05 Aug 2015 10:29:59
Spoke to my fiancée's brother again last night (regional manager at a national Bookies). Here is what he said (most of it is well known but some might not be):

1) Di Maria all but done and will be officially unveiled by PSG before close of business on Friday.

2) He understands Pedro move to be pushed forward once Di Maria goes. Timescales are hard to predict but his Bookies expect Pedro deal to be finalised by middle of next week.

3) They are hearing NOTHING re new defenders coming to Utd. He said any that did would probably be a 'left-field' purchase that the Bookies have not previously foreseen.

4) Utd apparently know what it would take (financially) to get Zlatan quickly (PSG want him sold if possible) but they predict it would be a last gasp move. They don't currently see it happening.

5) His firm believe it's more likely Utd will NOT make any further signings after Pedro.

He said things can change and bookies are not always right. If Utd start shipping goals they may push for defensive reinforcements.

He thinks Utd will go with the current squad (after Pedro) and go all out for Bale next summer. His info is that Bale is the one player Utd REALLY want.

1.) 05 Aug 2015
05 Aug 2015 11:48:45
LVG himself said that he will add a CB so i can't see the window closing without us having any CB signed . It may be too late but eventually we will sign a CB

2.) 05 Aug 2015
05 Aug 2015 12:15:38
Thanks for sharing Jack. Like you said bookies are not always right, else no one will ever make any winnings. However i trust them more than most of the tabloids.

3.) 05 Aug 2015
05 Aug 2015 12:30:13
That's a decent read Jack.

Bookies aren't always right but they are rarely wrong. You don't see a poor bookie.

For me - I would be worried and disappointed if we only signed Pedro - Pedro is a great signing and an ideal replacement for Di Maria but we have lost RVP and Falcao - we need a striker.

Our defence is a mess and it will be a huge disappointment if we don't sign a proven CB.

Personally I don't think we'll be finished after Pedro. We have the funds and wages to sign proven class - it might be the end of agust before seeing anybody else though

4.) 05 Aug 2015
05 Aug 2015 12:58:34
IMO we can't consider as replacements players that will come for RVP, Falcao or Di Maria as they didn't play big part last season. We need to find the right players. Because if Pedro's game is the same as Di Maria's last year, then we rather use Januzaj, Valencia and Pereira.

5.) 05 Aug 2015
05 Aug 2015 13:30:49
Thanks Jack, unfortunately too believable.

Maybe LvG believes defence will be stronger for having better defensive shield (as Southampton had with VW and MS - lovren floundered at Lpool)

Would still worry about being vulnerable to the counter attack once we lose possession in our pressing game, particularly with Jones' rash challenges.

6.) 05 Aug 2015
05 Aug 2015 15:06:30
Thanks for sharing Jack - unfortunately on these markets bookies are often far off the mark, they make their margins on horse racing and football matches rather than special bets like who is buying who, they have no idea at all, so although your info could be correct it is more than likely that it will be totally wrong.

Giants,

Bookies don't make money because they know things, they make money because other people don't.

7.) 05 Aug 2015
05 Aug 2015 19:05:09
That's deep GDS

8.) 06 Aug 2015
06 Aug 2015 12:51:55
I work for a bookies Jack.