The Athletic FC Podcast
Episode: Ornstein Transfer Latest – Mainoo, Jackson & Arsenal Sales
Date: August 27, 2025
Host: Ayo Akinwolere
Guests: David Ornstein, Carl Anker
Overview
In a jam-packed pre-deadline episode, The Athletic FC Podcast team—led by Ayo Akinwolere, with reporting from David Ornstein and insights from Carl Anker—dives deep into the whirlwind of the 2025 summer transfer window. The focus sharpens on the “bomb squads”: players top clubs are urgently looking to offload as deadlines loom for balancing their books and restructuring squads. Manchester United, Chelsea, and Arsenal feature heavily, as do the wider themes of transfer market dynamics, wage structures, and the declining power of the "one club plan" at elite teams.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Transfer Window “Heat” and General Trends
[03:05–04:52]
- David Ornstein describes this transfer window as “boiling… one of the hottest for sure. It's been a roller coaster.” He notes the exceptional expenditure, the sprawling narratives—some started and ended so quickly they feel like a “different year, different market altogether.”
- On the human side, Ornstein highlights “agendas, egos, misinformation, players going on strike, and conspiracy theories" as heightening the chaos.
Memorable Quote:
“It’s been long, it’s been draining, it’s been political. There have been a lot of agendas. Egos. Misinformation, different versions of events, players going on strike, conspiracy theories have gone out of control.”
– David Ornstein [04:27]
2. Manchester United’s Bomb Squad: Mainoo, Hojlund, and More
Kobbie Mainoo’s Uncertain Future
[05:25–08:05]
- Carl Anker lays out Mainoo's predicament: once a rising star, now barely featuring and possibly available for transfer.
- Mainoo is not pushing for a departure, but both he and the club are open to solutions, with a possible price tag in the £45–70m range.
- Frustration among fans is palpable, with threats of turning away from the club if academy prodigies like Mainoo are sold.
Notable Quote:
“The door isn't quite as locked as you'd imagine for an academy graduate of his talent.”
– Carl Anker [06:20]
Rasmus Hojlund & The Striker Market
[08:05–11:17]
- David Ornstein explains that while Hojlund didn’t plan to leave, his situation shifted after Sesko’s arrival, with United open to loan or permanent deals amid broad interest from the UK and abroad.
- Hojlund’s trajectory is emblematic of the modern striker market—supply low, demand high, but expectations and system fit have disadvantaged him at United.
Memorable Quote:
“Do I see a move materializing for Rasmus Hojlund? Yeah, I probably do… I don’t envisage Hojlund being sat at Man United until January.”
– David Ornstein [09:59]
- Carl Anker contextualizes the "big striker" dilemma (referencing Wenger’s warnings about a striker dearth), and argues that United is currently a poor environment for nurturing “raw” talent.
“If you are a football player and you're a little bit raw, Manchester United might not be the best place for you to cook or get cooked, or you end up getting cooked because you're a little bit raw.”
– Carl Anker [13:30]
Culture of Youth vs. Ruthlessness
[14:26–16:50]
- Anker mourns the speed with which youth projects can dissolve at United, especially with new ownership pivoting more quickly on mistakes—potentially positive, but destabilizing.
- Economic pressures and FFP now drive structured, rapid sell-offs instead of years of squad stagnation.
3. Manchester United: Further Incomings & Outgoings
[16:50–18:30]
- Ornstein runs through the squad: possible moves for Antony (Real Betis), Garnacho (Chelsea), Hojlund (loan/permanent), Malacia (loan), with Jadon Sancho’s future still unclear.
- United still focusing on outs to meet compliance targets; January remains an option for unfinished business.
4. Chelsea’s Mass Offloading: Jackson, N’Kunku & the Wages Trap
[20:37–22:35]
- Christopher Nkunku: Interest from Bayern and Leipzig, but no advanced movement yet, possibly entwined with Xavi Simons’ future.
- Nicolas Jackson: Odds of leaving are better—with broad interest domestically and abroad. Loan with significant fee or permanent deal possible, depending on club finances.
[22:35–26:02]
- The problematic case of high-wage, mid-career players (Sterling, Chilwell): Clubs want to offload but find no takers due to huge contracts and age, especially outside the “elite” tier.
- Carl Anker calls them “almost stars”—valuable for mid-table teams but unaffordable due to bloated wages.
Notable Quote:
"Why would I pay that much money in contracts for a player who is towards the end of his career rather than towards the start of his career?"
– Carl Anker [24:04]
[26:02–29:46]
- David Ornstein details new, more creative transfer structures post-COVID: loans with obligations/options, conditional clauses, “Raya-style” handshake deals, all designed to juice PSR/FFP accounts.
- Many “bomb squad” players are undercooked from lack of match practice, complicating their sale even further.
5. The “Bomb Squad,” Isolation, and the Modern Transfer Market
[29:46–32:21]
- Carl Anker describes the emotional/psychological toll on players forcibly separated from the first-team—a phenomenon the PFA opposes.
Quote:
"It can be a really isolating experience... You're barely getting mentioned by your manager in press conferences. How are you supposed to restart your career when the outside noise is saying you're not good enough?"
– Carl Anker [31:00]
- Some managers see bomb squads as a motivational line in the sand for the rest.
[32:21–33:49]
- Sterling in particular holds power due to contract length, and Chelsea must engineer solutions; personal/family preferences such as “staying in London” will shape outcomes if viable bids arrive.
6. Arsenal: Balancing Big Buys and Needed Sales
[36:13–41:28]
- Ornstein notes Arsenal's “unprecedented and remarkable” spending, driven by heightened pressure and a desire to “get over the line” after a series of near misses.
- Defensive targets hinge on outgoings: Hingape (targeted, but exorbitant release clause), Kiwior (interesting Porto), Zinchenko (open to sale), and Vieira (linked with Stuttgart).
- The club’s sales record is poor—Ornstein says Andrea Berta’s ability to move players out is now a key test.
Notable Quote:
"A test of a sporting director will be how you can move players on. And Arsenal haven't been prolific sellers."
– David Ornstein [39:40]
- Arsenal’s deep squad now means they have “no excuses”—with options in every position, expectations are sky-high.
[41:28–42:40]
- Non-Arsenal fan Carl agrees: “You should win it. You should.”
- Arsenal have addressed nearly every problem and now must convert investment into silverware.
7. Manchester City Goalkeeper Carousel & Donnarumma Links
[42:40–45:15]
- City’s next move on goalkeepers depends on Ederson’s future. PSG’s Donnarumma is linked, with ongoing “dialogue” but nothing advanced.
- Personal terms for Donnarumma would not be an issue, but fee is a sticking point. Timing is tight but not impossible.
- James Trafford was reportedly promised the number one role, further complicating a Donnarumma arrival.
Quote:
"There's been some contact with PSG but it's not said to be advanced yet... The word from PSG is that they think he will end up there."
– David Ornstein [43:08]
Memorable Quotes & Moments (by Timestamp)
- "Boiling. It's one of the hottest for sure. It's been a roller coaster...”
— David Ornstein [03:05] - “The door isn't quite as locked as you'd imagine for an academy graduate of his talent.”
— Carl Anker [06:20] - “Do I see a move materializing for Rasmus Hojlund? Yeah, I probably do…”
— David Ornstein [09:59] - “If you are a football player and you're a little bit raw, Manchester United might not be the best place for you to cook…or you end up getting cooked because you're a little bit raw.”
— Carl Anker [13:30] - “Why would I pay that much money in contracts for a player who is towards the end of his career rather than towards the start of his career?"
— Carl Anker [24:04] - "A test of a sporting director will be how you can move players on. And Arsenal haven't been prolific sellers."
— David Ornstein [39:40] - "You should win it. You should."
— Carl Anker [41:45]
Thematic Summary / Flow
- The podcast's tone is conversational yet frank, mixing Ornstein’s information-rich updates with Anker’s fan/analyst perspective and dry humor.
- There’s open recognition of how financial regulations, changing squad-building logic, and the strain on young/expensively-waged players have combined for a uniquely tense transfer window.
- Clubs are relentless in pursuit of flexibility; players, even stars or club-trained talent, are now assets more than icons.
- As the transfer deadline approaches, the biggest clubs’ bomb squads and unsold assets may yet determine the season's storylines.
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:00–02:27: Ads and intro
- 03:05–04:52: Window intensity & chaos (Ornstein)
- 05:25–08:05: Mainoo’s future at Man United (Anker)
- 08:05–11:17: Hojlund's situation explained (Ornstein, Anker)
- 14:26–16:50: Club culture vs. ruthless sales (Anker)
- 16:50–18:30: Other United moves (Ornstein)
- 20:37–22:35: Chelsea outs: Nkunku & Jackson (Ornstein)
- 22:35–26:02: Wage/age transfer barriers (Anker)
- 26:02–29:46: Financial mechanics of modern loans (Ornstein)
- 29:46–32:21: Bomb squad isolation and effect (Anker)
- 36:13–41:28: Arsenal sales & squad depth (Ornstein)
- 41:28–42:40: Arsenal’s “no excuses” season (Anker)
- 42:40–45:15: Man City goalkeepers–Donnarumma’s fate (Ornstein, Anker)
This episode is a must-listen (or read) for anyone following the transfer market’s high drama, providing both headline scoops and the structural realities shaping modern top-flight football.