He's about 3 years older than those you mention and is therefore more seasoned (although Varane is a special case, already looking excellent for Madrid when i've seen him).
Eliaquim Mangala
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) and Imran (@Annihilate Now!) are here to discuss Amad saving our blushes in a win against Southampton as well as our now annual loss at home to Brighton. They discuss Amorim's post-match comments, revisit how mid-table we may or may not be, and discuss some transfer news.
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He's about 3 years older than those you mention and is therefore more seasoned (although Varane is a special case, already looking excellent for Madrid when i've seen him).
Thanks. What about the other 3 any idea ?
Only that they are very highly rated. Mangala has been a mainstay in a good side for a while now, that's why he'll go for £30 odd million and we got Zouma for £12. He's a much safer bet not to flop.
I did a little digging on Zouma (after Chelsea signed him) and saw that his middle name is "Happy" which I like. Other than that it's just youtube highlights and and hand reports.
Thanksalot
Aymeric Laporte is incredible, i would say from what i've seen the biggest CB prospect i've seen in the last two years after Varane.
I've heard Zouma been compared to Desailly, only ever seen him about three times but from them small snippets and from what i've heard from others he does look a snip at the price Chelsea paid for him, quick physically imposing and has an incredible leap for someone his age.
Could go on to be one of the dominant cbs in the league for the next decade, France seem to have struck gold with him Varane and Laporte especially. Add Sakho and Koscieny to that and they have incredible depth for the next ten years or so if everything goes to plan.
I've heard Zouma been compared to Desailly, only ever seen him about three times but from them small snippets and from what i've heard from others he does look a snip at the price Chelsea paid for him, quick physically imposing and has an incredible leap for someone his age.
Could go on to be one of the dominant cbs in the league for the next decade, France seem to have struck gold with him Varane and Laporte especially. Add Sakho and Koscieny to that and they have incredible depth for the next ten years or so if everything goes to plan.
Atlast ! I love Laporte too. Thought I was the only one. He just reminds of Blanc, makes everything look so effortless. Him and Varane are the only ones out of them whom I've actually seen play. France's prospects for the future are incredible : Areola, Varane, Laporte, Zouma, Digne, Pogba, Rabiot, Kondogbia, Thauvin.
+ Griezmann (and maybe Rabiot and Kurzawa)
Atlast ! I love Laporte too. Thought I was the only one. He just reminds of Blanc, makes everything look so effortless. Him and Varane are the only ones out of them whom I've actually seen play. France's prospects for the future are incredible : Areola, Varane, Laporte, Zouma, Digne, Pogba, Rabiot, Kondogbia, Thauvin.
Blanc is actually a good comparison, very calm elegant player and at 19 he already plays like he has been around for the last 10,15 years.
Yes i was thinking about this the other day, there is a lot hype about Germanys and Spains youngsters, but i don't think there is a country with the depth of quality young defenders that France have, they seem to be having a golden generation coming through themselves now.
A midfield of Rabiot, Pogba, Kondogbia can be quite special as well, have heard a lot of Thauvin haven't seen him much, does he look special as well?
Now I haven't seen alot of Thauvin - maybe 10-15 games at max. But he's always stood apart in a mediocre Marseille team. He a real counter attacking threat, excellent dribbling and ball control, quick, has a thunderous shot from distance and is a decent finisher although greedy at times, but he'll learn he's just 21. All the raw essentials are there he just has to work upon them and I reckon he'll end up among the top 3 wingers in the world in a few years - potentially even better than Ribery, his ceiling is that high. Just needs to keep his head down. That's why I don't understand when Premier League clubs are linked with the likes of Cabella - who while a decent talent is no world-beater in the making like Florian.
Thauvin and Mendy are two very good players at Marseille. Lemina is another one at Marseille who's breaking through. France have some very good young players. Agreed on Laporte btw, excellent player.
Morgan Sanson at Montpellier is getting a lot of football, then you have the kid from PSG, Sabaly who's at Evian on loan. Masuaku is getting lots of football at Valenciennes, all 20 or younger.
Morgan Sanson at Montpellier is getting a lot of football, then you have the kid from PSG, Sabaly who's at Evian on loan. Masuaku is getting lots of football at Valenciennes, all 20 or younger.
He isn't what we need. We already got with Jones on of the best propsects in the world on this position. If we go for a marquee CB we should be looking for a player like Benatia or Vertonghen. One of the best CBs in the world that really can lead a defense.
You don't want Vertonghen then, if that's your criterion.
Not? Before his injury he seemed like a great CB who can be the heart of a defense ... But I have to admit I haven't watched him since coming back from his injury.
Speaking of Vertonghen haven't we been linked with Joel Veltman too ? That guy's a bomb for Ajax - the next Frank de Boer.
He's good, but he's no where near the best in the world IMO.
That good?
Was linked with Milan, never seen him play before, but Ajax seem to be another one going through a renaissance of some sort.
He's absolutely immense for Ajax. I thought de Vrij was Holland's best defensive prospect, but Veltman has such great anticipation and poise - just kills off dangers before others see them. De Boer's tutelage will serve him well. Don't know about the Premier League - he might be considered a bit short at 5'11-6'. But he'd be perfect for a side like Barcelona who like ball-playing central defenders and build from the back. I think his passing stats match up for them too - something like 90 % pass completion IIRC.
Right now the CB position doesn't have many great defenders tbh. Kompany, Benatia, Barzagli, Koscielny, Thiago Silva, Hummels. It's not like a few years ago when you had really a bunch of dominant CBs. I'd rate him along the best in the world as I simply find that the overall level isn't that high. Except Thiago Silva, Dante and Barzagli I wouldn't rate any of them much higher than him. A few years ago the best CBs in the world were a group of Carvalho, Terry, Ferdinand, Nesta, Maldini, Puyol, Vidic, Cannavaro ...
I wouldn't call him world class yet, but I think at another club he would be rated much higher. Last season he was really great.
Stam's been personally asked by Seedorf to move to the San Siro as part of his backroom coaching staff and he's most certainly going to bring 1-2 promising players from Ajax with him. Veltman's been one of the names touted.
Klassen as well?
Not sure about him but Veltman's the only one that's looking like a cert.
I must say that I haven't been overly impressed by Mangala the few times I've watched him. If we were indeed looking for a £25m+ centre-half, I'd prefer Benatia. Personally, I'm of the view that Smalling and Jones are good enough to be a top-bracket partnership for us, and of the younger lot mentioned, other than Varane who isn't attainable - Laporte looks like the sex.
Has anyone seen much of Jamaal Lascelles at Forest? Supposed to be a very big deal.
Has anyone seen much of Jamaal Lascelles at Forest? Supposed to be a very big deal.
Thats why I dont think it would be particularly impressive. City pulled out because they felt fee was too high, which is alarming if even City refuse to pay a fee as they are specialists in paying too much for players. If we went in and paid it all it would say is that we're less careful with our money than Man City... Not a great sign
Agreed. Laporte was good last season, this season he's perhaps the main reason Bilbao are back near the top of the table.
Maybe this one won't blow his head off.
With Gazetta reporting that City have agreed a deal for Benatia, could be BS, and With reports linking us to him for quite sometime do you think he could be our CB signing if City have switched their attention to Benatia?
He has all the attributes required to be a commanding CB for us, has pace and power with a strong aerial game. His positional game may need work on but I don't see that as a problem with Van Gaal as our manager who is known to improve players in that regard.
He has all the attributes required to be a commanding CB for us, has pace and power with a strong aerial game. His positional game may need work on but I don't see that as a problem with Van Gaal as our manager who is known to improve players in that regard.
We won't pay what is necessary to bring him here. Would love it though, he looks the business.
Would like to see him at United from what I have seen and heard but there is no way we will spend the reported figure it will take.
Its either City, PSG, Chelsea or Real Madrid.
Its either City, PSG, Chelsea or Real Madrid.
We've lost two defensive stalwarts in Rio and Vidic who brought so much success as a defensive unit for us in the last 10 years. They were also on big wages which have been freed up and I can definitely see us spend big on a strong presence at CB.
In the way of wages, we should be able to spend lavishly after Rio, Vidic and Giggs' departures. Going off of reputable reports, that is around £250K trimmed off of the playing staff wage bill, so in that respect we should have no problems offering high-end wages. But whether we would decide to spend any transfer fee in excess of £40M is another question.
Personally, I'd like to see the centre back we sign as someone who has amassed plenty of appearances internationally and for his club, while also having experience in European competition and domestically. My preference would be Benatia or Garay even if they are lesser talents than Mangala. Among Smalling, Jones, Evans and Benatia/Garay, we would have a good spread of ages with some in their prime and some approaching that with plenty of potential.
It isn't absolutely vital of course and as the old adage goes, 'If you're good enough, you're old enough', but it would help the transition of our defence over the coming years, rather than having experienced stalwarts all leave at once later down the line, as Rio and Vidic have this season. We have a young enough defence as it is and with Shaw likely to join and de Gea and Rafael also figuring in our back five, we only really have Evra and Evans as experienced defenders.
I hope we are in for him, we badly need a quality CB to be a main stay in our team for a long time to come. Yes, it will cost a load to sign Mangala but we should be looking at bringing him or Hummels in along with Shaw to sort our defence. Whoever we go for though, I fully expect teams like Chelsea, City or PSG to trump us and end up signing them unfortunately.
I agree with what you're saying but Mangala being 23 I don't think would be a hinderance in the thinking of Van Gaal with his track record with young players. Mangala is a beast physically which would suit the EPL. He has fantastic aerial ability on both sides of the pitch to go along with good pace which would suit us aswel under Van Gaal due to us being an attacking team and having someone like Mangala with his recovery pace to thwart a counter-attack.
Haven't been too impressed when I've seen him personally. Nowhere near worth the figures quoted anyway.
I agree actually, potential is becoming very expensive. I need my transfer fix though, mixed feelings.
I think his positional sense is something that needs working on and Van Gaal is renowned for ironing out positional deficiencies.
Don't think he's been as good this season than he was the one before but that could be said for most of the Porto team tbf. He's still a class centre back and has all the attributes to go on to be a top player in my opinion, well known what Porto are like when it comes to selling players though and I'd be surprised if we were willing to pay what they'd want for him.
France seem to have some quality young players coming through atm and they're stacked at centre half for a decade or so with him, Varane, Laporte, Zouma & Umtiti.
France seem to have some quality young players coming through atm and they're stacked at centre half for a decade or so with him, Varane, Laporte, Zouma & Umtiti.
As I said, it isn't essential, just my personal preference for us to sign someone in their mid-twenties. Additionally, his value is a bit off-putting, even if players with potential come at a premium in the modern game. If signing Mangala for £40M had an adverse effect on the rest of our transfer dealings, it wouldn't sit too well with me.
Not denying that he has all the attributes to succeed in the Premier League however, it's probably a division more befitting for him than it would be for Garay and Benatia given his supreme athleticism and power.
I like Mangala. He's very good but if there was a chance Varane was available, I'd rather spend that money on Varane than Mangala, if not for the fact he's shown big game temperament for a big club.
I'd be over the moon if we got Mangala though.
I'd be over the moon if we got Mangala though.
From a little I've watched him in Europe this season, he looks very overrated. No way worth the money Porto is asking for him.
I agree actually, potential is becoming very expensive. I need my transfer fix though, mixed feelings.
Potential costs as much as a player in their prime these days. We are talking about 30 million+ for the likes of Shaw and Mangala. You could probably take your pick from the best left backs and central backs in the world for that kind of money.
It is Porto they always get huge fees for their players.
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