01 Aug 2020 12:32:54
If we sign only one player this summer it has to be Jadon Sancho!

Yes the full financial package is sobering but in my opinion it's a risk worth taking.

At only 20 years of age Sancho has accumulated some impressive numbers and the prospect of adding him to the likes of Rashford, Greenwood, Martial and Fernandes is about as exciting as it gets.

The acquisition of Sancho would further evidence a shift in transfer policy more akin to our traditional past. Sancho is a young, supremely talented, British talent and whilst already performing at an elite level has the potential to get even better. It's a proven transfer strategy steeped in success that enabled us to dominate the Premier League for over two decades. Paul Ince, Roy Keane, Andy Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney and even Micheal Carrick are all examples of talented young British players that gave the Club years of distinguished and loyal service.

In 1993 Utd paid a British record transfer fee for 21 year old Roy Keane. In 1995 Utd again smashed the transfer record to bring 24 year old Andy Cole to Old Trafford in a move which saw Kevin Keegan remonstrating with angry Newcastle supporters on the steps of St James Park. In 2002 Utd broke the British transfer record again to sign 23 year old defender Rio Ferdinand and in 2004 Utd made 18 year old Wayne Rooney one of the most expensive teenagers in football history.

Sancho has taken a more unusual route to first team football, he hasn't cut his teeth in the Premier League but experiencing a different culture and already having Champions League experience should provide reassurance that he will have little problem adapting to a new league or coping with the pressures of playing for one of the biggest Clubs in the world.

Sancho would provide Utd's front line with a plethora of different options and quality. Capable of playing on the right/ left or even at No10 he would predominantly provide a first choice option on the right but also give quality cover for other positions across the front three. His addition would provide versatility, creativity, assists and more importantly goals. Conceivably we would then have 5 players all capable of scoring well in excess of 15 goals per season and at the risk of sounding cliche goals win games.

Whilst other positions need strengthening and squad depth is a concern the acquisition of Sancho would perhaps bridge the gap sooner and provide the starting 11 with the quality needed to challenge at the top.

When you examine why we have toiled so much in recent years it has been an inability to score goals rather than keep them out. We finished this season with the third best defensive record in the league conceding only 1 more goal than City and 3 more than Liverpool. Conversely we scored an astonishing 36 fewer goals than City and 19 goals less than Liverpool.

I'm not sure we can afford to let Sancho slip through our fingers and whilst the cost might be eye watering so might his effect on the team. Sometimes players become available and if you have aspirations of reaching the very top they cannot be ignored.

1.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 12:45:18
I'm inclined to agree DLIB. It's one of those signings that if United fail to get it over the line, there would be uproar from plenty of fans.

I'd also argue that if we don't sign Sancho this summer, he will never play for us. Plenty of others have interest just not right now.

2.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 12:50:28
Dlib
Agree, he is a united type player and signing all day long imo .
Rash martial greenwood and sancho, attack coild be sorted for years.
The lads only 20 you hope he is only going to improve.

3.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 12:58:07
If you look at our first 11 the right wing spot looks the least settled. So clearly that has to be the first priority this summer.

I think your argument for putting all our eggs in a Jandon Sancho shaped basket is compelling, and he would certainly massively improve our first 11. For me the biggest killer of our chances of succeeding next season might well be squad quality.

On paper our first 11 is more than good enough to get results against anyone in the league. However, as we have seen this season we are one or two injuries away from struggling.

Until Bruno joined in January the loss of Pogba on our first 11 was such that we had no one with the progressive passing ability to open teams up who sit deep.

While the centre of our defence on paper has performed rather well. However, the reality is that we have been quite lucky and are often responsible for our own downfall by making silly mistakes. With Jones and Rojo clearly not good enough, Smalling often the best of the rest but ultimately still not good enough and Bailly and Tuanzebe struggling with injuries we really only have Maguire and Lindelof as regularly fit and possibly good enough.

Maguire played every minute of our league campaign, but a long term injury like Pogba has suffered this season would likely mean Jones being a regular starter.

While Pogba and Bruno can't be expected to play every game the best options to replace them in the squad are Fred and Lingard/ Pereira/ Mata take your pick. The drop off in quality goes from world class or potentially world class to mediocre and clearly not good enough for a top 6 team.

We have seen from the first half of this season a midfield including Fred, and Pereira isn't good enough for being in the top 8 let alone a comfortable top 4 side.

So while RW is vital to improve our first 11, a lack of quality in depth at CB and CAM could effectively cost us a top 4 place next season.

I would be very happy to sign Sancho, he looks a genuine top level talent. However we still need to improve other parts of the squad if we are to take the next step.

4.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 13:00:03
When you write it down like that Jred it gets me salivating.

5.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 13:17:50
I agree we should sign sancho but if he is the only signing we are still going backwards as others will improve a lot more.

6.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 13:29:24
Absolutley this!

With champions league football next year, we need to be able to rotate players. We effectively have 3 capable forwards in a system that requires 3 forwards. If any of them get injured we can't fill that gap with top quality, and we can't expect them to play every game.

We need to have 4 top quality players for those 3 positions, which signing Sancho would provide. There should be plenty of games for all 4 to get a lot of football and not feel butt-hurt over being left out. Plus we have James who we can bring on when we're winning or need a purely speedy outlet or Jesse to see games out if he hasn't left.

However, we still need an additional attacing midfielder for the same reasons.

The 3 of Matic, Pogba and Bruno reeally work well. I think McTom could provide cover for Matic, and realistically Fred is suitable for bringing on in place of either 3 when games are already won, but both Bruno and Pogba are vital to the system and with either one injured or knackered the system falls apart. So I think a midfielder who can mix it up with those two is just as vital as Sancho. Grealish would probably do, but he seems line a pillock so hopefully we can find someone else of suitable quality.

I'm less concerned about the defence. Whilst none of us are overly enthusiastic at the thought of bringing on Jones, we do have 3 central defeneders of a reasonable level in Mcguire, Linelof and Bailly, plus Jones, TFM and Tuanzebe to provide cover. Whilst not spectacular, that should be sufficent if the rest of the team is firing on all cylinders.

Left back we have Shaw and Brandon, right back we have AWB and Dalot.

So yes, Sancho is vital imo, but just as much as him we need an attacking midfielder to allow Bruno and Pogba to rest.

7.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 13:46:54
Shappy - I not convinced that strengthening the squad at the expense of losing out on Sancho is the correct strategy.

I actually think the squad isn't that bad. What we need are more players capable of helping us win games and Sancho is that player. We have a gaping hole on the RW and whilst Greenwood has filled the void brilliantly we then have no option off the bench. With our front players all capable of playing across the front three Sancho would undoubtedly improve our options immeasurably and vastly improve our goal threat. By signing Sancho you also greatly improve the squad anyway.

Our first 11 isn't yet good enough so I don't see the logic in signing players to improve our bench and not necessarily the starting 11. With Pogba likely to stay for at least another season I think he can be pushed further forward if Fernandes has an off day or gets injured. Whilst Pereria certainly isn't good enough to command a starting position or play every week he's certainly capable of filling in for the odd game especially if he is flanked by the likes of Rashford, Sancho with Martial upfront.

The more quality players you have in the first 11 the less impact it makes when some are injured. Our problems in my opinion originate from not having enough quality players in the first place therefore the likes Fred, Pereria and Lingard we're all starting together thus compounding the problem. Now we have Fernandes and if we got Sancho the fringe players would have better quality around them and wouldn't all have to all play together in the same team.

In my opinion Sancho is essential. Get the quality players in when they become available and by doing so you improve the quality of the squad anyway.

Football is all about opinions and no doubt other posters will have their own views on how we can best progress and bridge the gap. I don't think you can replicate quality and by definition if you lose your best players the team will be weaker. If you only have a few good players then their loss will be magnified and that is what I believe has been our problem. Let's get real quality into the team and if that means waiting to sign another CB or ACM then so be it as we do have other options.

8.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 13:56:28
Roy Keane is not British.

9.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 14:47:28
You better believe it darkred😂.

10.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 14:53:16
DLIB, and what happens when that basket you placed all your eggs in breaks?

Chelsea are looking at signing 4 or 5 players, they already have Ziyech and Werner, they are looking at Havertz, Chilwell and a goalkeeper possibly Onana.

If they bring in those 5 players they will leapfrog us if we only bring in Sancho.

The truth is that we have dropped most of our points this season when we have had to rely on our squad players.

I did an exercise last week with our squad. Write down in four boxes "world class", "Great", "potential" and "average" then place every player in our squad on one of those boxes.

Only 3-5 players make it into the great/ world class boxes, with the rest split between average or potential.

I think it highlights just how average our squad is. Sancho of course would be a huge improvement. But we need others as well.

11.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 14:58:16
The only thing i have a doubt about is that our two last signings from Dortmund have failed badly. Is Dortmund-United link jinxed?

12.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 15:40:52
Shan I don't think there is a curse on United signing players from Dortmund.

I actually think that Dortmund have previously hired managers who are very good at getting more out of their teams than the sum of their parts.

Both Klopp and Tuchel make ordinary players look good, good players look great and great players look world class.

We aren't the only side to have signed a player from Dortmund only for them to not perform as well for us as they did for their previous club.

Hummels and Goetze we're okay at best for Bayern while looked world class at Dortmund.

Kagawa and Mkhitaryan looked great players for Dortmund but average for us.

Nuri Sahin was average at Real Madrid and Liverpool but awesome at Dortmund.

The only player I would say has looked as good or better at a new club as they did at Dortmund is Lewandowski.

If we sign Sancho, which is looking more and more likely, then I don't expect him to match his Dortmund numbers with us. Certainly not during his first season or two. The Bundesliga has many very poor defenders that make offensive players look far better than they are.

{Ed001's Note - are you sure you mean Tuchel? He is a poor manager if anything.}

13.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 15:50:12
I see a lot of similarities between Brendan Rodgers and Tuchel ed1. Both are possesion based managers who start in a high at the team they takeover and slowly degrade overtime. Both seem to be not great at organizing the defence and both seem a bit dumbfounded when their team is on the backfoot. Both seem to have very high opinion of themselves verging on egotistical. So basically Tuchel is a better version of Brendan Rodgers IMO.

{Ed001's Note - very good comparison.}

14.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 16:00:40
Who said we are only going to sign 1 player?

Also why does the system fall apart when pogba is missing? He didn't play any games before lockdown.

15.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 16:05:19
Shappy
I'm surprised you seem to have forgotten about tuanzebe. I wonder if ole has a plan for him?

16.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 16:32:08
Shappy - Who are the alternatives? Hypothetically speaking if we have a budget of around £120m (the approximate cost of Sancho) who would you buy that in your view would significantly improve us above and beyond just Sancho?!

Other targets obviously have to be available and attainable and whilst I appreciate there is an element of fantasy football about the question I'd be interested to hear how you think the money could be better invested?

17.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 17:13:37
Is tuanzebe good enough?
I liked him as a youth player.
He did ok at villa no more. He has played about 6 games in 18 months.
He has played 2 or 3 games in the epl over last 3 years.
Hardly ever available no experience i'm doubtful he is the answer. Hopeful but very very doubtful.
Even if ole does have a plan will the player be available?
Rojo is crap. Nothing but a hindrance.
Jones is not even a hindrance he is irrelevant.
Smalling who is better than all 3 of them is on his bike.
We are shockingly weak at cb.
Lots of players but not enough reliable ones.

18.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 17:16:03
Comparisons to what giant clubs do is pointless. We need to address gaps in our said only.

Sancho is clearly a priority and it looks like it will happen.

James Rodriguez/ Grealish would be a solid signing, and we have Ighalo for now to help up top.

Anymore would be great but not entirely necessary yet.

19.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 17:52:26
Ole sees more of tuenz than any of us, is he an option, i have no idea but I do wonder if he is in ole plans. If he is and ole is looking to give him games it means we have 4 cbs. Him with maguire linders and bailly
Shappy has raved about him i'm surprised he has now dropped of the radar.

20.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 17:39:04
Ed001, Tuchel had a very specific system which can raise the ability of the players. However, other coaches sooner or later work out how to play against his side's and he struggles. He is getting away with it at PSG as no team in the league can compete with them so regardless of the system they play they have significantly better players than everyone else. PSG are the only side in France who regularly bring in top established players. Normally the best players leave Ligue 1 not join it.

Jred, I really rate Tuanzebe and think he could be the answer alongside Maguire. Yet injuries have stopped his progression. He ticks the boxes, quick, great reader of the game and can cover his partner well. But he can't get a run in the team while he's injured. Same as Bailly really. Two potentially very good CB's but if they can't get on the pitch then we can't rely on them.

DLIB, the issue with Sancho is the transfer fee alone is 120m, his age "agent" wants 50m on top.

I think that we could sign a few players who individually aren't better than Sancho, but collectively would improve us.

Wide players we could consider would include Buendía, Tsygankov, Moussa Diaby all would give us a more balanced threat from the RW.

While DvdB is available for around the 40m mark, maybe a little less.

Gabriel Magalhaes is available for around 30m.

I'd imagine we could have one of the wingers and DvdB and Gabriel for the same price as Jadon Sancho.

{Ed001's Note - no no no, he took over a system that raised the ability of the players. It was nothing to do with him.}

21.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 17:53:40
the other thing is as much as people go on about it I'm not sure conceding goals has been a major issue for us.

22.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 17:55:42
Shappy did mention him above jred. But that he is always injured.

23.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 18:16:10
Buendía, Tsygankov, Moussa Diaby all would give us a more balanced threat from the RW.
Shappy are madrid after any of them players .

Tuanzebe has had 3 injuries this season are we given up on him?
Time will tell but I do wonder if he is in the managers and the clubs plan both this season and long term?

24.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 18:21:27
Buendía, Tsygankov, Moussa Diaby. I would take sancho over them all day long .
I don't think dvdb gets in the starting 11.
For me sancho would be a better addition and make a bigger impact than buendia and dvdb together.

25.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 18:39:58
Shappy

Tuchel has managed Mainz, Dortmund and PSG; in the top leagues. Both at Mainz and Dortmund, he took over after Klopp who already had establihed a system for the team. Klopp already setup a winning system. At PSG, it took the genius of EMERY to no win the league and even Emery won 1 league title in France. So I don't think Tuchel has proved him to be a TOP class Manager/ Coach. On top of that he falls out with people at the club constantly so he isn't worth the hassle for top teams I think.

26.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 19:03:12
Jred looking at the goals conceded no its not that ugly for sure.
Looking at that in isolation is fine but to be fair when you look under the skin of that we are conceding a lot of goals exposing a soft centre. I think both shaw and awb were very consistent and willams too. But lingard and maguire have been exposed time and again both individually and as a pair.
For me maguire does enough blocks and clearances to cover his 3 or 4 goal costing errors but lindelof is making the same mistakes now as he was 2 years ago. Probably 4 maybe 5 times this season bullied or physically beaten costing us goals.
I appreciate that all defenders make mistakes or get skinned making them look worse than they are but if lindelof is reassuring the same mistake over and over it can be better.
So while its not bad on the face of how much better could it be if we were not giving the soft goals away.

27.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 19:21:15
Ken
I think maguire played well right up to lockdown, was slow starting after the break but personally I'm not going to jump on any player after a 100 day break and no pre season .
You defend as a team and we have done that well imo this year, its been more individual errors.
Ddg has probably had his worse season imo as well . I do think our back 4 issues are massively blown out of proportion.
On a side note intersection to see rumours of smalling being linked to juve after a very good season at roma . And think about the stick he got.

28.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 20:03:32
Jred are you refusing to accept that the cb pairing are not up to standard? Lindelof makes the same mistakes repeatedly. Has done for 3 years now. He reminds me of rafeal in that regard still making the same errors time after time. He is very poor in the air for this league and level. He gets out muscled regularly.
It can be much much better. If you can't recognise that it can be a lot better i'd be surprised.
If players keep making individual errors and the same type of individual errors then they need replacing imo.
Its often the difference between a 1 nil or 1 all against the southamton or newcastles of the league.

29.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 20:13:47
Lets see where smalling ends up. How many times have you been on here telling purple not to believe they retort the read?
But when its about one of your favourites you quote a report.
He did well there this season. His team were a distant 5th our defence was better without him.
He could still be a squad player here but i really admire him for embracing a wonderful professional and personal experience. He has done well. It may open new doors for him.
If juve make a bid for him and i doubt they will or have any intention of doing so it will be great for him but it won't effect how he did while he was here which was decidedly average imo.
Inter linked with him too.
Look how well sanchez is playing now for inter and the stick he got here.

30.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 20:50:34
Ken
All areas of any team can improve i think our back 4 issues are massively blown out of proportion.
We scored 36 less goals than city abd only conceded 1 more .
We scored 19 less than the scouse conced only 3 more .
So room for improvement but no where near as bad as people make out imo.

To be honest smalling isn't one of my favourite players but he was a far better player than people give him credit for imo .

I think your comments about our defence being better with out him is a bit off the mark in regards to him as a player . We had signed maguire and awb, united adding them 2 to our defense improved our back line imo . That has nothing to do with the ability of smalling imo .
He had a really good season for Rome tho imo and looked good in seria A . When you think about how highly people on here rate other defenders in the same league?

31.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 20:55:31
should also say sanchez has had about 5 good games.

32.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 21:03:02
I think rw is the position we need to add regardless of who leaves the club, I'd love to see sancho arrive and I think we look way better when we can attack from both sides .
Most people seem to also want a new cb and a back up option to bruno .
Our squad has been seriously unbalanced for a few years now, take the two positions mentioned cb, if we added another we would have as it stands new player, maguire, lindlehoff, jones, smalling, Rojo . Bailey and tuanzebe .
As back up to bruno we would have new player, lingaard, mata, sanchez and perriera, all for one position as a back up to bruno
If we want a cb surely we need 3 out the door first and for a back up to bruno 3 maybe 4 to leave .
I'd like to see these positions improved as much as others but saying I'd sell x, y, z is a far cry from it actually being done .

33.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 21:18:33
I know slate we find it hard to move players on due to their wages and lack of ability.
Its not easy to find someone that will give mata or lingard jones etc 120k a week never mind the likes of sanchez at 400k a week so they are in no rush to leave either. They are on easy street.

34.) 01 Aug 2020
01 Aug 2020 23:02:48
That's what I'm getting at ken, replace them by all means but get players out first, how often are we going to need an 8 th choice cb or a fifth choice am .

35.) 02 Aug 2020
02 Aug 2020 09:07:11
I have a feeling we will address the cb issue properly next summer .

36.) 02 Aug 2020
02 Aug 2020 09:11:19
Long thread with some long posts but a simple point is that anyone who thinks buying squad players is all that is needed has been bamboozled, blinded by, vastly over rated, the team based on the final run in. The words “Great or World Class” are used too easily, 3 to 5 Great or a World class? Ronaldo was a great, City and Liverpool have 3 to 5 World Class players, but we certainly don’t, it is just over rating based on red tinted specs. That’s why we finished 3rd and that was just due to the final flurry.

We need top quality, yes “world class” in at least three positions, four if Pogba goes, not squad players. The club need to get selling, accept realistic prices, stop being rigid and amateur as Ed says. Buy the quality needed for next season or we will be looking at fighting the 3rd place trophy and that won’t be easy if Chelsea continue to strengthen. Don’t think Arsenal and Spurs won’t improve or Wolves either, yet we need to look up, not down, who we buy will define that.

37.) 02 Aug 2020
02 Aug 2020 11:03:35
I think given the circumstances jred you may be right but that doesn't bode well for our ability to compete next season.
I think if the right player became available this summer they may jump on it but its not a priority unless we shed a few and getting rid of our motley crew of poor cbs will be harder than finding a new one😂.

38.) 02 Aug 2020
02 Aug 2020 11:08:07
So sanchez and pogba both had 5 good games this season.
Both injured. Both now fit and playing well. In fact sanchez has been better for inter in those games than pogba was for us.
Players get stick when they under perform and so they should.
Im generally pleased when players leave and do well elsewhere as long as it doesn't hurt united.

39.) 02 Aug 2020
02 Aug 2020 14:41:17
Ken
Ashely young has been better than the pair of them . what's your point?
I think pogba done well considering he was coming back from a long term injury.

40.) 02 Aug 2020
02 Aug 2020 14:47:43
It was the same point you were making about smalling jred so you should understand the point without looking for clarification.
Players get stick here but can perform elsewhere.
You made a good point about smalling the same goes for sanchez.
At their age the slower league suits them. Moses is out performing young in games also.

41.) 02 Aug 2020
02 Aug 2020 16:04:16
Ken i have no idea what that has to do with pogba?
I agree players can look a lot better in seria A tho .
I would 100% disagree on moses tho.

42.) 02 Aug 2020
02 Aug 2020 16:47:40
Of course you would but that's what the reports are saying he has been very good.

43.) 02 Aug 2020
02 Aug 2020 16:53:35
Ken

Smalling was not a leader or commanding figure in the back four. However, I wonder how he would have done alongside Maguire. What are your thoughts on how Smalling would have done alongside Maguire? I think he would have been better than Lindelof. Should we have got rid of Jones and kept Smalling?

44.) 02 Aug 2020
02 Aug 2020 18:33:53
No doubt. Smalling is streets ahead of jones and rojo.
Im not sure he his total game is better than lindelof but is better in the air for sure.
At the end of the day he was here 8 or 9 years and never delivered what was required. All managers played him they also all dropped him.
So hard to know redman sometimes players look better when they don't play but then when they do they only let you down again.
Bottom line is our defence is better now than it was when he was in it.
Southgate said smalling and maguire couldn't play together but he could be wrong.

45.) 02 Aug 2020
02 Aug 2020 20:09:33
Ken what reports? Someone been winding you up . Moses has been struggling to get in the team.