Coentrao plots Man Utd move

The problem with Coentrão is that he is injury prone now. If it wasn´t for that (and depending on the price), it would be a good signing. Can play LB, LW and in the midfield (which would give plenty of solutions for Van Gaal) as seen in the game against Serbia (goal and assist) where he helped close in the middle with Tiago and Moutinho. He´s a decent defender, excellent attacker, good crosser of the ball and dribbler. Is experienced after playing at Real and in the big stages with our national team. I think he would suit United well. But i agree that United has more urgent needs and like i said, he has been injured far too often in the recent past.
 
Unusual to see him so openly say he'd be interested in moving here.. especially when no one in the press was even linking him to us.
 
If he's injury prone then he can feck off. Id rather see us move Rojo on LB and bring a solid CB.
 
Sarni said:
It isn't ideal when you have two players of the same quality, one is bound to be left out unfairly. The best option is to have quality first team and capable back ups who'd be starters at some of the other contenders, preferably a few versatile players here and there (Blind being a perfect example). This is how we've built our best teams and this is aso where we're heading at the moment IMO.
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Yes, eventually one will prevail and one will leave. But fighting for the same spot will improve them both or at least will stop them from being complacent. In short term you can use non-starters or versatile players. In the long run...imagine playing important match, CL finale, and you first left-back (Marcelo) is unavailable. You would be ok with Coentrao stepping in. But you would be dreading the idea if someone like Buttner should play.
 
Left back is just about the last position in our squad right now for which we need strengthening. Shaw will be world class in future whilst Rojo and Blind could start for majority of team in PL at left back. No thanks. Wanted him in the last summer window but we've much better options now.
 
i wouldnt mind him. We will spend big again, i expect loads of players coming in, like last summer. I dont think we will go for him, but you never know.
 
This is one of the last positions we need to strengthen. If he's free and will work for peanuts, then fine.
 
If we bring nani back then it could be a good left hand side, surely coentrao and nani will have some sort of understanding. It might bring the best out of nani.
 
He had his chance. With Shaw, Rojo, Blind and Young all able to play that position it would not make sense.
 
The thread title makes me imagine he's got a secret room in his house that looks like some FBI criminal investigation plan you see in the movies with big maps on the wall, pictures of involved people pinned up with bits of string leading connecting them to notes and locations etc.
 
Don't need him now that we have Luke Shaw. I think Shaw will kick on next year after a stop start first season.
 
If he costs less than 10m then yes. Coentrao and Alves for less than 10m? I would be very happy with that.
 
Wanted him a couple of years ago (might have even been last season come to think of it). I do think he is a good player but not what we need. We brought in three players who can play LB last summer so it is highly unlikely any of them will leave.
 
Weird that he's only seen as a left back these days when he's played all across midfield and right back too over his career.
 
I don't mind Blind at left back but I think we'll need him in midfield too much to rely on him as left back cover, and I'd much rather see Rojo at center back. If he's cheap I think it'd be a good idea to get him in and let him fight it out with Shaw. There are obviously positions with a higher priority that we should be sorting out first.
 
TwoSheds said:
Weird that he's only seen as a left back these days when he's played all across midfield and right back too over his career.
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Because there is a difference between being natural in various positions like Lahm actually is rather than just a cover for those positions like Coentrao is.
 
RDCR07 said:
Because there is a difference between being natural in various positions like Lahm actually is rather than just a cover for those positions like Coentrao is.
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Hmm what? Coentrão can do LB and LW naturally. He was a winger (a very good one) before he joined Benfica and has played in that position plenty of times for Mourinho, Jorge Jesus and Fernando Santos. About LB, he has been Portugal´s best left back in the last 20 years and earned a move to Real Madrid playing as LB so it´s obvious he is seen as natural LB.
 
Devil may care said:
@Sly sums up why LvG might be interested, he loves him some multi functional players.
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Well i dunno if LvG is interested. I read the newspaper that had Coentrão´s interview in my lunch break and he just says that he would love to play for United and then return to Benfica.
 
Sly said:
Well i dunno if LvG is interested. I read the newspaper that had Coentrão´s interview in my lunch break and he just says that he would love to play for United and then return to Benfica.
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Did they ask him about United or did he specifically bring us up?
 
Devil may care said:
Did they ask him about United or did he specifically bring us up?
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They asked him if he was still open to the move since he was very close to joining United when Moyes was there
 
Sly said:
They asked him if he was still open to the move since he was very close to joining United when Moyes was there
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Ah right, sounds more like just general stuff then rather than any actual planned move.
 
What's the point we're covered and he's even more injury prone then Shaw. Someone of his quality should be a starter at a club though and he's not going to displace Marcelo.
 
Sly said:
Hmm what? Coentrão can do LB and LW naturally. He was a winger (a very good one) before he joined Benfica and has played in that position plenty of times for Mourinho, Jorge Jesus and Fernando Santos. About LB, he has been Portugal´s best left back in the last 20 years and earned a move to Real Madrid playing as LB so it´s obvious he is seen as natural LB.
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I wasnt talking about him playing on the left wing and neither was the poster I was quoting.
 
I think we're well covered there. Seems like a no-go.

Blind does a job. Rojo might not have great final ball, but he's got a great engine and Young can fill in when shit hits the fan.
 
I wanted him ahead of Shaw, indeed I have been wanting to sign him since 2010, but don't see the need now because of various reasons:
- already enough LBs/cover at the club
- 2-3 Mendes players are fine, but I don't want too many
- injury record

Having said all this, as I really love watching Coentrao I wouldn't actually mind it if we signed him!
 
Not saying we should sign him. But this is he sort of attitude i would like to see for players that we sign. I want to see that they are desperate to come and play for the shirt. Not coming here because we outbid someone else. Players like herrera you could see desperately wanted to play for this club, rojo looked like he would have swam to manchester to play for us. I like that in a person and in a signing. They give their all on the pitch.
 
Nope, not needed for one. Quite happy with Blind as cover.
Also, he's regressed from many years of being an understudy for Marcelo.

Sort out the right back position though.
 
Really not sure if he's only saying that because he's not getting much game time this season (7 appearances, 4 from sub), or if he truly wants to play for us. That said, I'm also quite happy with Blind and Young as cover for Luke Shaw, Young especially because he's homegrown and he has a great attitude. Unless he's available for pennies, like less than 5m, I'd consider it.
 
Sounds like someone is trying to drum up interest in themselves. Not a transfer I'd be too interested in. He would have been decent enough when we nearly signed him before, but I don't really see the benefit now. I've full faith in Shaw, and we already have decent cover there.
 
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