Manchester United Rumours Archive May 22 2013

22 May 2013 20:49:26
Rooney nani anderson evra out


Bale/Cr7 baines in

Thing is I can't see Ron coming back now Fergie isn't in charge, SAF would big a big influence in the move and he'd be the only one IMO to make sure Cristiano's ego and profile wouldn't disrupt the team.

Ozwald

Fellaini, Baines, Fabregas in

Get a grip, bale is staying

I hope bale is sold to us! don't want cr7.

Football manager syndrome strikes again

Fellaini, Tiago, De Maria and Shaw are what I'd like, but all I know is we've got zaha.
Mik

Would love to see Ronnie back we would have the best strike force goin

Fellaini, Strootman, Bale would make us a machine.
---------------DDG------------
Rafael---Jones. Vidic. Evra
------Fellaini--Strootman-----
Zaha-------Kagawa------Bale
--------------RVP--------------

Just one of the possible formations, I know Carrick should be there somewhere but the two i've picked behind Kagawa just seem to make a really balanced team. Fellaini holding completely, Strootman box to boxing, Kagawa given free roll with two tricky flying wingers.

Kai

You don't have a clue do you. Fellaini is not even remotely a holding mid!

Fellaini himself said def mid is his best pos, get your facts right

22 May 2013 19:46:50
Edd any truth in the rumour that Rooney has opened talks with psg?
Dc {Ed004's Note - Possibly and hopefully}

Hope he does. I don't see Ronaldo returning unless Rooney is off. I don't know how many of you realize, rooney has serious ego and jealousy issues with Ronaldo. i'm not even counting the world cup winking part. but Rooney can't and won't tolerate being second to Ronaldo. I have a gut feeling Rooney knows Ronaldo is returning back at Old Trafford so he is not interested in staying.

This is another reason why Rooney is so pissed with Sir Alex as he rates Ronaldo way over Rooney and was desperate for his return.

Ronaldo would partner Persie with a free role and with Rooney not int in midfield, he is better off.

Fellaini and Ronaldo would be awesome. If Ronaldo return fails. expect Rooney to stay!

Front 3 of RVP, Kagawa and Ronaldo. A return to the free flowing days of 2008 with Fellaini adding some steel in midfield and Baines or Shaw long term replacement for Evra. Jones and Vidic as preferred choice centre back pairing.

And part-financed by Time To Go Rooney?

Order that Champs League Final 2014 ticket now ladies :) {Ed004's Note - With Fellaini in midfield I don't think we have a chance of getting to the champions league final unless he has xavi and iniesta beside him tbh and even then he would struggle}

Fellaini is the missing piece for me. We have been crying out for somebody that can hold onto the ball and have a presence in midfield, aerial and power, Carrick has been quality this season but he would be even better if he didn't have to do it all himself in midfield.

Sween

Fellaini isn;t the answer to our problems. he seems like a slightly more mobile version of duncan ferguson. he does drop deep but he fleets in and out. He would be easy to nullify. He may be use as an impact sub if conventional means are not working but I wouldn;t pay 20 mill for a sub.

So who would you, nameless one, play in our midfield besides Fellaini? There's the legend Giggs who is 40, there's Ceverley who is mid-table quality at best, Anderson, who is great for 10mins in every 8th game per season. That leaves the impecable Carrick, the excellent Jones, (but is weak on the passing front in midfield), Powell who may or may not make it, look great in the lower league mind you and Shinji who isn't a true midfielder but a player made to play in the "Hole". I think Fellaini, who can play in front of the back4, box to box or 2nd striker and Tiago, for guile and picking the killer pass, whould transform our midfield from being the weakest of the top 4 to the strongest.
Mik

Fellaini is a great player in a good squad that's why he stands out I think he's a lazy loose cannon 2bh. any midfielder will do IMO just hope we sign a few. thaigo would be a good option if we don't get cesc they both have them key attributes granted thaigo will take time to settle. we need another lb/rb shaw/Ranocchia/baines either will do again. get rid of all that access weight that do nout people know who them players are. and 1 stand out signing would b nice. I wonder if well go for witzel.

It is obvious to a lot of people (judging by match reports, commentators and even Toffee fans) that while Fellaini is a good player he's certainly not in the top tier of player we should be looking at. At 25 he should be nearly the finished article but he consitantly fleets in and out of games, his passing isn't anything special at all - check his stats. He's a ball winner surely and a good header but that shouldn't be enough to be a marquee signing. If I had to pick a player it would be Bender from Dortmund - a more proven player - see him in the CL tomorrow night. Then also perhaps Darren Fletcher who can play in the middle might make a comeback? I'd give Zaha a chance out wide too. Someone has to make it? It isn;t the end of the world if we don't get a midfielder we crave. If Moyes is as good as Lord Ferg thinks, he should be able to play through the issue. Fergie has these last few years anyway.

22 May 2013 16:42:56
So considering we clearly need to improve our wings, and the names being thrown around are Rodriguez, Gaitan, Di Maria etc. I haven't heard Jesus Navas mentioned. I know he's a target of City, but are any of the Eds aware of possible interest from us? {Ed004's Note - Haven't heard of any}

Dosnt he get home sick, even on away games? I can't see it happening

For me he's the exact same type of player as valencia

He gets incredibly homesick- to the point that he doesn't like playing for spain because he has to travel. Weird if you ask me, but there you have it.

22 May 2013 13:14:14
Marca ran a story a few hours ago regarding Thiago Alcantara. Apparently he has a release clause of 18 million euros (something to do with not meeting a certain number of appearance or something). Now I know release clauses are not really anything to go by, but with his contract ending in 2015 (unlikely that he'll renew considering the little playing time he gets at Barcelona) and the relatively low price of the clause, I would think he'd be very attainable this window. 30 million euros for Strootman and Thiago would be reasonable I think, and give us that engine in midfield we've been needing for a few seasons now. Add in a winger and an LB and that could be a great summer for us!

Always have a feeling when I comes to Thiago that he'd want to return back to Barca as soon as Xavi hangs up his boots, much in the same way Fabregas did. Them barca boys are like that, Pique?

Ozwald

I think Thiago has been one of the 3 or 4 long term targets SAF has mentioned before. Albeit he's not manager anymore.

Supasub

I think that would be a great addition for our squad, another spainiard so ddg will feel more at home plus when barca do eventually come back knocking for him as they always do, imagine how much his price would have inflated

19JackC94

Would love Thiago here, I heard a rumour in March from someone who knew someone who was best mates with SAF's cat :) yup one of those rumours. Then later in March Alcantara's dad said his son needed to move and there were a couple of newspaper reports linking him with us, but since then its been deathly quiet till the last week or so.

I fear his agents know he is on the way out from Barca and is just trying to drum up interest. Though as many others have sais Strootman and Alcantara would be 2 perfect signings for us.

22 May 2013 15:07:11
Ballague was asked about this and he said he would stay at Barca

Would you complain at having Thiago here for 4/5 years Ozwald if he did then want to go back. Ronaldo always wanted to play for Madrid before he came here and you also mention Fabregas. 4/5 years service of top talent is fine by me. I mean do you see RVP playing for us far beyond 4 years bearing his age then dare I mention Sheringham and Cantona? From what I have seen of Thiago, mainly for Spain U21s he certainly looks a top talent and I can't think of many other players who would be more ideal in terms of replacing Paul Scholes, impossible as it is
Invisible STuey

I'm not exactly in favour of it mate, no! Yes he's a top class player no doubt but there are others out there in a similar mould that could stay at the club for longer. Ronaldo did want to leave you're right but when it was the best player in the world I think it was a bit different. Another thing, have we managed to find anyone to fill the void left by Ronnie? No. Not exactly ideal.

Ozwald

Everyone keeps mentioning we were linked to thiago earlier in the year but dunno if anyone have realised we got a new boss now and surely he got his own transfer targets, b abit of a strange one if he wants all the same players as saf wouldn't it

I agree Ozwald, however Ronaldo is virtually irreplaceable, a club is lucky to have one player this good in a decade. i'm not saying Thiago is anywhere near being in that bracket, however he certainly looks to be potentially a world class player so I would be more than happy for him to come to us even if in 4 or 5 years he has desires to move back. And yes i'm sure has Moyes has his own ideas no name, but for £15-18m there really can't be many players of Thiagos potential talent out there, I think there will be a lot of clubs after Thiago for sure
Invisible STuey

22 May 2013 12:09:19
Man Utd are in pole position to sign Thiago Alcantara according to Graham Hunter! red91

We have been linked numerously to Cesc who shares an agency with Thiago. Could there have been some sort of contact with the agency and journalists have jumped to the wrong conclusions?

Sydney!

Alcantara is one of the most technically gifted players in the world. 18m would be daylight robbery! Ed has anything changed on the Alcantara front?

Dan {Ed002's Note - There is perhaps a chance that Thiago Alcantara will move in the summer with Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Manchester United likely to be interested - only if he is wanting a move.}

22 May 2013 08:45:52
Rio is in talks with west ham and united have interest in Luke shaw and fabregas

Forget Fabregas, let's play Kagawa! He is such a good player, far better than his half hour cameos over the last season have really shown. Rio has just signed a one year extension so not Hammers bound.

Kagawa can't play as a central midfielder, he's an AM if you're talking in football manager terms.

Rio Ferdinand has just signed a new contract

Sounds like you've been playing too much FIFA 13 Career Mode.