Use our rumours form to send us manchester united transfer rumours.
26 May 2015 23:02:27
Eds, do Manchester United have any registered interest in Benteke or Lukaku?
{Ed007's Note - No.}
27 May 2015 07:59:18
Good, let's go for Icardi then! Apparently inter have offered £60k a week? He isn't happy about that? Put a better offer on the table then Utd! We have all but secured CL, sorted! If that doesn't happen we have Benzema as back up with De Gea off to Madrid?
26 May 2015 21:56:32
Eds, any chance of reposting the following of Ed002's insights from earlier on in the year?.
The rumours are pretty much the same and it might be a nice 002 fix for those (everyone) that miss the Eds posts.
Thanks.
{Ed002's Note - Much of this will change by the summer and there are major dependencies on (a) players leaving (b) if there is a change of manager, and (c) Champions League qualification. However, there is known to be (or have recently been) some level of interest in the following players:
GK: If De Gea goes perhaps Krul or Handanovic will be added. Romero was looked at but as an alternative to Valdes, so unlikely.
RB: Coleman would be expensive and remains "not for sale". Perhaps Clyne would be a better option. Alves is negotiating with PSG. Danilo of Porto has been looked at but is heading elsewhere. Darmain was looked at but there is no interest right now.
CB: It seems likely that Manchester United are looking for two centre backs. Mats Hummels remains the primary target, if available. The summer is certainly realistic, particularly given the Champions League situation and Dortmund are looking at a possible replacement. Godin may well alo be a serious target for the summer. Garay could certainly be an option for the summer - he will be leaving Zenit. Alternatively, Howedes if available but I doubt a first choice. Virgil van Dijk has been looked at but there is interest from elsewhere and I cannot see him sitting on the bench. Miranda - only makes sense at a much, much lower fee. Terence Kongolo remains of interest to both Manchester clubs and Southampton. Tyrone Mings has been looked at but remains one for the future and with Rojo and Shaw at the club seems an unlkikely choice. Otamendi was of interest to Barcelona, Zenit, Chelsea, Napoli, Manchester City and CSKA before a move to Valencia in January 2014 and a subsequent loan to Atlético Mineiro. As Otamendi has only effectively been playing in Spain since August 2014 a move in January was unlikely - but he was of interest. There has been interest in Dragovic but if he forces a move from Dinamo Kiev I suspect he will end up elsewhere. PSG had no intention of selling Marquinhos but he may well be sacrificed in the summer to raise transfer funds. Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Chelsea are are very interested in the player.
DM: Vidal is due to be sold in the summer and I suspect there is still interest. Nainggolan might, if his complex ownership can be resolved, be an option. Strootman has been injured for a while and whilst he remains a target there may be too much of a risk with his injury issues to make a move for him. Carvalho remains a player that both Arsenal and Manchester United are interested in and his situation remains the same. He is for sale, but the asking price would need to come down to make any move possible.
M: Gundogan is refusing to agree a new deal and is seen as a shadow of his former (pre-injury) self - could be a dumb move but he will be available and Manchester United are interested. Pogba will be outrageously expensive and there is strong interest from elsewhere. Pjanic was a Moyes target and I suspect interest has gone. Transfer fee and wages are very high. Khedira has been of interest but a move seems unlikely. Matuidi is a player the club has considered but he has no interest in leaving PSG. Interest in Viktor Fischer will have gone completely.
W/AM: Whilst Depay is not seen to be ready for the EPL at this time, by someone very respected within the game, I suspect Manchester United will be able to complete the signing in the summer. Douglas Costa has been of sustained interest to Manchester United but I suspect he is heading elsewhere. A tentative enquiry was made Wolfsburg's Kevin de Bruyne but it I think it very unlikely that a move will be possible this summer. Pedro will leave Barcelona this summer as they start raising funds for rebuilding from January 2016 - it is not out of the question that the club could rekindle previous interest, but I think a move is unlikely. The club will be approached about Arda Turan but I do not know if the club will be interested at all.}
FW: Santos' Gabriel Barbosa continues to be of interest to Chelsea, Fiorentina and Manchester United. However, much is expected of him and there is an agreement between Santos and Barcelona that will be exercised in 2016 if he does not beforehand - if he does I don't think it will be to Manchester. Do not be surprised by a bid for Benzema. Cavani is being offered around the clubs who have previously shown an interest. Surprisingly, rumours of Manchester United and Manchester City interest in Danny Ings are true. Kenedy remains of interest and if a deal can be done he would likely go on loan. Interest in Bakkali has gone completely. Mandzukic will be sold this summer as Atletico look to fund a bid for Cavani. Manchester City see Mandzukic as a replacement for Dzeko and it is a solution that suits all. "Apparently" (an agent's "apparently"), Manchester United and Arsenal remain interested. Maybe not.}
26 May 2015 22:00:19
How do people feel about the possibility of signing Dani alvez ? I think he would be an astute signing he has great CL experience. There is obvious deficiencies but some obvious upsides too imo
26 May 2015 22:15:52
Think we would need a better RCH to help cover his ForaY's forward with the HM helping too.
He would actually benefit from playing with Young who worked hard defensively this year.
27 May 2015 06:45:25
I think people grossly underestimate him as i watch almost all of barca's games and the way they play leaves them open to the occasional counter and getting caught out. They generally push everyone up and the full backs are a key part of their offensive set up.
He is brilliant going forward and will give you goals and assists and if asked to stay back can defend as good as anyone and no muppet.
We have too many unproven/developing players in our back line who are very young and quite error prone. He is a very polished player and has won pretty much everything and still has a few years of football ahead of him. On a free it is a no Brainer comparative to how we have wasted money on the likes of Falcao and Di Maria, wages and transfers.
I still believe we should purchase a young Right back also as an understudy. We will hopefully have over 60 something games next year and when the manager says he needs 2 for every position he is just stating the obvious.
26 May 2015 20:27:29
It's no wonder ed02 doesn't talk on here anymore,the posters on here have united sorted for the next 10 years,we have in and around 100 players to sign,we have the transfer fees sorted,swAps,relase clauses,it's alright to have an opinion but none of us have a clue,newspapers Twitter none of them know anything,the only ones that have knowledge is the eds and we talk rubbish and ask the same questions over and over about the same players,some come on and write essays instead of a post,and the window isn't open yet,
26 May 2015 21:08:38
I'm already sick of the bloody window and it doesn't open for a month !
26 May 2015 21:25:09
Are you for real
26 May 2015 21:27:31
If we can't express opinions and talk rubbish what is the point of a banter page?
26 May 2015 21:31:34
Yeah, he's right, no one post any transfer rumours or banter on these sites anymore, let's discuss something more relevant, like politics, or gardening. Somebody start us off
26 May 2015 21:56:27
We already had our banter taken away, please don't take our opinions.
Just saying :-)
26 May 2015 22:07:36
Fresh is getting antsy because he hasn't made his annual 'we're going to sign Ronaldo' post yet. Give the lad a chance to build up to it before spoiling all his fun.
26 May 2015 22:13:46
Its fine to have opinions,but asking the same questions about the same players over and over gets a bit boring after a while,we know we need players and they will come in,but posters who think they know and have the team lineup for next season already,things change players change their minds,clubs change their mind,they try and hold other clubs to ransom.contracts,wages,lvg said decisions have been made but things can change.i hope we sign all these players we have been linked with,
26 May 2015 23:48:55
How witty of you Danny. May do it just to annoy you.
27 May 2015 00:02:44
There's an easy solution Leahy, don't read the pages if they bore you
27 May 2015 00:52:50
I don't read the pages for your input,0
27 May 2015 00:58:20
Stand united,last year you said something about your dads building company and some friends where in the know and we were going to sign Vidal
27 May 2015 01:06:09
It's some of the posters that bore me,I come on mostly to read what the eds have to say,ed02 has the knowledge.i enjoy ed07 and ed025 they bring a bit of humor
{Ed007's Note - What you need is a big hug, I doubt it'll be from Ed004 though!}
27 May 2015 02:15:12
Leahy12 there will always be posters who think they know what's going to happen but its mainly more a case of wish lists, we all want the best and love to think we can get them, its a fantasy world but its also a banter site with different views.
I hear Ed002 is good for a hug if you need one.
{Ed007's Note - I've heard Ed004 delivers a mean Double Dutch Rudder......
27 May 2015 02:25:18
A little bit to touchy feely but each to there own.
:-)
27 May 2015 09:37:11
Ed04 i just forgot about,I have a few friends who read what's going on in the site and they said they scroll down till they see the red writing from the eds,I read most of the posts but like everything else in life some people just waffle
26 May 2015 19:50:26
Happy Camp Nou 99' last off the three!!!
Can they score.
26 May 2015 21:57:07
They always Score!
26 May 2015 19:13:28
after the seasons over we the united fans get together to try and make sense of what happened in the season. Then we go on about new signings and strategy and such and whether one transfer or a few transfers can get us back to the top again. But quite simply, no matter whatever system we play we haven't looked comfortable in a game since fergie left. I know it serves no purpose to reminisce about the past but really how good a coach was he. Match after match after match he set up his teams to win and when we watched his teams we knew that they'd never give up. Even when we we lost 6-1 to city it was not for giving up but because we would not stop attacking.And that for me was the heart and soul of ubited. It was our DNA. But in the David Moyes days it felt like all the fight was gone and even now under lvg whenever we concede first we might get back quickly but after 70 odd minutes it seems like the game goes nowhere and that's the opposite of what used to happen in fergies time. Its like we were the kings of late goals and now it feels as if the team stops trying late on in the game. Although, there have been some exceptions like blinds goal that rescued a point at Sunderland these are rare occurrences and that's what worries me that towards the end of games post fergie the game passes us by. As in during fergies days the last 15 would probably be the most exciting whereas now it's the most boring. You might a switch off you TV's and got to sleep because the best we'd probably not concede a goal becoz I am willing to bet we won't be scoring another in all honesty so my point is although lvg has done well he just isn't the right guy for the united way and the English way of 4-4-2 with marauding wingers which would excite us a every point in the match. So I'd say that if we want to get back to winning ways but in a style that the fans will enjoy we need to look for a coach like minded to fergie because its all.and well keeping 90% possession but if you cannot score more than your opponents you will never end up on the winning side. So rather than the players its the philosophy that is to be adjusted for a better Manchester united which plays its football in a way that excites even our most ardent haters because it is the united way
26 May 2015 22:09:16
Fergie always had a difference maker. Cantona, Ronaldo, even RVP for one season. Yes, the team needs an attitude adjustment too, but unless we have top players it doesn't matter what system we play. Chelsea, Arsenal, and City all have deeper and better squads than us, never mind the top European clubs. It's been asked many times: how many of our squad would get a regular first team berth on any of those 3 teams?
Until the last few years SAF also had no trouble recycling players. Beckham, Keane, Van Nistelrooy all got sold, but after the Glazers came in we started to hold on to our old stars, until they could no longer cut it. We became a club prepared to part with Ronaldo, Tevez etc, watching as City and Chelsea started to pack their squads wit international stars. We brought Scholes out of retirement rather than pay Pogba regularly. Why, because, in my opinion, SAF became focused on his short term legacy. He wasn't prepared to take those sort of risks any longer, and I think he knew the players coming through were not as good as the ones who were coming towards the end of their careers. In Europe the deterioration of the squad was especially marked.
I am not defending LVG but i think he deserves another year at least. Let's see who he buys, who he gets rid off and how he sets the team up to play. There is absolutely no point in going on about the past because it cannot be repeated by anyone. And frankly, if we want to be successful in Europe any time in the future, then we are going to have to move away from SAF tactically. His record in Europe was modest at best considering the wealth of the club, and how many times we were in the competition.
{Ed025's Note - thats a cracking post shawthing..well done mate..
26 May 2015 22:39:03
we have spent 200mil in 18 month and we don't have a player that can make a difference ?.
mata and di maria cost 100 mill alone .
fergy won the CL twice i think during that time only barcelona and madrid won it more 3 times each ( i might be wrong on that)
so i think fergys record was ok .
27 May 2015 06:21:38
Shawthing
Agree and I have taken lots of abuse for writing the same over the last three years.
I see SAF has just praised Mourinho as a winner, predicting a period of success for Chelsea under him, add that to the points in your post and the shocking transition SAF guided us into and his legacy is nowhere near as strong as it should be.
27 May 2015 06:57:51
Shawthing
Fergie is in a different class to LVG and i am amused that you can even go there. His record will stand as the greatest manager of his generation and that is why guys like Mourinho even revere him as they understand how difficult it is to achieve what he has done.
I think people are naive to question his record in Europe as even Real Madrid with all its might and money splashed around has proven how difficult it is to get there in Europe. Look at Guardiola at Bayern, who by most accounts is loaded and they get bounced 2 years in a row in embarrassing fashion.
If Fergie was still here and he had spent 200 million, i assure you we would be winning the league or playing for it on the final day of the season. last time Jose was here Fergie saw him off in his 3rd year and Chelsea did the same thing they have been doing for years which is buy buy buy. The script has not changed but one key personality is now retired.
27 May 2015 10:05:56
I've heard it all now - 'Fergie's legacy is nowhere near as strong as it should be'.
Are some of us so determined to excuse LVG everything, that we're prepared to start turning on the man who actually did bring success, rather than question some of the manager's decision-making this season?
27 May 2015 12:25:17
StevieK
SAF's legacy was a team which had not been improved in key positions, then appointing a manager SAF was instrumental in putting in place, who was patently inadequate leading to us finishing 7th. I think it is fair to say his legacy has been tainted by a terrible transition. Now he is praising Mourinho indicating years of success for him whilst having presided over our transition when it is very clear it could and should have been done a lot better. This isn't about hiding what LvG is or hadn't done , it is about SAF dropped the pass and his legacy will be viewed as less successful because of it and even more so if he is right about Chelsea
27 May 2015 15:14:16
Red Man, to be quite honest, SAF could break into my house, shoot my dog, make love to my wife while forcing me to watch, steal all my money, and before leaving, give my son a couple of punches in the face and myself a good, hard kick in the nads, and I'd still give him a bye ball, in light of what he did for our club.
See the revisionism has started already. Ungrateful wouldn't be in it.
27 May 2015 16:10:17
also let's not forget fergys spending was restricted under the glazers while they sorted the debt .
stupid thread imo
27 May 2015 17:42:45
Redman
You views on moyes are so off the chart that you now think fergies' legacy is tainted lol. I assure you you are in tiny tiny tiny minority mate.
Fergie left an old team to be rebuild which in my opining was due in large part because he had very little money to spend. The inability to refinance debt in 2009 to 2011 and interest cost robbed us of 3 years of proper transfer activity as most of the money went for recovering the interest expenses.
In todays age most top teams with settled squads need to buy 2 or 3 top players every year to stay there.
27 May 2015 19:41:34
When talking about SAF being restricted in spending you should remember SAF was also connected with the arrival of the Glazers following his situation with the racehorse. That action tainted him in a lot of eyes. Plus his constant pronouncements that they always supported what he needed undermines your argument.
My views on Moyes were backed up by the board when they sacked him, I don't know anyone who hasn't now accepted that he was out of his depth.
SAF should have won more in Europe, yet he created a marvellous winning culture that we all thoroughly enjoyed. The SAF years were fantastic but he wasn't perfect. His legacy has been tainted following the transition, Moyes appointment, his support for the Glazers and the racehorse situation but we will always rejoice in every trophy he brought us, that side of him will always be appreciated.
28 May 2015 10:33:31
On that basis Mourinho should have also won a lot more in Europe too given his teams at Chelsea and Real madrid. Blank at real and chelsea.
Very easy to say stuff like that. I guess Guardiola should have also won 5 on that basis.
26 May 2015 18:59:57
Roses are red.
Violets are blue.
How I am dearly missing, Ed002.
In anyone's opinion, what do you think the chances of the whole Nainggolan ownership issue being resolved and then us signing him this summer are?
I have searched back and found Ed002's in-depth breakdown of what our interests were back in March and nothing has changed from that as all the current interests are on that list and Depay has been ticked off it. So I just want to say that, regardless of whether she decides to grace us with her full insight once again, I really appreciate all her work and knowledge that has found its way onto this website.
And not forgetting,
Thanks to all the other Eds for your banter and opinions :)
26 May 2015 17:37:32
A few posts about people's expectations and thoughts for the impending window are starting to show.
This is my sort of post so thought I'd share mine (but not include a team!).
GK: To me it is inevitable that De Gea goes, I don't see any scenario where he doesn't leave either now or next season. It isn't totally his decision clearly and he will more than likely move back to his home town and play for another massive club in world football. So, I think we need a new keeper which for me has to be Cech. I suspect that Cech will choose between ourselves and Arsenal.
Defence: Obviously we need a right back and centre half. Van Gaal likes balance as someone rightly said further down the page so I would not be at all surprised to see Rojo partner Otamendi next term - a left and right footer with Smalling and Jones backup. I also think Dani Alves will be our new right back, but I suspect we will find out about that soon enough. If not Alves then we will push for Clyne or Cancelo - but Alves really will save us a massive amount on transfer fees despite being an expensive option.
Midfield: LVG has said that we will sign a number 6. For this position, age is not a concern. I would have no issues in a 34 year old Carrick and a 31 year old Schweinsteiger for this position. The attributes are quality on the ball, a cool head and an ability to break up the play. Between the two of them this position would be very solid. Ander Herrera ought to be a main stay but I hope Fellaini drops to the bench with a replacement coming in. This player needs to have box to box attributes and technically be very good. If there were no Gundogan fitness concerns then he would be the one - it is a concern though taking on someone with a potentially debilitating injury. Out of everyone I'd have Vidal but also think Nainggolan is a good option here - gets up and down the pitch, likes a tackle, good quality on the ball and scores goals. Nainggolan and Vidal are better options than Gundogan, but we may already have something in place for Gundogan.
(It would be a travesty to let Vidal join Arsenal though).
Wings: We are technically sorted on the wings. Di Maria and Depay to start with Young, Mata and Januzaj backing them up. Do we push for Bale, Ronaldo even? If they are available yes - there would always be a place for them, but I don't think we will see it this year.
Strikers: The formation we play means that we start with one up top. This will undoubtedly be Rooney, he is our captain and is widely regarded as our best striker. Wilson will clearly be an option, probably third choice, maybe Will Keane as 4th choice even. The second choice striker is an area of great interest though, RVP or someone new? The savings made on signing Schweinsteiger and Alves as opposed to other, more expensive options would pay for a striker. But will RVP be resurgent? Or should we move for someone like Higuain who is totally different to Rooney in that he lives in the box and doesn't really stray. I don't think RVP will leave nor will we sign a striker, but RVP and Rooney are too similar and I'd rather have different options for different scenarios.
To summarise:
In: Cech, Dani Alves, Otamendi, Schweinsteiger, Vidal/Nainggolan and Higuian. I may be wide of the mark but that would surely be no more than £120 million which would of course be offset by sales!
26 May 2015 18:44:07
i think smalling is our first choice cb at the moment .
we have carrick and blind a player lvg rates to play deep cm.
i think rooney and rvp will be our strikers so i would be surprised to see a big name striker so maybe someone like ings
26 May 2015 19:32:56
im agreeing with fresh here.I like your thinking.
Regarding smalling.
he is sh!te He walks around like he has a wooden cross nailed to his back. has absolutley no composure on the ball. We need players who can relax on the ball create time/space to pick a pass.
He gets the ball and immediately looks to offload. Like cleverley.
IMO there will be another striker coming.I also thinking he will be a 1st teamer.
Benzema more than likely. Loaning Falcao means we are definitely looking at another goal poacher.
Id also happily have Schwienstiger. If you look at the best no.6 players all seem to perform better with age.
We must get Vidal.
26 May 2015 21:07:15
Totally agree never rated Smalling looks like a championship defender no composure whatsoever.
26 May 2015 21:29:19
Jred, he has said he wants a number 6 so he early isn't happy totally with Blind and Carrick. Another will come in.
26 May 2015 22:01:59
It's a pity that we had to fall so far for people to really appreciate what Carrick brings to the table.
27 May 2015 10:15:18
Jred
I think our biggest two transfers will be CB and a Striker. Signing Falcao was no coincidence and clear signal we are looking for a striker although he has turned out to be a very bad deal and a ghost of his former self which I doubt anyone anticipated.
I think we will have RVP , Rooney. Wilson and a new Striker next year. I know people think we will blow our brains out buying a midfielder but I think we will buy but not go crazy on what we spend there.
We are toothless upfront and need a true number 9 which we don't have.
26 May 2015 17:36:49
what do you guys think of us signing Gungogan? Good/Bad?
26 May 2015 18:43:22
He's not Belgian, ergo bad
26 May 2015 22:58:43
Good player ronnie but would not trust his back injury rather vidal
27 May 2015 10:18:35
Hard to say how he will do in the PL. There is always the risk that it is too physical for him and with his injury it must be a concern.
I personally feel if we are going to spend money we should make a big bid for Verrati that PSG can't refuse. I think he is much better all round and perfect for our set up.
26 May 2015 17:34:48
Luke Shaw is a talent, no doubt! But his injury record is awful, do you not think we need some back up? I think
Luke has a great future, but I think we need to bring in Kurzawa from Monaco? Otamendi is a certain, and I think we could get Laporte too with the help of Herrera? We forget Kurzawa is 22 too?
26 May 2015 18:10:39
Rojo and Blind are perfectly capable as fill ins. We don't want someone that will keep Shaw out of the side when fit as that would hinder his development.
I'm sure he will be better with a long summers break.
26 May 2015 18:45:16
Shaw had no issues until he signed for us. I think he will be fine and be ours and England's left back for many years
26 May 2015 22:08:09
Shaw just needs to go off and have a good long rest and watch his diet. If he and ADM can put injuries and inconsistencies behind them it will be like two new signings.
26 May 2015 15:35:12
I would rather splash the cash on Javi Martinez than any other defensive midfielder and he is also a very good centre back .Bayern don't see him as first choice even after his injuries £34 million buyout is still in place!bild!!!
26 May 2015 15:18:19
Here is a set of guidelines for posters worrying about transfer rumours. Before bothering the Ed's feel free to read this, it is accurate in 90% of cases ;)
Bild and Marca are Germany and Spain's equivalents of The Daily Sport and general red tops like that, so like their English counterparts 80% of the stuff written in there is strictly to sell newspapers, the other 20% is guess work and reports from other sources. Obviously when they hear a deal is going to happen they do get things right but please read an article properly before jumping to conclusions, a lot are filled with no actual facts.
Agents tend to represent more than one player, so if they are 'spotted' by the keen eye of an observer at a certain stadium, then it is more than likely that the Agent will represent a player from there. Obviously if not then this is news worthy but more often than not people jump to conclusions because the do not know the full facts and should really, as 'Journalists' do research into the Agent and check.
Guillem Balagué is a man than spouts more nonsense than most, just because he is spanish does not make him ITK about Bale or Ronaldo or Otamendi or anyone he claims to have insider information on. He does it to stay relevant when the season is over.
Twitter is a vicious place filled with lies and speculation. These ITK accounts are normally not ITK. They make stuff up and because they claim to be ITK then its spreads around the 'Twittersphere' and becomes a solid rumour. I know because on the national express last year, me and my friend managed to Convince an ITK account the Jose Fonte to West Ham was a rumour, and he later tweeted it. (Sad i know).
Lastly, i will say that i have been sucked into these rumours before and even bet £20 with a pal that Vidal would sign for us last summer (Dont start, its fair to say i learnt my lesson). Basically, the summer transfer window is a roller-coaster of fun, dissapointment and anger. Try not to get too involved because it will control you. Just wait for Man Utd to relase an official statement. And until then. DO NOT. make stupid bets with your friends.
{Ed004's Note - Good post. Would like to add another point - posts asking for information on a list of different players will just be deleted. No point sending in lists full of random plays and/or utd players.}
26 May 2015 16:19:10
Thanks Ed004, thought i'd take a bit of work off ya ;)
26 May 2015 16:23:15
Yellow bar!!
26 May 2015 16:51:56
Good post Harry. in addition can we also add|
1. Steer clear of buy out clauses, they are invariably inaccurate or over complicated.
2. United remain the biggest club in the UK so papers make stuff up in order to sell copies. Harsh but accurate.
3. There will be endless sightings of Wesley Schneider in or around Manchester Airport all of which will be false.
4. We will be linked with circa 40 players during the window and will more than likely sign no more than 4, meaning 90% of links are rubbish.
5. In recent years, we have been nailed on to sign the aforementioned Snidger, Sanchez, and Vidal, none of which happened. Until the deal is signed, it ain't happened.
6. Whilst last year was unusual, deadline day is usually a damp squib. Deals that happen at the last minute are usually badly thought through or signs of desperation.
26 May 2015 17:29:38
Banter page = FUN LAUGHTER AND SMILES
post what you want and let's all have some it just might brighten up your day PUMPKINS
26 May 2015 17:52:36
AJH
Only one small point but did we not buy Herrera by using the buyout clause on his contract?
Twitter is nonsense however one Italian journalist on Twitter posted about Falcao agreeing a deal with United the night before it was reported anywhere else or announced.
99.9% is unreliable but occasionally and rarely there is something
26 May 2015 18:47:42
There you go again Red Man, bringing it back to Moyes (😅). Fair point re Herrera but often the public view is way off the reality
26 May 2015 19:11:21
AJH
Ha, what gave it away? was it the words small or nonsense that I was hiding my double meaning behind ?
Agree on buyout clauses, as the Ed has said don't bother.
Worth following Tancredi Palmeri on the dubious Twitter
Just enjoy the transfer ride
26 May 2015 14:06:21
If we can't find a RB would everyone be happy with Valencia for another Season?
He has our highest % of passed completed - 89, He is our 4 best performer this season (According to Squawka) and with enough training he could get his positioning better?
Personally i'd buy a new RB but it is nowhere near the top of our 'priority list'as people keep suggesting.
26 May 2015 14:35:14
He is a great professional for Manchester United. But stats don't help much in this case. He is not by nature a defender, and a defender above all else, is one who spots danger quickly. Half a second and it is too late. I am not sure training can make up for that at this stage in his career. And going forward, his crossing has not been good, and he is not creative.
26 May 2015 15:10:35
Have to agree with zidaniel on this one. Going forward he gives nothing, you can be sure he'll pass back once he get the ball in forward position rather than cross it ( this can tell you why he has the best % of completed passes). Defensively he loses his man all the time on set pieces which most of the times result in goals, he doesn't have the positioning sense even in normal play. He can only track back quickly and occasionally stop the crosses but once the ball is in the box he has no idea where to be and what to do. I think its about time he should move on to some other league and we make some money now, otherwise he might end up at some place like Sunderland in a couple of seasons and we might get peanuts for him.
26 May 2015 16:03:24
Valencia is an awful right back . can't defend nor can attack. I won't be able to see him play again in that position
26 May 2015 16:57:18
Good professional, awful right back.
No wonder his passing stats are so high, he knocks the ball infield to his centre back or to Herrera. Not exactly difficult.
Valencia is out of position for nearly all the goals we concede down out right hand side. He always gets sucked in field as he did against Chelsea for Hazard's goal.
Good back up, good professional - nothing more.
26 May 2015 17:59:40
Assessed Valencia several times in the season
A powerful runner , quick and direct. Positionally poor in defence and at the other end his crossing rarely ends in anything.
One thing to add is that Valencia played for Equador in the centre of midfield and his powerful runs were better than wide. Useful back up but that is it now.
26 May 2015 13:28:20
Read some interesting articles recently on our transfer targets and the impacts on our formation. I don't think we should be going after Gundogan at all. He is a box-to-box midfielder and since his injury he has lost a lot of his former mobility and can no longer make driving runs drop deep. Even at his best he is a different player to carrick and cannot be considered a replacement. We've been pretty poor without carrick so we need a back up/starting CM who can play the controlling role. Seen quite a few people say they think we played 3-5-2 a the start of the season because Carra was injured and we didn't have anyone who could play in that role. Saw the same thing with the Dutch side, when Strootman got injured LVG changed the formation to 3-5-2. We are pretty well stocked in attacking midfielders now, even is Adnan goes on loan. CBs both Jones and Smalling are starting to show consistency and promise for the future. We need another established CB but I want to see them both get a lot of game time next year, especially Jones. One of the big statistics groups evaluated all the best young CBs in europe and Jones actually came top! Goalie, valdes is a great shot stopper but pretty poor in the air which could be an issue (he's like a young de gea!) so if david goes we will definitely need a young replacement who can push for no.1. Strikers, I think Robin is past it now and we could really do with freeing up some wages by selling him and cheech. Wilson should go out on loan so we need maybe 2 more strikers. Benteke?
Thoughts overall?
26 May 2015 14:44:35
Statistics can be bent to show anything given enough time. Varane and Laporte are head and shoulders above Jones.
Jones has poor positional sense, is rash/ lacks composure. Yes he is committed, fast and powerful, but he is a liability and made from glass. He has missed more games than he has played for us since he signed. The boy needs to go out on loan to get some games under his belt to try and rediscover the potential he showed at Blackburn.
26 May 2015 14:45:20
Phil Jones is a brave but erratic defender, no matter what some statistical study says. As far as CM goes, I think we need two, one deep lying and one box to box. The striker question is tricky. It depends what LVG wants to do with Rooney, whether RVP will go, and if Wilson will stay or go on loan.
26 May 2015 16:58:28
I think we are looking at two midfielders. Schweinsteiger or maybe even Schneiderlin for the number 6 role and then a box to box midfielder to take the place of Fellaini. Would love this to be Vidal but that is just wishful thinking on my part. Gundogan would be bought in to be a more advanced midfielder.
{Ed004's Note - I disagree, I think Gundogan is more of a box to box midfielder tbh. A midfield of Schweinsteiger, Herrera and Gundogan would be very strong. Then wingers of Di Maria and Depay with a top striker}
26 May 2015 12:14:38
Although teams like Arsenal have been linked with him, I'd very much like to see us go after Morgan Schneiderlin. Any chances of that happening?
26 May 2015 13:53:56
Van Gaal is now enjoying his wine in Portugal with the Mrs! My question to the Eds or anyone who knows.
Is there likely to be any activity, transfer wise, if LvG is on holiday. I don't think we will be announcing anyone whilst he's away 100% but can you trust Mr Woodward on his own?
26 May 2015 13:58:48
Lvg is entitled to a holiday too. I'd imagine he is in constant contact with Ed Woodward regarding transfers
26 May 2015 14:10:15
He said himself that he'd be in contact with Ed constantly as Ed is doing all the leg work with the transfers, I'm sure he's working round the clock
26 May 2015 13:37:00
so the season is over, and we made top 4 so in some ways job done . still not a fan of this philosophy but i think lvg deserves another season and with a few new signings who knows, things could come good :-) on to signings, i think a rightback is essential, and a centre back of course . i'd also like to see nainggolan and schneiderlin signed for the middle, i think these 2 players with herrera would b superb, creative plus plenty of steel, depay and di maria ( i'd rather bale but not likely ) with rooney up top would b some team, thoughts eds and reds ;-)
26 May 2015 11:56:21
CB targets:
Hummels, Otamendi, laporte are mentioned time and time again. Otamendi is even close to be agreed. Otamendi and smalling form a good CB pairing but not a great one but smalling has vastly improved after red against city. I welcome laporte too.
Midfield Targets:
Some people here argue that with Gundogan's injury United may end up with another Falcao or hargreaves. So do Vidal, he has recently recovered from knee injury. Strootman is a similar one.
So Vidal, Gundogan, Strootman out of the equation that leaves Nainoglan, pjanjic, Veratti, Schweinstieger, pogba as quality available options.
Pogba is impossible, Veratti next to impossible(but with Ancelotti who is a great admirer of Veratti now gone we may have a chance) that leaves Nainolgan, pjanjic and schweinstieger as realistic ones plus any other unknown ones and undiscussed ones on this site.
With LVG stated previously that he get players who fits his philosophy, We have to wait and see whether his philosophy fits premier league's nature or not.
RB targets:
Dani alves, clyne, coleman. i can't recall any other good RBs United are linked with.
United need defensive stability first and foremost. Dani alves is not good in defending.
Clyne and coleman both are attainable with right amount of money.
LW/RW targets:
Depay done deal though LVG asked fans to be patient with Depay.
Bale would be a great signing.
Bale and Shaw (or) Bale and Coleman on wings would be solid pairing. Bale would defend as well. With Old trafford loving him and his role model giggs around, there is no better place for him to go other that United. In madrid atleast they booed him, if he goes to Stamford bridge it will be dead silent with full house. In Etihad they will show him their half empty back.
With bale and Good defense in I am definite that United will challenge for title.
Strikers:
Cavani, Lacazette, benteke.
Cavani for 50M? bigger mistake that buying dimaria imo.
I will take benteke if other positions are of high quality.
{Ed004's Note - I'm hoping we see Di Maria with an attacking right back behind him and Bale with Shaw playing behind him. Gives both players the chance to drift inside were they both play their best football. Herrera will have the energy to cover Di Maria but need a replacement for Fellaini. I'm still hoping we get Gundogan}
26 May 2015 12:48:50
Ed04 have to play depay with shaw and let bale roam in the middle
{Ed004's Note - Against the weaker sides in the premiership we could play all three behind the striker}
26 May 2015 13:45:04
Ed 004:
Di maria and an attacking RB,(I assume Dani alves) is very bad defensively. With dimaria losing balls in dangerous places we will be severely punished even against a decent team like everton. Herrera is not good defensively as well. After that long free kick that went in early season, I can see dimaria trying that sort of half shot, half cross balls in almost all matches he is playing. I can also see if he loses the ball he goes to ground thinking that he is still playing in spain where even touching the opponent is a foul.
{Ed004's Note - I'm not so sure. While at Madrid Di Maria worked very hard defensively. Hopefully when he gets back to form and starts to enjoy his football again his work rate will return to normal. I would worry about Alves though. The main benefit of Smalling is his pace and he's been covering for Valencia a lot so I can't see Alves being any worse. Also think we will play a higher line next season so when we lose the ball we will press higher up the pitch}
26 May 2015 14:43:45
Otamendi is right footed, LVG is a coach who loves balance. He puts great emphasis on players being suited to their position, for example he likes his left sided central player to be left footed. I just can't see him not buying a left footed centreback. We have right footed centerbacks coming out our ears already why would he buy another?
Could the Otamendi rumours be merely paper talk? I hope we sign Aymeric Laporte. Would love to see John Stones here too.
26 May 2015 17:16:04
Rojo and Otamendi partnership would be left and right footed Rewz.
26 May 2015 19:09:32
Otamendi plays left centre back, I wouldn't overthink things and just trust LVG and Ed know who they're sighing will I prove us.
26 May 2015 02:00:27
Question for ed004 if you're around, do you think dani alves could be utd bound?
Seen recent comments psg aren't an option, thought he was nailed on to go there
{Ed004's Note - I think he could be an option. Initially I was 100% against it. Player past his peak, could become lazy and could struggle to settle in premiership. But then I thought of our alternatives... Coleman unlikely, clyne overrated, darmian not linked to. Now I'm not sure if he would be a good stop gap. Would free up money to be spent on other positions and he has been excellent for Barcelona recently. Would probably become one of our biggest attacking threats from right back. Schweinsteiger and Alves for under 10-15 million significantly improves our midfield and right back position. Would have cover for both in Valencia and Carrick/Blind}
26 May 2015 11:15:28
with you Ed, I'd take Schweinsteiger in a heart beat, past 30 or not. I'm also growing on the idea of Alves, watched more of Barca recently and he has been amazingly good. Certainly get a good few years out of him, he seems to keep himself in very good condition too.
{Ed004's Note - We will need experience if we are signing younger players like Depay, hopefully Laporte (Otamendi looks more likely in the press.) Alves is used to playing in a high line and looks like he keeps himself for not sure about his injury record. Worst case scenario we replace him next summer}
26 May 2015 11:24:05
The issue for me is that Alves was never that great defensively and, with his legs starting to go, his ability to get up and down the pitch will start to tell in a league like the EPL. Plus he is completely untested in the EPL, and when he inevitably starts picking up injuries, we will be right back (get it) to Valencia in the starting eleven.
I still think CLyne is the best option, consistent at both ends of the pitch, rarely injured, and improving every season. A full back doesn't need to be spectacular. I look back at players like Irwin and Neville, and see players who just did their jobs properly and consistently. Clyne could do this for us.
26 May 2015 11:28:50
i though lvg was building for the future?
{Ed004's Note - But you need experience if you're ever going to win anything. Not many leaders by the sounds of it in that utd team. Can only think of Rooney and Carrick who are certain to stay}
26 May 2015 11:55:06
we have had a issue with rb and cm for years . does schwin and alves (on mega contracts ) fix that .
in 2 years time the next manager would still need to sort out rb and cm.
carrick ,alves schwin and rooney would prob all need replaced all big name players as well as others and we ate back to square 1.
alves and schwin have been top players but i will be surprised if we sign them
{Ed004's Note - But in two years time will we need a rb, cb, 2x cm, 2 wingers and a striker all at once? I think if both players hit the ground running both would be the best in their positions for at least a season or two. I maybe biased with Schweinsteiger because I've wanted him at utd for ages but Alves has been the best right back in the world this season. As long as the centre back, centre midfield and winger are all players with potential (Ideally Laporte/Hummels, Gundogan and Depay (hopefully Bale to)) we will be fine in two years time}
26 May 2015 12:05:44
Clyne and Gundogan for me. Both young and both have a lot of potential.
26 May 2015 12:26:34
My 7 year old wants a new shirt for next season, so I think we should only sign players with 5 letters or less in their surname to keep costs down. So Clyne(Alves has his full name), Vidal and Bale. I don't even think you could fit Schweinsteiger across a 7 year olds shoulders unless they've been on the old Lance Armstrong vitamins.
26 May 2015 12:16:51
watch alves in a team that don't have the ball for 90 minutes ,when he actually has to defend .
imo we need to build for the future and replace carrick .
schwen wouldn't replace him we would just have to start looking to replace them both.
and we have been trying to sort cm out for 5 year.
its short term fix against building for the future .
they will be 31 and 33 years old and both will be looking for one last mega contract while they see out there last years in football out .
26 May 2015 13:11:22
jred,
Why do we need to watch him in a team that don't have the ball for 90 minutes, one of the biggest issues is that we do have the ball for that long but don't have the players to capitalise on it surely?
You know that we can build for the future whilst at the same time adding some experience as well? This team has lost a lot of experience over the last few years, Evra, Vidic, Ferdinand, Scholes, Giggs on the pitch, if we just signed young players who would they learn from? Fergie did very well at integrating youth with older players, when the class of 92 came in we had older heads in there for them to learn off.
I agree we shouldn't just get a 'short term fix', the club has to be left in a better position than it was when Fergie left, but as you are well aware, SOME people are only happy if we are winning now, they aren't happy with progress, they want to win the league every season, building for the future takes time and that is something LVG won't be allowed.
26 May 2015 14:28:41
gds
you missed the and "need to defend part."
barcelona attack or are on the front foot for 90 minutes.
alves doesn't really play as a rightback.
alves has never been great defensively never mind when he is 33.
and at the moment our back 4 are not that great defensively so buying a 33 year old player whos strong point isn't defending doesn't make a lot of sense.
infact buying a 33 year whos main asset is pace and stamina who has never played in the epl or speaks the langue , has is looking for 1 last pay deal and prob a 2/3 year deal taking him up to 36 doesn't make a load of sense to me.
you don't have to buy kids either any one between 26-29 would add experience and still have the best years in them.
i also don't think lvg will care what some people think.
we use to laugh at teams with more money than sense buying past it superstars while we built teams for the future.
{Ed004's Note - Didn't realise he was 32 thought he was 30ish. My point still stands there aren't many top right backs about. Atleast he will offer us something going forward. Clyne is average and Coleman I don't think is available. Will certainly cost a fortune. If we could get Coleman for under 20 it'd be a fair deal but that's not likely at all}
26 May 2015 14:31:09
There's a big difference between bringing in experienced players, and experienced EPL players. Alves will be new to the team, new to the league and new to the country. It's a massive leap to think that he will automatically become a key figure in the dressing room or be in a position to guide young players when he'll have to focus on learning how to adapt his game to the EPL. We've already seen how much Valdes will have to adapt his game to the demands of the league, and I don't see how Alves would be any different. This is a player who has spent the last 13 seasons in Spain, and at 32 it's not assured that he could adapt to a higher tempo more physical environment, let alone become a leader.
The Class of 92 were guided by experienced EPL players with big personalities. We need players like Rooney and Carrick to step up in that role instead of stumping up massive wages for a 32 year old who may not even be able to adapt his game to the league.
{Ed004's Note - If LvG signs Alves it'll be because he's the best right back in the world atm and he will offer some experience and leadership at the back. Ideally I would like Coleman however do not think that is possible. I don't see how Alves could be any worse than Valencia atm. Also as I've previously said I think it will allow us to sign players in other positions.}
26 May 2015 14:55:19
I don't see how he's a leader at the back. His primary job at Barca and Brazil is to offer an attacking threat. At Barca, in particular, they don't really play a back line: the play two cbs and a holding mid with two wing-backs who are always pushed forward. His whole game is about getting down the line and offering an attacking outlet, and his defensive game heavily relies on his pace (which is starting to decline).
I think it's a massive gamble to expect him to hit the ground running in a new league, and any savings on transfers will be eaten up by his £120,000 a week wages. That's over £6m a year on wages that could be used to invest in a long term solution.
26 May 2015 14:42:35
ed
my mistake i thought he was 33.
been a good player but for all the reasons above a wouldn't move for him.
i will be surprised if united do.
i also read his comment yesterday of
"i would like to stay here but not at any price. Not only in terms of money but in terms of respect."
new deal on cards imo
{Ed004's Note - I think he will sign a new deal as well. Though wouldn't complain if we signed him due to the lack of alternatives}
26 May 2015 15:01:16
He isn't 33 until next May, but I do understand your point mate, very well argued to be honest, see what you can do if you post more than one line ;)
I don't watch enough Spanish football to know how good he has been this season, I have seen him in the CL and I really rate him, but as you say he is not really a right back, but then again, neither is Valencia. You don't know him personally to know he just wants one big pay day or that he would want a 2/3 year deal, but again I take your point. If there is a better younger option out there then that would be better for us, especially in the longer term.
I know for sure LVG won't care what some people think!
26 May 2015 16:00:14
gds
99% of my post are well explained and backed up .
until someone like yourself tries to be sarcastic and clever
27 May 2015 01:02:47
Wow I posted that earlier and not been on since, I didn't expect a bite with a post nothing to do with football, maybe AJH is right, jokes get lost on here.
{Ed007's Note - How do you think I feel? Someone thought I was a The Rangers supporter! He's lucky he isn't banned.}
26 May 2015 10:04:51
So. Utd are looking for players. does anyone else think it's crazy with the talk of Bale at €80 Mil. Otamendi at €50mil. If we shore up the midfield with a DM would we really need to spend that big on a winger and defender. Why could Varela and Thorpe be given a chance.
Also. Anyone know why we would let Hernandez and Henriquez leave without really giving them a chance. They ate proven to score goals which we are struggling to do.
Thanks eds and the regulars. You always make for interesting reading.
{Ed001's Note - Thorpe has been released mate.}
26 May 2015 10:13:04
If you want proven quality players that is the price you have to pay. Hernandez was a one trick wonder and got found out ridiculously early, yes to come on in the last few mins he may nick a goal if we play to his strengths but no way can he start, and Henriquez whenever he played for the u21's never looked like he could quite adapt to the English game, despite being a decent goal scorer, shame really.
26 May 2015 09:53:11
{Ed001's Note - We have posted a new article entitled, Manchester United Season Review
26 May 2015 09:09:34
Just watched the Interview with Neville and Rooney and although it was only 7 mins long I quite enjoyed it.
One particular point to mention was Rooney had said LVG wanted him to play like the striker at Bayern, take a max of 10 touches per game but score two goals (no pressure) he said this was to stretch the opposition and open up the midfield.
My question is, has the reason that Rooney had started to drop deep in the last 5 games or so a direct result of Carrick being injured?
When Carrick has played we played superb, Rooney didn't drop deep and our midfield felt more fluid, the city games a perfect example.
I just feel LVG has Rooney dropping deeper to compensate to relay the ball to the wide men in the hopes the opposition drop deeper.
Opinions welcome be interested what others think
26 May 2015 11:32:08
bgolgo
i agree it was tactical imo.
we had run of 3 good games rooney up top carrick cm.
then carrick got injured, rooney had to drop deep
26 May 2015 13:14:45
Thanks Jred
Its does seem that's the case, when Carrick is unavailable we lack that little bit of Intelligence in the Centre and I think that is something we lack from our game when Carrick is unavailable.
We a need a good intelligent midfielder, could "Schweiny" do it perhaps, I'd love to see Veratti at UTD he's superbly intelligent footballer in my eyes.
26 May 2015 14:29:49
veratti is fantastic i would have him before pogba
26 May 2015 08:03:48
There has been a great disscussion about whether Angel Di Maria will come good next season or wheter he should be sold if we can recoup most of what we paid for him.
There have been some good points made, yes he was MotM in the UCL final. But both teams were pretty poor in terms of quality in that game. ADM came up with the winning play amd therefore was given MotM, but he was far from excellent throughout the whole game.
There is a myth with ADM, the myth is he is a world class player. He is a player capable of world class moments, but for me a world class player can provide those moments when needed every time, there is a level of consistency about them. ADM has never played well for an entire 90 minutes, he is abit like Michael Owen in that he'll do nothing for 89 minutes then pop up with the winner.
Having ADM in your side means you are effectively playing with 10 men for long periods of the game.
His best spell for us came when we played 352/41212 and it was because we were playing on the counter attack, ADM was played in midfield rather than out wide. That was an unusual tactic in England where traditionally we play fast players out wide akd strong players in the middle. This lead to a combination of his pace and directness through the middle catching teams out and him having space to run into due to us sitting deeper amd playing on the counter.
But after the Leicester game LvG decided inviting pressure onto a weak defence was never going to work in the Prem due to the quality of the league. So he switched to possession football, but its not just possession football but possession played with a high line. It is this high line which screws ADM up as he no longer has any space to run into, add that to the fact that in the 433/4141 system we have been playing he has been shunted out wide limiting his effect in the centre.
He will NEVER come good as a wide player i a team that plays high line possession football. He is not in the right part of the pitch nor does he have the space he needs to run into.
We won't move away from possession football, once our defence is stronger LvG might start playing with less of a high line and play with more vertical possession. But ADM will not play central again. As a result we will not see the best of him at our club, keeping him will only see his value drop further.
So imo it would be best to cut our lossess and bring in a player who would suit the team and the tactics better. If we can get 50m+ for him then we have to snatch that clubs hand off and use the money on a player who suits our needs better.
26 May 2015 08:15:01
I think it is very rude to write off ADM so early Shappy . I do think he will come good next season . He scored half of his goals in build up play , not in counter attack and was very impressive before his injury .
Whenever i watched him in Madrid , he occasionally produced good performance and 20+ assist in a season is not a joke . I do believe he will play at his best
26 May 2015 09:24:57
Shappy, to write off ADM now is also like writing off Depay before he has even played for us.
Now I haven't seen too much of Depay, but what I have seen is that he plays a very similar game as ADM. Fast counter attacking football with a great shot.
It is my suspicion that with a better settled defence, and improvement to the midfield LVG will switch tactics, ceding possession and increasing the pace of the game.
We will just have to wait and see. I just hope that ADM is here next season and we see the best of him. With Depay on the other wing, we will have frighten pace up front.
26 May 2015 09:28:08
He makes 2/3 key passes a game, which is a huge number and at a team like Real Madrid if you play a ball through to the likes of Ronaldo, Benzema or Bale then it will likely end up being a goal, far more so than if that pass is going to Young, Valencia or Falcao atm.
The assist stat is a very misleading one. As it requires another player to make your pass into an assist. Also assists are given if you are fouled amd the resulting free kick/penalty is scored directly. Meaning you got an assit not through a good pass but by being kicked.
To use stats you need to consider every aspect and look at them in their true context.
Don't look at assists stats look at key passes, but also look at the number of times that player gives the ball away while attempting a key pass. Look at their turn over rate. Look at their pass completion rate and the average number of passes being made.
Its true ADM did get over 20 assists in his final season at Real, but he also had a pass success rate of around 75% which means one in every four passes he gives the ball away. So if he was heavily involved in a game and attempted 80 passes he would give the ball away 20 times. That is not acceptable in a team trying to maintain possession. He also would attempt 5/6 dribbles a game and would be successful on average twice a game, meaning he has lost possession 2/3 times a game from attempted dribbles.
He stands out because he is the kind of player who trys to force a goal every time he gets on the ball, if you keep trying things like that eventually you will be successful. But how many times will you give the ball away in trying to do that.
To put things in perspective in his last season at Real Madrid he scored or assisted once in every game on average though out the season. That sounds impressive, but when you consider he was making 10/11 attempts per game on average though shots, key passes or dribbles and only being successful once it no longer looks as impressive. It means he has a 10% success rate when attempting these things. Hardly world class.
I'm not writing him off after one poor season but after many, loads of people have made an assumption he is a great player based on one or two stats taken way out of context. He is a player capable of great moments but that is all, he is a luxury player that even a team like Real Madrid no longer felt they could keep. That is the bottom line.
26 May 2015 09:37:47
AdM was Argentina's best player at the world cup, a team that had Messi! Him missing the final probably let the Germans win it!
26 May 2015 09:42:42
I do agree that ADM looses the ball too much . But players who try to create something out of nothing regularly loose the ball unless he is messi . He is not a world class player but certainly can produce some world class moments .
You said he tries to create many chances in a game and usually bags assist with some so what is wrong with that ? We want players to try to create chances rather then passing sideways and backways always . A settled and sturdy defence and midfield will be able to recover those lost ball .
He certainly was a 60m player but now that we have paid that for him , i think we should keep him shappy and hope for the best that he will find his top form next season
26 May 2015 09:57:39
Another important question would be - who do we get to replace him?
26 May 2015 10:51:15
Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could just straight swap for Gotze, Munich would take a punt on ADM if reports were to be believed.
Or indeed use him in a deal with PSG for Marquinos or Cavan.
Not sure if either would stump up the number 7 shirt though! Would make his new Tattoo look a bit odd
26 May 2015 11:44:44
shappy
he was a top player at benfica playing as an out and out winger , fergy wanted him then .
he was one for reals best players for 4 years playing 3 of them as an out and out winger.
he is one of a very talented Argentina best players.
a lot of people have made the assumption he is a top player based on the previous 7 year.
yes he gives the ball away , but he attempts to do something with it .
if you don't want that type of player why SPEND 60 mil on him.
if di maria can't work the system god help depay
di maria is an exciting player, imo a man united player, who takes people on and makes things happen.
top player for madrid, top player for Argentina it will be a sad day if he doesn't fit in at united.
however i think he will , he won't be the first player to take a year to settle. he showed at the start of the season what he can do
26 May 2015 12:21:55
Apparently SAF liked his forwards to take risks. Make the run, try the difficult pass, the defence can't prepare for the unexpected. That is what di Maria brings to a team - the potential of the unexpected. If he tries 10 outlandish things a game leading to an average of 1 goal/assist then that would account for over half our goals this season. As long as the rest of the team defends well when he gives the ball away, it seems like a good deal. He's obvious he's not a truly great all round player like Ronaldo or Messi but to me the question of greatness is irrelevant.
I've been a big critic of him this season. He makes bad runs, is frequently unaware of what his team mates are doing and runs into blind alleys. He's been particularly weak on the ball and in the challenge, physically fragile, but I'm interested to see if that's changeable, or whether it's just a function of a player not adapting or adaptable to the EPL. Look at our football these last 2 years. Too often it's been a case of nothing ventured, nothing gained. If he can bring the X factor consistently, he will be of value to United. He may also be very useful in European competition.
Unless we can bring in another difference maker to replace him I'd say he's worth a gamble. Defending is critical but the most important issue for United at the moment is that we're not scoring enough goals, and in particular we seem completely impotent when faced with a packed defence. If we want to win the title that, above all other things, has got to change.
{Ed004's Note - All you have to do is look at his performances vs top teams like Athletico, Barcelona and Germany (were he played right wing this season) to see what he can bring to the table.}
26 May 2015 06:53:04
Does Schneiderlein just coming out and saying he will leave means anything to us??
He is a very good player and i think will be a good signing and with better players around him may even improve his game
Schneiderlein - 22m
Schweisteiger -10m
Gundogan - 22m
Total - 54 m and midfield problem solved for next 5 years
I know money can't be discussed like this but 50m for three top players is really a bargain
26 May 2015 07:21:35
Good post Stretha. But I would rather have naingolan to either gundogan or schneiderlin.
If ddg goes to Real then I would like us to try for Modric as part of the deal.
26 May 2015 07:32:51
I don't think we will buy 3 mids and would think one number 6 only given our current squad. We also have guys like perreira who I have not seen much but people say he is very good who just signed a 3 year contract and would expect to see first team action.
Personally would like to see Schneiderlein and Schweinsteiger, not so sure about Gundogan as he might physically struggle with the pl given his size and potential medical issues.
26 May 2015 07:36:59
I haven't really watched nainggolan to comment Nomidfield but i do think modric would be a very good addition
26 May 2015 07:46:45
It is highly unlikely GCU , but would give us 2 class players fighting for each midfield spot :)
26 May 2015 06:40:45
It's really annoying to see many pundits regularly dismissing United from anything . This season almost every pundits were refusing the chance of us grabbing the CL places and now Redknapp and Souness telling we will be nowhere near title challenge next season is very annoying. Although proving the critics wrong is what this club is doing for so many years and i am pretty sure with 3 first team signings we will be very much in title contention
26 May 2015 07:17:43
The pundits are very fickle and would not worry about them. With our planned expenditure this summer, I believe LVG will be out of a job if we don't challenge next year and make a European run.
He clearly has said he is picking the players and hence the responsibility will lie with him.
26 May 2015 07:35:50
Agree GCU
LVG seems to be very specific on players he wants coming and leaving so i think if we don't challenge for the title , he will surely be leaving. But i do think he will make our club fight for the title again . With a strong no. 6 , CB and LB , we are good enough to fight for the title and with an additional Bale type player , the title will be very much within our reach
26 May 2015 09:34:03
There's a reason why these ex-Liverpool guys become pundits, and not coaches or managers.
26 May 2015 04:42:11
been a while since was last on here as been working away. what happened? doesn't seem to be near as many posts as previous windows, or is it just warming up?
anyway, first off, we must try and keep de gea and keep valdes as no 2
now, a lot of people had us linked with hummels and its no surprise that our interest waned as smallings form improved.
personally i think signing otamendi is the best choice and would complement smalling, whilst allowing him to continue developing.
i think we're fine down the left with blind, shaw and rojo all able to play there with rojo also covering cb, but what of our other options in the centre?
evans is almost certainly gone, hopefully we can use him to help get a rb/dcm. jones could still turn it around, but i can't see him getting the game time, personally i would like jones to go on a season long loan and use blackett and mcnair as back up, if jones is sold then i'm not sure if lvg would bring in another cb as he has shown faith in the a fore mentioned youngsters already this season.
rb, i'm sure we can all agree, is a must. rafael just can't seem to stay fit. clyne, for me, is the best choice but looking less likely now, at 28 coleman would be good for a few years (cash + evans could tempt everton) alves would be a short term fix only so i hope we stay away from him and look younger
dcm, or rather cover/replacement for carrick is another key requirement, gundagun looks like he could be off to barca but would be a great addition but i think we should be looking at sneiderlin, overlooked because he is not a big name but would fit perfectly with herrera and one of di maria/ mata as a midfield 3, i think we may add schwesteinger to cover any of the midfield slots as he is still a class player (it may also be to lessen the blow if di maria does go)
up front, i think width and movement will become more important and signing depay is an excellent start as can play out wide or potentially as a no 10 if needed. januzaj could get more game time but i think a loan move may be more beneficial. young, mata, valencia and di maria can all also play out wide in either a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 set up, wayne will be pushed upfront but i think rvp should probably move on, give young wilson a prem team loan and try and keep hernandez unless he can be used in any deals (southampton would be a good club for him and could be used to get clyne/sneiderlin)
however i do not think rooney will be the kind of striker to bag 30 goals even if he is pushed up, so we will need someone else. a lot on here have been calling for lacazette
and tbf that's a great shout, but he would want to play quite centrally meaning rooney would either be pushed out wide or to the bench (in a 4-3-3)
as rooney remains our captain (and that's unlikely to change) i think a move for griezman would be best as would offer the most balance with depay, the same would also apply to bale but would depend on how his situation develops
next season starting 11 (back up)
gk de gea (valdes)
lb shaw (blind)
cb otamendi (rojo, mcnair)
cb smalling (blackett, jones?)
rb clyne (rafael)
dcm carrick (sneiderlin)
cm herrara (schweisteinger)
am mata (di maria?, fellaini)
fwd depay (young)
fwd bale/greizman (januzaj)
str rooney/ lacazette
p.s. apologies for the poor spelling
26 May 2015 07:01:52
I pretty much agree about all the things but i do think that if rooney played as a striker will certainly able to bag 25 goals with such strong spine behind him