Lukaku and Sanchez - cut our losses? Poll now added

[Schneckerl]

Would keep them, as I doubt it's easy to find better players for benchwarmer roles.

However there are problems:
With Lukaku not sure if he is satisfied with a backup role.
Sanchez' contract fecks up the wage structure. Don't know how much of an issue that is in reality.

 

[RedIan]

I went for keep sanchez. If martial is crocked or needs rotating we need him and he is far better technically gifted player than Lukaku. Id sell Lukaku in the summer and bring in another striker with the funds, lukaku has his strengths, good finisher and has pace and power but not a united player, he lacks some basic technical ability, control and passing etc

 

[GifLord]

Would keep them, as I doubt it's easy to find better players for benchwarmer roles.

However there are problems:
With Lukaku not sure if he is satisfied with a backup role.
Sanchez' contract fecks up the wage structure. Don't know how much of an issue that is in reality.

You'd keep 2 players that cost us around 2mil a month in wages as bench players?

 

[Schneckerl]

You'd keep 2 players that cost us around 2mil a month in wages as bench players?

This isn't Football Manager.
Not pretending to be familiar with the financial internal policies of the club. If the wages are problematic get rid.

 

[GifLord]

This isn't Football Manager.
Not pretending to be familiar with the financial internal policies of the club. If the wages are problematic get rid.

Lukaku is apparently on 250k a week while Sanchez's salary is even higher

 

[marko goalo]

As of now I'm in the 'keep both' camp. If we add a quality right winger then imagine the depth of squad and the healthy competition for places. We could be title contenders as early as next year.

Right now we may appear sorted, but a loss of form for either rashford or martial via even an injury /suspension type situation will land us in big trouble. We need players who are capable of stepping in.

Sanchez IMHO can make a very capable false nine and his experience can be vital for us in big games. The man deserves a proper chance in an attacking team.

The same goes for lukaku, I'm hoping that he will shed a lot of bulk over the summer and return to the terrifying and pacey goal scorer that he was. If ole is appointed manager, I can totally see lukaku improving drastically.

Both of them in the squad next season, would give us amazing options. I hope people can see that

Unfortunately for most of us the only thing we've seen is inept performances bar the odd decent performance here and there. Just not enough to justify the outlay

 

[Dan-Utd]

Sanchez should never have been signed, we had a manager who just wanted to sign the best talent regardless of how it would fit in with what we had and regardless of the cost in wages.

Sanchez comes along and becomes our highest paid player - and since he's been here his performances levels have not really reached that of other players here who are being paid less, Ironic that according to Google the 2 highest paid Premier League players are the inconsistent Sanchez and the extra inconsistent Ozil and both spent a few years playing for an inconsistent Arsenal.

We don't need queens here, lets have a first team where they are fairly paid and that will make for a happier dressing room.

Lukaku is only 25, did well in his loans at West Brom and Everton, he's also shown a lot of class for us since he arrived, in the right system and with the right guidance i think there is a lot more to come from him, i would certainly prefer to have him in our squad than him being in a team playing against us.

 

[Schneckerl]

Lukaku is apparently on 250k a week while Sanchez's salary is even higher

I should have worded my post differently, sorry. Shouldn't have started with 'Would keep them...'

My guess would be that they earn to much (especially Sanchez), but I don't know for sure. However it's not like there is a hard salary cap and you need to free up space to sign new players.

Sanchez looks really problematic due to being one of the highest earning players in the World.

 

[davidmichael]

Originally I was of the belief that we should sell Lukaku as we’d get £50-£70 million for him as well as saving £200-£250K a week on wages then use Sanchez through the middle as back up to Rashford but Sanchez has looked awful since the Arsenal game.

With Chong, Gomes and Greenwood all coming through as well as Rashford, Martial, Lingard and Mata already in place we don’t need one of Lukaku or Sanchez especially if we sign a genuine right sided forward.

I think I’d use Sanchez through the middle when he plays until the end of the season and if he hasn’t shown enough to be seen as a good alternative to Rashford then he’d have had long enough and I’d say move Sanchez on in the summer. I’d put Lukaku on a strict fitness programme to build up bus cardio and reduce muscle and have him as back up to Rashford as if nothing else Lukaku is a proven goal scorer in the league.

 

[Sauldogba]

Keep both.
This is what i wrote a few days ago in the Lukaku thread when someone said we should sell him and I still stand by it.

Why though?
If hes happy coming off the bench hes more than good enough to stay and play a bit part role.
In this day and age your not gonna get much better 2nd place strikers that are happy to come off the bench.
People seem to forget that Fergie always had atleast three good strikers at the club.
Yorke,Cole,Sheringham,Solksjaer in the 90s.
Hernandez,Berba,Rooney in the 00s.
I think its worth remembering that as bad as he has been this season he has only got one less goal than our other number 9 Rashford.

 

[Jeffthered]

Doesn't this sound eerily similar to the "sack Mourinho and hire who?" line of reasoning to you? An underperforming player or manager will always be easily replaceable.

No, not at all. I am saying, with the squad we have, which is limited, and the fact we have an interim manager, we need to think quite carefully before 'cutting our losses' as it were. have some targets in mind that may actually suit the club, because we have seen far, far, far, far, far too many erratic purchases at Manchester United over the last five years or so.

 

[Greck]

Lukaku can stay if he's happy to play cup games and be on the bench on CL nights. His ego is big so I'll be surprised. At Everton he was very vocal about wanting to leave for CL football. Once he's seen Rash start both legs against PSG and possibly the next round I'm not sure he'll be too pleased

 

[Sauldogba]

Yes get rid of both. They barely contribute even as squad options and they are far too expensive to be used as such anyway. If I could only sell one, I'd sell Lukaku. At least we would get a decent fee for him. Sanchez could be used as back up for Martial and Rashford.

Maybe we can put out a rumour that Solksjaer just hates Belgians. That's why he sold Fellaini, that's why Lukaku is playing sh!t. Some clubs might make a decent offer if they think his form is down to the manager...

They barely contribute

Rashford and martial have one more goal than Lukaku.

and they are far too expensive to be used as such anyway

Says who? If we couldnt afford to use them that way we wouldnt be doing it.

you don't pay those wages for "bench" or "rotation" players, its just not sustainable. and the play time they get would be better off being given to developing kids, at least there's potential of future great pay off in that case. its not like their contributions could be any worse than what Sanchez and Lukaku have been doing.

Of course its sustaineable. We wouldnt be doing it if we couldnt afford it.
This is Manchester United. The second biggest sports team in the world. I think they know a hell of a lot about finances

 

[Jean claude van hire]

Still clinging to the hope that Alexis can have an impact at this club. Who knows, could even be in the CL with a bit of luck. Form is temporary, class is permanent and all that. As for Rom, I'm not so sure. I just think the quicker we move the ball the more his flaws are exposed and the club is clearly moving towards a style of play that doesn't suit him. What I will say is I definitely prefer him from the right if we do hang on to him.

 

[devil in me]

Would love to get rid of both, but see a bit of a Rooney situation with both, unfortunately.
Lukaku isnt good enough for a top club, so who is going to pay his wages? Sanchez is probably finished at the top too, but again, how on earth do we get rid with those wages ?

 

[devil in me]

They barely contribute

Rashford and martial have one more goal than Lukaku.
.

Aye, with Rashford playing about 7 games up front and Martial possibly zero.

 

[siw2007]

I would probably lose both over the next few years. Would be tempting to lose Sanchez first though just because that his massive wages could be better used elsewhere such as extending De Gea or Pogba's contracts as they are our best performing players at the moment ands have done far more to deserve it.

 

[reelworld]

seriously those who complained about wages needs to chill.
This isn't FM lads.
Keep them both, I want to see them a full season under Ole. Jose system weren't kind to attacking players. Who knows how Lukaku might develop or how Sanchez might respond fully healthy.
Lukaku lack of technique and first touch was waay overblown here. Especially when he's actually decent last night.

 

[LawCharltonBest]

Alexis is capable of hitting a sweet spot and being devastating. He still hasn’t settled

Lukaku could be a top player somewhere but I don’t think he’s a United player. The United fans won’t ever warm to a player like him, a bit like with Fellaini

 

[Cheesy]

I'd be more tempted to sell Sanchez than Lukaku. Whereas I'd argue he's been a complete flop, Lukaku's goal return is at least alright, and he's young enough to have a full decent years ahead of him. Struggle to see Sanchez properly returning to his Arsenal form again.

 

[Cheesy]

Alexis is capable of hitting a sweet spot and being devastating. He still hasn’t settled

Lukaku could be a top player somewhere but I don’t think he’s a United player. The United fans won’t ever warm to a player like him, a bit like with Fellaini

He's 30 and has been here for over a year - feels like he's probably just declined and won't get back to his best again, although I'd like to be wrong. Even before he arrived there was an argument he'd been nowhere near as good for Arsenal as he had been the previous few years.

 

[bushyboy]

On current form I'd sell both, although OGS could improve them. Would like to have the bench depth that City have. Would need to be ruthless though.

 

[Sauldogba]

Why the feck would we offload both of them when we finally have some depth going forward after so many years?

Its a madness they need to take an fa coaching course so they can learn about squad depth.

'cut our losses..' and then do what ? What would be your plan? You want to rely on Lindgard-Martial-Rashford week in, week out..? I don't. Buy other players right.. like who?

Have to think about the squad. Which is still short...

They want us to spend money to replace our squad players with more squad players who will be worse than the squad players we already have.

Aye, with Rashford playing about 7 games up front and Martial possibly zero.

Whats that got to do with anything i said?
The poster said Lukaku barely contributes.
I replied saying there is only one goal difference between Lukaku and Rashford and Martial.

 

[Class of 63]

You've gotta laugh, two years ago if somebody had said we'd have Alexis and Lukaku in the squad fans worldwide would've been hastily arranging ticket only wank parties, now most can't wait to get shut, football, bloody hell.

 

[Bastian]

You've gotta laugh, two years ago if somebody had said we'd have Alexis and Lukaku in the squad fans worldwide would've been hastily arranging ticket only wank parties, now most can't wait to get shut, football, bloody hell.

If two years ago someone would have said we'd have Lukaku and Alexis both performing the way they have been, the highest and third highest earners, I'd laugh too. But now I just think the pragmatic thing to do is to move them on and replace them with more suitable players and keeping an eye on our wages to ability ratio.

 

[red woppit]

You've gotta laugh, two years ago if somebody had said we'd have Alexis and Lukaku in the squad fans worldwide would've been hastily arranging ticket only wank parties, now most can't wait to get shut, football, bloody hell.

Sanchez yes, Lukaku no. Never thought he looked like a United player.

 

[Class of 63]

If two years ago someone would have said we'd have Lukaku and Alexis both performing the way they have been, the highest and third highest earners, I'd laugh too. But now I just think the pragmatic thing to do is to move them on and replace them with more suitable players and keeping an eye on our wages to ability ratio.

If somebody can predict how players will perform two years in advance they should put their name forward for the D.O.F position because they'd save the club a bloody fortune, and who are these gettable(sp) players of the required standard who would be happy to come in and be content with a place on the bench?

Sanchez yes, Lukaku no. Never thought he looked like a United player.

Lukaku is a guaranteed 25 goals a season man with an outrageous record at International level so does it really matter if he looks like a United player, whatever that means ?

 

[GeordieRed]

Sell both, they add far too much to the wage bill for them to be perpetual benchwarmers.

It might be possible to stomach one overpaid sub, but not two, and neither of them make a major impact when coming off the bench anyway.

 

[red woppit]

If somebody can predict how players will perform two years in advance they should put their name forward for the D.O.F position because they'd save the club a bloody fortune, and who are these gettable(sp) players of the required standard who would be happy to come in and be content with a place on the bench?



Lukaku is a guaranteed 25 goals a season man with an outrageous record at International level so does it really matter if he looks like a United player, whatever that means ?

Do you ever watch some player performing for another team, and get that feeling that they could easily fit into your team? When Lukaku was playing for West Bromwich and Everton I never had that feeling that he could fit into the team I support, Manchester United. He never really had a good game against United (that I can recall), and I remember Jones in particular keeping him very quiet in matches. He was a strong, quick bustling type of player, very strong on his left foot, and excellent in the air. If we had two wingers who could beat the full back, and get a good cross into the box, then he could possibly thrive at OT, but we're not playing like that. He needs to go to a club that play that way, and possibly then he would become a 25 goal a season man, I don't think the way United play at the moment suits him.

 

[AndyJ1985]

If somebody can predict how players will perform two years in advance they should put their name forward for the D.O.F position because they'd save the club a bloody fortune, and who are these gettable(sp) players of the required standard who would be happy to come in and be content with a place on the bench?



Lukaku is a guaranteed 25 goals a season man with an outrageous record at International level so does it really matter if he looks like a United player, whatever that means ?

A guaranteed 25 goal a season striker who isn't going to score 25 goals this season. Interesting

 

[RetroStu]

I still dont know why we bought Sanchez. I mean we have been accused of buying a lot of 'luxary signings' and ego signings over recent yeras, many times falsly, but Sanchez is the optimum of that. Pointless signiing imo.

 

[Class of 63]

Do you ever watch some player performing for another team, and get that feeling that they could easily fit into your team? When Lukaku was playing for West Bromwich and Everton I never had that feeling that he could fit into the team I support, Manchester United. He never really had a good game against United (that I can recall), and I remember Jones in particular keeping him very quiet in matches. He was a strong, quick bustling type of player, very strong on his left foot, and excellent in the air. If we had two wingers who could beat the full back, and get a good cross into the box, then he could possibly thrive at OT, but we're not playing like that. He needs to go to a club that play that way, and possibly then he would become a 25 goal a season man, I don't think the way United play at the moment suits him.

Wasn't paying too much attention as to how he played but didn't he score a hat-trick for WBA coming on as sub in SAF's last match ?

 

[Everest Red]

Would love to get rid of both, but see a bit of a Rooney situation with both, unfortunately.
Lukaku isnt good enough for a top club, so who is going to pay his wages? Sanchez is probably finished at the top too, but again, how on earth do we get rid with those wages ?

Chelsea, easily.

 

[Cloud7]

If we want squad depth bin both of them and get Richarlison and Ryan Fraser in for squad depth. They would more than likely contribute more to the team, and the wages would be much less.

All the talk about squad depth ignores the fact that Lukaku and Sanchez have been crap, Sanchez especially. I can at least see some argument for keeping Lukaku, but there is absolutely no reason to keep Sanchez. Anytime he’s on the field he is a liability. Just because he was good once upon a time doesn’t make him “useful firepower from the bench”

 

[red woppit]

Wasn't paying too much attention as to how he played but didn't he score a hat-trick for WBA coming on as sub in SAF's last match ?

You are spot on. Just watched the game, and it looked like United's defence were already on holiday, probably thought they had the game won at 3-0 and then 5-2, but fair play, took his first two well, third was a bit scrappy, but was in the right place.
He's here for the rest of the season, likewise Sanchez, and perhaps we will be wrong and Ole will get them firing again. I'm not in the camp that just want to get rid of these two, but looking at their performances recently, neither look comfortable in our game plan, so based on that I can only see them both moving on, Lukaku more likely in my opinion.

 

[Aloysius's Back 3]

Thing with Lukaku is he is isn't trying as hard as he used to under Jose.

He would have been a good plan B if he did but he just seems significantly out of sorts even in a bit part role.

 

[Aloysius's Back 3]

Mata for David brooks, Lukaku striker role give to Sanchez possibly or sell both - use the space for Greenwood & if the time comes - use it for Sancho or Kane with a world record fee.

That's how we build a squad.

The way city have a swlquad these days I'm not sure keeping players who are only 70% of our standards is going to help us all that much.

 

[Flytan]

I mean it depends. Sanchez by all accounts is still trying he just isn't playing well anymore. Lukaku is clearly second choice now so if he wants to leave, let him, if not he's not bad on the RW/backup.

 

[C'est Moi Cantona]

Thing with Lukaku is he is isn't trying as hard as he used to under Jose.

He would have been a good plan B if he did but he just seems significantly out of sorts even in a bit part role.

There was a good reason he was reportedly in the minority who still supported Jose, and that he knew he was one of the few who was actually allowed to play to his true ability under him, and now that is no where near good enough.

 

[Adebesi]

I believe Sanchez can, in theory, play well in the current United system. He isn't doing it at the moment, but I haven't given up hope he will come good. It's hope rather than expectation, but I think we should give him another season.

With Lukaku it's not about form, it's about not suiting the kind of football we want to play. He's a good striker but he should go to a team that will play to his strengths.