Especially coming to a new more physical league, we could easily find ourselves with another Sanchez type of situation on our hands.
Centre Back... Who do we go for?
- Thread starter Macern
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What should we do about the CB position then because also worried about signing either a Gabriel/Badiashile.
I can understand your concerns about him coming to a more physical league at the age of 29 though.
Sell three CBs and sign Upamecano, at least he is young enough to adjust to the PL or at the very least have some resale value if things don't work out. A 29 year old and new to this league on a major contract after a similarly big transfer fee has all the hallmarks of another expensive mistake.
Fek it, I'll volunteer to play as a CB for UTD. No need to pay me, though i would lay waste to the canteen. I'm 195cm tall, could hold my ground against any EPL forward (except for Akinfenwa, that cnuts massive) and I'm as slow as Maguire. I also have short temper and do like to shout a lot.
Not averse to Upamecano and keep hearing that he has been offered this contract extension to ensure they get good money for him.
There was talk from an ITK about a loan with obligation to buy proposal but not heard that from a reliable source.
I think our next move will be clearer the moment our Sancho pursuit is concluded either way. As things stand the club wouldn't know how much it would have left to spend so that determined whether we go for Upamecano/Koulibaly or a bargain basement prospect.
Sancho pursuit will be sorted I am very confident about that but just may take more time than we thought.
Do we really need to spend money on a CB if Smalling wants to stay here?
The top CBs we could get right now are Gimenez Skriniar Carlos Koulibal. They will all cost a fortune which I don't see us paying especially after Sancho and spending so much on Maguire.
The CBs we've been linked with and look likely to get are the likes of Badiashile, Gabriel, Torres, Rodon, etc. But when you look at those players I wouldn't call any of them a significant upgrade on Lindelof or Maguire or Smalling. So If Smalling wants to stay I'd rather we don't sell him to get one of these CBs. We can use Lindelof and Maguire in certain games and Smalling in other games that suit him. We also still have Tuanzebe and Mengi coming up.
Of course this is just dependent on if Smalling still wants to play here
The top CBs we could get right now are Gimenez Skriniar Carlos Koulibal. They will all cost a fortune which I don't see us paying especially after Sancho and spending so much on Maguire.
The CBs we've been linked with and look likely to get are the likes of Badiashile, Gabriel, Torres, Rodon, etc. But when you look at those players I wouldn't call any of them a significant upgrade on Lindelof or Maguire or Smalling. So If Smalling wants to stay I'd rather we don't sell him to get one of these CBs. We can use Lindelof and Maguire in certain games and Smalling in other games that suit him. We also still have Tuanzebe and Mengi coming up.
Of course this is just dependent on if Smalling still wants to play here
With Smalling staying I don't see us going for another cb this window
Goodluck with the search
Sounds like Gabriel. I'd have preferred Pau torres but Im Happy as long as they are left footed.
I’m sure we are.
And someone with better computer, ability to score goals, outstanding leadership ability etc etc.
I wonder where all these great CBS are hiding?
Our criteria should be “keeps himself fit”, and that would be an improvement on Rojo, Jones and Bailly - it’s basically why Lindelof has found himself to be a starter.
Never knew criteria for a central defender was to have a good pc.
Might as well add it in there. Pretty much an impossible criteria given the lack of decent defenders out there.
Konate
Upamecano
Koulibaly
Badiashile
Badiashile is still a work in progress but fits the profile. But the players are there to be had potentially if United are willing to pay.
I also completely disagree with the notion that there isn't good CBs now than compared to before. I actually think it's even harder now to be a CB with the emphasis of a lot of coaches being to sacrifice defensive stability for offensive gain and pressing high which puts CBs at even greater risk.
If we really are after a "physically imposing" CB who can deal with long balls, then Pau Torres is categorically ruled out - he's even weaker in the air than Ake.
Konate and Upamecano certainly fit the bill, as does Kabak.
If the player needs to be left-footed, then I expect we might consider Gabriel, Torunarigha and Badiashile.
Torunarigha and Konate are probably the quickest/most physically imposing options here.
Yeah that's why I'd have preferred Pau Torres because he is more a technical CB and would benefit us long term to have that type of defender.
Gabriel for me is a left footed physical imposing defender that maybe bought to provide the ying yang to a defender like maguire who is also more technical than physical.
We should just keep Smalling. None of these Gabriel or Badiashile or Torres I'm hearing are better than Smalling or Lindelof. We can alternate between those two depending on the demand of a game
I think the club will decide about signing a CB once the Europa league is over. We will assess the situation of Bailly and how well he performs along with Maguire. I think next season Mengi and Tuanzebe will be given more chances. So we have basically Bailly, Maguire, Lindelof, Tuanzebe, Mengi going into next season. I think we might not sign a CB at all this summer due to budget constraints.
If the club feels we want a CB, it will be most likely to sign someone very young like Gabriel or the other guy from Monaco, for a cheap price, who will slowly establish themselves into the team.
If the club feels we want a CB, it will be most likely to sign someone very young like Gabriel or the other guy from Monaco, for a cheap price, who will slowly establish themselves into the team.
Axel and Bailly being a bit prone to injuries worries me for next season hence why I think signing a CB in this window is the next priority after securing Sancho.
With those CBs, a two months injury to Maguire, it will be another season of scrapping for Top 4 trophy.
I understand that. I would be happy if we go and get someone like Konate or Upamaceno, but I don't think club wants to spend money on a CB after signing Sancho for 120m. They will sign someone like VDB or Grealish to cover for Bruno.
Hopefully we can still get Grealish
Smalling wants regular football and not a squad role and is happy to leave to get that.
I agree it will happen. But looks like you don't know Eddie if you thought it would happen fast. For Eddie even late september would be quite early.
I'm saying if he wants to stay. It seems like even if he wants to stay Ole wants to sell him because he's not a ball playing CB but I'd rather keep him. The CBs we've been linked with are not better than Maguire or Lindelof or Smalling. So I'd keep Smalling as he would be very useful in some games
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Out of the ones we got linked with (Gabriel, Pau Torres, Benoit from Monaco), i would prefer Pau. Just baffles me that we aren't interested in Konate, Upamecano or Kabak. I think this summer is the summer to buy a CB and get rid of the jokers (Jones, Rojo, Smalling/Bailly).
In the context of our first eleven I think a starting CB and a DM are more important that cover for Bruno, a role Pogba/Sancho can easily play without a significant drop in quality.
However Matic struggles if he plays multiple games in succession and he is going to be a year older. His partnership with Paul Pogba is also not ideal in the big games because he is not quick across the ground and for all his physical attributes Pogba lacks defensive instincts and positional discipline.
Looking at the central spine of our defence, the two CBs and DM there isn't a lot of pace in there but Maguire cost us north of £80m so he ain't going anywhere soon. I think we need a physical dominant CB and young DM who can cover Matic now but critically is also able to play as a lone DM with Pogba as a partner.
I don't hold much optimism for the McTominay project and I fear that this is a blindspot that will hurt us if Matic's form collapses. In short I think we need both but since funds are tight due to the pandemic and Sancho I think keeping Smalling and signing a DM is the next best option.
Maldini, Krol. Blanc too I think?
This one I don't understand because he is as cheap as Gabriel and Badiashile we've been linked with
Maldini was good with both feet, but right was his stronger foot. He sometimes played as a LB hence the misconception that he was left footed.
Krol idk he was way before my time but I know of him because he was part of that formidable Netherland NT in the 70's. Alas didn't know enough to know he was left footed.
Blanc i think was right footed.
If I was to take a guess, I'd reckon all have big question marks over injuries, price and speed respectively. Konate has barely played this year and I'd doubt any club is going to spend a huge percentage of their transfer budget on a guy coming off the back of a major injury. Upamecano just signed a new contract most likely so the club can extract a huge fee. I think I read he really likes it in Leipzig too. Kabak looks excellent but I think he doesn't suit us from a stylistic point of view. Think he's more of a blood and guts stopper who wins all his headers and tackles but isn't maybe as strong playing it out from the back or recovering quickly.
It's the left-footed aspect. I agree, I'd love either Leipzig CB (preference for Upamecano) but I see the clear value in having a left-footed centre back next to Maguire.
Watched what I can find of Badiashile, looks quite tasty. Only 19. Would not say no to that..
Do people think we should just go and get Pau Torres as he's seemingly available in this window or wait until next summer and get Upamecano instead?
Both.
Magalhaes from Lille is the Profile we searched..a LEFT footed CB young fast and strong in duals like Varane..He is also ready just for 30M€ but our obsession for Sancho will see the guy going to Napoli or Arsenal ..then we will Try to buy him for 100M€