Julian Weigl

A shame that a major injury has hampered his form and progression.

If United need to replace Matic, for me Neves is more suitable to immediately play as the first 11. He would just stay disciplined as the deepest midfielder and keep things ticking, while being able to play the accurate long passes besides Pogba. On that note, that would free Pogba from being the only one that can provide that type of passes.

Rodri, from Ath Madrid, is also a pretty interesting player. To me, in the vs BD game in UCL, he is the more of a Carrick clone, from the style of play and physical stature.
 
We don't need a Carrick clone, in the same way we didn't need a Roy Keane clone, we just need 2-3 top class midfielders that actually perform well together, know their roles and remain professional. What we do need in the squad is leaders and better footballers, particularly in defence.
 
He missed both pre seasons under Bosz and Favre. Didn't suit Bosz's positional profile and under Stöger suffered like a lot of players from his coach's inability to get any structure into possession.
Now he has Witsel in front of him who barely missed a minute and delivers good to very good performances like clockwork.

It's not like he's free from blame, but it's hard to say where he actually stands given the last time he was first choice in a functioning team was under Tuchel.
 
Rodri, from Ath Madrid, is also a pretty interesting player. To me, in the vs BD game in UCL, he is the more of a Carrick clone, from the style of play and physical stature.

Yeah, he's the closest to Carrick i've seen.

On Weigl, i still think there is a good player in there, even if he's going through a rough spell. Needs more time.
 
BILD are saying he wants out in Winter transfer window, PSG and Tuchel likely to be involved in a loan with option to buy offer. Would love to take a punt on him though, especially in a loan with an option to buy situation, in that we can loan and if the new manager fancies keeping him, we can buy him. Think he could do well learning under Carrick coach too, seeing as how he is pretty much a clone, think he could slot into our midfield nicely too, just needs to find some of the form he used to have.
 
BILD are saying he wants out in Winter transfer window, PSG and Tuchel likely to be involved in a loan with option to buy offer. Would love to take a punt on him though, especially in a loan with an option to buy situation, in that we can loan and if the new manager fancies keeping him, we can buy him. Think he could do well learning under Carrick coach too, seeing as how he is pretty much a clone, think he could slot into our midfield nicely too, just needs to find some of the form he used to have.

Why does he want out? Aren’t they top? I take it he’s out of favour then?
 
I'm not sold on signing Dortmund's bench players.

We need some world class quality not a young player who has regressed over the past few years
 
I was just thinking about him yesterday. I wonder how him and Verratti would do together.
 
Wouldn't be against a loan with a view to a permanent signing but no way would I spunk big money on him right now. He's had a bad injury and he's not in great form at all. Talented player though and somebody i can see flourishing under Ole.
 
He is good on the ball, but lacks the positional sense defensively. Has a blip in form for a while now and it is no surprise he was benched for most of the season. Tuchel could give him a fresh start and important role, with sharing some playmaking with Verratti, they could form a good partnership. Throw in Frenkie de Jong, and their midfield three could keep the ball for days without losing it.
 
He hasn't developed from his early promise and I don't see how he and Veratti would work together at all. They are similar players but Veratti is much better.
 
He hasn't developed from his early promise and I don't see how him and Veratti would work together at all. They are similar players but Veratti is much better.

Verratti would just move higher up to the 8 position and Weigl would take the Motta DLP role. They had/have Marquinhos there
 
He hasn't developed from his early promise and I don't see how he and Veratti would work together at all. They are similar players but Veratti is much better.
You can't tiki taka alone. It would help Verratti a lot if someone came in who could fill Motta's boots. I don't know if Weigl could do that but it's a very small risk on loan with option to buy.
 
Marquis hi
Verratti would just move higher up to the 8 position and Weigl would take the Motta DLP role. They had/have Marquinhos there
TBF Marquinhos has been developed for that role recently because they have no Weigl type in their entire squad aside from Veratti. That is why I'm convinced Tuchel will chase after him as he sees Dortmund trust the kid no more.
 
We need some world class quality not a young player who has regressed over the past few years
You could make the argument a lot of our players have regressed over the past year. Under a different manager, they look a lot better. The same could happen if Weigl came here.
 
If we are continuing with Pogba and Fred then, we need someone in Fernandinho/Casemiro /Kante mould - who can cover lot of ground and chase every ball.

Not sure Weigl is that guy.
 
Just googled him, apparently he's available for around 25M.

For that price, I wouldn't mind getting him to rotate with Matic for the upcoming season. Still young and if he can recapture his previous form it will be a bargain in a much-needed position.


 
Leaving aside the impressive bump he belongs in Tuchel's or Guardiola's teams. I doubt he'd work out well for United.
 
He'd have to start performing and getting back in the team at Dortmund, before he can be taken seriously again. A lot of Dortmund players struggle elsewhere - Gotze, Sahin, Kagawa, Ousmane etc
 
Leaving aside the impressive bump he belongs in Tuchel's or Guardiola's teams. I doubt he'd work out well for United.

Under Mourinho I would agree, but right now I guess it depends on if Solksjaer intends on making us more possession-based.
 
He'd have to start performing and getting back in the team at Dortmund, before he can be taken seriously again. A lot of Dortmund players struggle elsewhere - Gotze, Sahin, Kagawa, Ousmane etc

At 25M don't you think it's worth the risk trying to do it ourselves? If he starts performing to the same level again then he'll be worth far more.

Besides, his main problem under Bosz and Favre has been playing more as an 8 and a CB, vs a 6. We'd be sure to play him at 6 if we got him.
 
Last edited:
Under Mourinho I would agree, but right now I guess it depends on if Solksjaer intends on making us more possession-based.

It's not exactly like his current club isn't possession focused as well.
 
It's not exactly like his current club isn't possession focused as well.

Or that we really know what system Ole wants to employ? Still not sure if it’s possession, high press, counter-attack, etc. The pre-season should give us a clue, but I really don’t know what he wants. Others, more intuitive on here, may have an answer but there’s not much to go on based on the limited transfer activity to date.
 
I’d take him. Our midfield lacks someone who can dictate from deep.
 
If we sign him and Longstaff for a combined £50 million with done an amazing couple of deals.
 
He's another Carrick clone basically, when he's on top of his game, is absolutely worth the punt at such a low price because he's still only 23, would love him here actually.
 
He missed both pre seasons under Bosz and Favre. Didn't suit Bosz's positional profile and under Stöger suffered like a lot of players from his coach's inability to get any structure into possession.
Now he has Witsel in front of him who barely missed a minute and delivers good to very good performances like clockwork.

It's not like he's free from blame, but it's hard to say where he actually stands given the last time he was first choice in a functioning team was under Tuchel.

As you say, they've had enough tactical shifts and Witsel has become a solid enough player that I'd be real tempted to buy Weigl and hope he comes good after a swoon like a bunch of players have done. A 24 year old (as of next season) #6 with good size who can really pass and who made the German 2016 Euro squad as a 21 year old, very tempting.

Pogba-Fred
----Weigl----

with Pogba getting forward constantly and Fred more measured helping out defensively, could be quite solid.

Witsel is 30. If I was Dortmund I'd probably try to loan Weigl for a year, let him get a season back on track with a long leash at a mid-table side, maybe look like the #6 and move on from Witsel a year early while he still has value rather than a year late, or maybe Weigl doubles his value with a strong season like Lo Celso or Jovic did.
 
True. Unfortunately for him, the coach's formation doesn't have his position.

What? Where do you think Witsel is playing?

As you say, they've had enough tactical shifts and Witsel has become a solid enough player that I'd be real tempted to buy Weigl and hope he comes good after a swoon like a bunch of players have done. A 24 year old (as of next season) #6 with good size who can really pass and who made the German 2016 Euro squad as a 21 year old, very tempting.

Pogba-Fred
----Weigl----

with Pogba getting forward constantly and Fred more measured helping out defensively, could be quite solid.

Witsel is 30. If I was Dortmund I'd probably try to loan Weigl for a year, let him get a season back on track with a long leash at a mid-table side, maybe look like the #6 and move on from Witsel a year early while he still has value rather than a year late, or maybe Weigl doubles his value with a strong season like Lo Celso or Jovic did.

Witsel seems fairly fit, being a CM he could easily have a couple of years left in the tank and I'm not sure Weigl would be happy with being shipped out to a midtable club, at the moment he's also the only cover for Witsel.

You say Weigl has "good size" like that means something, when he really is neither strong nor quick. I think to get the best out of him you need a team that a) really dominates possession (limiting defensive actions) b) protects him with a well organized (counter) pressing, so he doesn't have to chase around and c) has sharp positional play, because he actually isn't someone who consistently plays penetrating passes - instead his attacking contribution comes from how quickly and safely he can handle the ball, even under pressure and his ability to find pockets of space. Which can mean you a lot if your team can snowball that into a bigger advantage by sharp positional play and quick passing, but can also evaporate if your team moves the ball slowly or your opposition sits too deep.

Put him in a semi/dys-functional United side and it can probably only go one way.

Tuchel is targeting him

Tuchel/PSG has been the logical destination for him and there were a lot of rumours last winter, but Dortmund didn't want to sell anyone because of their title challenge and PSG signed Paredes in the end.
This summer there is some loose talk again, but according to the usually rather reliable Kicker Dortmund don't have an offer and don't want to sell.
 
Last edited: