10 Jun 2021 16:34:51
Hi Ed, out of curiosity, would the fees you talked about regarding Sancho fall under personal terms, there are reports today these have been agreed. United still seem rather quiet after putting their back against a wall saying they wanted it agreed by Euros. Could it be possible?

{Ed002's Note - No.}

1.) 10 Jun 2021
10 Jun 2021 19:21:22
He'll be a Man United player soon enough I wouldn't worry about it.

2.) 11 Jun 2021
11 Jun 2021 08:22:04
I am still uncertain he is worth that amount of money. Also, how does that fit with buying Pellestrii and Amad? Pellestri who we told his South American club he was wanted immediately for the first team, then shoved out on loan. Where does that leave him?

It says our purchases are at best disjointed. But if we truly want a RW why pay £80m, look at others and use the money elsewhere. Sancho is a good player, very good but I haven’t seen great in him, not yet. I would still look at Barca’s Dembele but if we identified Amad and Pellestri as worth what we paid, why not give them a chance? Or is the coaching just not up to developing them?

{Ed077's Note - Ousmane Dembele? I am not quite sold on the Sancho deal but I would rather have Sancho over Ousmane Dembele.

3.) 11 Jun 2021
11 Jun 2021 08:33:50
Red Man, Sancho is probably not worth that kind of money but he is one hell of a player, only Messi has more goals + assists over the last 3 seasons.

Personally I am not fussed by the costs, it's doesn't concern me.

4.) 11 Jun 2021
11 Jun 2021 09:32:29
Red Man keeps crying we don't buy the right players and then suggests to buy dembele. Have you even seen how his Barcelona career has gone? Or you just pick random players who were good 4 years ago? And what is this swipe at is coaching not good enough to improve amad and pellestri? Let's just stick with Daniel James and these two hoping they step up and are ready for the first team. Great plan!

5.) 11 Jun 2021
11 Jun 2021 09:52:29
Yes 77 That Dembele. Would likely cost a lot less. However, why on Earth did United throw money at Amad and Pellestri, so a year later spend another £80m on the same position, it really makes no sense, especially when I am not convinced Sancho is a world beater, happy if he develops mind you. He is good but great?

Weggy

Stats probably told us Mitikharian and Kagawa were great too, the German league is hard to judge. As long as we buy the other players we need and don’t scrimp then the money is less relevant. It still has relevance, because likely increases our debt, on which there is no sign or plan to repay,

6.) 11 Jun 2021
11 Jun 2021 10:20:41
Red Man if you want to talk about transfers not making sense what about looking to buy a new RB and CB this summer after buying AWB and Maguire in Ole's first summer window.

By the start of next season we could have in the last three years bought:
3 RW's (4 if you include James who while a LW has mostly played RW for us)
2 CB's
3 fullbacks (AWB, Telles and Trippier? )
2 CAM's (Bruno and Donny)
and 2 old aged strikers (Ighalo and Cavani) .

This pattern of buying multiple players for one position smacks of a scattergun approach with little forethought and planning and a total lack of a bigger picture view.

Surely a competent club would look to swap Pogba for Varane, both players want to leave their current clubs and have a year left on their deals. This would mean both clubs save face and get a player they want/ need.

You'd then use West Ham's interest in both Lingard and oddly Jones to sort a deal for Declan Rice.

Then you have strengthened CB and CDM with either top class or potentially top class players while spending very little money.

You could then look to sign a RW, be that Sancho or a cheaper alternative such as Raphinha.

Heaton is a solid back up keeper signed on a free so if either DDG or Henderson leaves you are covered there. You could look to offer Grant a further 1 year deal as third choice if you feel the need then loan out Bishop to gain experience. Or you could look to sign a further 2nd or 3rd choice keeper if you felt Heaton wasn't up to being 2nd choice or if Grant doesn't want another year.

RB seems a silly position to be signing someone for. We currently have AWB, Dalot, Williams and Laird who can all play there. I'd just keep Dalot for another season and loan out Williams and Laird and see where we are a year down the line and if they are ready to challenge AWB.

None of this is hard work or rocket science.

7.) 11 Jun 2021
11 Jun 2021 10:53:06
Red Man, our decision makers don't have any plan.
Last year when Sancho deal didn't happen, they went down to 10th or 11th choice targets like Amad and Pellistri

I just don't trust our recruitment team.

It was the same with VDB, Grealish was the main target but the club went down the list and the manager doesn't use him.

There is a lack of plan for youngsters like Garner.
My concern is now Greenwood, who will feature much less on the right if Sancho arrives.

8.) 11 Jun 2021
11 Jun 2021 12:05:58
I think if sancho is bought we will play greewood as a cf rotating with cavani. Diallo then will be back up to sancho.
Next year we will then sign a Cf to replace cavani.
Sancho is pretty versatile, rashford out for start of season If his planned operation goes ahead.
I do agree if sancho is bought for the amount being talked of we shouldn't skimp on other positions.

9.) 11 Jun 2021
11 Jun 2021 12:50:02
Tom, Ole doesn't rotate players.
He has not done it for 3 years so far in his reign.

10.) 11 Jun 2021
11 Jun 2021 14:02:43
On the basis that we need multiple players for each position and that I think Olly wants a fluid front line I am happy with the signing of Dialo especially at his age with time for him to develop. Pellestri of the two looks the odd one but again could come good over time and at best looks like a punt on a young player.
If we get Sancho (or another) in it will mean that we have Rashford/ Sancho/ Dialo/ Greenwood for the 2 wide forward roles and I hope that Greenwood eventually moves centrally after this year.
I think we can argue on who we buy and the money we spend but you can at least see that with those players we could be set for the next 5 years and all young.
Whilst some of the decisions on recruitment do look odd in this case i can see the logic.
What we do with Pogba will define the midfield for me, I fear we will keep him another year and he not sign then yet again leave for nothing. We need to be firm, it is sign, stay and we build around him or he leaves and we get the best deal we can.

{Ed077's Note - why build around Pogba when he isn't even the best midfielder or the most important midfielder in the team? Surely Bruno is the midfielder to build the team around if you want to "build" the team around someone.

11.) 11 Jun 2021
11 Jun 2021 15:30:59
Agree true devil but can't see cavani playing every game. Also with rashford having operation after euros he could miss first month of season say may see Greenwood cavanai and possibly sancho as our front 3.

12.) 12 Jun 2021
12 Jun 2021 08:17:55
Shappy

I was questioning why we were looking to buy a new RB a long time before you. However it gets forgotten because I dared to question why the manager bought a £50m full back who can’t do what he wants a FB to do. In terms of a CB, the question is why why did Jones get a new contract instead of being sold, why was Smalling sold when he may well have been a better partner for Maguire than Lindelof. Those decisions are questionable, there are many others.

13.) 12 Jun 2021
12 Jun 2021 10:14:11
I didn't see one person on here shed a tear when Mike was sold. He was regularly slated more than most. I really don't think selling him was questionable at all. Hindsight can be a wonderful thing.

14.) 12 Jun 2021
12 Jun 2021 10:47:00
Why would hindsight make us think smalling should have stayed anyway? He has had a poor season for Roma, was always injured for us anyway and his only game at OT this season he conceded 6 against a manager and team who you think are awful and boring Red Man.

15.) 12 Jun 2021
12 Jun 2021 11:22:21
I meant hindsight with Lindelof's performances GDS. Poor phrasing.

16.) 12 Jun 2021
12 Jun 2021 16:40:33
Makes sense mate, I’d still rather have Lindelof than Smalling all day long though.