Duncan Castles : Jose Mourinho on collision course with Ed Woodward over Manchester United transfers

Isotope said:
That collapsed Griezmann transfer really feck things up. Seems like Ed doesn't mind paying a 50% mark up for premium players, because the supply is limited for those kind of players. But paying a 50% markup for the like of Morata and Perisic is not what a good businessman would and should do.
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Exactly

And if we do, it's only ourselves to blame when we always have to pay that kind of mark up
 
as much as it looks credible and hence worrying, I still believe, ed and jose should just scout the best player according to the plan and keep the marque signing bit undercover.
 
Isotope said:
That collapsed Griezmann transfer really feck things up. Seems like Ed doesn't mind paying a 50% mark up for premium players, because the supply is limited for those kind of players. But paying a 50% markup for the like of Morata and Perisic is not what a good businessman would and should do.
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A good businessman would realise that it is far worse no to get players at all than to continue down the same 6th place finish with the same players. A good businessman would also realise that not spending because of inflationary prices is a false economy because you stand to loose far more than the fee with 5 seasons on the trot finishing poorly and not challenging.
 
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I dpn't know why people are getting their knickers in a twist? It's not like any club is really stealing a march in the transfer market. And most of the Prem League clubs are in the same boat. It's only the 3rd July. Our window would be completely different if not for the Atletico ban so blaming Mourinho/Woody is a bit petty. It's also funny how Woody was called a 'god' a few seasons back when we signed Schneiderlin, Depay, Schweinsteiger etc.

I can't see how he's done anything wrong. In a way I'm glad that United aren't just bending over for any club that thinks we're mugs. Yeah it would be nice to get things wrapped up before pre-season but it won't be the end of the world if we don't. As I said most clubs are in the same boat.

All this talk is just media hype. I don't believe for one minute that Woodward is just resting on his laurels. People just need to chill for feck's sake!
 
Irrespective of any issues we may or may not be having, articles like this from somebody considered to be a Mourinho mouthpiece is hardly beneficial to our cause.

If, and it's a big if, Mourinho is flapping his gums then he better give it a rest. He did a largely piss poor job last season and the quality of our football this calendar year has bordered on criminal, in spite of people pretending that we were missing lots of chances.

Mourinho will get players in at the club. When he does, I'd like him to get more out of the thoroughly talented (and young) players already at his disposal. Scoring more goals than Bournemouth would be a cracking start.

Personally, I don't think it's in Mourinho's interest to piss around here and play politics. He's got a lot more to lose than United. Few top clubs will touch him and the United juggernaut will continue to jugger on making money, with or without his presence here. Granted, I'm sure he'll want players in for a successful pre-season, but I'd rather this season get underway without the incessant complaining to the press that blighted so much of last term.

United is a dream job, with a huge budget and little in the way of interference. I wouldn't piss about with that. Cue somebody telling me how lucky we are to have him, and that Woodward is an idiot, and that the club can enter some spiral to doom if we don't get it right... If that's what you're thinking, don't bother.
 
Randall Flagg said:
Exactly

And if we do, it's only ourselves to blame when we always have to pay that kind of mark up
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And then we end up like our current squad that cost almost a half billion, and still need another 200m every summer window.
 
RedPed said:
I dpn't know why people are getting their knickers in a twist? It's not like any club is really stealing a march in the transfer market. And most of the Prem League clubs are in the same boat. It's only the 3rd July. Our window would be completely different if not for the Atletico ban so blaming Mourinho/Woody is a bit petty. It's also funny how Woody was called a 'god' a few seasons back when we signed Schneiderlin, Depay, Schweinsteiger etc.

I can't see how he's done anything wrong. In a way I'm glad that United aren't just bending over for any club that thinks we're mugs. Yeah it would be nice to get things wrapped up before pre-season but it won't be the end of the world if we don't. As I said most clubs are in the same boat.
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and signed Zlatan, Pogba, Miktarian and Bailley last year!
 
EyeInTheSky said:
d t
A good businessman would realise that it is far worse no to get players at all than to continue down the same 6th place finish with the same players. A good businessman would also realise that not spending because of inflationary prices is a false economy because you stand to loose far more than the fee with 5 seasons on the trot finishing poorly and not challenging.
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Agreed that we still need players. But it shouldn't be just adding players at any cost. There should be a balance between the quality and cost, because adding one player would impact future purchase, in terms of salary, contract length, available budget, and how other clubs see us as a buyer.
 
If one of your primary targets is a 29 year old winger playing at Inter Milan, quoted at over £40 million, and the chief negotiators are having very clear (and warranted) issues with that stumping up that sort of fee, then it's best you re-think your desired transfer targets.

This is the first summer in a long time in which we don't need to get our pants pulled down. We'll buy a striker for a lot of money, and we'll bring in a defensive midfielder. After that, pressure firmly back on the manager to start acting like a Manchester United manager. No excuses.
 
At this point, we're better off overpaying than continuing to negotiate. Jose is the type of manager that thrives when his signings are in place before the heavy work during pre season is done. I could see him taking subtle shots at Ed during media availability before too long.
 
Increasingly likely we will be paying over the odds for Perisic, Matic and Morata.

Expected a better summer I must say.

Hopefully wrong.
 
Utd7 said:
At this point, we're better off overpaying than continuing to negotiate. Jose is the type of manager that thrives when his signings are in place before the heavy work during pre season is done. I could see him taking subtle shots at Ed during media availability before too long.
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Then he would need to be pulled up on it. That is unacceptable and disruptive behaviour taking our business to the press.
In the end, he will only hurt himself if he does that.
 
Kag said:
If one of your primary targets is a 29 year old winger playing at Inter Milan, quoted at over £40 million, and the chief negotiators are having very clear (and warranted) issues with that stumping up that sort of fee, then it's best you re-think your desired transfer targets.

This is the first summer in a long time in which we don't need to get our pants pulled down. We'll buy a striker for a lot of money, and we'll bring in a defensive midfielder. After that, pressure firmly back on the manager to start acting like a Manchester United manager. No excuses.
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Agreed.
 
Kag said:
If one of your primary targets is a 29 year old winger playing at Inter Milan, quoted at over £40 million, and the chief negotiators are having very clear (and warranted) issues with that stumping up that sort of fee, then it's best you re-think your desired transfer targets.

This is the first summer in a long time in which we don't need to get our pants pulled down. We'll buy a striker for a lot of money, and we'll bring in a defensive midfielder. After that, pressure firmly back on the manager to start acting like a Manchester United manager. No excuses.
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Agree. Mou's had plenty of backing from the board in transfers. Time to deliver.
 
The only one of the big six I recall making an adventurous signing was Liverpool with Salah, hardly worrying the competitors.
Lots of talk yet until it happens............
 
Kag said:
If one of your primary targets is a 29 year old winger playing at Inter Milan, quoted at over £40 million, and the chief negotiators are having very clear (and warranted) issues with that stumping up that sort of fee, then it's best you re-think your desired transfer targets.

This is the first summer in a long time in which we don't need to get our pants pulled down. We'll buy a striker for a lot of money, and we'll bring in a defensive midfielder. After that, pressure firmly back on the manager to start acting like a Manchester United manager. No excuses.
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Totally agree.
Mourinho needs his head tested if he thinks we should pay the quoted price for Perisic.
 
whatwha said:
€70m extra (after Raiola's cut) does not put them in a position to dominate for 5 years. Besides, they wasted that and 20m more on a single signing, Higuain.
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Its big money in Italy and with Juventus buying Higuain they managed to weaken their direct rivals while adding the top quality striker they needed
 
Kag said:
Irrespective of any issues we may or may not be having, articles like this from somebody considered to be a Mourinho mouthpiece is hardly beneficial to our cause.

If, and it's a big if, Mourinho is flapping his gums then he better give it a rest. He did a largely piss poor job last season and the quality of our football this calendar year has bordered on criminal, in spite of people pretending that we were missing lots of chances.

Mourinho will get players in at the club. When he does, I'd like him to get more out of the thoroughly talented (and young) players already at his disposal. Scoring more goals than Bournemouth would be a cracking start.

Personally, I don't think it's in Mourinho's interest to piss around here and play politics. He's got a lot more to lose than United. Few top clubs will touch him and the United juggernaut will continue to jugger on making money, with or without his presence here. Granted, I'm sure he'll want players in for a successful pre-season, but I'd rather this season get underway without the incessant complaining to the press that blighted so much of last term.

United is a dream job, with a huge budget and little in the way of interference. I wouldn't piss about with that. Cue somebody telling me how lucky we are to have him, and that Woodward is an idiot, and that the club can enter some spiral to doom if we don't get it right... If that's what you're thinking, don't bother.
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Agreed.

I still feel though that Castles is winding us up. However, if Jose has been speaking to him then he'll be in trouble. It's one thing to be snidey about other managers or whomever else he dislikes, but it's quite another attacking your employer and the CEO of Man Utd. Woody may look goofy, but I have no doubt he's as ruthless as they come. I don't believe he'd be pleased to have his professionalism (or lack thereof) publicly questioned by the manager, who is after all, an employee.
 
Jazz said:
Then he would need to be pulled up on it. That is unacceptable and disruptive behaviour taking our business to the press.
In the end, he will only hurt himself if he does that.
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History shows that behavior may be inevitable. In the summer of 2015, he was reportedly unhappy at Chelsea's progress in signing his targets. They obviously didn't get off to a great start.
 
I like Perisic but if inter keep playing hardball we should just go all out and go after Dembele. We need to give Mourinho the time/ players this year to get us up and running early. We have a decent run of games to begin so we should be starting the season like a train. Get it done woody.
 
The thing is lot of people on here seem to have convinced themselves that Mourinho is our last chance of getting back to where we belong and tend to just agree with all of his demands.

Yes he's a great manager but it also must be remembered he's won 2 league titles in the last 7 years while managing the likes of Real Madrid, Chelsea and Man Utd. He's not some messiah. I'm all for fully backing the manager, but if the manager wants Morata, Perisic and Matic ( if they are indeed our targets)forcombined total of 150 million, I would dither too in the transfer market.
 
apotheosis said:
You are losing this one dev. Mou gave his list with both secondary and primary options, so Woody is not stuck with one target that if he can't get we are knackered. Jose may be stubborn but he is not naive, he knows how things work, and he also knows any list he gives is not certain to be fulfilled. I agree on Perisic, but then i don't believe Jose has asked for him at any price. Morata looks like a player you may have to pay over the odds for, just because he is at RM.

It seems you have a bug to bear with Jose for whatever reason, considering your 'top managers' jibe. He is a top manager, like him or loathe him, and he is a top manager because he brings titles. All clubs pay money out every season, and with probably just as many fails as successes for their efforts. Mourinho is a top manager because he knows what he needs to bring that success, and when he gets it, he delivers. It's really as simple as that.

The Glazers are hardly bastions for responsible finance are they? So it's a bit rich to hire a manager like Jose who has a clearly defined methodology for success, and then moan about it because it may present certain financial risks. He is what he is, and we knew exactly what he was and how he would want to proceed when we hired him. It would be like re-signing CR and then moaning about him not tracking back. If you know what you are getting before you buy it, don't moan when it produces exactly what you bought it to provide.

We wanted mourinho not for his ability to produce teams that stand the test of time, we wanted him because he is a proven winner, with a proven formula for attaining that success quickly. That is Mourinho, plain and simple, and that's what we clearly wanted when we hired him. If the board are somehow surprised by this, then they should all be fired. For they are clearly nowhere near as competent at their own jobs as Jose has regularly proven to be at his.
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I am not the kind who care about losing/winning arguments. That ships sailed around 2003. I see Mou's intention in trying to sign Perisic as he would give us width. However, I am concerned on why we keep insisting on him since he's not worth the 40m we've already bid for him.

And no I don't have a bug with Jose. He was in my shortlist as our manager ever since SAF retired. However, he must learn that United is a proper club and proper clubs don't throw money around unless for top quality players. Perisic is not that type of player.

The Glazers had lead United in an admirable way. They were barely intrusive and they had supported all managers in the best way they could. They are self made billionaires which means that they know their stuff around money
 
Utd7 said:
History shows that behavior may be inevitable. In the summer of 2015, he was reportedly unhappy at Chelsea's progress in signing his targets. They obviously didn't get off to a great start.
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Might have been more down to his attitude? Well he should have learnt his lesson because it obviously didn't work. In any case, the directors would need to be firm with him regardless. You just can't have that kind of behaviour as it's counterproductive.
 
Usually there is major signing that kicks start the dominoes each summer. May be mbappe this time
 
devilish said:
I am not the kind who care about losing/winning arguments. That ships sailed around 2003. I see Mou's intention in trying to sign Perisic as he would give us width. However, I am concerned on why we keep insisting on him since he's not worth the 40m we've already bid for him.

And no I don't have a bug with Jose. He was in my shortlist as our manager ever since SAF retired. However, he must learn that United is a proper club and proper clubs don't throw money around unless for top quality players. Perisic is not that type of player.

The Glazers had lead United in an admirable way. They were barely intrusive and they had supported all managers in the best way they could. They are self made billionaires which means that they know their stuff around money
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Since then, it's been 14 years of consistently being wrong and not giving a shit who knows it.
 
Adisa said:
Totally agree.
Mourinho needs his head tested if he thinks we should pay the quoted price for Perisic.
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I have the same issue with the Matic deal. I have no real issues with these players as targets, but given the age of them, if we starting throwing around the best part of £80-90 million on the likes of Matic and Perisic, we're going to feel the burn of such moves for a long, long time.

If and when we do decide to make a move for the next young superstar, we won't have a hope in hell. Even smaller clubs will take one look at our bids for their best players and just raise the price, knowing that we'll bite the bullet and pay the extravagant fees they desire.

Pogba cost an exceptional amount of money, but then, he's an exceptional player. Or at least he might be. Griezmann is in that same boat. But Matic, Perisic, even Morata? Good players, ay, but let's be bloody sensible about it.

I'm not entirely sure what Ed Woodward is meant to do when Inter Milan are in a position to demand over £40 million for 29 year olds. Some might say "just pay up", but then they aren't in charge of running Manchester United.
 
Although time is getting on I'm not going to call for Ed's head just yet. There is still time to turn this around into a decent transfer window. Griezmann situation changed everything.

Hope Castles' comments haven't come from Mourinho. Ed has proved he can get the deals done, like this time last year. I don't think we're the only big club finding it difficult to bring in players.
 
We are in big trouble. It's July and we are weaker than we were in May when we finished 6th.
 
i think a point many seem to be missing is this does not boil down to us paying 50m for Perisic, or not. When you want to buy something someone doesn't want to sell, you don't just offer them whatever you would like to pay and then whine when it's not accepted. You ask them what they want for it and then determine whether or not you are willing to pay that sum, if you are not, you can either attempt to knock them down a bit or state your final offer and move on.

There is simply nothing to suggest Jose has demanded that we pay whatever sum a club may demand simply to fulfill his wishes. He would obviously like to have things done quicker if possible, but that does not mean poor Woody is somehow being bent over a barrel after being handed an impossible task. If he can't get the targets Jose wants for whatever reason, then simply inform him of that and then move on to other targets.

My guess, and it is a guess, is that most likely Woody is prepared to play a waiting game in the hopes of a better deal on Jose's primary targets. Whilst Jose is probably frustrated that despite having his list in early, his pre season preparation is now being affected by the ongoing uncertainty with the signings. I'm sure he understands and appreciates the difficulties Woody faces, but he also will be aware it's not making his own job any easier.

When we consider Woody also has more than one role at the club, is the speed the transfers are finalized as high a priority for Woody as they are for Jose? Probably not, and let's not forget if Jose doesn't deliver next season, he will lose his job. Whereas Woody is more likely to lose his job due to overpaying to force transfers through quickly. So obviously there is far more resting on business being concluded early for Jose than there is for Woody.

Sometimes things progress slower in one department than is either required or is preferable to another. Happens all the time, and while frustrating, most often it does not result in detrimental ultimatums or breakdowns in relationships.
 
None of us know anything on the subject.

I rested my case.
 
nothing beats a good drama. I believe many people find pleasure in worrying and dramatizing. There is a wicked joy in being a doom merchant.

As far as i know nobody has any idea of how transfers are going apart from interested parties.

Calm down people
 
Shady said:
We are in big trouble. It's July and we are weaker than we were in May when we finished 6th.
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Have you not considered the fact that perhaps our existing players will have improved by next season? They have had a season to settle in, and our manager also.
 
clarkydaz said:
and signed Zlatan, Pogba, Miktarian and Bailley last year!
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Zlatan was coming to join Mourinho (on a free) no matter what. The Pogba deal was a dick-swinging contest where we had to pay a world record fee - anyone could have pulled that off. The Bailly and Mkhitaryan deals were somewhat creditible, but both players made it clear they wanted to leave and that United was their only option - again, hardly massive coups.

Woodward came out of the last Summer slightly ahead of the curve, but not enough to give him the breathing space some think he deserves.
 
Kag said:
If one of your primary targets is a 29 year old winger playing at Inter Milan, quoted at over £40 million, and the chief negotiators are having very clear (and warranted) issues with that stumping up that sort of fee, then it's best you re-think your desired transfer targets.

This is the first summer in a long time in which we don't need to get our pants pulled down. We'll buy a striker for a lot of money, and we'll bring in a defensive midfielder. After that, pressure firmly back on the manager to start acting like a Manchester United manager. No excuses.
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Absolutely spot on.

If this really comes from José and I hope to God it's not, then he really needs a word with himself. The club has granted him every player he wanted last summer.

There's no need to throw the toys out of his pram.
 
I prefer the old days when twitter / journos were not simply after clicks it's so effing boring reading and looking at this crap and peoples theories and nonsense.

I long for the old days of transfers like the day I came home from school and my dad told me we had signed Andy Cole.
 
Some of you lot should apply for a job at United. I think we could do with the extra negotiation expertise.
 
KM said:
Absolutely spot on.

If this really comes from José and I hope to God it's not, then he really needs a word with himself. The club has granted him every player he wanted last summer.

There's no need to throw the toys out of his pram.
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Why though? Him getting easy targets last summer have nothing to do with a failure to get multiple targets this summer. Woodward has signed one of his list thus far, so it's clear the issue isn't just to do with Perisic alone.

Conte threw his toys out the window a few times since joining and he's won the league with Chelsea. Those in charge of transfers would obviously be held accountable if they can't bring in targets for a club like ours, unless it's out of their hands like Griezmann.
 
Last Summer was a series of slam-dunks. This Summer, the shopping list requires a bit more nous. If Woodward isn't up to the task (and he hasn't proven yet that he can convince either uncertain players or sceptical clubs to believe in United), then should rightly come under the spotlight.
 
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