22 Jul 2013 20:19:58
One of the things that confuses me a little about a lot of the negative posters on here (you know, we never make big signings, we might as well give up now, we're going to get relegated) is that they're kind of ignoring the fact that we don't have a history of making marquee signings, particularly from abroad.

Most of the great players we've signed have been making their first big step up (Ronaldo, Rooney, van Nistelrooy, Keane, Schmeichel, even back to Robson). The only 100% established "marquee" players I can remember us signing from leading European clubs are Veron (who flopped) and Van Persie (who hasn't). Even Berbatov only came from Spurs.

Yet every season we go through the same palaver where everybody complains we aren't signing the absolute top players and we're going to fall behind because of it. Surely we should be pleased we buy players and develop them to greatness? Isn't that a better thing to do? One of the risks with the very best players is that there is no guarantee you aren't buying them at the peak of their form (or, indeed, just off it) - look at Torres, Shevchenko, even Kaka to some extent.

If you look at the current team, there are 2 players there who are likely to be the best in the world in their respective positions within the next 2 or 3 years - de Gea and Rafael. They both fall into the "forward thinking" category of buys. We're in a position most teams would actually love to be in when heading into the transfer market - we have a strong squad, with a good mix of ages, and we can focus on buying players with a substantial future.

If, as a team, all you do is buy established players, sooner or later the bubble bursts. It's happened in the past at Lazio, at Marseille, to some extent at Madrid and Chelsea. I'm happy we continue to take the longer view.

1.) 22 Jul 2013
They moan that we only sign potential. When we start going for the big guns, they moan that we are punching above our weight. Plonkers.

Sydney!

2.) 22 Jul 2013
They are always going to be here mate, they play FM or fifa and then they think they have the knowledge of busby or cloughy! TRUST UNITED WHEN HAVE THEY REALLY LET U DOWN?

3.) 22 Jul 2013
Great post that darklord couldny agree more. It is the same every summer. You would think we had not won anything for a decade!

Red Pedro

4.) 22 Jul 2013
Dark lard, I agree to an extent but you've got to embellish the team with some proven talent otherwise you end up being arsenal.

at the moment we have a gaping deficit of talent in our midfield which for the last 4 or 5 years has required a world class player to fill it. we've now run out of time to find and develop that player so we need to buy him from elsewhere already fully developed.

hopefully we also buy some mid fielders with potential and get rid of the ones we have who didn't fulfill theirs.

5.) 22 Jul 2013
Spot and Andrew, particularly when you think we have only won 3 league titles in the last 5 years

6.) 22 Jul 2013
Andrew B

But - even with that gaping hole - we've won the league a few times, right?

The Arsenal situation is different. They refused to compete with other clubs on wages and so couldn't hold the talent they had. If they still had Clichy, Nasri and RVP they would be serious title contenders. They haven't done as good a job of spending their funds or developing their younger players, either.

7.) 22 Jul 2013
You have to buy someone first before you can develop them :)

8.) 22 Jul 2013
Darklord
Rooney best young player in the world imo better than neymar we got him.
Van nisterlooy the next big thing in Europe we git him ( turned down madrid)
Kean British transfer record
Robson British transfer record
Ferdinand best cb in the world, world transfer record fir a cb
Jred

9.) 23 Jul 2013
But Jred, apart from RVN, who out of those you've mentioned, had Barca, RM, Bayern chasing them, never mind new money like City, Chelsea, PSG.

I've said before, we were always a big draw for top British talent, but we've never consistently went for marquee European signings, or if we have, they haven't fancied coming to us - why should this year be any different?

10.) 23 Jul 2013
Steve
we don't know who was chasing who we can only go of the papers.
I would be surprised if every team in the world weren't looking at and wanted Vernon Rooney van and Ferdinand.
Even kean and Robson were both the best two cm in England or the best up and coming cm in Europe when we bought them
Jred

11.) 23 Jul 2013
My point is contrary to the op we have made big signings in the past and some the players he mentioned where in fact big signings
Jred

12.) 23 Jul 2013
Dark lard / ajh:

1. maybe we could have won the premier league more times, plus other competitions if we had a decent midfield

2. just because we won 3 in 5 doesn't guarantee anything for the future, especially with our rivals improving their squads.

if you're suggesting we don't have an immediate need for at least one top quality midfielder then I have to assume you're SAF in disguise :)