28 Jun 2020 12:58:22
Given financial constraints and need to prioritise RW and not least number of personnel already in the position I can't see us buying a CB this summer.

Jones and Rojos long since been written off by most of us as not even squad players. Smalling seemingly set to stay in Rome. So Maguire+ Lindelof or Bailly or Tuanzebe look the only viable options.

Personally I'd wish to see Maguire and Bailly as the preferred partnership. Lindelof just doesn't seem to have the physicality to cope with the Prem even though he looks Ole's first choice. If Tuanzebe was going to break through though at 23yo do folk think he would've done it by now?

Appreciate we won't be in the market for a CB this season and unlikely to until at least 2 of Smalling, Rojos and Jones are permanently off the books. Still think this is an area of weakness though.

Thoughts?

1.) 28 Jun 2020
28 Jun 2020 13:26:10
I think we may move for a cb next summer.

2.) 28 Jun 2020
28 Jun 2020 13:31:56
Tuanzebe if fit would be my choice. He is a mix of Lindelof's calmness on the ball with Bailly's defensive instincts. However, he is a talker and organises players.

I think injuries messed up this year for him. If he can get back to full fitness and have a run in the side I can see him making himself first choice.

3.) 28 Jun 2020
28 Jun 2020 14:11:41
It would make sense to leave the CB this summer. I'm sure Ed002 said previously we have had a look at Benoit Badiashile who's apparently very highly rated but is only 18/ 19 years old. RW should be the priority signing this summer.

4.) 28 Jun 2020
28 Jun 2020 14:42:40
We need to get all our signings done this year to stand a chance in any comp. Get rid of the remaining deadwood like Jones Lingard and Rojo and invest in 4 new players and we will be a force. 😊😊.

5.) 28 Jun 2020
28 Jun 2020 14:51:45
Bfro,

Selling Rojo, Jones and lingard plus other deadwood players, would probably get us one quality player in return.

6.) 28 Jun 2020
28 Jun 2020 16:29:39
Hatter your right they will only get one worldie . But massive investment is also needed i didn't say their total is all we need . Personally i wouldn't buy any of them if i was a manager but there is always West Ham😀😀.

7.) 28 Jun 2020
28 Jun 2020 17:14:11
BFRO, I’m sure Inter will buy a few of them. Lingard might fetch a reasonable fee, and if not I wouldn’t be against keeping him as a back up option. He will never score 20+ goals a season even as first choice, but he makes intelligent runs and he scores important goals. But if we can get a decent fee, then we should cash in. Smalling, Jones, Rojo, and possibly Pereira and Dalot should raise enough to sign one top player, and I think it would be more than reasonable to expect the club to invest the money required to make another couple signings on top of a worldie at RW, to really bridge that gap to Liverpool and City. Having said that, I suspect it will be a case of signing Sancho and one other player this summer, though if that other player is Partey or Ndidi then I’d probably take that in a heartbeat.

8.) 28 Jun 2020
28 Jun 2020 18:08:53
I think with the number of players we need to shift (Jones, Rojo, Smalling, TFM, Lingard and Pereira) along with those that could leave (Matic, Pogba, Dalot and Mata) between now and the start of the 21/ 22 season there is still a lot of change in this squad.

We have some young players who could step up and claim a key role (Tuanzebe, Laird, Williams, Mengi, Garner, Levitt, Mejbri and Greenwood) over the next couple of seasons.

I think it's clear what areas we need focus on. We need a first choice top class RW. That has to be the No.1 priority.

Beyond that in the short term we need to find the long term partner for Harry Maguire. That could be one of Lindelof, Bailly, Tuanzebe or Mengi or we might need to look beyond our squad. I think CB could wait until next year and give the options we have a season to see if they can step up.

In midfield I see two main areas that need addressing. The first is CDM. Matic is our only option there, and he isn't getting any younger. Garner might step up and their are shades of Carrick about him. But I do feel we need a true holding midfielder as I see McTominay and Fred as more box to box players.

The second area in midfield that needs addressing is IF/ WHEN Pogba leaves. We need a technical ball carrier/ playmaker once Pogba has left. If he leaves this summer then we need them this summer, if he stays until next year then we need a replacement next year and not this year.

The only other area we could do with strengthening depends on how a couple of young players do. Currently we have Rashford and James as first choice wide options. If we sign a top class RW then we have three options out wide.

Both Chong and Greenwood can/ will provide the 4th/ 5th choice options. How well they do will dictate if we need another wide option. If Chong steps up then great. I feel Greenwood will eventually move central and challenge/ take Martials place.

Depending on how they do depends on whether we need another forward player next summer. If Greenwood steps up centrally then we won't need a striker. If he or Chong prove themselves out wide then we won't need a wide player. My instinct is that Greenwood will prove himself and challenge Martial centrally, while I feel Chong ultimately probably will fall short and we might need to look for another young wide player to challenge Rashford, James and the other wide player.