03 Jan 2024 13:10:40
Looks like sancho back to dortmund on loan.
While we will get some sort of loan fee we may have to subsidise the wage.
Good result from the outside looking in. It should go some way to improving the atmosphere around the training complex. It can't be easy seeing one of your mates being shunned even if he has been out of order.
With vdb sancho and hopefully martial out the door it will start to pave the way for a summer rebuild.
Who else may go between now and the start of next season is anybodies guess.
Nothing will surprise me.

1.) 03 Jan 2024
03 Jan 2024 13:50:11
With only 18 games left to play this season plus FA cup we should be looking to shift a lot more.

Varane, Casemiro, Mctominay, Maguire could all in theory go.

It would help with FFP and allow more wiggle room to make big moves in the summer.

2.) 03 Jan 2024
03 Jan 2024 14:07:33
DSG - Surely it would be better for EtH's options with them players available to choose from for the last 18 games? This is not a time for moving on players who have been needed this season. Not until the summer. Players like Casemiro and McTominay find important goals and we need every CB we can get right now.

But can see all of them being available along with many others. I would only sell any of them now if we had a replacement lined up to come in.

3.) 03 Jan 2024
03 Jan 2024 14:19:07
Dsg,
The list is endless.
Imo there are only a few I'd rather keep but I understand it can't, and doesn't work that way.

4.) 03 Jan 2024
03 Jan 2024 14:59:33
Ideally you want to move on any players who aren't wanted but also probably won't be needed this season. That's the tricky part given the injuries.

While a big offer for Casemiro should be considered if it arrives in January. The issue is that would only really leave Mainoo is can play effectively as a holding midfielder. Which leaves us very light. McTominay can't play that role well, and I'm unconvinced by Amrabat playing that role or any other based on his performances so far.

Varane while probably our best pure defender does struggle with fitness. That said Evans has shown himself
to still be a very good defender and with Maguire and Martinez coming back soon, with Lindelof back in February. Then we have options, even if the quality of them is questionable. Also Kambwala was very good on his debut, maybe he could be in line for a few more games.

Other players who probably should be let go in January if good offers come in could include Pellistri, Greenwood, Shoretire possibly. All are not contributing. McTominay could possibly be considered if a good offer comes in. Although that might leave us light in midfield, but if Mount is back and fully fit or if we can sign a midfielder then he has to be a candidate for leaving.

AWB is another who is out of contract in the summer and if an offer comes in we should consider it. He isn't good enough long term, he could be a squad option at best. But we would need to give him a new long term contract and I'm not sure he's worth it. I haven't seen anything from him to feel he would be worth paying 120k per week for the next 4-5 years to sit on the bench and play maybe 10 games a season. We have academy lads who would be on a fraction of that who must be worth giving those games too.

5.) 03 Jan 2024
03 Jan 2024 16:17:11
If we get rid of Sancho and Martial in this window I’d consider this season a success!

I’d be keeping Casemiro to hopefully play the rest of the season with Mainoo so he can learn from him and may give us a clearer idea of what sort of partner we should target for him in the summer.

6.) 03 Jan 2024
03 Jan 2024 19:02:44
On the subject of Martial, where is he right now? Injured again?

7.) 03 Jan 2024
03 Jan 2024 21:06:41
Eric he's ill apparently, I think he's allergic to football lol.

8.) 04 Jan 2024
04 Jan 2024 07:26:40
Ports

100% agree. DVB gone need to get Sancho and Martial out. He has been ill supposedly and no need to say anymore. A very high profile united player said something very interesting about martial a few years ago and stuck with me.

In his view, if you get sent out on loan as a first team player you have failed and not good enough and should never be coming back.

When I thought about it is a pretty accurate statement. Rarely see 23/ 24 year old's at top clubs sent out on loan and expect to see them back.

9.) 04 Jan 2024
04 Jan 2024 13:49:41
Be interesting to see if Ratcliffe dips into his other club for players. I suspect the obvious two would be Todibo and Thuram. Both would add to our first team and both have been on our radar before.

10.) 05 Jan 2024
05 Jan 2024 11:43:20
Ratcliffe's ownership of United and his connection to Nice is as likely to complicate any possible deals between the clubs than be advantageous.

Nice fans are only just starting to warm up to the INEOS ownership after 4 years. They haven't been particularly happy up until the team have shown themselves capable of challenging for Ligue 1 this season.

There have been sales of players the fans were unhappy with, signings they felt underwhelmed with, and appointments that they've disagreed with.

Ultimately given where Nice are now this should act as a case study in why fans making decisions about running a football club is not a great idea. Nice wouldn't be where they are now if INEOS bent to the fans will and made the popular decisions instead.

Either way, the fans would be up in arms if just when INEOS build a young side that can grow into genuine title challengers, they sell off their best players on the cheap to SJR's new club.

While I'm pretty sure UEFA would be casting a very close eye over any deals between the two clubs given the ownership links and that both clubs could be competing in the same UEFA competitions. Anything that looks like SJR is using his position to influence one club for the benefit of the other would bring into question whether he could have a similar influence if the two sides were to meet each other in one of the European competitions.

I like the look of Todibo and I really like the look of Thuram. For me the midfielder is the pick of the bunch and would also be a phenomenon in the EPL. Shades of Yaya Toure and Patrick Viera. Obviously not at their level yet, but how he glides around the pitch, his close control and technique and the way he picks up the ball then drives 30-40 yards up the middle of the pitch to create chaos in the oppositions defensive structure, almost single handily creating dangerous high quality chances for his team.

I think he'd be a wonderful player to partner Mainoo long term if Mainoo develops into more of a No.6 than a No.8.

Mainoo sitting, shielding the defence, taking the ball off the defence and progressing it forward with his passing. While Thuram offers some physicality, height for defending set-pieces, and an ability to carry the ball through the opposition lines to create chances would make a very good, dynamic and high quality midfield.

If we could only sign one of Todibo or Thuram for me the midfielder wins hands down.

{Ed002's Note - There are rules and they are about to change.}

11.) 05 Jan 2024
05 Jan 2024 22:13:30
I wouldn't expect us to sign Nice players cheap. That would not happen. But it would give us an advantage in negotiations, certainly informal negotiations. And perhaps payment structure may be easier to agree.

Be interesting to see what players we send to Nice on loan.