Frenkie de Jong | The last muppeting lap

[croadyman]

The De Ligt and De Jong rumours are getting me excited.

Sancho——Nunez——New RW
——————Bruno———————
———De Jong——VDB————-
LB——De Ligt——Varane——RB
——————De Gea———————

De Team!

Two midfielders, Nunez and either a RWB or RW would be a significant improvement, won't be greedy and ask for a CB as well.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

The interview:

Murtough and Fletcher: So how are you going to make United great again?
ETH: I'm going to re-create that 18/19 Ajax team and makes it better. With De Jong, De Ligt, and VDB, we shall make it happen.

 

[Rozay]

I bet if the links were to Newcastle United nobody would have any problem understanding why a player may be interested.

We are not a great team, but we intend to be and have money. That makes us no different to teams like PSG/City and others who attracted top players. Then we’re also Manchester United, not those clubs.

 

[Freak]

Two midfielders, Nunez and either a RWB or RW would be a significant improvement, won't be greedy and ask for a CB as well.

I’m hoping ETH could work his magic with some of our young ones to save us some dough. Maybe Laird and Garner could cover the RB and backup midfielder role respectively.

 

[Adam-Utd]

How is Fred going to do decent job if he's being assigned to sit deep? Fred performs at his best at no 8 role. FDJ doesn't like to stay deep all the time, he needs to be given freedom to roam, basically license to take the ball in deep area and also carry the ball forward.

Fred won't sit deep in a 4-2-3-1. A double pivot doesn't have 1 player sitting constantly while the other pushes. They work in tandem, often just covering a few yards behind.

When has he ever played CM? He's a wingback that can also play centre back.

Sorry i'm being stupid I'm thinking of Haidara this whole time you are correct.

 

[Red the Bear]

Done deal?

 

[crossy1686]

Done deal?

Just contact apparently. Barca want to keep him

 

[TheReligion]

Can’t see it happening at all

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

This is what I thought too.

The one player I wanted over Rice was always De Jong and that's because they do this CB/CDM hybrid thing.

If we do get De Jong, does Rice fit in with him?

I always felt like he didn't, rather he might be dropping back in to the defensive line when De Jong was the main person who should be doing it for a team.

But then you mentioned about someone who would be sitting and let De Jong go on a run and then that reminds me of why Rice maybe the right player for that aswell. Rice's best ability is his repositioning to the most dangerous opposition areas. If Rice does reposition to protect the defence every time De Jong goes on a run, then that does sound more in sync than I thought.

Do you think Rice and De jong have the ability to play alongside each other or will they be taking over each others position even if they do play in 2 different ways?

As reference, Roy Keane likes to ask for the ball pass it to him, so Roy Keane would be taking over each other roles just like what happened to Veron. So I think Rice can play together with FDJ because unlike Roy, I don't think Rice is a type of midfielder that always wants the ball all the time to force FDJ getting less time on the ball, I think Rice wouldn't mind to be humble and play more a support role. But I'm sure there should be someone decent at 20m-30m that can play next to FDJ. Schone's role at Ajax isn't really a role where you need to spend 50m or more.

Edit: Unless if he thinks he can develop VDB into Schone role since Schone was originally more attacking mid than deep midfielder.

 

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

Done deal?

Pretty much, just waiting for the stock market to open.

 

[Red the Bear]

Just contact apparently. Barca want to keep him

This is going to be a long one isn't it....

 

[MDFC Manager]

Would laugh if Chelsea or Liverpool just swoop in for him

No you wouldn't, when that might result Pogba being persuaded to stay

 

[pcaming]

Anyone who thinks this is possible is in for a even more depressing end to the season.

 

[crossy1686]

This is going to be a long one isn't it....

Probably mate, I think it will go down to deadline day as Barcelona want to shift other players off the books before they start selling players they want to keep

 

[Red the Bear]

Probably mate, I think it will go down to deadline day as Barcelona want to shift other players off the books before they start selling players they want to keep

Wish we could get him before pre season but beggers can't be choosers.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

Fred won't sit deep in a 4-2-3-1. A double pivot doesn't have 1 player sitting constantly while the other pushes. They work in tandem, often just covering a few yards behind.

The point is that if FDJ decides to drive forward from deep area then Fred will be forced to stay deep and that's not a good thing. Schone tends to stay deep more often in 18/19 season and we don't want Fred to do that.

 

[sewey89]

Anyone who thinks this is possible is in for a even more depressing end to the season.

I know, crazy that people think this is a possible deal. Did folk learn nothing from Varane last year? FDJ using us for a new contract.

 

[Tarrou]

I’m calling it

it’s on like donkey kong

(I’ve had about 8 whiskeys though)

 

[Lee565]

So the long drawn out deluded saga begins where we pass on other great talent during the summer for less transfer fee and wages and then we end up getting mugged off one way or another by paying up at over inflated price or panic buy with the same consequence.

I hope we don't bother going for him as he is not worth wages, transfer fee touted and should have learned by now that it doesn't end well when we buy a player that didn't have a real desire to join us like sanchez, di maria, varane.

 

[bosnian_red]

I don’t think it makes sense for City at all.

Of course it does. He could slot in next to KdB as well as add depth to a midfield which literally has no depth.

 

[Rozay]

I’m calling it

it’s on like donkey kong

(I’ve had about 8 whiskeys though)

Already?

 

[DanClancy]

His contract is till 2026 and if he is the primary target for Midfield then I can certainly see United Paying £350k a week if that's whats needed to put it over the line .

Understandable if he's got 4 years left but £350,000 should be reserved for consistent world class performers.

 

[pascell]

Done deal?

Yep, just predicting how many clicks we can generate running the story on social media.

Then there's the minor detail of calculating how much money we can recoup selling shirts.

 

[Devil_3565]

Done deal?

This is the deal which take forever while all our other targets go off the market.

 

[pratyush_utd]

Understandable if he's got 4 years left but £350,000 should be reserved for consistent world class performers.

We will pay him what we offered to Pogba.

 

[groovyalbert]

Yeah I can see how a bottom half to mid-table club with no European football at all would be a bigger draw than Manchester United

Sadly not that simple, and everyone knows Newcastle will be competing with us for top 4 sooner rather than later. If you were to ask most people who is more likely to win the league sooner between us and them, unfortunately I think it would be fairly split.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

 

[Tarrou]

Already?

its 7pm in Goa so it’s not that bad is it?

had two beers as well

 

[Rozay]

Sadly not that simple, and everyone knows Newcastle will be competing with us for top 4 sooner rather than later. If you were to ask most people who is more likely to win the league sooner between us and them, unfortunately I think it would be fairly split.

So why are they more attractive? They have a project and some money. All that has allowed them to do is do what we have been doing for years. They now need the right manager and need to buy the right players. As do we. And like us, they now have the money too.

 

[Rozay]

its 7pm in Goa so it’s not that bad is it?

had two beers as well

Good man!

 

[JustinC00]

So the one thing that may have been in our favour, isn't

Not saying I think this will happen but Dawson doesn't know shite, espn doesn't know shite.

 

[mu4c_20le]

This is the deal which take forever while all our other targets go off the market.

And on deadline day he tearfully begs his club to let him stay. Also known as The Dybala.

 

[Withnail]

Sadly not that simple, and everyone knows Newcastle will be competing with us for top 4 sooner rather than later. If you were to ask most people who is more likely to win the league sooner between us and them, unfortunately I think it would be fairly split.

They won't be up there for a good few seasons. We're much closer to the top and will be in the CL long before they are. At this point they are nowhere near so aren't a huge draw. They also don't seem to be splashing the cash willy nilly as Lingard was laughed out of it over his wage demands. I don't think you're taking into account how much is involved in getting a club from where Newcastle are to be consistently fighting for top 4, let alone challenging for titles.

 

[Stobzilla]

Just contact apparently. Barca want to keep him

Probably more accurate to say that Xavi wants to keep him, I think if Barcelona could get 80mil euros and 20 mil Euros off the books for 3 years or at the very least spend it elsewhere, they would be more than happy too.

 

[Powderfinger]

I don’t think it makes sense for City at all.

I agree with this.

When Guardiola was after FDJ a few years ago, he was seen more as an alternative to Rodri as the 6. But Rodri is entrenched in that position now. They probably need a backup to replace Fernandinho but they're not going to pay 70m and 350k per week for a backup DM.

I don't think FDJ has the skills in the attacking third to thrive as one of the 8s at City. He really isn't on the same level as KDB or Bernardo Silva in terms of contribution to the attack - maybe not even on the same level as Gundogan - and that's what Pep wants from the 8s in his system. They don't have trouble moving the ball forward so they don't need to sacrifice attacking potency to get another ball progressing player on the field.

IMO, in theory he would make more sense for Chelsea if Jorginho is leaving. But I doubt the new regime is eager to pay another player at those kinds of wages.

 

[Nicoseth]

Can't help but get my hopes up for this one. Not sure it will happen but my god what a brilliant signing if we can get it done.

 

[BarstoolProphet]

Probably mate, I think it will go down to deadline day as Barcelona want to shift other players off the books before they start selling players they want to keep

Well the journalist reporting this specifically says that Barca want this sorted before June 30th. Also it was mentioned in the Coutinho to Villa deal that they want that sale registered in June, so clearly Barca don't want this to drag on if he is on the market.

 

[pcaming]

I know, crazy that people think this is a possible deal. Did folk learn nothing from Varane last year? FDJ using us for a new contract.

Last season there was hope that we were just missing some parts to really kick on, and CL qualification. We are a hopeless mess at the moment. We have no idea the impact ETH will have, and neither do the players or any potential signing...and no CL.

 

[Chicharo]

We just can't do a deal without 1000 difficulties, can we?

 

[MUFC OK]

Player being forced out his current club against his will, joins us because we’ve thrown a shit ton of money at him. Where have we seen that before? The one saving grace may be the fact he’s worked under ETH previously but there’s a tweet above suggesting that’s not a particular draw for him either.

Most journo's have no idea and just want to shit on united at every opportunity. If he joins, I'll assume its for the right reasons. What calibre of player do you think we're worthy of signing out of interest?