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The Transfers Podcast: Ornstein on Man Utd job, Villa striker hunt, Guehi deal, Semenyo replacement
Robin Bairner
- Updated: 23 Jan 2026 17:04 GMT
- 8 min read
Exclusive
David Ornstein joined Duncan Castles on the Transfers Podcast to discuss the latest big stories in the market, including Michael Carrick’s prospects of keeping the Manchester United job, Elliott Anderson’s future, Manchester City signings and Aston Villa’s bid for a PSG star.
Is the Man Utd job Michael Carrick’s to lose?
Michael Carrick has been placed in interim charge of Manchester United, with Ornstein revealing that the former Old Trafford midfielder has a strong chance of landing the post on a permanent basis.
“Carrick will naturally enter the conversation depending on how well he does. But I don’t think this is binary, as it was with Ole Gunner Solskjaer. United should run their process properly: speak to available coaches, assess those in work where permitted, look at data, styles and profiles,” he told the Transfers Podcast.
Carrick could play himself into contention, or he might decide it’s not the right moment.
“There’s nothing firm right now. It’s hypothetical. But given his qualities, what he showed in his brief United spell before, and his work at Middlesbrough, there’s no reason he shouldn’t at least be in the conversation – much like Kieran McKenna was previously.
“Carrick could be in the mix, but that doesn’t mean he’ll get the job. It’s very much a case of wait and see how it unfolds.”
Ornstein also revealed that Carrick has a crucial edge that will endear him to the Man Utd board.
How Man City won the race for Marc Guehi
Ornstein believes that City struck a “magnificent deal” to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace, and explained how they went about doing so.
Competition was fierce for the England international star, but Pep Guardiola’s side were able to give themselves a free run at the player and landed him for a “bargain” price.
Arsenal and Liverpool were among the clubs chasing Guehi, but here’s how City won the day.
Current ETV
Marc Guéhi
D (CL)
Man City
Marc Guéhi
D (CL)
Man City
ETV Range
€39.2M - €47.9M
Aston Villa and Palace target PSG star Goncalo Ramos
Aston Villa are in the market for a new striker before the transfer window closes, and PSG’s Goncalo Ramos has emerged as a major target for Unai Emery’s side.
Not generally considered a starter at Parc des Princes, where he is the club’s top scorer in all competitions this season, Ramos is open to playing in the Premier League.
Duncan Castles discussed their prospects of landing the €41m striker here.
Current ETV
Gonçalo Ramos
F (C)
PSG
Gonçalo Ramos
F (C)
PSG
ETV Range
€36.9M - €45.1M
PSG reopen Luis Enrique contract talks
PSG boss Luis Enrique has been linked with a potential move from Paris to either Real Madrid or Manchester United, but transfer insider Duncan Castles believes that the Spaniard’s future lies in France – at least that’s what his current employers believe.
“I can tell you that PSG are completely relaxed about this situation. They do not believe Luis Enrique would go to Real Madrid under any circumstances, given the difficulties he experienced in his playing career as one of the few players to switch directly from Madrid to Barcelona,” Castles explained.
“More importantly, PSG have been in talks for some time over a renewal of his contract. This would be the third deal of his spell at the club, which has lasted just over two and a half years. Those discussions are expected to resume once the January transfer window closes, and PSG are confident they will reach an agreement with Enrique, who still has a year remaining on his current contract.
“They also feel that, given the way Enrique works, the enormous effort he puts in, and the psychological intensity of his approach, when he does eventually choose to leave PSG, it will be entirely his decision. They are not overly concerned about contract length because they see this as a natural process between two parties working well together.”
Man Utd’s transfer policy
Ahead of the summer transfer window, Ornstein dived into Man Utd’s likely approach in the market as they primarily seek a central midfielder, with Elliott Anderson, Carlos Baleba and Adam Wharton their leading targets.
He says that it’s critical that sporting director Jason Wilcox gets time to bed in and implement some long-term thinking.
“He’s cutting his teeth at the very highest level, while other sporting directors at clubs like United have been doing this for years and their work speaks for itself. That connection is absolutely critical, and it has to be tight. That doesn’t mean it lasts forever, but it matters,” Ornstein explained before explaining that United remain a major draw.
“In terms of attractiveness, the club’s history, the stadium, the identity and the salaries still matter. Even as recently as last summer, from what we hear, Bryan Mbeumo was attracted by Manchester United, the club and the style of play, and he was also offered a very lucrative package that other clubs like Tottenham and Arsenal perhaps couldn’t match.”
Ornstein also explained that the Red Devils are adopting a more pragmatic approach in the transfer market.
“If you look at the Deloitte Money League published this morning, United are below Arsenal for the first time. They’ve dropped from fourth to eighth, which is a record low, and their wage bill has come down. Arsenal’s is now higher,” he said.
“That doesn’t mean United are paying bad salaries, but they are trying to be more disciplined because they have to be financially. They’re not quite the automatic destination they once were under Sir Alex Ferguson, when if United came calling you were going.
“I don’t think United are having major struggles attracting players. Mbeumo is a good example of that. But competition is fiercer than ever, and others are tipping the balance.
“It will be down to Wilcox, Berrada and the hierarchy, along with the recruitment team, to assert United’s authority again, whether through football, finance or both.”
Oliver Glasner’s bluff called at Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner reacted angrily to the sale of Guehi to Man City, so why is he still at the club when he is expected to leave in the summer?
Ornstein says: “Players consistently lavished him with praise for his tactical acumen, man-management, and emotional intelligence. You could imagine him staying at Palace for years. His departure speaks to his ambition to manage in the Champions League and at the very top level, opportunities that Palace cannot currently offer.
“It’s also clear that sometimes Glasner didn’t fully align with the club’s structure. Palace is a charming, grounded club that has modernised in some areas - stadium redevelopment, academy facilities, transfers - but it’s not always a natural fit for a coach used to continental operations.
“While his public outbursts drew attention, behind the scenes relations remained solid. Palace’s ownership, led by Parrish, maintains constant communication, and there was no intention to sack him. The outbursts were unexpected, and the club wanted the situation to settle before making decisions.”
Bournemouth rearm after Semenyo sale with record move
Losing Antoine Semenyo will be a big blow to Bournemouth, David Ornstein believes, but they have moved to recruit Rayan as his replacement from Vasco da Gama.
“In losing someone like Semenyo, his physical presence, as well as his technical ability, ball carrying, and intelligence, is a big loss,” he said.
“I had the privilege of witnessing him on the opening night of the season at Anfield, where he tore Liverpool apart - he scored twice, and it could easily have been more. That really does leave a significant gap in the side.
Current ETV
Antoine Semenyo
M (RL)
Man City
Antoine Semenyo
M (RL)
Man City
ETV Range
€46.5M - €56.8M
“How quickly Rayan can fill that gap is going to be one of the big questions that determines the rest of their season and beyond. But judging by how they’ve operated in recent times, they’ve got a strong setup there, and, of course, the aforementioned Bill Foley at the top, with Iraola doing a great job while he’s still at the club.
“We’ve got to give them the benefit of the doubt that they will perform strongly and aim for a good end to the season.”
Andoni Iraola’s future
As for the future of the Bournemouth boss, that appears up in the air.
Ornstein said: “I really don’t know on this one.
“If you’d asked me a while ago about Glasner before he confirmed his departure, I would’ve said he was definitely leaving in the summer. That was the feeling around Crystal Palace.
“I don’t know for sure about Iraola, because although Bournemouth have made their intentions clear - wanting him to renew from the very top of the club down - they’re not in deep talks at the moment. Their focus is on the season.
“With some of these younger coaches, they don’t get swayed by fan bases or media noise, whether at Man City, Tottenham, or elsewhere. They think very clearly and clinically about opportunities.
“Loads of people I speak to wouldn’t be surprised if he moves to a different country, finds the right project, the right style, the right hierarchy that will support him. Success at Bournemouth doesn’t automatically mean Tottenham, Chelsea, or Manchester City - it’s about the fit.”
