Diogo Dalot (Out)

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I always get the feeling that there is a general ambivalence to the full back situation at United. By that, I’m referring to both the management and the supporters.

Even now, I’m not happy with our options. Thankfully, we binned off Valencia and Young (albeit years too late). But Wan-Bissaka and Shaw have their limitations offensively and it’s a real issue when we start to compare our options with leading side across Europe. Their full backs contribute a lot. Ours don’t.

Can we really be happy to press ahead into another season with only Wan-Bissaka, Shaw and a kid in Williams, who only plays at left back because there was a better right back alternative (Laird) when progressing through the academy?

On Dalot in particular, I think it’s fair to say that injuries have curtailed his time here so far and he hasn’t really had a fair crack at the whip. I understand the need for economic savvy in the event we get a good offer but I’d be reticent to sell the only full back at the club I’d describe as a natural crosser of the ball.

My answer to this involves a few things, really. I’d look to loan out Dalot to see what he’s about in the Premier League. I’d shift Williams’s playing time over to right back as an understudy to Wan-Bissaka. I’d also prioritise buying a left back to compete with Shaw; a lot more than I would prioritise the much-discussed desire for a new centre half. A left back that can actually cross the ball would have a huge effect on the team’s ability to create chances. I like Digne at Everton and it’s that sort of profile I’d like us to be looking towards.

If we’re not in the market for a full back then I struggle to see the logic in selling Dalot.
 
Kostov said:
I’d keep him, we can’t go into the season with only AWB and unproven and injury prone Laird. When Laird proves himself than yeah why not.
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I'd personally try Williams at RB covering for AWB and bring in a new left footed LB.
 
tenpoless said:
Be careful not to get carried away just because We got Dan James for Cheap and that is probably only because He's playing in a competition below the Premier League with no other big clubs wanting him.

Valencia was our Right Back for a almost a decade. If We have plenty of options to choose from now for RB, as backups and to provide some competition I'd say let us enjoy the moment rather than getting rid of a young talented player too quickly. If Dalot was as old as Young I'd even sell him for 3.5m.
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I agree if Dalot goes we should be bringing someone, but my point is that for 35M we could get someone much better than Dalot.

Klostermann from Leipzig, Max Aarons from Norwich, Meunier, and many more that escape my mind right now.

fullbacks are not that expensive, we broke the bank for AWB but thats not the rule, just compare Atletico who got Trippier for 25m.
 
Kostov said:
I’d keep him, we can’t go into the season with only AWB and unproven and injury prone Laird. When Laird proves himself than yeah why not.
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We have Williams who’s naturally a right back, but I get your point. If he goes he should be replaced.
 
I think he's got the makings of a decent wing back but he's all over the place defensively.
 
Confirm?
Ole didn't rate him at all now ain't he.

The closest we've got currently that is a natural at right wing. We barely have any and could've turn him into one for free.

He's too inconsistent though so I get it, but I have a feeling we're going to regret this when he's 25.
 
Dalot for all his attributes should only be considered a right winger. He's absolutely woeful defensively, the Everton game last season was enough for me to not see him as a fullback at the club. He's altogether a different player further forward, he doesn't belong in the defence.
 
Sell and buy Max Aaron's. Norwhich relegated should get him for around 35. That will give us attacking and defensive RB -. Both young and talented
 
Kag said:
I always get the feeling that there is a general ambivalence to the full back situation at United. By that, I’m referring to both the management and the supporters.

Even now, I’m not happy with our options. Thankfully, we binned off Valencia and Young (albeit years too late). But Wan-Bissaka and Shaw have their limitations offensively and it’s a real issue when we start to compare our options with leading side across Europe. Their full backs contribute a lot. Ours don’t.

Can we really be happy to press ahead into another season with only Wan-Bissaka, Shaw and a kid in Williams, who only plays at left back because there was a better right back alternative (Laird) when progressing through the academy?

On Dalot in particular, I think it’s fair to say that injuries have curtailed his time here so far and he hasn’t really had a fair crack at the whip. I understand the need for economic savvy in the event we get a good offer but I’d be reticent to sell the only full back at the club I’d describe as a natural crosser of the ball.

My answer to this involves a few things, really. I’d look to loan out Dalot to see what he’s about in the Premier League. I’d shift Williams’s playing time over to right back as an understudy to Wan-Bissaka. I’d also prioritise buying a left back to compete with Shaw; a lot more than I would prioritise the much-discussed desire for a new centre half. A left back that can actually cross the ball would have a huge effect on the team’s ability to create chances. I like Digne at Everton and it’s that sort of profile I’d like us to be looking towards.

If we’re not in the market for a full back then I struggle to see the logic in selling Dalot.
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I agree that we've ignored the situation for a long time now, but that holds for most positions over the last 7-8 years. The only consistent performer in that period has been Dave (up until recently). The full back issue is more glaring now that Liverpool have an attacking setup that's fluid and attractive, and wholly reliant upon two extremely good attacking full backs.

It's a tough call really. I'd like to see Laird promoted and given the same sort of chances Williams got this season. AWB is so insanely good though that chances will be limited, fitness permitting. Williams will need more games to develop, and we should be prioritising developing young players who clearly have the mentality to play for us. Though I'm with you on Shaw not being of the required standard (at least not in the final third) I don't see the club buying a much better left back to compete with him (Digne would have him out of the side proper, unless he'd get games in a back 3) or selling him, when he's probably the best paid left back (full back?) in the league.
 
Remember when he put in a few crosses against Fulham and many declared him our best signing since Ruud Van Nistelrooy? Me neither.
 
Be beyond stupid to go into the season with Shaw, AWB and Williams as our only first team full backs.

Majority of posters who talk about Laird won't have even seen him kick a ball.
 
Laird is very good for his age in the youth team set up and to be honest I don’t see anything Dalot offers that he couldn’t do it wouldn’t be the worst bit of business to sell him as he’s not really suited to our needs at RB and probably wants to start full time somewhere.

He’s a very good attacking fullback and he’ll no doubt be a great player at another club but I don’t see him displacing AWB and being the same age I can understand him wanting to leave.

The only thing to consider would be if he goes do we bring in an older RB as back up or trust Laird?
 
I like him as a guy in our team, but I've been less than impressed with some of his games. He is still too young to make a conclusion about in my opinion, but he cost us 20m, and he has not shown enough. I think we could sell him and reinvest and rather buy another left-footed competitor to Shaw and Williams.

Wan-Bissaka, Laird, Shaw, Williams and a better player than Dalot would be good.
 
FujiVice said:
Herrera was playing right back the last time I watched them.
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For a centre mid it's not usual but not uncommon to use them at RB. We used Fletcher there once or twice, Owen Hargreaves; other examples Lass Diarra, Carlos Salcido, Michael Essien. There are tons.
 
@Kag Definitely agree with the notion of getting a new LB. You’ve been on it for a while now and I don’t think much has changed since you first brought it up about 18 months or so ago.

I don’t even think it needs to be someone who’s going to be pricey like Digne, or an immediate first team profile player. Just someone who can get forward and offer something very different than what Shaw does and will provide a decent level. In the same way we signed Ighalo as back up holding striker in contrast to Martial, an offensively sound, even if lax defensively, LB should be on the cards. Left footed too. Williams is absolutely a RB, and I’m not debating with anyone on it.
 
He’s been very unfortunate with injuries. If he gets chances he’ll become a very good player and a fan favourite, I suspect.
 
He's never going to be good enough to be a full back here so I'm not fussed. We need another full back then in though.

Ideally someone with some proper attacking quality. Right or left back depending on whether Williams is going to stay as a deputising left back or has designs on AWB's spot.

AWB and Shaw are defensively solid but bad with the ball (usually). Would be good to have someone with quality on the ball to join those two and Williams.
 
Who the feck is Laird? How many senior games Laird has in his pocket? What if AWB is injured?

If we sell Dalot We must buy new fullback! Laird is not ready yet. Simple.
I like Dalot as a attacking fullback. He has a potentional. He can play at both sides. He might even become a great winger. Like Bale did. OK, im joking with Bale.

The only reasons this is worth thinking about he has a lot injuries and if the price is correct.
 
Sports witness are probably not most reliable news source but I think we should sell him especially for money quoted.

He has ability at crossing balls into the box but defensively he is not good enough for the premier league.

Wan Bissaka is a beast at full back and has nailed the position as his. I like Laird and Williams as options at full back. Fosua mensah also got a contract renewal.

Ole has been good in the transfer market so far. Maybe his plans are to offload Dalot and fosua mensah and buy a full back like Aaron's from Norwich. Dalot is a good buddy with fernades so hopefully this move wouldn't distract Bruno.
 
I still think Dalot can turn out an excellent player. I'd be sorry if he left. I wouldn't turn down 35m though. With Wan-Bissaka so young, Dalot will find it hard to break through. A loan move would be ideal, I guess, but 35m would be hard to refuse.

I've liked what I've seen from Laird but his injury record concerns me a lot.

Perhaps what might happen is we sell Dalot, loan out Laird, move Williams to RB and bring in a natural left footer to compete with Shaw. Someone like Maouassa from Rennes as rumoured this week. Especially with his contract expiring in 2021 and Rennes presumably struggling to cope with the Coronavirus fallout financially.
 
They've got massive funds, get £30-35m for him (€40 roughly) and I say why not.

He's not proven anything with us yet but he's not really disproven anything either. Basically just been injured most of the time. He'll not be desperate to leave, and we shouldn't be in any rush to let him go. So they can pay over the odds, or we can keep him - I'd be happy with either outcome.
 
Talented. Young, lots of time to learn. You all are writing him off way too soon.
 
Almost forgot about him but I doubt he'll start ahead of AWB ever
 
To me, the most interesting part of the story is the prospect of starting to sell unwanted players at a profit. The potential to sell a couple of players for material sums could be a nice addition to the standard transfer budget (presumably 100m per year). If Ed could raise 50+mm each year through smart sales, that could mean adding another first team member (e.g., Zaharia in addition to RW and AM) or a couple of prospects (Bellingham+) beyond the big ticket players.
 
jamesjimmybyrondean said:
Experience or no experience he's as much as a maybe as Laird. It's not even because of his quality I think we should sell him. If the suggested price is true, we'd be stupid not to sell
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He had some decent games for us and not many very bad games, much less of a risk to be nr 2 to someone with 0 experience. We don t need the money so that s not important.
 
You know how it's going to be.
We sell Dalot for 35m and then Dortmund will be expecting 50m more for Sancho. After that We'll get done by Tottenham to sign Trippier for 20m.
What started as a genius move to take profit ended up as throwing money like a rich billionaire, which We are. And in two years time, Trippier's legs will start to fall off and people will be blaming Ed Woodward for his pseudo genius move once again.
 
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Macedonian Red said:
Who the feck is Laird? How many senior games Laird has in his pocket? What if AWB is injured?

If we sell Dalot We must buy new fullback! Laird is not ready yet. Simple.
I like Dalot as a attacking fullback. He has a potentional. He can play at both sides. He might even become a great winger. Like Bale did. OK, im joking with Bale.

The only reasons this is worth thinking about he has a lot injuries and if the price is correct.
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Ethan Laird. 18 years old. Hes very highly regarded in the u23s and u19s for England. He is absolutely going to get his chance with us at right back because he's excellent for his age. He's an attacking RB who has shown his qualities. All things that Dalot hasn't done thus far.

Our squad still has 6 or 7 players that will never be good enough and to compete on all fronts, they are the ones that need to be release for new players to come in. For me, getting the rumoured €35m for Dalot is great business because we have Laird coming through the ranks who could be as good, if not better than Dalot already.

AWB is our #1. Williams can play there also. I wouldn't trust Dalot to play RB in any big game. League and FA cup in the early rounds is his level currently. If he left and Laird took his minutes, we wouldn't be worse off.
 
tenpoless said:
You know how it's going to be.
We sell Dalot for 35m and then Dortmund will be expecting 50m more for Sancho. After that We'll get done by Tottenham to sign Trippier for 20m.
What started as a genius move to take profit ended up as throwing money like a rich billionaire, which We are. And in two years time, Trippier's legs will start to fall off and people will be blaming Ed Woodward for his pseudo genius move once again.
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Trippier plays for Atlético Madrid.
 
Dalot played RB and LB when he was at Porto and I remember watching him in a Euro game against Liverpool and he was solid at LB.
He was rated one of the best youngsters in Europe when he was at Porto and he was brought to our club as one for the future.
He has had a few injuries so far and he has not had a consistent run of games so I really cannot see how people want him out of the club so early in his career.
Fred was hopeless when he came to the club and was still hopeless until recently because it took him a while to find his feet in a new country and a game played at a higher pace and he was 25 and had been playing first team football in another league for quite a while.
Dalot is only about 20 now so let us not be so hasty in judging the young man.
 
Macedonian Red said:
Who the feck is Laird? How many senior games Laird has in his pocket? What if AWB is injured?

If we sell Dalot We must buy new fullback! Laird is not ready yet. Simple.
I like Dalot as a attacking fullback. He has a potentional. He can play at both sides. He might even become a great winger. Like Bale did. OK, im joking with Bale.

The only reasons this is worth thinking about he has a lot injuries and if the price is correct.
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First of all, Laird is 18 years old right back from our academy who featured in 2 of our Europa League games. Is he ready for first team? Who knows. However, he's the main reason why Butt recommended Williams to focus to be a left back.

If AWB is injured, do you even trust Dalot in the first place anyway? Won't surprised me if Williams will take the right back spot while AWB injured even if Dalot still in the team. The fact that we spent 50m on a right back, a season after we spend 20m on a young right back, sums up the manager probably don't see much in Dalot.
 
What would people think of us proposing a swap, Dalot for Meunier?

Laird can go on loan for two seasons to get experience, by the team he's ready Meunier (the experienced option) can be moved on. Meunier would provide an attacking option that AWB lacks?
 
Alabaster Codify7 said:
What would people think of us proposing a swap, Dalot for Meunier?

Laird can go on loan for two seasons to get experience, by the team he's ready Meunier (the experienced option) can be moved on. Meunier would provide an attacking option that AWB lacks?
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I think we could eventually see AWB moved to defensive mid. We can’t have two full backs who don’t get forward, and we will soon have to buy a Matic replacement. Laird comes through and provides and attacking option, we solve our DM problem. I think he’d be a brilliant destroyer, and isn’t averse to moving positions. He was a winger until what, 18 months ago?
 
Macedonian Red said:
Who the feck is Laird? How many senior games Laird has in his pocket? What if AWB is injured?

If we sell Dalot We must buy new fullback! Laird is not ready yet. Simple.
I like Dalot as a attacking fullback. He has a potentional. He can play at both sides. He might even become a great winger. Like Bale did. OK, im joking with Bale.

The only reasons this is worth thinking about he has a lot injuries and if the price is correct.
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Do some research and watch the under 18's and 23's , Laird is a real talent. I supposes you once asked who the fcuk Rashford, Williams and McTominay were?
 
2 man midfield said:
I think we could eventually see AWB moved to defensive mid. We can’t have two full backs who don’t get forward, and we will soon have to buy a Matic replacement. Laird comes through and provides and attacking option, we solve our DM problem. I think he’d be a brilliant destroyer, and isn’t averse to moving positions. He was a winger until what, 18 months ago?
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He would be a good destroyer, definitely.
 
2 man midfield said:
I think we could eventually see AWB moved to defensive mid. We can’t have two full backs who don’t get forward, and we will soon have to buy a Matic replacement. Laird comes through and provides and attacking option, we solve our DM problem. I think he’d be a brilliant destroyer, and isn’t averse to moving positions. He was a winger until what, 18 months ago?
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He’d be easily the worst midfielder in the league on the ball. He’ll never be a DM unless our plan is to get relegated.
 
limerickcitykid said:
He’d be easily the worst midfielder in the league on the ball. He’ll never be a DM unless our plan is to get relegated.
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Well, I did say destroyer. I’m not expecting him to be Xabi Alonso, just break up play and move the ball on. He wouldn’t work in a 2, but at the base of a 3 I think he’d do well.
 
2 man midfield said:
Well, I did say destroyer. I’m not expecting him to be Xabi Alonso, just break up play and move the ball on. He wouldn’t work in a 2, but at the base of a 3 I think he’d do well.
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A destroyer still needs to be good on the ball at a top PL club. He wouldn’t work in any formation you fathomably come up with as he’s nowhere near being a PL midfielder.
 
limerickcitykid said:
A destroyer still needs to be good on the ball at a top PL club. He wouldn’t work in any formation you fathomably come up with as he’s nowhere near being a PL midfielder.
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He’s not amazing on the ball but he’s hardly Fellaini either. He was terrible technically but carved out a career in premier league midfields for over a decade.
 
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