and check back to see who was closest to the mark.
The fixture list looks awfully hectic in comparison to last season. Will the start turn out to be as kind as it looks? How might that early derby go? And, which of United's rivals (if any) will be able to get their stuff together with so many clubs in a state of flux.
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Manchester United's penultimate pre-season test ended in a penalty shootout victory over Leeds at Croke Park in Dublin.

Following that, Michael Carrick sat down with the journalist pack to discuss the state of his squad, his vision for how he wants this team to play and whether more recruits could be on the way. With the opening day of the Premier League edging closer, what should we expect from United when the competitive action finally gets underway?
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Another week closer to the new season, and another successful workout for Michael Carrick's squad; 1-1 against PSG in Gothenburg saw Andrey Santos do well again; will he be part of Manchester United's starting midfield on the opening day?
The remaining World Cup stars, including Marcus Rashford and Lisandro Martinez, will now join up with the squad as they head to Dublin to face Leeds. There's still time for new faces, and Mason Mount's withdrawal got a few hearts beating, but will Newcastle's insistence that Lewis Hall is not for sale hold? Maybe an alternative target is required.
There has been movement in the goalkeeping department, though. The debate over the fee agreed with Middlesbrough for Radek Vitek is an interesting one; could he end up breaking a transfer record of sorts?

Click here to read Tom Burrows interview with Brandon Williams on The Athletic.
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It's a punchy question with the season still three weeks away and World Cup players yet to return to training, so in once sense no, Manchester United are not Premier-League-ready, but...
With no fewer than nine clubs set to have a managerial debut on the opening weekend, including Liverpool, Man City, and Chelsea, are United now a model of calm as chaos reigns around them? Michael Carrick has been able to blood youngsters and slowly build the fitness of his squad in a measured way.
Of course, the transfer market is only ever quiet on the surface. Lewis Hall continues to be the subject of speculation but we're working on estimates as to Newcastle's asking price; what price cover for Luke Shaw? And, with Mason Mount impressing his teammates in pre-season, might the recruitment team shelve plans for a third purchase in midfield?
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