Have we signed anyone yet? | Yes, with stupid tax

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Long Time Red said:
The pool of players good enough to play for Manchester United is very small.

There's probably about 20 midfielders who are up to standard with their current club willing to sell.

I'm a bit disappointed we haven't opened negotiations for someone yet.
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I would be surprised if we haven't already. Feels like there's been enough noise coming from the FDJ, Timber and perhaps even Nunez stories for us not to have at least opened some form of discourse with their clubs.

Bear in mind we've (thankfully) moved away from Woodward's hollywood approach to transfers, so perhaps the club have decided to go with a more clandestine approach to transfer business.
 
Kaos said:
I would be surprised if we haven't already. Feels like there's been enough noise coming from the FDJ, Timber and perhaps even Nunez stories for us not to have at least opened some form of discourse with their clubs.

Bear in mind we've (thankfully) moved away from Woodward's hollywood approach to transfers, so perhaps the club have decided to go with a more clandestine approach to transfer business.
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I'm sure we've spoken to their agents but I think we'd have heard about any talks between clubs.

I think because of the early start this summer we need to get moving ASAP.

We have 4 weeks until the start of pre-season and we should be able to give Ten Hag 3 new signings before then.

Given how protracted some transfers are we really need to get started now.
 
I think this will be a great summer for muppets. A lot of players are going to be linked. A lot of players are going to be signed.

Watch this space.
 
Long Time Red said:
The pool of players good enough to play for Manchester United is very small.

There's probably about 20 midfielders who are up to standard with their current club willing to sell.

I'm a bit disappointed we haven't opened negotiations for someone yet.
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How do you know enquiries haven't been made? Not everything is done in public.
 
What are the chances we don't end up signing a first team player and only backup options? That would a travesty in itself to waste another season
 
Big Ben Foster said:
Sometimes it feels like the club only gets started on transfer business once the season ends.
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Yeah, it's frustrating to see that Dortmund have already completed a window I'd be okay with in Adeyemi, Schlotterbeck, Sule and Ozcan (who I haven't seen but 5M on a decent DM would be okay if we're hoping to get FDJ or Rice next year or signed Timber to play there). I know Schlotterbeck wanted to stay in Germany but seeing him boss the Europa League final was kind of annoying when we've just watched Varane struggle on the left and desperately need someone in that spot.
 
Forget about De Jong (60m+), Tchouameni (70m), Rice (100m+), Torres (50m), Antony (50m), Nunez (70-80m) or Nkunku (70-80m). Avoid all those 50-70m+ signings for now.

I think with the size of our limited budget (120m + players sales), and the fact that we don’t have CL football, we should rather focus on cheaper 2nd rated moneyball signings which would only cost us less than 20-30m each, as we need at least 4-6 new reinforcements. (DM, CM, CB, RB, LB, WF/FW). 20-30m each would be just about what we could afford.

After we are back to CL and having more money flowing in, we could then start looking at the expensive ones.
 
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RedRonaldo said:
Forget about De Jong (60m+), Tchouameni (70m), Rice (100m+), Torres (50m), Antony (50m), Nunez (70-80m) or Nkunku (70-80m). Avoid all those 50-70m+ signings for now.

I think with the size of our limited budget (120m + players sales), and the fact that we don’t have CL football, we should rather focus on cheaper 2nd rated moneyball signings which would only cost us less than 20-30m each, as we need at least 4-6 new reinforcements. (DM, CM, CB, RB, LB, WF/FW). 20-30m each would be just about what we could afford.

After we are back to CL and having more money flowing in, we could then start looking at the expensive ones.
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I get that but it's not easy moneyballing players for 20-30m who suddenly become elite, otherwise literally everyone would be doing it.

We all agree the Woodward galactico era has to end and we have to be smarter with the money. But we also have to be willing to spend when necessary. We're still trying to be a CL side and we need CL level players. For example, we literally have one decent striker and he turns 38 next season. We have to buy another and he can't be a prospect that may or may not come good. He has to be able to take on a goalscoring burden for key parts of the season. And good luck finding that kind of striker for 20m.
 
With only a reported £120 million to spend this summer, our options are severely limited.

The market is crazy these days, and any good player, is going to cost at least £50 million plus minimum.

Just hope we can make some sells to boast that transfer budget.

Players like Bailly, Jones, Pereira, AWB, Williams, Henderson, Martial etc, simply have to be let go and sold, and not simply loaned out.

In reality though, we will be lucky to even sell 1 of those players, just mentioned, due to injury problems etc.
 
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I don’t think, we are going to sign any world class names, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

We need young and hungry players who are keen to improve and really TRY for the club.

Players like Timber, Antony, Aarons etc, who are good players, but will improve and only get better.

Not only that, they won’t cost the world either, which is good because our budget is limited.
 
Drizzle said:
I get that but it's not easy moneyballing players for 20-30m who suddenly become elite, otherwise literally everyone would be doing it.

We all agree the Woodward galactico era has to end and we have to be smarter with the money. But we also have to be willing to spend when necessary. We're still trying to be a CL side and we need CL level players. For example, we literally have one decent striker and he turns 38 next season. We have to buy another and he can't be a prospect that may or may not come good. He has to be able to take on a goalscoring burden for key parts of the season. And good luck finding that kind of striker for 20m.
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We have to trust ETH on that. There are teams which turn cheap signings into useful players. It’s not easy I know, but with ETH track record in Ajax (Tadic 12m, Haller 20m, Antony 14m etc) and getting them all playing beautiful possession football, I think it’s achievable.

I mean, we don’t have to get them all become elites. If our team can get to play like Brighton for example in our overall teamplay, but with also the likes of Bruno/Sancho/Ronaldo finishing off the attack moves, we may suddenly have a better team there. All we need is to obtain those moneyball players who could get us playing like Brighton, our other star players would then follow and finish up the job.
 
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Maddog Murtough is probably still internally discussing or whatever the feck that means.
 
Long Time Red said:
We are the English club that generates the most media interest.

It's very hard to for us to make moves without journalists getting wind of what's going on.
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It could be that the 'leakers' in the club may have gone already, or that there is a closed group of people in the know who do not talk to media, or perhaps you're right, we haven't put any bids in yet.
 
Wednesday at Stoke said:
Maddog Murtough is probably still internally discussing or whatever the feck that means.
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There’s plenty of journalists saying United have spoken to a small group of players/clubs and are progressing.

Now we could choose to ignore those journalists but on that basis, we’d ignore them for saying any club is discussing transfers.

I could be wrong but I honestly think things have changed a bit. Doesn’t mean we get all the players we want (or the club wants) but does feel like we have some joined up approach with the manager and the board and being more proactive.
 
BeforeKeanetherewasRobson said:
There’s plenty of journalists saying United have spoken to a small group of players/clubs and are progressing.

Now we could choose to ignore those journalists but on that basis, we’d ignore them for saying any club is discussing transfers.

I could be wrong but I honestly think things have changed a bit. Doesn’t mean we get all the players we want (or the club wants) but does feel like we have some joined up approach with the manager and the board and being more proactive.
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The journalists that I trust the most when it comes to United are Ornstein, Whitwell and maybe Romano and Mitten. None of them have conveyed that the operation is moving with any sense of urgency, the way it should after the season we've had and the interim manager openly saying things like the squad needs an open heart surgery and up to 10 new players.

There was so much hype about how United were discussing and making plans with Ten Hag even before he arrived that he had to ask them not to bother him 48 hours before Ajax games. I'd have expected the team to be ready and progress towards deals soon as the first team is expected back in training in a month. Instead the only report is about internal discussions about Timber, like neither the board nor Ten Hag knew who he was or how much he'd cost, or still being undecided about Torres, a player we supposedly followed long before even signing Varane. All the while there are open holes in midfield, center forward and full back, all needing to be addressed, considering the mass exodus that is underway.
 
Honestly as others have mentioned, you'd think that given the way we ended this season and the fact that there was so much positivity from journalists about how we were making big changes this summer, I would have expected us to have made steps already when so many other clubs have made their moves.

The cynical side of me sees that we apparently have a pretty small budget, that we won't be able to move on our dross to add to that, and wonders if there's a little planning that goes into when we make signings. If we made a signing really early on then the expectation is that we will add a few more like Ralf mentioned. But if we don't make any then expectations are lowered and we accept whatever we end up with. The Glazers and club receive only minor backlash and the onus then goes onto Ten Hag to make McFred look like Xaviesta and Rashford and Martial look like Professional footballers.
 
Jesus season only finished Sunday.

Secondly ETH officially started this week, we also had no certainty of our final position in the table, meaning a different budget due to losses in revenue between EL & ECL.

The multiple stories surrounding multiple players seems to show there is a plan, players will also want to see what we are playing in next season before committing there future.

We are not in a position like the scousers or Sh1tty to sign players early as they have guaranteed CL football every year.

ETH came early has had multiple meeting with JM to discuss this, clearly going on holiday as everything is in place for him to do so.

Lastly this isn't FIFA & FM where you agree a fee and sign a player in 5 minutes.
 
We Need Another Rebuild said:
Jesus season only finished Sunday.

Secondly ETH officially started this week, we also had no certainty of our final position in the table, meaning a different budget due to losses in revenue between EL & ECL.

The multiple stories surrounding multiple players seems to show there is a plan, players will also want to see what we are playing in next season before committing there future.

We are not in a position like the scousers or Sh1tty to sign players early as they have guaranteed CL football every year.

ETH came early has had multiple meeting with JM to discuss this, clearly going on holiday as everything is in place for him to do so.

Lastly this isn't FIFA & FM where you agree a fee and sign a player in 5 minutes.
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No one is expecting a done deal but it probably takes on average about two weeks from first bid until the medical gets completed.

We have one month to get Erik a few signings before pre-season starts so I'd be disappointed if we haven't moved on someone by the end of the week.
 
Going from the Steve Mclaren podcast + Athletic / BBC reports, he joined up with his assistants + Murtough around a week ago and they've discussed implementation of the plan since then. If he has a holiday in a couple of days, it's likely they have agreed the shortlist of targets per position and they can crack on getting them in as quickly as they can.

I think there's a couple names that ETH wont bother seeing and would have been fine to sell. AWB being one, Baily probably another, and Jones too - just my guess obviously.
 
we certainly seem to have more grown ups in the room now. Also a few personalities that wouldn't take too kindly to meddling in transfer plans from the suits either.
 
The problem we have is the transfer work once again wont be being done early doors with enough thought because we have been drifting in a state of limbo in terms of management since November. So those available who we might be in for will be snapped up. Meanwhile so many are leaving.
I mean we should be setting up deals way in advance. But we will no doubt go thro another summer of recruitment turmoil and be either taking on poor quality or overpay for overrated players or both.
The silence as always is deafening. I would like to give the benefit of the doubt but i really have lost the faith after years of recruitment ineptitude.
I mean once again we are linked with a striker when we need to be tackling the gulf in midfield (again!!).
 
It's tedious already, we've been "linked" to every player possible.

Once we get the first one hopefully they'll come rolling in.
 
dannyrhinos89 said:
It's tedious already, we've been "linked" to every player possible.

Once we get the first one hopefully they'll come rolling in.
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That hope is not based in reality based on any past experience. Many clubs already working on transfers...Rudiger to Real, Alonso from Chelsea to Barca, Haaland to City, Carvalho to Liverpool, Sevilla defender Diego Carlos and Coutinho to Villa. To name but a few. Called forward planning. We dont have any. And so we always end up scrambling around for recruits. This window is particularly crucial because of our mass exodus. But there appears no urgency...a bit like our team
 
Who do we blame if this window is bad (I know it is early but I am nervous. Is it ETH, Murtogh, Ralf or someone else??
 
I wonder who ten Hag's Viv Anderson will be (if you don't count youngsters)?
 
It’s hard to logically assess the current situation.. is it the same old dithering and “preparing bids” or is it that we addressed the leaks/issues with openly say we have so much money to spend and get rip off for average players?

I think patience is needed, and we will find out the answer soon anyways.. I’m sure ETH wants the majority of the signings done by preseason, and we are about a moth away..

I personally think it’s a combination of both. ETH just joined recently/a lot of board changes that naturally would somewhat slow things down, plus us not leaking every move we are making.
 
You feel that this will be a bleak summer for transfer muppets.
No big names or exciting players, signings will be relatively unheralded players.

But if last season's big names and ensuing result is reversed, i'm all for it!
 
Volksie316 said:
With only a reported £120 million to spend this summer, our options are severely limited.

The market is crazy these days, and any good player, is going to cost at least £50 million plus minimum.

Just hope we can make some sells to boast that transfer budget.

Players like Bailly, Jones, Pereira, AWB, Williams, Henderson, Martial etc, simply have to be let go and sold, and not simply loaned out.

In reality though, we will be lucky to even sell 1 of those players, just mentioned, due to injury problems etc.
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120 millions + sales is not limited. Our issue is we waste our time to get the ungettable, and we keep the deadwood because we ask for too much for them.
 
Ranchero said:
That hope is not based in reality based on any past experience. Many clubs already working on transfers...Rudiger to Real, Alonso from Chelsea to Barca, Haaland to City, Carvalho to Liverpool, Sevilla defender Diego Carlos and Coutinho to Villa. To name but a few. Called forward planning. We dont have any. And so we always end up scrambling around for recruits. This window is particularly crucial because of our mass exodus. But there appears no urgency...a bit like our team
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Rudiger: Free transfer, foreign clubs could contact him directly in January
Alonso: Same as above
Haaland: Release clause, entourage did a tour of potential new clubs while still under contract with Dortmund
Carvalho: Wasn't that pretty much agreed in January already?
Coutinho: On a loan there and they had a buy option? Also not hard to negotiate with player when he's actually playing for you
Carlos: Fine, you got one

I would like to see some movement as much as the next guy, but ETH's only been working officially for a few days and those we are interested in aren't exactly easy to secure (Timber, FDJ, Nunez, Nkunku etc.) like those above.
 
Wonder how long it takes us to make our first signing this summer. City made a swift move for haaland to prevent Madrid having any chance. We’re the opposite we wait until a team puts a bid in for one of our targets and then crap our selves and bid higher.
 
Villa have demonstrated that signings can be made when organised. City have already nabbed Haaland.

We need signings in the next fortnight and there will be no excuses for dilly-dallying.
 
So we've been linked with:

Giorgi Mamardashvili (21) Valencia GK
Nordi Mukiele (24) Leipzig RB
Jurrien Timber (20) Ajax CB/RB
Lisandro Martinez (24) Ajax CB
Pau Torres (25) Villareal CB
Tyrell Malacia (22) Feyenoord LB
Frenkie de Jong (25) Barcelona MC
Christopher Nkunku (24) Leipzig AM
Darwin Núñez (22) Benfica CF

Am I forgetting some DM we've actually been linked with? Happy to see the age of those we're linked with, exactly the type Rangnick spoke about in terms of players being ready for their next step, not completely unknown, but not established at a top club (bar de Jong of course).

The only thing I'm missing from that list other than a DM is someone to improve the leadership in the team, not that it's easy.
 
The most worrying thing is we haven't been solidly linked to any other midfielder outside De Jong, also haven't heard anything from the usual suspects about us actually wanting two midfielders. All the talk seems to be CB, CM, ST and maybe RB.
 
Bastian said:
So we've been linked with:

Giorgi Mamardashvili (21) Valencia GK
Nordi Mukiele (24) Leipzig RB
Jurrien Timber (20) Ajax CB/RB
Lisandro Martinez (24) Ajax CB
Pau Torres (25) Villareal CB
Tyrell Malacia (22) Feyenoord LB
Frenkie de Jong (25) Barcelona MC
Christopher Nkunku (24) Leipzig AM
Darwin Núñez (22) Benfica CF

Am I forgetting some DM we've actually been linked with? Happy to see the age of those we're linked with, exactly the type Rangnick spoke about in terms of players being ready for their next step, not completely unknown, but not established at a top club (bar de Jong of course).

The only thing I'm missing from that list other than a DM is someone to improve the leadership in the team, not that it's easy.
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I've also seen us lined to:

Alessandro Bastoni (23) Inter Milan CB
Lisandro Martinez (24) Ajax CB
N'Golo Kante (31) Chelsea DM
Ruben Neves (25) Wolves CM
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (27) Lazio AM
Arnaut Danjuma (25) Villareal FW
 
We’re on the back foot already this summer with a new manager coming in. It’s unlikely we’ll sign anyone in the near future until Ten Hag gets his feet under the table and a chance to assess everything in depth with Murtough. In that time, you know all our top 6 rivals will be acting, if they haven’t done so already (Liverpool & City have probably already done deals or in the process of finalising as we speak). It’s not going to be easy.
 
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