5 positions and the realistic 5 players to fill them ?

What we need:
Defensive recruitments to give us better cover and possibly allow Blind to move to midfield.

A Carrick replacement. Nobody else in the squad can find passes into the front players as consistently as he does.

Pace and end product out wide. To allow Martial and Mata to operate centrally more often.

A number 9 to give us another option besides Rooney and Martial.

Another raw attacking talent to add to Martial.

Potential signings:
Defenders: Stones is the most talked about but I think he'll end up at City. I like Aldeiwereld but he will be difficult to get. Maybe Laporte? And a right back.

Carrick replacement: Gundogan.

Wingers: I like Deulofeu. Exactly what we have been missing. Barcas buy back clause keeps the price down.

Lucas Moura could be available. Hazard, potentially as well although unlikely to be sold to us. Mahrez has to be considered. Maybe a punt on a frustrated Oxlade.

Striker: I think, annoyingly, Hernandez is exactly the kind of player we need. Lukaku or Kane would be big bucks.

Wildcard: Barkley

My 5: Laporte, Gundogan, Deulofeu, Mahrez, mystery striker
 
Let's say we are trying to sign Stones/Laporte, Gündogan and Griezmann like most are suggesting here. How are we supposed to sign them without Champions League football? Even with Champions League football considering what we've already spent, it seems expensive even for us. Furthermore we aren't exactly doing well selling our players, Di Maria being the only exception possibly, and unless we receive high offers for players like Mata, Herrera, Fellaini or Rooney, I'm struggling to see how we are going to spend that much money again. I'd love to be proven wrong though. Also I'm not saying we can't sign one or two of those players, but I'd be amazed if we manage to sign 3 or more of that calibre.

What I find astonishing is some of the names that get mentioned in various threads as realistic options. I've read Alaba, Verratti, Kroos and Modric for example. Why should they sign for us? I'm all for optimism around here, but those names seem ridiculous considering how we compare to their teams currently. We might have a big name and a lot of money to offer, but we won't be able to sign players of Madrid, Barcelona, PSG or Bayern unless they want to leave or aren't wanted there anymore. Di Maria has proven we can sign very good players whether we have CL football to offer or not, but I don't think people are actually being realistic in this thread.
 
KingMinger22 said:
Kane is coming. Platelets unrealistic if they get CL and we don't. I don't think they would sell to us for £120m even. The guy is a superstar. Why sell even for that? Irreplaceable for them.

Kane will end up at Real Madrid. United can't even get the top British talent anymore.
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What is with the constant hyperbole about Kane?

He's good, Spurs won't want to sell, if they do it'll be at a premium. We get it, but please stop pretending he'll morph into Messi.
 
Let's say that:
Laporte signs for Barcelona
Stones signs for Chelsea/City
Gundogan signs for Juventus
Sane signs for City
Griezmann stays at Atletico

What other realistic options would you suggest as CB, CM, CAM and RW?
 
Fer said:
Let's say that:
Laporte signs for Barcelona
Stones signs for Chelsea/City
Gundogan signs for Juventus
Sane signs for City
Griezmann stays at Atletico

What other realistic options would you suggest as CB, CM, CAM and RW?
Click to expand...

CB: Mustafi
CM: Xhaka, Saul
CAM: Fekir
RW: Embolo
 
Fer said:
Let's say that:
Laporte signs for Barcelona
Stones signs for Chelsea/City
Gundogan signs for Juventus
Sane signs for City
Griezmann stays at Atletico

What other realistic options would you suggest as CB, CM, CAM and RW?
Click to expand...

CB -
CM - Tielemans / Sanches
AMC - Mata / Herrera
RW - Mahrez / Aubameyang (cover for RW & ST - similiar to Martials role)
 
CM10 said:
What is with the constant hyperbole about Kane?

He's good, Spurs won't want to sell, if they do it'll be at a premium. We get it, but please stop pretending he'll morph into Messi.
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Who said anything about Messi?

Kane was second top scorer last season, and is currently second. He has something like 55 goals in 110 games. He's the golden boy of English football and is 22.

These are the facts, and he looks unattainable to United unfortunately. He is the exact type of player we need as well.
 
Fer said:
Let's say that:
Laporte signs for Barcelona
Stones signs for Chelsea/City
Gundogan signs for Juventus
Sane signs for City
Griezmann stays at Atletico

What other realistic options would you suggest as CB, CM, CAM and RW?
Click to expand...

CB: Don't bother
CM: Neves/Goretzka
CAM: Barkley
RW: Embolo
 
KingMinger22 said:
Who said anything about Messi?

Kane was second top scorer last season, and is currently second. He has something like 55 goals in 110 games. He's the golden boy of English football and is 22.

These are the facts, and he looks unattainable to United unfortunately. He is the exact type of player we need as well.
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Your gushing praise of him is suffocating at times, you'd think you were talking about Messi.

Again, with 'golden boy' and 'exact type of player we need'. I'm not disputing that he's a good player but you give him far too much credit for what he has done so far, it's premature to say the least.
 
carvajal said:
It is early to say. If Zidane continues next year perhaps he will want to balance the squad, selling attacking midfielders to buy pure midfielders although in the weeks leading the team Casemiro has disappeared while Kroos has regained prominence and James, who had some bad weeks is again in the team.
Some possible exits, I would say: Navas,Cristiano,Casemiro and Danilo
Click to expand...
Thanks carva. Navas :nervous:
 
bucky said:
Let's say we are trying to sign Stones/Laporte, Gündogan and Griezmann like most are suggesting here. How are we supposed to sign them without Champions League football? Even with Champions League football considering what we've already spent, it seems expensive even for us. Furthermore we aren't exactly doing well selling our players, Di Maria being the only exception possibly, and unless we receive high offers for players like Mata, Herrera, Fellaini or Rooney, I'm struggling to see how we are going to spend that much money again. I'd love to be proven wrong though. Also I'm not saying we can't sign one or two of those players, but I'd be amazed if we manage to sign 3 or more of that calibre.
Click to expand...

We signed Di Maria and Falcao who are/were way bigger names than any player in that list. Without having Champions League football.

Stones and Laporte haven't ever played in UCL anyway; while Griezmann and Gundogan are relatively young to wait for a year. Suarez was their age when he transferred to Liverpool despite that they didn't have UCL football.

I think the bigger problem is that there might be other teams going for those players. Would be very surprised if Guardiola doesn't go for one of Stones/Laporte and Gundogan, while I can see Barca going for Laporte too. In addition, Griezmann might not want to leave considering that he has been in Spain for more than 10 years and is very settled there.

I hope we make a pre-emptive strike now in Gundogan and Laporte/Stones. Sign them now before the other clubs join the race.
 
If Rooney leaves which I hope happens (if he breaks Sir Bobs record this season) and we manage to keep hold of De Gea I'd like to see us go for Gundogan, Laporte, Griezmann and all out for Kane especially if (and a huge if) Spurs fail to finish in top 4 and we do.

-----------Kane
--Martial---Mata---Griezmann
----Schneiderlin Gundogan
Shaw Laporte Smalling Darmian
----------De Gea

With Januzaj, Pereira, Blind, Borthwick-Jackson, Herrera, Depay in reserve, Fellaini, Young, Jones and Valencia sold and with Mourinho in charge I'd be happy as a pig in shit.
 
Unrealistic:

ST: Dybala
RW: Bale
CM: Verratti
CB: Varane

Realistic:

ST: Lukaku/Embolo
RW: Lucas/Sané
CM: Gündoğan/Xhaka/Sanches
CB: Laporte/Marquinhos
 
Revan said:
We signed Di Maria and Falcao who are/were way bigger names than any player in that list. Without having Champions League football.

Stones and Laporte haven't ever played in UCL anyway; while Griezmann and Gundogan are relatively young to wait for a year. Suarez was their age when he transferred to Liverpool despite that they didn't have UCL football.

I think the bigger problem is that there might be other teams going for those players. Would be very surprised if Guardiola doesn't go for one of Stones/Laporte and Gundogan, while I can see Barca going for Laporte too. In addition, Griezmann might not want to leave considering that he has been in Spain for more than 10 years and is very settled there.

I hope we make a pre-emptive strike now in Gundogan and Laporte/Stones. Sign them now before the other clubs join the race.
Click to expand...
Didn't Laporte play CL football last season? Herrera left Bilbao when they had CL football and we didn't. They then dropped down into the Europa League. He has some european experience which Stones doesn't. Stones has international experience which Laporte doesn't (though he is the captain of the French U-21 side). There again up to now any Tom, Dick or Harry can get in the England side if they show any sort of form. France is overloaded with CB's.
 
I've seen a lot of people put Griezmann on their list as a right winger but isn't he more of a second striker or plays left of a front three ? As much as I'd love to see him come regardless of position I think he's very unrealistic due to probably being the best player in Spain outside of Barca's front three and Ronaldo.

Can definitely see Laporte as a lot have said who would be a great alternative if we don't get Stones but I've got this feeling that Gundogan will go to City as he's very much a Guardiola style player and City's midfield is likely to get a major revamp.
 
davidmichael said:
Title pretty much says it all, we realistically need 5 players to fill certain positions in the team and to balance it out but who do you think they should be and think are realistic.

I think we need a right back, a centre back, a left back, a midfield dynamo and a goal scoring right winger so I'd like to see John Stones, Seamus Coleman, Ricardo Rodriguez, Dele Alli and Theo Walcott come in and I think they're all realistic whilst would all improve us.
Click to expand...

RB Think Darmian will have a better season next season. I'd like to see a young 'prospect' as backup, either see how Varela does for the rest of the season or go for someone like Cancelo or Fabinho?
CB Again, I'd like a young prospect - but who would immediately provide competition and quality to the first XI. Laporte or Marquinhos. Both would be pricey as feck mind.
CM Gundogan. But I think we also need to sign one of the many young CM prospects - take yer pick from Tielemans, Neves, Sanches, Bazoer.
RW Griezmann.
edit - oops forgot striker. Kane will be too expensive. Lukaku won't be far behind. Someone like Embolo? Young, versatile, quick.
 
Nickosaur said:
RB Think Darmian will have a better season next season. I'd like to see a young 'prospect' as backup, either see how Varela does for the rest of the season or go for someone like Cancelo or Fabinho?
CB Again, I'd like a young prospect - but who would immediately provide competition and quality to the first XI. Laporte or Marquinhos. Both would be pricey as feck mind.
CM Gundogan. But I think we also need to sign one of the many young CM prospects - take yer pick from Tielemans, Neves, Sanches, Bazoer.
RW Griezmann.
Click to expand...
Not as dear as Stones. Everton will rinse whoever goes for him. At least with buyouts you know where you are to an extent. Not sure PSG will be keen to sell Marquinhos. Surely he is their future?
 
bucky said:
I'm aware, I still like him and assuming that he returns to his best, he'd be a realistic option.
Click to expand...

I rate him as well, but not for this summer, I think he needs to get a season back playing under his belt before we could risk buying him.
 
DomesticTadpole said:
Not as dear as Stones. Everton will rinse whoever goes for him. At least with buyouts you know where you are to an extent. Not sure PSG will be keen to sell Marquinhos. Surely he is their future?
Click to expand...
And even if they were all the same price, I'd prefer one of Laporte or Marquinhos. Stones is a classy fecker but I'd want to see more consistency defensively before shelling out the £40m+ it will take to get him.
 
Nickosaur said:
And even if they were all the same price, I'd prefer one of Laporte or Marquinhos. Stones is a classy fecker but I'd want to see more consistency defensively before shelling out the £40m+ it will take to get him.
Click to expand...

The absolute minimum he will leave for is £50m.
 
Fer said:
Let's say that:
Laporte signs for Barcelona
Stones signs for Chelsea/City
Gundogan signs for Juventus
Sane signs for City
Griezmann stays at Atletico

What other realistic options would you suggest as CB, CM, CAM and RW?
Click to expand...

I'd like to see us bet on youth rather than 2nd tier players in their prime. The ones in Bold are the ones I've seen a fair amount of and think would do well here.

RW - Mahrez, Berardi, and Brandt all seem to be producing well enough

CAM - No need, since Rooney will probably stay and Mata and Herrera (and even Pereira and Januzaj) are options

CB - I was going to say break the bank for Gimenez but they just got the bank for Jackson Martinez, so no idea. Marquinhos? Romanogli fits in that he's left-footed and a passer to put next to Smalling.

CM - Need someone fairly mobile and very technically skilled to fit with Schneiderlin and Herrera. Someone like Vidal or Modric would fit well there, and they are rather different players. Lots of youngsters who seem to be highly rated around Europe here: Torres, Tielemans, Neves, Sanches, Bazoer, Hojbjerg, Rabiot, Kovacic (never know with Real) preferably picked by whoever was most pro-Martial in the scouting department.
 
NoPace said:
I'd like to see us bet on youth rather than 2nd tier players in their prime. The ones in Bold are the ones I've seen a fair amount of and think would do well here.

RW - Mahrez, Berardi, and Brandt all seem to be producing well enough

CAM - No need, since Rooney will probably stay and Mata and Herrera (and even Pereira and Januzaj) are options

CB - I was going to say break the bank for Gimenez but they just got the bank for Jackson Martinez, so no idea. Marquinhos? Romanogli fits in that he's left-footed and a passer to put next to Smalling.

CM - Need someone fairly mobile and very technically skilled to fit with Schneiderlin and Herrera. Someone like Vidal or Modric would fit well there, and they are rather different players. Lots of youngsters who seem to be highly rated around Europe here: Torres, Tielemans, Neves, Sanches, Bazoer, Hojbjerg, Rabiot, Kovacic (never know with Real) preferably picked by whoever was most pro-Martial in the scouting department.
Click to expand...


I agree. Gimenez and Marquinhos are really good defenders. I have watched some Milan games this season and Romagnoli looks composed with a good technique.

Mahrez is a must for me, we need a right winger and he has been the best in the league. To be honest I have not seen Brandt yet, and Berardi is talented but he has played more as a forward/second striker in my opinion.

Next season we are going to have experienced midfielders like Schweinsteiger and Carrick (I hope so). Plus Herrera, Schneiderlin and Blind. So a young midfielder like the ones you proposed are good options to improve the quality of our squad.

Stones, Laporte, Gundogan, Griezmann, Sane, Kane, etc sound good but there will be other big teams after them and some of them will continue in their current club. So it is good to think in different options besides the obvious ones.
 
davidmichael said:
I've seen a lot of people put Griezmann on their list as a right winger but isn't he more of a second striker or plays left of a front three ? As much as I'd love to see him come regardless of position I think he's very unrealistic due to probably being the best player in Spain outside of Barca's front three and Ronaldo.

Can definitely see Laporte as a lot have said who would be a great alternative if we don't get Stones but I've got this feeling that Gundogan will go to City as he's very much a Guardiola style player and City's midfield is likely to get a major revamp.
Click to expand...

I think people are going more for a wide forward not a winger as such. He can play across the field behind main striker or could play up front himself, for example when Martial played for France against Germany he was playing left forward with Giroud through the middle and Griezmann right.
He is a brilliant player but I guess we'd only know if he wanted to move to the us if we trigger his clause. I'm surprised Real haven't tried to buy him.
 
bucky said:
Let's say we are trying to sign Stones/Laporte, Gündogan and Griezmann like most are suggesting here. How are we supposed to sign them without Champions League football? Even with Champions League football considering what we've already spent, it seems expensive even for us. Furthermore we aren't exactly doing well selling our players, Di Maria being the only exception possibly, and unless we receive high offers for players like Mata, Herrera, Fellaini or Rooney, I'm struggling to see how we are going to spend that much money again. I'd love to be proven wrong though. Also I'm not saying we can't sign one or two of those players, but I'd be amazed if we manage to sign 3 or more of that calibre.

What I find astonishing is some of the names that get mentioned in various threads as realistic options. I've read Alaba, Verratti, Kroos and Modric for example. Why should they sign for us? I'm all for optimism around here, but those names seem ridiculous considering how we compare to their teams currently. We might have a big name and a lot of money to offer, but we won't be able to sign players of Madrid, Barcelona, PSG or Bayern unless they want to leave or aren't wanted there anymore. Di Maria has proven we can sign very good players whether we have CL football to offer or not, but I don't think people are actually being realistic in this thread.
Click to expand...

By paying top dollar. It's as easy as that.

Mahrez will cost a bomb even. Leicester will other want to sell. Especially with a CL campaign.
 
The amount of money we would need to spend to bring this team to a typical United level is absolutely mind boggling.

£300m maybe. A top player this summer will cost possibly £100m. We haven't even got one star quality player which is disgraceful for the self titled "biggest club in the world".
 
Kane is the perfect signing for United - worth paying over the odds for with many good years left in him.

What we really need is absolute world class quality on the wings and some proper CMs. Schweinsteiger was a punt, a LvG favourite and we really need someone to build a team around for the next 5-6 years.
 
CB - Laporte/Stones
CM - Gundogan/Neves/Tielemans
RW - Sane
AM - Griezman
 
ravi2 said:
its so odd to me that all of us can come up with these 3 same names that would instantly make the side contend for titles except for LVG and Woodward.
Click to expand...
It's because it's a recycled over and over on the forums, and 90% of people suggesting them never saw them play.
 
KingMinger22 said:
The amount of money we would need to spend to bring this team to a typical United level is absolutely mind boggling.

£300m maybe. A top player this summer will cost possibly £100m. We haven't even got one star quality player which is disgraceful for the self titled "biggest club in the world".
Click to expand...

I think a summer like Sane, Marquinhos and Gundogan would only cost about 130M or so in fees (45, 45 and 40) and this team would maybe be a year or 2 away but still pretty damn good and fun to watch:

Attack: Martial, Sane and either Memphis out left (with Martial up top) or Rooney up top and Martial out left. Januzaj and Lingard fighting it out the be the 5th option for the 3 spots.

Midfield: Gundogan and Herrera in front of Schneiderlin with Mata (or Pereira) as the 10 when go 4-2-3-1, with Schweinsteiger, Blind and Carrick as defensively solid depth. Ideally Fellaini is sold and a young talent is brought in here, too. That wouldn't be much of a loss if we bought a promising teen for 20-25M, especially considering wages.

Defence: Shaw at LB backed up by CBJ, Rojo and Blind, Darmian backed up by Varela (and Young or Valencia), Smalling and Marquinhos starting with Blind, Jones and Rojo backing them up.

Keepers are the same.

That's a coherent enough squad. Too young and inconsistent in attack to be dominant, but a fine first XI and lots of depth and competition. We're unlikely to sign a top star, but that's fine. We need to find the next batch of stars to get them. That should be doable.
 
First choice CB - Stones/Laporte
Second choice RB - Don't know
First choice CM - Tielemans/Sanches/Pogba
First choice RF - Sane/Mahrez
First choice CF - Kane/Greizmann/Dybala
 
A CB and top top attacker. For me that's either Bale or Kane. No messing about buying 3 or 4 a notch below players. As for the Cb find a Vidic.
 
Fer said:
Let's say that:
Laporte signs for Barcelona
Stones signs for Chelsea/City
Gundogan signs for Juventus
Sane signs for City
Griezmann stays at Atletico

What other realistic options would you suggest as CB, CM, CAM and RW?
Click to expand...
Chambers must be getting frustrated at the lack of playing time at Arsenal

Tielemans/ Saul

Anderson

Zlantan/ Morata
 
Why are people suggesting Chambers and Oxlade-Chamberlain? Two braindead bang average footballers is the last thing this squad needs.

Anyway, I'd like to see us go for Griezmann (as would everyone else it seems). He may not be a perfect fit for any of our primary positional needs, but we're crying out for a world class attacker, and he's almost certainly the best player, regardless of position, that we could realistically get. After that, a striker, creative passing CM and a CB are what I'd like to see.
 
Last edited:
Dong Fangzhuo said:
Why are people suggesting Chambers and Oxlade-Chamberlain? Two braindead bang average footballers is the last thing this squad needs.

Anyway, I'd like to see us go for Griezmann (as would everyone else it seems). He may not be a perfect fit for any of our primary positional needs, but we're crying out for a world class attacker, and he's almost certainly the best player, regardless of position, that we could realistically get. After that, a striker, creative passing CM and a CB are what I'd like to see.
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hahaha

Spot on.
 
LeChuck said:
I'd put in a cheeky bid for Gotze. We could get him on the cheap. He's out of favour and form at Bayern, and I think he'd be willing to move to the UK to rejuvenate his career. Still has youth on his side, and I can see him doing really well here...who's with me?
Click to expand...

He's been injured since October and just started training with the team 1 or 2 weeks ago.
 
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