Updated

We've had a few questions about tiers so I thought it best to post this. If you can't see a source in this guide, you can assume they are not worth mentioning or they haven't been verified as a source yet.

We are not going to restrict which tiers can or cannot be posted to the community, but when you post something, please clearly indicate the Tier along with the source in square brackets, for example:

[David Ornstein T1]

If the poster isn't in the tier list, put NT for No Tier. Also, don't post The S\*n. Fuck The S\*n.

Tier 0 - Undisputed/Official Sources

• @ManUtd on Twitter
• ManUtd.com

Tier 1 - Highest Quality Sources

• Simon Stone (BBC)
• Simon Peach (Press Association)
• Craig Norwood (Club Photographer).
• James Ducker (The Telegraph)
• Henry Winter (The Times Chief of Football)
• Mohamed Bouhafsi (France)
• Paul Joyce (The Times/Liverpool/Everton)
• Kristof Terreur (The Guardian)
• David Ornstein (The Athletic)
• Arancha Rodriguez (Real Madrid/Spain)
• Sam Lee (The Athletic)
• Romeo Agresti (Juventus news)
• John Percy (The Telegraph/Midlands Clubs)
• Alan Nixon (for youth, and League clubs news)
• Laurie Whitwell (The Athletic)
• BBC (United Kingdom)

Tier 2 - Proven to have current sources

• Der Westen (Germany/Schalke/Gladbach/Dortmund)
• Kicker (Germany)
• De Telegraaf (Netherlands)
• COPE (Spain)
• Raphael Honigstein (Germany Freelancer/Guardian German News)
• Voetbal International (Netherlands)
• Fabrizio Romano (Guardian/Independent)
• Gianluca Di Marzio (Italians only, Tier 3 if not)
• Matt Law (Telegraph/Chelsea)
• Andy Burton (Sky Sports)
• Howard Nurse (BBC Editor)
• Charlotte Duncker (Goal)
• Loic Tanzi (French news)
• Caderna SER (Spain)
• RMC Sport (France)
• Ruhr Nachrichten (Germany)
• Telefoot (France)
• Lee Ryder (The Chronicle/Newcastle)
• Sami Mokbel (Daily Mail)
• Rob Dawson (ESPN)
• Paul Hirst (The Times)
• Andy Mitten (Various)
• RTP (Portugal only, Tier 3 if not)
• Sport1 (Germany)
• The Telegraph
• Mike McGrath (The Telegraph)
• Adam Crafton (The Athletic)

Tier 3 - Average reliability, or former Tier 2

• Canal+/Pierre Menes (France)
• Jamie Jackson (Guardian)
• Ian Ladyman (Daily Mail)
• Jason Burt (Telegraph)
• The Guardian
• The Times
• Mark Ogden (ESPN)
• Daniel Taylor (Guardian)
• Melissa Reddy (Sky Sports)
• Ian Whittell (Telegraph)
• Bild (Germany/Bavaria)
• Le Parisien (France)
• Ian Herbert (Independent)
• Marcel van Der Kraan (de Telegraaf)
• Jim White (Everton only)
• Stephen Howson (Tier 2 for youth news)
• O Jogo (Portugal)
• Adrian Kajumba (Daily Mail)
• Patrick Berger (Sport1 - except Tier 2 for German news)
• Dan Harris (The Guardian)
• Alfredo Pedullà (Italy)
• Mike Keegan (Daily Mail)
• Chris Wheeler (Daily Mail)
• Julien Maynard (Telefoot, Tier 2 for France)
• James Savundra (TalkSPORT)
• Talksport sources (UK & Ireland)
• Relevo
• Raisa Simplicio & Thiago Fernandes (Goal Brazil)
• Jose Felix Diaz (Real Madrid news)
• James Robson (Evening Standard)

Tier 4 - Indirect sources, low reliability

• BildSport (Germany)
• Tuttomercatoweb (Italy)
• Sport (Spain)
• Goal.com
• Guillem Balague (Sky Sports/Freelance)
• Kaveh Solhekol/Dharmesh Sheth (Sky Sports)
• Stuart Mathieson (MEN)
• The Independent
• Mundo Deportivo (Spain)
• Marca (Spain/Real Madrid)
• AS (Spain/Real Madrid)
• Paris/Euro United (France/PSG)
• London Evening Standard
• CalcioMercato (Italy)
• El Chiringuito (Unless J. Sanchez, then T1)
• Sam Pilger
• Pietro Balzano Prota (Radio Rossonera/Non-AC Milan, Tier 1 for AC Milan)
• L'Equipe (France)
• Richard Keys (beIN Sports)
• Record (Portugal)
• A Bola (Portugal)
• David Amoyal (Gianluca Di Marzio)
• Tuttosport
• Correio de Manha (Portugal)

Tier 5 - Banned

• Jacob Steinberg (Guardian, for shit stirring and inaccurate article)
• Jamie Jackson (Guardian, for shit stirring and inaccurate article)
• Ben Jacobs (banned by BBC)
• Samuel Luckhurst (for shit-stirring, racist attitude, inaccurate transfer reporting)
• @SimonSmithBBC (Simon Stone Impersonator)
• Simon Mullock (Mirror) for falling for a parody site article link

official from manutd.com: https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/jadon-sancho-returns-to-man-utd-pre-season-training-july-2024

Unedited:

> Donny van de Beek to Girona, here we go! Deal in place with Man United, permanent move for €500k fixed fee plus several add-ons. Easy add-ons to bring fee up to €4/5m plus extra add-ons can make it €15m. Contract until June 2028. #MUFC will also have sell-on clause.

Braithwaite

United Increased bid to 45m+5m pounds, unlikely to be accepted.

https://x.com/david_ornstein/status/1810424383657386046?s=46&t=108nlaEXShzkgzjMQccD3g

https://x.com/sistoney67/status/1810420883711725700?s=46&t=108nlaEXShzkgzjMQccD3g

https://x.com/ChrisWheelerDM/status/1810413901516837308

Zirkzee

United likely to trigger 34m pound release clause.

https://twitter.com/SamiMokbel81_DM/status/1810285377665519800

Ugarte

45m eur + bonus bid submitted

https://le10sport.com/football/mercato/exclu-mercato-psg-manchester-united-pousse-et-avance-pour-ugarte-704283

Ferdi Kadıoğlu

Manchester United is seriously interested in Ferdi Kadıoğlu. They haven't officially contacted the club or are ready to make an offer yet but he is officially on their list. They will meet with the player side in the coming days to ask him about joining the club.

https://x.com/SportsDigitale/status/1810396524808921589

source is said to be Tier 0/1 level for Fenerbache and Turkish football news.

De Ligt

Romano has bad wording, but what he says is that Braithwaite and De Ligt are independent signings so it's not one or the other.

https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1810424237024231861?t=PKE8MDoGF6K-bhGU2SsPAg&s=19

Greenwood

Marseille bid for Greenwood 27m pounds, we likely need this money to sign Braithwatie

https://x.com/chriswheelerdm/status/1810414836003606598?s=46&t=108nlaEXShzkgzjMQccD3g

https://x.com/david_ornstein/status/1810281747449258243?s=46&t=108nlaEXShzkgzjMQccD3g

https://x.com/fabrizioromano/status/1810261899952435574?s=46&t=108nlaEXShzkgzjMQccD3g

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cy79vz33dllo

Casemiro

Exit to Saudi remains likely

https://x.com/fabrizioromano/status/1810053111987208456?s=46

Manchester United have green light from both Joshua Zirkzee and Matthijs de Ligt to join the club.

Both players have spoken to Erik ten Hag with Man United now ready to advance on club side in the coming days.

It’s all approved on salary/commission also for Zirkzee.

This is yesterday's news.

already confirmed here, 100K fee to Ajax

https://www.telegraaf.nl/sport/1244585307/ajax-neemt-na-twee-weken-al-afscheid-van-keeperstrainer-jelle-ten-rouwelaar-voor-100-000-euro-naar-manchester-united

> Initial short term contract, will report to Dan Ashworth

The summer transfer window in Premier League will open on Friday, June 14, 2024 12:00 AM BST to Friday, August 30, 2024 11:00 PM BST.

Transfers IN

|Name|Position|From|Fee|Contract Length|Rumored Wages| |:-|:-|:-|:-|:-|:-| |Tom Heaton|GK|\-|Contract Extension|1|\-| |Johnny Evans|CB|New Contract|\-|1|\-| |Joshua Zirkzee|ST|Bologna|€42.5M(over 3 years)|5+1|\-|

Rumored transfers IN

|Name|Position|From|Fee|Rumored Wages| |:-|:-|:-|:-|:-| |De Ligt|CB|FC Bayern|€40M|\-| |Jarrad Branthwaite|CB|Everton FC|£45+5M (rejected)|\-| |Manual Ugarte|CDM|PSG|€45M|\-|

Transfers OUT

|Name|Position|To|Fee|Rumored Wages| |:-|:-|:-|:-|:-| |Raphaël Varane|CB|\-|Contract Expired|315K pw| |Anthony Martial|ST|\-|Contract Expired|250K pw| |Brandon Williams|LB|\-|Contract Expired|60K pw| |Charlie McNeill |ST|\-|Contract Expired|-| |Alvaro Fernandez|LB|Benfica|£5.1m+£2.6m|-| |Omari Forson|AM|Monza|Contract Expired|-| |Van De Beek|CAM|Girona|500K + 5M Easy addons + 10-15M Harder Addons + sell-on clause|140K pw|

Rumored Transfers OUT

|Name|Position|To|Fee|Rumored Wages| |:-|:-|:-|:-|:-| |Greenwood|ST|Lazio/Juve/Marseille|N/A|\-| |Casemiro|CDM|Saudis|\-|345K pw| |Lindelof|CB|Fenerbache|\-|170K pw|

> All department and levels within the club will be impacted and the club says it will not include staff at their charitable arm, the Manchester United Foundation.

From Daily Mail article: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-13595659/Man-United-redundant-cost-review-Red-Devils.html

> At 1,112 as of June 30 last year, United had by far the biggest staff of any club in the Premier League. That number is considerably higher than all of their Big Six rivals, with Liverpool having around 1,005 employees, Chelsea 788, Tottenham 719, Arsenal 649 and Manchester City 520, according to each club’s latest figures.

Manchester United are working to appoint Christopher Vivell on an initial short-term basis to help with the summer transfer window.

It is the latest step being taken by the Old Trafford club to build out their sporting structure under new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

Previously employed by RB Leipzig and most recently Chelsea, Vivell will lend expertise around talent ID and player recruitment.

Any appointment would come a year after his separation from Chelsea amid a reorganisation under co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley.

The 37-year-old German would bring with him to United a knowledge of operating in a multi-club model, which is expected be explored by the new-look hierarchy going forward.

United confirmed on Monday a deal to appoint Dan Ashworth as their new sporting director after reaching an agreement with Newcastle United.

He will report into Omar Berrada, another new arrival, who will start work as CEO later this month after joining from Manchester City.

Jason Wilcox, formerly of Southampton, has already started in the position of technical director.

Vivell joined Chelsea as technical director in December 2022 before leaving Stamford Bridge in July 2023.

> Manchester United and Newcastle United have issued the following joint statement:

> “Newcastle United and Manchester United have reached an agreement for the immediate release of Dan Ashworth from his contractual obligations at Newcastle United. The terms of this agreement remain confidential between the clubs. Newcastle United thanks Dan for his services and wishes him well for the future.”

Tweet:

Manchester United agree deal with Newcastle United to appoint Dan Ashworth as sporting director. Move delayed by #MUFC & #NUFC struggling to compromise on compensation package but switch now sanctioned + 53yo expected to start immediately @TheAthleticFC

Article:

Manchester United have agreed a deal with Newcastle United to appoint Dan Ashworth as their sporting director.

Ashworth’s move to Old Trafford was delayed by the clubs struggling to compromise on a compensation package.

But more than four months after he was placed on gardening leave and it looked as though an independent hearing would be needed to break the deadlock, Ashworth’s switch has now been sanctioned.

The 53-year-old is expected to commence his position in the new-look Manchester United structure with immediate effect.

Ashworth intended to take Newcastle to arbitration to help facilitate his move with, as reported by The Athletic, Manchester United supporting his bid and pledging to pay his legal costs.

He is set to have overall responsibility for football performance, recruitment and operations at the 20-time champions of England, with technical director Jason Wilcox reporting to him.

Ashworth will himself report into Sir Dave Brailsford, who Ratcliffe has tasked with undertaking a review of the United’s football operations.

go-deeper GO DEEPER

Why Manchester United want Dan Ashworth

Former football director John Murtough stepped down in April after a decade’s service, paving the way for Ashworth’s appointment.

He will become the latest high-profile appointment under Ratcliffe. Omar Berrada is scheduled to arrive as chief executive from Manchester City later this month, while Wilcox’s arrival as technical director was confirmed in April.

Ashworth joined Newcastle United after resigning from his post as technical director at Brighton & Hove Albion in February 2022.

He moved to Brighton in 2019 following a spell as technical director at the Football Association — where he started in 2012 after a spell with West Bromwich Albion — and helped develop the men’s and women’s national teams.

He was credited with playing an influential role in England’s World Cup victories at under-17 and under-20 level in 2017.

Ashworth has generated a strong reputation in areas such as player recruitment and the building of high-performance structures.

cont.

> McCarthy goes but Utd want Fletcher to stay

Manchester United are hoping to strike a deal with Everton for Jarrad Branthwaite after agreeing personal terms with the England defender’

United are also pursuing a deal for Leny Yoro despite fierce competition for the Lille centre-half.

Everton are holding out for at least £70 million for Branthwaite, which is significantly higher than United’s valuation but the Manchester club are hoping a compromise can be struck.

Now that we have it confirmed that ETH is staying, it's time to address Steinberg and his coverage of United from before the FA Cup final.

Steinberg broke the news that Ten Hag was sacked regardless of FA CUP final result and thus derailed the whole conversation around the FA CUP win, even affecting the coverage.

!

Article: https://www.theguardian.com/football/article/2024/may/24/manchester-united-decide-to-sack-erik-ten-hag-regardless-of-cup-final-outcome

As there is no indication that Steinberg has any sources within the club, and shit stirring and clickbaiting are against my personal principles, I am of the opinion that Steinberg should be considered a banned source.

The discussion is now open if anyone has arguments for or against.