--------------- DDG -----------
Valencia - Smalling -Bailly -Shaw
Manager: Mourinho
I think our defense is settled.
Valencia - Smalling -Bailly -Shaw
Manager: Mourinho
I think our defense is settled.
Eric Bailly | BBC say signing is imminent
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Built like a CB, moves like a WB. 
€32 + €8 in bonuses, hence in the £30m region, I guess.
88 potential on fifa.
I think they are reporting that we are paying the buyout close which is 40m euros, around 31m pounds.
Off course they are wrong and we are not paying that...
Valencia at right back seems fairly settled on the forum.
Not sure im quite as sold on the idea. I suppose he is fine in the short term but id rather have a younger, proper rb
Him, Smalling and Shaw would give us an incredibly quick defence. Would be concerned about the lack of a playmaking CB though.
You lost me after the first five words.
We can't seriously be relying on Tony as RB
I echo this sentiment. He was our best option at times last season but defensively he is a massive liability and is miles away from a mainstay in an ideal Utd back four. I would rather JM gives Darnian a final chance to prove himself.
Jones is average at best as a right back.
Darmian will do well under Mourinho I think. Valencia is a more than suitable backup. If we can get one more CB in (Varane/Manolas/Koulibaly etc.) I reckon our defence would be great.
That is, assuming we keep DDG.
That is, assuming we keep DDG.
Our problems are up front, not in the back. We could sign the new Vidic and it wouldn't change the impotence we have had to endure the last season.
Those people who are trolling with his Wikipedia page... 
Thanks for the update murphs
We've got problems in both. We need to address them both in this window.
I hear this chap is a hard bastard? Delighted if that's true as we've needed one of those at centre back for a good while now. I still have this unshakable notion about Jon Stones breaking from the back, with Blind in a deep lying playmaker roll, dropping back to cover him when he launches forward on those runs, but I doubt we'll see it now - with Koeman going to Everton, Stones would be an idiot to leave for another season or two.
Not happening either
Jones? Has he ever performed well as a fullback, if we exclude a couple of very isolated incidents/games? I don't even think he's performed well long-term as a CB, tbh. And then there's his constant injuries on top of that...
Seems very physical although - going off a brief youtube scout just now - needs to work a lot on the technical side of his game. Probably what we need given how soft we have been aerially and against physical teams.
Really not sold on Tony as RB though. Fosu-Mensah should get a chance. Beast of a backline:
TFM - BAILLY - SMALLING - SHAW
Really not sold on Tony as RB though. Fosu-Mensah should get a chance. Beast of a backline:
TFM - BAILLY - SMALLING - SHAW
Valencia is great if you dont mind conceding about 20 free kicks a game on the right flank.
Jones is average as CB, and poor as RB.
The discussion is purely academical though, considering that he is always injured, so cannot play most of the time.
With two hardworking midfielders beside/in front of him and a good, ball carrying centre back behind him I think it could work brilliantly. It is the exact role in which he won Dutch footballer of the year and his long range passing is as good as anyone in the prem. He probably lacks the athleticism to carry out the role in a midfield two but in a 433 he could be excellent.
Is he supposed to be a RB or not? Along with Darmian and Valencia, TFM and Jones, that's well stocked RB position. He either is bought to make the CB partnership with Smalling or first 11 RB? Confusing signing.
He's a very fast CB. Whoscored lists him as having played 28 times as CB, 2 times and RB 2 times as LB last season.
No team is perfect everywhere. A team is a unit where the lack of quality in one area can affect everything else and vice versa. A defensive midfielder who plays for team that has world class attackers is someone who "keeps it simple and allows others to play". Take away the top forwards and he "doesn't contribute enough assists or dangerous passes". I don't know how Mourinho will try to get us to play but if he wants to keep working on us pushing high up the pitch and trying to control possession, then this signing is not alone stupid, but not needed. If he wants to get us to defend deep, that will be very disappointing indeed and if it wasn't, Bailly is a risky signing best.
Oh god please no valencia. Rather have tfm or darmian there
Valencia is as much a right back as Young is a left back, we should be doing better than both at fullback. Valencia is only good for skinning the defender down the wing and smashing the ball into shins.
Real Madrid fans are happy to see the back of him.
I agree he'd be decent there, but it's not happening. If we play with 3, Schneiderlin or Carrick will be the deeper midfielder. However I think Mourinho will choose 4-2-3-1 over 4-3-3.
This is more like it.
Tho I still have muppet wet dreams about Pogba and TFM playing cm together and basically forming a brick wall
So this is basically done
Does this mean that the transfer seekers will now go full force on Zlatan?
Does this mean that the transfer seekers will now go full force on Zlatan?
Ah sorry I misunderstood you. Yeah you're probably right, Jose always seems to go for the 4231 and as much as I like him, I really don't see Blind fitting in as a Jose CB or as part of a midfield 2. Can see him spending a lot of time on the bench and coming in to do a decent but never spectacular job when needed at CB, LB or DM.
Will be annoying if he leaves and ends up at a team which suits his abilities though.
So many posters have given up on Darmian. It's sad. I think he'll do well with Mourinho.
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