Jules Koundé | Signs for Barcelona

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Devil may care said:
As for people wanting a striker over a midfielder, it boggles my mind, Pogba is going, do people want an entire season of McFred with our only back-up a past it Matic? I know the Caf is obssessed with Haaland but look beyond him and Calvert-Lewin and there isn't a striker worth buying, just a bunch of average options that make less sense than giving Mason 18 months to develop in the role.
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Sure, top strikers are few and far between (add Lewandgoalski, Neymar, and Mbappe to that list), but I think it's more that none of them are realistic targets. Mostly because they'll be vastly overpriced and in Haaland's case, I can't see Dortmund letting us mug them off twice as we'll inevitably go back in for Sancho despite more pressing needs. Unless...they fancy a swap for Martial? Still, he probably wouldn't fancy Germany.
 
croadyman said:
Are you confident that Garner is capable of coming back and getting in the squad then, do you not feel like he would benefit from another season out on loan but this time at a Premier League club rather than Championship. There is no doubt we have been lacking on that RW for far too long and wouldn't want to put all that pressure on Amad's young shoulders either. So have you got anyone in mind to sign as a striker then because feels like the best option is not going to be available until next summer anyway.
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To be honest I'm not confident that Garner will come back off of his loan and be a first team player but that’s why I said we need to take a gamble with the midfield, if I came down to signing Sancho and Haaland but no defensive midfielder and promoting Garner full time or signing a defensive midfielder and only getting one of Sancho or Haaland I’d go with the former for sure.

I know we’ve lost a lot of money through the pandemic but we bring in more than anyone else through other revenues so if it was me I’d gamble this summer in the knowledge no one else is going big at all (other than maybe Real for Mbappe) and we blow everyone else away by signing both Sancho and Haaland and then Kounde but leave midfield for another year.
 
Devil may care said:
On Kounde, I'm not concerned with his aerial ability, that's not the issue with Lindelof, it's that he's slow, weak and lacks athleticism. Kounde is strong, rapid and athletic, key attributes to work with Maguire.

As for people wanting a striker over a midfielder, it boggles my mind, Pogba is going, do people want an entire season of McFred with our only back-up a past it Matic? I know the Caf is obssessed with Haaland but look beyond him and Calvert-Lewin and there isn't a striker worth buying, just a bunch of average options that make less sense than giving Mason 18 months to develop in the role.
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True, any striker worth buying is going cost us a fee in the region of £120m to £200m and, provided we pay up the amount, we still have issues in midfield and defense which I dont think a top striker will paper over.

Much as McFred is good we lose control of games because they aren't great passers and all our central creativity will have to come from Bruno making us predictable. So we need a better passer in there and make McFred compete for the box to box role.

Maguire and Lindelof have issues that everyone knows about even though I would like a defender who is a bit more physically imposing than Kounde.

Martial's regression and effort is unacceptable but we shouldn't rush into the market without addressing issues in midfield and defense first.

I'd suggest that Ole drops Martial and move Mason into the No.9 position to alternate with Cavani for the next 18 months and look to make more use of James, Diallo and Mata on the right. I am sure one will step up and become a serviceable option.
 
AneRu said:
True, any striker worth buying is going cost us a fee in the region of £120m to £200m and, provided we pay up the amount, we still have issues in midfield and defense which I dont think a top striker will paper over.

Much as McFred is good we lose control of games because they aren't great passers and all our central creativity will have to come from Bruno making us predictable. So we need a better passer in there and make McFred compete for the box to box role.

Maguire and Lindelof have issues that everyone knows about even though I would like a defender who is a bit more physically imposing than Kounde.

Martial's regression and effort is unacceptable but we shouldn't rush into the market without addressing issues in midfield and defense first.

I'd suggest that Ole drops Martial and move Mason into the No.9 position to alternate with Cavani for the next 18 months and look to make more use of James, Diallo and Mata on the right. I am sure one will step up and become a serviceable option.
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Yeah I feel like unless we improve our passing and find some central creativity from someone other than Bruno then we are going to encounter the same problems yet again next season in the big six games. I can see when you are coming from about Kounde so who do you think we should sign that could provide that physical presence but is also quick. I also think that in regards to Sancho we want to show Dortmund that they may have won the battle last summer but we intend to win the war. I am not saying that is right thing to do at all but just seems that might be the case and there is definitely a reason Ole is taking him time over deciding on Eddy too but just not sure why yet.
 
manuchamp88 said:
Sure, top strikers are few and far between (add Lewandgoalski, Neymar, and Mbappe to that list), but I think it's more that none of them are realistic targets. Mostly because they'll be vastly overpriced and in Haaland's case, I can't see Dortmund letting us mug them off twice as we'll inevitably go back in for Sancho despite more pressing needs. Unless...they fancy a swap for Martial? Still, he probably wouldn't fancy Germany.
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World class strikers win titles and can hide a multitude of sins across the rest of the team.
 
manuchamp88 said:
Sure, top strikers are few and far between (add Lewandgoalski, Neymar, and Mbappe to that list), but I think it's more that none of them are realistic targets. Mostly because they'll be vastly overpriced and in Haaland's case, I can't see Dortmund letting us mug them off twice as we'll inevitably go back in for Sancho despite more pressing needs. Unless...they fancy a swap for Martial? Still, he probably wouldn't fancy Germany.
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Oh yeah there are other good strikers around, I was just talking of obtainable options, I mean there's a reason teams like us, Real, Juve and Atletico are still using strikers who are in their mid 30's, they just can't find suitable replacements. I actually wouldn't be surprised if Martial fancied the less pressurised environment of Dortmund but we'd use that to get Sancho rather than try for Haaland I imagine.

AneRu said:
True, any striker worth buying is going cost us a fee in the region of £120m to £200m and, provided we pay up the amount, we still have issues in midfield and defense which I dont think a top striker will paper over.

Much as McFred is good we lose control of games because they aren't great passers and all our central creativity will have to come from Bruno making us predictable. So we need a better passer in there and make McFred compete for the box to box role.

Maguire and Lindelof have issues that everyone knows about even though I would like a defender who is a bit more physically imposing than Kounde.

Martial's regression and effort is unacceptable but we shouldn't rush into the market without addressing issues in midfield and defense first.

I'd suggest that Ole drops Martial and move Mason into the No.9 position to alternate with Cavani for the next 18 months and look to make more use of James, Diallo and Mata on the right. I am sure one will step up and become a serviceable option.
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Fergie said it, strikers win games, defences win titles, we at least have good young prospects in attack, people are impatient but the talent is there, it isn't there when it comes to CB and midfield, its harder to become a starter in those roles and players like Mengi and Garner are miles off right now, even Axel can barely get a sniff.

Fred and McTominay definitely have a part to play in this squad but if we are to push on tey aren't the answer as a pair, too similar and as you say neither are good enough to connect defense to attack, our front 4 are often starved of good service without Pogba so he needs replacing.

I can see why people want a bigger built CB but the options who have the size are often lacking in the other areas that are needed to compliment Maguire, I mean Konate is the other most mentioned option but he's huge and his injury problems have to taken into consideration.

I agree on Mason, most of the Caf are obsessed with Haaland but realistically our best option over the next 18 months is retaining Cavani and really starting the blood Mason as a #9, and lets see where that goes, as despite the hysteria we have scored more goals in the PL this season than any other team.
 
Adam-Utd said:
Yeah pretty shocked by that to be honest. Checked some photos myself and he does seem to be. Must be the shortest tall man I've ever seen.
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We have a few players who are taller than they look. Van de Beek and de Gea coming to mind.

It must be that timid passive hunched stance.
 
Devil may care said:
Oh yeah there are other good strikers around, I was just talking of obtainable options, I mean there's a reason teams like us, Real, Juve and Atletico are still using strikers who are in their mid 30's, they just can't find suitable replacements. I actually wouldn't be surprised if Martial fancied the less pressurised environment of Dortmund but we'd use that to get Sancho rather than try for Haaland I imagine.
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Yeah, I think Martial would actually thrive there but I just don't see it.
 
Adnan said:


If Whitwell is correct, both Konate and Kounde are targets.
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I listened to the Athletic's United podcast for this week featuring Laurie Whitwell and Andy Mitten. The situation is more nuanced. United have tons of scouts, we watch lots of players. We have been watching Kounde for quite some time. At some stage, probably later in the season, we make a decision on which positions are a priority for the summer transfer window. Whitwell was extremely cautious on any transfer topic discussed in the podcast. He thought Milenkovic rumours were more agent driven.

Andy Mitten mentioned that Atletico Madrid, Sevilla and at least one other Spanish club (not Barca or Real Madrid) that I don't recall, all had elite central defenders, some of whom he believed are better than Kounde but out of our price range. Also a fair amount of indirect criticism of Maguire, Lindelof, Bailly and Tuanzebe, in comparison with genuine elite defenders, though the belief that Maguire was unlikely to get dropped due to his price tag.

Given the financial position, which he didn't go into in any depth, Whitwell thought one glamour signing this summer plus some cheaper/younger player type deals. He didn't state if this was in a Pogba leaving scenario or a Pogba staying scenario.

(next bit has nothing to do with Laurie Whitwell's comments in the podcast)

United's average annual net spend on transfers from the start of LVG's time in charge to the end of Solskjaer's first full season, is about £104m. The typical match day revenue for a season is £110m. So in simple terms, our transfer budget (on top of sales) for this summer has to come from cost savings elsewhere, or from taking money from future transfer budgets, with the serious risk that the next broadcasting deal and next main shirt sponsor deal will be for lower amounts than the current deals (Andy Mitten mentioned the broadcasting and shirt sponsor bit), and the possibility that Covid 19 has an impact on capacity at some point next season.

In this context, the idea that United are likely to spend big on a central defender seems difficult to believe, but there is still 3 months of the season to go and our priorities might look very different in late May.
 
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kundalini said:
I listened to the Athletic's United podcast for this week. The situation is more nuanced. United have tons of scouts. We scout almost every position, all the time. We watch a huge number of players. At some stage, probably later in the season, we make a decision on which positions are a priority.

Andy Mitten mentioned that Atletico Madrid, Sevilla and at least one other Spanish club (not Barca or Real Madrid) that I don't recall, all had elite central defenders, some of whom he believed are better than Kounde but also out of our price range.

Given the financial position, which he didn't go into in any depth, Whitwell thought one glamour signing this summer plus some cheaper/lesser/minor/sticking plaster/younger player type deals. He didn't state if this was in a Pogba leaving scenario or a Pogba staying scenario.

(next bit has nothing to do with Laurie Whitwell's comments in the podcast)

United's average annual net spend from the start of LVG's time in charge to the end of Solskjaer's first full season, is about £104m. The typical match day revenue for a season is £110m. So in simple terms, our transfer budget (on top of sales) for this summer has to come from cost savings elsewhere, or from taking money from future transfer budgets, with the serious risk that the next broadcasting deal and next main shirt sponsor deal will be for lower amounts than the current deals.

In this context, the idea that United are likely to spend big on a central defender seems difficult to believe, but there is still 3 months of the season to go and our priorities might look very different in late May.
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Lot of reports keep saying we are doing the scouts on these players (Kounde & Konate) ''intensively'' (not sure if it's the right word to use). You don't do it ''intensively'' if it's not a position that we are priorities. I think CB is the no 1 priority. Either way, lot of people in the community agree that CB is the position we must upgrade, pundits & ex players like Gary Neville, Scholes and others also think the same and it was one of the position we were looking for last summer. I think this is not coincidence. Even with only CB and Pogba stays, I still consider it as big upgrade for the squad. In my opinion if we have Rio & Vidic CB partnership or even one of them, we would have been on the same level points as Man City right now minimum. That's how much I believe we need CB badly as it can lift the team into new level.
 
It seems this guy is our first choice if we can get him for under his release clause. The Fiorentina CB should be the backup option if Kounde can't be done
 
Gopher Brown said:
I’m sure it as been said multiple times already in here, but how can we complain on one hand that Lindelof isn’t dominant in the air enough, then think to replace him with someone 4 inches shorter than him? 4 inches is not insignificant, as my wife often reminds me.

I don’t care how great his leap is, or his passing, or his reading of the game, he’s too short to be a top level centre back. Yeah, yeah, Cannavaro, Ricardo Carvalho, Mascherano etc, they’re the exceptions that prove the rule.
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Maybe this guy will be too, who knows? I don't know much about him but by scout reports he is actually seen as a very good defender in the air. Surprising. I suppose it goes to show that it's not just height, but good positioning and aggression go a long way to heading the ball first.
 
Kounde over all the targets for me. I have been impressed with Konate and would perhaps favour him as he ticks the same boxes but he's another Bailey. Konate's injury record is atrocious. He's clearly the better defender than Upamecano but the fact he's unable to stay fit for 9 months consecutively will hamper his development.
 
People are mad if they think anyone could win the Premier League with a midget as a center back. Imagine this guy defending a corner versus van Dijk, the dutch would eat his soul.
 
ash_86 said:
Really like this guy. Would love him here more than any current defender we're chasing!!
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Yeah I’ve settled on Kounde as my preferred option for CB. Really hope we get him.

Him and Haaland would be my dream transfer window (plus a DM but we can’t fix all positions in one window I suppose.)
 
Godfather said:
That doesn't fill me with any confidence
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Can see your point but if you look at the video (not always a fair reflection I know) he looks capable of heading the ball away but certainly got ability with the ball at his feet that's for sure
 
The release clause is rumoured to be £68 million, which we’re rumoured to be hesitant to meet. Not surprising to see that story leaked, stinks of an Ed brief but I’m really not that confident we’ll get him anyways.
 
Does his height matter if he can jump and head well? Maguire is tall but doesn't use it as well as he could. Id be happy with Lindelof losing 3 inches if he was less of a shithouse
 
Giggsy13 said:
The release clause is rumoured to be £68 million, which we’re rumoured to be hesitant to meet. Not surprising to see that story leaked, stinks of an Ed brief but I’m really not that confident we’ll get him anyways.
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Of course we won't pay what's required unless its a Premier league team where we pay too much. It's best to just give up on the summer window already, it will only be a disappointment.
 
Giggsy13 said:
The release clause is rumoured to be £68 million, which we’re rumoured to be hesitant to meet. Not surprising to see that story leaked, stinks of an Ed brief but I’m really not that confident we’ll get him anyways.
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We won’t pay that fees. All clubs will suffer financially due to covid and Sevilla is one of them that might needs money. I don’t expect anything cheaper than 40m but I’m sure it won’t be anything above 60m.
 
Not sure that this guy is the answer, from what I've seen on YouTube (yes I know it's not perfect, but it's all I've got) he always seems to be making last ditch tackles. The player that looks best overall on my YouTube watch is Pau Torres, but I hope that if we do go for a CB, then the club makes the right decision.
That player needs to have pace, can win aerial duels, has an awareness of whose around him, and can spot danger, and can use the ball reasonably well.
Bailly is ideal for me, but his injury concerns are a big minus. Tuanzebe needs games, or we'll never know. Mengi is still a couple of seasons away.
 
UNITED ACADEMY said:
We won’t pay that fees. All clubs will suffer financially due to covid and Sevilla is one of them that might needs money. I don’t expect anything cheaper than 40m but I’m sure it won’t be anything above 60m.
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Nathan Ake cost £41 million last summer. Kounde is younger and has played more meaningful games and finals than Ake. Sevilla would be in the right asking for a club to come close to the reported buyout fee.
 
Giggsy13 said:
Nathan Ake cost £41 million last summer. Kounde is younger and has played more meaningful games and finals than Ake. Sevilla would be in the right asking for a club to come close to the reported buyout fee.
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Ake cost 41m after 2 months covid period football. Don’t compare it with the damage of full 10 months covid period football.
 
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