01 Jul 2024 15:38:31
Hi Eds,

Are we really pushing for De Ligt?

Although he is young still at 24 i thought we would see us shift away from big money signings. Maybe not so much for the fee in this case but the overall package due to wages etc.

{Ed002's Note - Matthijs de Ligt (CB) Player was happier with Tuchel as coach but changes make his future less clear. With ten Hag still at Manchester United he may well be interested but he would not be top of the list with other preferred targets. Bayern have no interest in selling although they are persisting in chasing another CB themselves and the new coach may look to ask him to be moved on to raise funds. Agent would like him to move to the PL and has spoken with at least Chelsea, who have preferred targets, and Newcastle. Price may put clubs off. With ten Hag staying at Manchester United for a while, interest will remain in ten Hag.}

1.) 01 Jul 2024
01 Jul 2024 16:43:15
Thanks for the informative reply Ed, have a good day!

{Ed002's Note - And you.}

2.) 01 Jul 2024
01 Jul 2024 19:48:14
Personally hope we stay well clear of De Ligt. Stinks of previous transfer windows and ETH going for players he knows.

He will be overpriced and on a fortune per week. Plus he seems to be injured more than Varane was.

3.) 01 Jul 2024
01 Jul 2024 20:32:13
As long as the medical for the knee ligament is ok he’s a good signing. I believe Juve were very annoyed when he left for Bayern, I remember Bonucci slating him in the press. He’s known for having a strong character and great leadership skills, youngest captain of Ajax and national team captain. Something we really need to get into the dressing room. He can play out and play in a high line. He’s an elite level CB at a good age (24).

The only issue I can really see with the deal is the cost. He’s on £250k a week. I’ve seen a couple of reports of a £42m deal, if we can get the wages down it’s good value.

4.) 01 Jul 2024
01 Jul 2024 17:45:28
Thanks for info Ed002.

Any truth in the rumours that Amrabaat staying at United please - or will he return to Italy?

Thanks for any response!

{Ed002's Note - Sofyan Amrabat (DM/CM) Manchester United paid a huge loan fee for Amrabat with a complicated option to buy - that they could yet invoke to offset losess. Loan did not work out well and it seems he will head back to Fiorentina now the loan is over. Agent is already doing the rounds and has some interest in the player - he says from some interest from Juventus, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Milan - although it is unlikely to get a preferred move to Turkey will be possible. Not on the list for Mr Emanalo although his agent could press for a move to the Middle East where there was prior interest of Al-Ahli.}

5.) 01 Jul 2024
01 Jul 2024 18:40:37
Interesting, my take was that with rumours of a possible price of around 40m, that United might have been exploring the possibility given the ruling on Todibo.

Yet if Bayern don't want to sell then the rumours of a deal at around 40m seem wide of the mark.

6.) 01 Jul 2024
01 Jul 2024 20:57:24
Fallguy

Given the news that is coming out and a new of head recruitment coming in, I give posts like yours zero probability/ credibility in terms of ETH driving transfers.

The leadership working to a plan and clear no one knows much and most in the dark. These senior people running things are not rubber stamping eth's wish list.

If we sign de ligt its not the managers only input. He has been tracked by us since he was 17 as well as De jong according to our ex head of recruitment who wanted us to sign both and let them develop on loan in Holland. Some fans never let an opportunity go without taking pot shots at eth. At least wait until the season starts.

7.) 01 Jul 2024
01 Jul 2024 21:11:09
Only thing eth might be doing is convincing players like Zirkee to join given he is Dutch and in de ligt case the player obviously knows eth and prospered and developed playing for him at ajax.

He was out injured and when he got back he was playing ahead of the korean guy at bayern and played all their key cl games in the knock out stage including vs real madrid. He is no mug as some are making him out to be.

8.) 01 Jul 2024
01 Jul 2024 21:54:33
Bayern don’t sell their best players. So if they’re selling him, there’s a reason.

9.) 01 Jul 2024
01 Jul 2024 22:06:46
Eric that Bayern also signed Eric Dier on loan last season. They're not having the best of times at the moment. Plus ed002 has said that they do not want to sell him.

10.) 02 Jul 2024
02 Jul 2024 00:02:58
Don't worry Ahmed, this is the Internet and everyone is not only an expert but knows everything.

When suggesting Isak as a striker there was uproar and when everyone was getting a hardon for Timber suggesting That Martinez was the main man there was met largely with derision and then when later linked too Martinez there was much mocking of his height. This sites experts and quite possibly the same ones who were mocking you a few days ago will always know best and you'll not convince them otherwise.

Btw I appreciate your info.

11.) 02 Jul 2024
02 Jul 2024 07:17:08
I second that, quite enjoy reading what ahmad posts!

12.) 02 Jul 2024
01 Jul 2024 21:56:51
Thank you for the really detailed reply Ed002!

13.) 02 Jul 2024
02 Jul 2024 13:26:21
De Ligt would be a very good signing imo.
In terms of injuries - I'll put the statto hat on.

De Ligt has, since season 2020/ 21 which alone saw 119 days missed through recovery from significant shoulder surgery and contracting Covid, he has missed 245 days of football - with more than half that (143 days) being inclusive of 2 significant surgery recovery periods.

Since 2020/ 21:
Martinez has missed 343 days with 2 significant injuries with subsequent recoveries from surgery taking 182 days, leaving 161 days.
Maguire, 166 days with no significant surgeries.
Lindelof, 171 days.
Evans, 409 days.
Furthermore:
Varane, 250 days.

So, when people say he's injury prone, I'd say he's faring far better than what we already have and, at £42m, would be an absolute steal in today's market.

14.) 02 Jul 2024
02 Jul 2024 16:00:55
Angel the fact that they signed Dier on loan last season AND he helped improve their defence is not a ringing endorsement of De Ligt who was part of that struggling defence before Dier joined.

They have also just hired Kompany as their new manager. He was an elite level CB and knows a great defender from an average/ poor one.

What would be your take if one of the first things Kompany does is to give the sale of De Ligt the greenlight?

There must be a reason why he underwhelmed at Juventus and has done so at Bayern so far. Why have two top European teams been perfectly happy to let him leave?

Obviously he has talent, but he is a little slow on the turn. While the injuries, wages and lack of fully convincing have to be worries.

15.) 02 Jul 2024
02 Jul 2024 16:17:11
Thanks guys, appreciated. Personally very excited about the clubs direction.

16.) 02 Jul 2024
02 Jul 2024 18:16:37
Shappy, you think kompany is giving the green light on transfers now?

Ed002 has stated Bayern really don't want to sell and the fans are even petitioning not to sell him. I've also watch a good bit of him, and also saw him live in the flesh last season. I've always thought he looks a very good defender.

Also, they bought Dier, had a worse performance last season and conceded more goals than they did the previous season. So how did he improve their defence?

17.) 02 Jul 2024
02 Jul 2024 18:22:59
Is Kompany a great judge of talent though Shappy? He got his chosen signings last year at Burnley and they all pretty much flopped.

Pretty sure it’s been said the sale would only be sanctioned to raise money. If the choice is sell De Ligt or Musiala who do you sell etc? Some players don’t fit with certain managers styles or need a certain chemistry with other players to shine.

18.) 02 Jul 2024
02 Jul 2024 18:28:44
Did Bayern not sell Kroos?

19.) 02 Jul 2024
02 Jul 2024 21:41:06
Shappy was on here campaigning for Southgate as our manager. I'll leave the scouting and player i'd to the experts.

20.) 02 Jul 2024
02 Jul 2024 21:42:05
Can't believe people are complaining about De Ligt when the current alternatives are Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans.

21.) 03 Jul 2024
03 Jul 2024 09:55:44
At the end of the day, he is a good defender and would improve our defence.

IMO a signing should fit certain criteria, if they do, they should be a decent signing, barring unforseeable injuries/ loss of form etc.

1. Do they improve the team?
2. Is the fee reasonable?
3. Are the wages reasonable?
4. do they fit the style of play and tactics?

Look back at Harry Maguire. At the time he came in, he DID improve the team, and we weren't playing a high line, so he did fit the tactics. If we had paid £40m and got him on £150k a week, he'd have gone down as a good signing, even if he was nothing more than a bit-part player now.

Similarly, De Ligt WILL improve our defence and fit the tactics ETH wants. So the remaining question is how much will he cost us. If the fee is right, and he accepts a reasonable wage, then IMO we should sign him.

At the rumoured £42m, I'd say that's good, so the only question remaining is what kind of wages we'll be looking at. I'd be wary of bringing him in on massive wages, but at the same time, he's not exactly likely to accept £100k a week. If we can find a decent middle ground, I think we have to get him.

If he's asking for £300k per week or something, then walk away, there are too many question-marks over him for that sort of money, and we have to stop being that club with all the players we can't move on because no-one else will pay their massively over-inflated wages.

22.) 03 Jul 2024
03 Jul 2024 12:00:37
Good post, Thorne. I think wages will be key. Difficult to see him agreeing to a reduction, and not sure we can justify paying him £250k a week given our recent efforts to decrease the wage bill. In an ideal world, we’d offer him a deal that would allow him to make that kind of money through performance and clean sheet bonuses, but these kind of contracts rarely seem to happen outside of Football Manager and FIFA.

23.) 03 Jul 2024
03 Jul 2024 21:33:35
I agree. IMO 200k with more performance related would be ideal.

I did read a rumour he is willing to take a pay cut, but not sure I trust it. That said, with his game time at Munchen limited, I could see him taking a modest pay cut in the short term, perhaps with a guaranteed pay rise of he plays at least x games and we get back into the CL or something like that perhaps.

250k wouldn't be terrible, although it is a bit higher than I think we should really be offering him.