Angel Di Maria | £59.7M fee agreed I Maybe tomorrow...or the day after...

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Raoul

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That's what we heard last year, before he went on to be our most effective attacking player bar Rooney. Also before our last match, when he was comfortably our best attacking player again. There's a pattern here.

Januzaj gets into these lineups because with Di Maria we'd go back to playing wingers, and Januzaj would be our second best winger. Better to leave Rooney out/let him compete for places with RVP and Mata than play him on the wing.
He's a great young player, but he also stood out more last year because we had a calamitous season. I don't think he's quite ready for a full time job and I seriously doubt Van Gaal will bench Rooney to accommodate him, especially after just having named Roo captain.
 

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2 man midfield

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I'm torn into shreds about this. On one hand, a brilliant signing that will make our attack twice as lethal. On another, it brings down our chances of signing a good centre mid from 1% down to 0.1%. And without one, we're as good as fecked even if we have Messi, Neymar and Ronaldo up front.
I don't see how it changes anything. If LvG wants a cm, we'll get a cm. Signing Di Maria isn't a case of one or the other. If we don't sign one it won't be because we're broke.
 

izzydiggler

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I really don't care how much he'd cost - haggling over a few million meaning the difference between having Di Maria on the wing, rather than Young/Valencia just seems ridiculous.

It's amazing how quickly things seem better...a massive week ahead but Di Maria, a similar 'big' midfield signing and a De Jong/Blind squad signing and we'll start to look really strong. Of course it go the other way but I'm being optimistic.
 

bosnian_red

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I'm torn into shreds about this. On one hand, a brilliant signing that will make our attack twice as lethal. On another, it brings down our chances of signing a good centre mid from 1% down to 0.1%. And without one, we're as good as fecked even if we have Messi, Neymar and Ronaldo up front.
Herrera-Carrick behind Mata is a very good midfield. We'll likely go for Strootman in January as well. Will be rough until Carrick is back but no point buying someone now for a month or 2 until Carrick is back if we're going to go for Strootman regardless, which I think we will.
 

Kill 'em all

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No, it'll be because a certain lovable bunch will decide we've spent our limit.
I don't think we'll get another player of Di Maria's level if we don't sign him. He's a perfect opportunity to get a top player into the club and Vidal looks like he won't move this summer. Even if we spent the rest of our budget on Di Maria, I think he's worth the price.
 

SirAF

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As good as he is 60 million for an attacking player who doesn't score goals? Truth be told we have grossly over paid for all of our players in this transfer window. Shaw, Herrera and Rojo are worth half of what we paid for them, mabe even less. Seems like Woodward has said "feck negotiations, here's the clubs credit card, take what you want and just drop the player outside carrington this morning"
To be fair, fecking around with negotiations -being stingy- has cost this club a lot of great players.. Ronaldinho, Lucas Moura, Hazard, Robben from the top of my head.
 

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I couldnt give two fecks how much we pay for him, and unless your second name is Glazer, I'm not sure why anyone else cares either, we have as much real understanding of the budgetary workings of the United group as we do of string theory, so no one outside the CEO and finance people really know how much money we have for players. Given they are the ones writing the cheques, just let them get on with it.

I want us back to our best, flamboyant attacking players and exciting youngsters playing football that is great to watch. This is one step back to that, bring it on.
 

FromTheBench

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Interesting. They were worse last season when Ozil was sold.

Most wanted Di Maria sold at the time and many didn't want to buy Bale even if it meant Ozil leaving. In football how stuff and opinions change over a year.

Anyway, i think this time their reactions are bit curtailed by understanding that they have got Rodriguez, Kroos already and probably Di Maria leaving will pave the wave for Falcao and upgrade on Benzema they need.
 

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----De Gea---
Rafael Evans Rojo Shaw
--Carrick/new midfielder--
----Herrera---???-------
Januzaj --Rooney/RVP----Di Maria.

One step closer to a lovely team again
:drool:
 

Infra-red

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I really hope this means we will move to the 4-3-3 this season and that LVG sees Januzaj as the other wideman.
I hope so too. Realistically it's United; how often are Januzaj, Mata, Rooney, Di Maria, RvP going to be injury-free and available at the same time? 4-3-3 with pace and guile out wide and one of our top class strikers up top is generally going to be our best lineup.
 

Spark

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As good as he is 60 million for an attacking player who doesn't score goals? Truth be told we have grossly over paid for all of our players in this transfer window. Shaw, Herrera and Rojo are worth half of what we paid for them, mabe even less. Seems like Woodward has said "feck negotiations, here's the clubs credit card, take what you want and just drop the player outside carrington this morning"
We have players who should be scoring goals, but aren't. Di Maria is worth that much money because of his value to the team - 17 assists in 26 games for Madrid last season. There's a reason 80% of Madrid fans do not want him to leave (BBC). He is not the final answer, but he is a large proportion of it and this transfer is fecking prime.

Oh yeah and haha at anyone having a pop at Woodward for being liberal with the clubs credit card. The man is cursed (his fault for being in the spotlight, however. Take a back seat Ed and stop mouthing off). Literally what everyone has been gagging for ever since we signed no one good all summer.
 

In Rainbows

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People are also so willing to put Rooney in midfield but not on the wing? Like I said before he was effective when he played when Ronaldo was here. Mata was also effective on the wing he played for Chelsea. With LVG's 4-3-3 maybe the four of them will click together. Who knows?
That Rooney was different to the Rooney now.

He's just been made captain...... He's not going to be dropped.
I never said it would be Rooney that gets dropped. It could be Mata or RVP as well. I just think if LVG uses wingers, one of RVP, Rooney, or Mata will be dropped. None of these players are better than Di Maria or Adnan on the wing.

Age and reputation doesn't matter to Van Gaal. If he feels a player fits his system/tactics better than another, that player will play over the star. He's repeatedly stressed this. For all we know, one of Rooney, RVP, or Mata could fit his winger role better than Adnan. We don't know yet.
 

ravi2

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As good as he is 60 million for an attacking player who doesn't score goals? Truth be told we have grossly over paid for all of our players in this transfer window. Shaw, Herrera and Rojo are worth half of what we paid for them, mabe even less. Seems like Woodward has said "feck negotiations, here's the clubs credit card, take what you want and just drop the player outside carrington this morning"
Stop whining
 

Mystry

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----De Gea---
Rafael Evans Rojo Shaw
--Carrick/new midfielder--
----Herrera---???-------
Januzaj --Rooney/RVP----Di Maria.

One step closer to a lovely team again
:drool:
You forgot Mata you fool.

You really do wonder whether it's going to be Mata or RVP who is going to lose out if he comes here.
 

Livewire1974

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Lets just hope we are not being used to force PSG (or another club) to make their move. If that turns out to be the case, Woody and the Glazers should be hung, drawn and quartered.
 

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You forgot Mata you fool.l

You really do wonder whether it's going to be Mata or RVP who is going to lose out if he comes here.
Exactly. I don't know how to fit Di Maria, Rooney, Mata and RVP into a team. Rooney wide left, Di Maria right, and Mata in the middle?
 

bosnian_red

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-----------Carrick

----Herrera-----------Di Maria

-------Mata-------Januzaj
---------Rooney/RVP

Players will get injured, so pointless even thinking about our strongest 11
Put Mata in that midfield trio, and Di Maria as a winger and I think that's what we'd play most of the time. Januzaj and him both offering width, skill and pace. Him being versatile would probably have them all drifting and interchanging.
 

itso 7

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I couldnt give two fecks how much we pay for him, and unless your second name is Glazer, I'm not sure why anyone else cares either, we have as much real understanding of the budgetary workings of the United group as we do of string theory, so no one outside the CEO and finance people really know how much money we have for players. Given they are the ones writing the cheques, just let them get on with it.

I want us back to our best, flamboyant attacking players and exciting youngsters playing football that is great to watch. This is one step back to that, bring it on.
Woodward will make half of that transfer fee back by December, don't you (not necessarily you) worry about that. There is a reason why he has been after a marquee signing like this and it has little to do with the football. When he is done and we are off his back keep your ears to the ground and watch him roll out the sponsorship signings- his forte.
 

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Lemmy has forsaken us....
Most of his best games last season, he played from CM, what are the chances LvG wants him *as* a big CM signing?

I'd have imagined such a scenario to be likely had we not just got Herrera, tbh.
 

DeMono

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Real Madrid are really a circus. Can You imagine Woodward selling man utd's best player in order to fund "new faces"?!
Also, has Adidas got anything to do with the bid?
 

Sarni

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Exactly. I don't know how to fit Di Maria, Rooney, Mata and RVP into a team. Rooney wide left, Di Maria right, and Mata in the middle?
Van Persie
Mata Rooney Di Maria
Herrera New DM
Shaw CB CB Rafael
De Gea

CBs picked based on form, Mata drifting from out wide - he did that for Chelsea and Valencia, he is capable of that as long as you don't ask him to play like a classic winger would.

433 is impossible.
 

KeninDC

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Not sure of Carrick/Fletcher in RMF.

DDG
Rafael/Valencia Evans/Jones Rojo Shaw

Carrick/Fletcher Mata Herrara

Di Maria RvP Rooney
 

FromTheBench

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We have players who should be scoring goals, but aren't. Di Maria is worth that much money because of his value to the team - 17 assists in 26 games for Madrid last season. There's a reason 80% of Madrid fans do not want him to leave (BBC). He is not the final answer, but he is a large proportion of it and this transfer is fecking prime.
Probably more didn't want Ozil to leave. He was the one who made Ronaldo better apparently and their Crown Jewel. They even chanted at Bale's presentation -

http://metro.co.uk/2013/09/02/dont-...fans-hijack-gareth-bale-presentation-3947015/

And Ozil was 24 and younger along with 14 assists and 9 goals the season before. In hindsight would you pay 60 million for him ?


I think Di Maria upto 50 million given our desperation makes sense. Beyond that is a bit silly territory. Anyway, this is all speculative right now so would leave it at that. I very much doubt that Daniel Taylor tweet is true.

Would care less about it if we had enough money left for a quality CM signing.
 

Mystry

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Exactly. I don't know how to fit Di Maria, Rooney, Mata and RVP into a team. Rooney wide left, Di Maria right, and Mata in the middle?
The whole point of the 3-5-2 was so we could play Mata, RVP and Rooney at the same time and not have the headache of who to drop despite probably being far more suited to 4-4-2 or 4-3-3. We're kinda back to square one with one player probably being unhappy or not as effective. I'm guessing maybe Mata in wider role.
 

hobbers

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Thank feck for FFP, finally seeing some worth from it now. Would Di Maria be (probably) United bound if FFP wasn't in effect? Very likely he'd already be a City or PSG player by now. They'd have splashed the cash long before we'd even considered the possibility of preparing an enquiry about him.

And any deal we do for ADM is going to be very heavy on the add ons. My guess around £45m up front, with anything up to £15m on performance and achievement based add-ons. Worth every penny.
 

Ballache

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CBs picked based on form, Mata drifting from out wide - he did that for Chelsea and Valencia, he is capable of that as long as you don't ask him to play like a classic winger would.

433 is impossible.
He play wide for Spain too. As you said it doesn't matter where he plays as long as the system is right.
 
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