FUTBIN Meet Dimitar Berbatov

Last week FUTBIN had the chance to sit down with former Manchester United and Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov and ask his thoughts on the upcoming Premier League season. Here’s what he had to say. 

Keep an eye out on FUTBIN ahead of FC 25 as we’ve got some more exciting content with the Bulgarian coming your way! 

👀🇧🇬 There we land… pic.twitter.com/uxhIfTE4O6

— FUTBIN (@FUTBIN) August 16, 2024

Ivan Toney’s future at Brentford remains undecided. Arsenal and Manchester United are said to be interested in the striker. Do you think he’s ready for the step up?

“I think he’s ready for a move to one of the Premier League’s bigger clubs but I don’t think he’ll go to Manchester United because they already have two strikers and they have plenty of attacking options.” 

“Toney to Arsenal? Why not? I think he made the most of his playing time at the Euros and gave everything and the best that he could with such a limited amount of playing time. The way he plays the game. The way he moves, scoring goals, taking penalties and taking responsibility means it’s time for the next step but which direction that is we will have to wait and see.”

Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Højlund will be battling for the No. 9 spot. Who would you prefer to be up top and what do you think both of them bring to the table for Manchester United?

“It’s going to be a competition and because there's a lot of football to be played it’s good to have different options for different games and opponents. Sometimes you have to decide your team based on the opponents and the defenders of the team.” 

“Sometimes it’s difficult for the attackers to understand why they’ve been benched and why another attacker is playing ahead of him but this is the job of the manager.” 

“My wish is, especially with Rasmus having a year in the Premier League, for them to score goals as soon as possible. This is how strikers are judged. As a striker I also look out for so many other things. How they open up the pitch, the spaces they leave for their team mates, how they control the ball, dropping back to get on the ball and then getting up the pitch, following the game.”

“For Zirkzee and Højlund, the most important thing is scoring goals.

Do you think Rasmus Højlund is or can be good enough to be the main number nine for Manchester United this season? 

"Højlunds goal ratio must improve. He should be better and I think he can be better. He can do better but it comes down to concentration levels. Keeping his concentration levels high throughout all the games because he had good goal scoring opportunities and didn't score them.” 

“So this is the moment where he has to work even harder which won't be easy but it’ll be beneficial. Especially now that United have Ruud van Nistelrooy in the coaching team. So now if you don’t take this opportunity to learn from one of the best who used to score goals for fun, you’re wasting your time.”

“Speak to Ruud, ask questions, visit his home if you have to, be respectful, listen to him, learn, ask questions and try to add that to your game.”

What have you made of Amad Diallo during his loan period at Sunderland and his time at United since returning. Do you think he can stake a claim for a starting berth on the right side this season?

“Amad is still very, very young with a lot of football to play. I think it was beneficial for him to go on loan to Sunderland because you could see he wasn;t ready to face and play regularly in the Manchester United first team.” 
“Now there’s an improvement and growth in the way that he plays football.  I think ten Hag said that Amad is now ready to make the difference and to play more but the competition is going to be high.” 

“It’s a sensitive and delicate situation when you’re faced with competition and you’re fighting for one place with four other players fighting for it. You need concentration on the training pitch, concentration during the games and whilst you prepare for games.” 

“Don’t be discouraged when you’re not playing. Sometimes football can be cruel but stay fighting, do your best in training and I think he’ll get chances to play this season. He has to seize them but not only on the right.” 

“Sometimes he might have to play on the left or as a number ten. Maybe the coach needs you there and you’ll find out something about yourself you didn’t know existed. Maybe you can play in different positions. It’ll be interesting to see how ten hag manages the luxury of options that he has.” 

With the emergence of Amad, alongside Garnacho also making the right side his starting position last season could it be the end of Antony at Manchester United?

"Maybe Garnacho because he has made the best impression on me, honestly. Purely because of his intent on getting the ball in going forward. He's not going backwards, he's going forward. He's direct."

"Of course he has a lot to learn, especially when to release the ball, when to pick his head up and see if someone is in a better position than himself because that's a situation that he misses sometimes."

"But he's the sort of player that has that boyish enthusiasm and just wants to play and enjoy. Not become tactical. Give him the ball, especially in the last third, and go out and destroy defenders." 

"Diallo, similar to Garnacho, with the speed, with the movement, with the tricks and shots."

"But all these players, in my mind of course, they need to use their strong side. Don't get the ball on the halfway line and then start running with it and get into the box because you're going to be tired. Just use your strong sides in the right moments. Be patient."

"I understand it. Sometimes you don't get the ball for a long time. You get angry, you get irritated, you want to get the ball so you go back to the halfway line and say 'give me the ball'. Now you want to impress and you run with the ball but you get tired, you get to the last third in the box and your brain is tired and cannot give information to your legs. You get confused and you lose the ball. Then you start over again."

"Use your qualities the best way possible when you're close to the goal. These will be your most effective positions to make an impression."

What would you like to see Erik ten Hag learn from last season so that United can avoid another poor season?

"Not let in any easy goals. Or simply, don't let in any goals. Just correct the way the team is defending. That is going to be the most important because United were conceding too many goals last season."

"It can sound boring but learn to defend even more as a unit, as a team. Not only this but when your attackers are up the pitch and you are facing counter-attacks, learn how to defend with three-four people but don't concede so many goals."

Do you think a signing like Matthijs de Ligt can help Man Utd not concede goals?

"In a way, yes. My only concern for him is to stay fit."

"Obviously ten Hag knows him. They were at Ajax together. Then he moved to Juventus and then Bayern Munich. That jumping from team to team, some can argue against this, but the thing is that every team he went to, they became champions. So let's hope that it's good karma and he brings it to United (laughs!)."

"Outside of the jokes and funny things, he is a really good defender so let's hope he can stay fit - the most important thing for any player. And ten Hag will put faith in him and let's see how he will start in the Premier League because it is a different beast. Let's see how he will handle the speed and all the quick players coming against him."

There are some United fans that feel as though Mason Mount didn’t make sense as a signing due to Bruno occupying the number ten role where Mount has shone for Chelsea.  How do you see Mount finding a starting place in the side this season?

“First season was disappointing for him and something to forget. But he can learn from that and what he can learn is to get better. If you give him the opportunity he has to go out and give the best he can. He didn't manage to do that last season unfortunately.”

“But the talent and the quality is there. Everybody saw what he did at Chelsea, but he didn't produce it at Man United.”

“Bruno Fernandes is a similar type of player, but it is a long season and there are a lot of games to be played, and they need competition. He can make a difference with the passes and his runs.”

“My only wish for him is to get through the thought that he is new and that he doesn't want to take responsibility. It is his second season now and he needs to have a good season.”

“This is the moment to make or break, so he has to go out there and be brave. Take some chances and risks. He has the quality, so don't be afraid, Mason.”

Tottenham have now agreed terms with Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke. Do you think he can be the signing to help propel Spurs into the top four and beyond this season?

“Spurs always have this hype and believe before the season starts. They have the belief that this is the season where they will surprise people and win something.”

“But something always happens along the season in terms of Spurs from achieving and going down, and at some point they stabilise. If they start the season in a proper way, they should stay there. It is not easy of course, but with the signing of Solanke who can score goals, I hope he can bring another dimension to the team.”

“They already have Son and Werner, so there is a good fight for the places, but they need to work as a whole team and continue their trend up and not go down during the season.”