Lukaku and Sanchez - cut our losses? Poll now added

Should we cut our losses on Sanchez and Lukaku in the summer?

  • Total voters
    1,486
Sanchez is done but Lukaku is only 25 and appears to be enjoying his football under OGS.

We have more pressing areas that need strengthening in the summer so I'd be keeping Lukaku at the moment.
 
Shark said:
Depends what we mean by not good enough. As a squad player he’s more than good enough. If he’s happy with that role he’s more than welcome to stay in my books.
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squad player that we spent 90 million on and is on high wages? Get rid.
 
Sanchez obviously needs to go.

Regarding Lukaku, to my mind it's about priorities.

I think I'm right in saying we've targeted four signings in each of the last two summers and in both those summers we failed to make all four of those signings? That gives us an idea of the constraints on the amount of business we can realistically get through this summer, regardless of who our manager is.

Given those limitations, is upgrading Lukaku pressing enough to be one of our main priorities? Whatever limitations he has as a footballer, he is still arguably one of the league's best goalscorers and certainly our best goalscorer. Hardly someone we desperately need to get rid of when signing a RB, CB, CM, RW and/or replacing Sanchez are potentially all on the table too.

It's easy to name players who should be upgraded when there are no constraints on doing so. The manager/club have the much harder job of deciding which of those players have to be upgraded immediately and which he can get something from for now, even if it's not ideal. Lukaku very much falls into the latter category, I think. Particularly as he has shown a good attitude when left on the bench or played out of position.
 
Changed my vote (again)

Sell Sanchez,great in his day but his legs are going.

Lukaku,as poor as he is right now, is still learning his trade so to speak and is a good squad option for me.
 
The Man Himself said:
Changed vote from sell both to keep Lukaku.
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Ditto

Sanchez would still be ok to keep if his wages were not such a major headache for the club. Till either he matches his performances to his wages or reduces his wages, it's gonna be a massive headache in contract renewals and new signings.

Lukaku's recent form has shown that he still has much to give to the club. With ole at the wheel, I'm sure he will be able to further improve his game and help him get back into shape.

He'll be essential as we'll need at least two quality center forwards to get through an entire season.
 
Lukaku has certainly changed peoples' opinions recently. I'm delighted he's started to perform. Hope he finishes out the season with many more goals and keeps improving his overall performances.

I just don't think he is suitable for us when everyone is fit, and let's say we buy a super promising right-sided attacker as well. That 433 is probably here to stay which doesn't suit Rom, but it for sure suits Pogba. Will he be a happy squad player? Will he slot in nicely as the focal point of attack in a 433 when Rashford is rested? I still doubt he's the right bet going forward.

But with Alexis there is no doubt. We simply have to get rid. Most importantly so it doesn't mean we have to pay every single (better) player an arm and a leg.
 
Ronaldo's Mum Eh? said:
squad player that we spent 90 million on and is on high wages? Get rid.
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Looking at the City "Centurions" I think it's important to have quality rotation options, even if the player was expensive. Lukaku is only 25 and is a 1-in-2 goalscorer. Something that can't be said of our other forwards.

It's Sanchez who hasn't provided any quality and has much higher wages. So getting rid of him is a no-brainer.
 
U99ted said:
Looking at the City "Centurions" I think it's important to have quality rotation options, even if the player was expensive. Lukaku is only 25 and is a 1-in-2 goalscorer. Something that can't be said of our other forwards.

It's Sanchez who hasn't provided any quality and has much higher wages. So getting rid of him is a no-brainer.
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If we have a rotation option that's most likely earning around 200k per week, that'll cause a huge amount of problems when it comes to any future contract negotiations with other players. No team in the world would have a sub as one of their top earners.
 
Ronaldo's Mum Eh? said:
Lukaku still needs to go. 4 goals doesn't change anything. He's not good enough.
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Agree. I've changed my vote because I think it might be unrealistic to get rid of him this summer, but I don't think he'll be good enough to keep more than one more season.
 
If, and only if Lukaku was content with not being a guaranteed starting striker - we should be very pleased to have a player with his different qualities in the squad. People loved having man like Fellaini as a 'plan b' when the stats showed the guy very rarely produced anything positive for us. Whereas Lukaku - for all his deficiencies - is a proven [albeit limited] striker that excels in the box and from crosses [due to presence]. That's a proper plan B imo, when our intricate cute buildup play through the middle doesn't work against a stubborn parked bus, this creates a new problem for the opponent.

Sure he cost a lot, but who gives a feck? I don't, i care about functionality and practicality.

Edit: To add, I'm going back on a lot of what i've said about Lukaku in the past. I was wrong. :wenger:
 
Keep Lukaku. I know now is "not the time to come out" and support him, but I honestly think, and have thought all the time that we would have been a little short on strikers if we sold both. He has done well enough as of late and even before that, even if he had a drought we will always need a bit of a holding striker.

Sanchez is and has been a disgrace. A "proven" top PL player. Not saying he can redeem himself, but honestly, even if he does you should expect more from someone like him.
 
I just don’t get the point of this thread, including Lukaku with Sanchez.

Looking at Lukaku’s skills vs Rashford, I would say:

Much better than Rashford in heading ability
Much more physical and intimidating than Rashford
Better decision-making than Rashford
Better than Rashford at one-on-ones
Slightly better than Rashford at Finishing
Holdup play is good

Of course, there are areas Lukaku is not as good as Rash:
Slightly less than Rashford in dribbling ability
Doesn’t make as many runs as Rashford
Movement inside the box not as good as Rashford
Much slower than Rashford
Terrible first touch

I would want to keep both Rashford & Lukaku, and both have much room for improvement. Both are still young and can improve. If Ole can figure a way to make both of them play up to their max potential while playing side by side, not many defenses can deal with the combination of threats they present.
 
I love it when fans take it upon themselves to worry about players' fees, wages while stating footballing preferences. I would like to go by what is seen on the pitch, and there is no way Lukaku should be in the selling list. He has been our best attacker by far in last three games. Some are just plainly biased against him because he is not a very smooth player. Now that he is regaining form again, hopefully he will prove everyone wrong.

I also don't like this dichotomy of first team and squad players. Would rather break it up into three: core (who play every week - de gea, Pogba), first team (who play in first team depending on opposition and tactics), and backup players.
Lukaku may not currently deserve to be in core, but definitely belongs in first team and should be first choice for home games against easy opposition, for example. Don't think that's unreasonable at all.
 
As long as Rom accepts sitting on the bench when other/better options are fit, I'd say keep Rom until manager prefers to play Greenwood over him. Until then, why sell him? As many goals as Kane this season if you don't count penalties, with fewer minutes played.
 
Changed my vote. I was an idiot. Keep Lukaku and he can do whatever he wants here. :drool:

Still get Sanchez out though.
 
Id still upgrade Lukaku for the right player, but Sanchez certainly has to go. Lukaku can stay but I still thinks its optimal to upgrade if possible.

Lukaku will always have streaky form and well we know the rest
 
I'd still sell both. Its nothing new that Lukaku goes through phases. Scores a lot then goes quiet for a few weeks. He's also consistently clumsy. If we get what we paid for him, I'd sell him this summer. Imagine someone like Kane at United with all the chances Lukaku gets, he'd finish on 40+ a season.

Sanchez - Wrong club, wrong time. Doubt we will get much for him considering his wages and age but id take a small hit and sell him. Might even have a positive effect on our wages being down to earth again. Feels like we are paying fortunes at the moment.
 
Eating humble pie here and totally switched my vote. Bin Sanchez and keep Rom!
 
Ronaldo's Mum Eh? said:
squad player that we spent 90 million on and is on high wages? Get rid.
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We didn't spend 90 mil on him. We paid Everton 60 mil plus allow them to sign Rooney. Everton claim they value Rooney at 30mil, which made the whole deal worth 90 mil for them. But for utd, we were stuck with Rooney on a huge contract, which would cost us around 20 mil if he stayed to the end of the contract. So we were more than happy to offload him to Everton.
 
Feel vindicated I voted Sanchez out and Lukaku stays before he hit 6 in 3 games.

Lukaku reminds me of Rooney in that his at bottom level he is almost a pub player but when he's on form he's lethal.
 
shamans said:
Despite not being Lukakus biggest fan (and I still think he's limited) I had the right vote on this thankfully!
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Limited when they play him as a lone striker. Tonight showed that having a striker pairing is not an archaic strategy. I also think that they could play with a four-man midfield with Delot as a RM and - yes - Luke Shaw as the LM. I could even see a 3-5-2 with those two on the flanks. I never thought that I would be up for a 3-5-2.

As for Sanchez, I'd sell him only if it made financial sense but otherwise I keep him around.
 
I was pretty fed up with Lukaku's bumbling when I voted on this a few weeks ago, so now feeling unjustly smug that I voted "Sell Sanchez, keep Lukaku"
 
darko said:
Limited when they play him as a lone striker. Tonight showed that having a striker pairing is not an archaic strategy. I also think that they could play with a four-man midfield with Delot as a RM and - yes - Luke Shaw as the LM. I could even see a 3-5-2 with those two on the flanks. I never thought that I would be up for a 3-5-2.

As for Sanchez, I'd sell him only if it made financial sense but otherwise I keep him around.
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Sanchez is done and you could tell from months ago. He's physically finished and he used to rely on his physicality a lot.

Lukaku is just limited in a few other aspects as well though. First, he's a confidence player and when he's out of confidence he really can stink it up so he's not someone a top top team can rely on being a full time starter all season. Second, like you mentioned he's positionally limited. You have to play him a certain way or two else he's useless.

That said, we should still keep him if he can and hopefully he's happy with being rotated in and out of the team.
 
I changed my mind. If Lukaku is willing to stay and fight for his place, as well as being okay with periods out of the team, and isn’t going to kick up a fuss about not being an automatic first choice, then I’m happy to keep him.

Sanchez needs to be fired out of a cannon though. If I never see him in a United shirt again it still won’t have been soon enough.
 
There is part of me that is still hoping Sanchez can come good for us. Though rationally I know that is now looking very unlikely.

I expect him to still be at the club next year though. I think it will take longer for him and the club to accept they have to cut their losses. As in, I dont reckon Sanchez will be ready for either a pay cut, or to walk away from top level football by going to China. I dont think his ego will allow it. So he is a bit snookered, and will end up staying where he is to prove his doubters wrong.
 
Cassidy said:
Id still upgrade Lukaku for the right player, but Sanchez certainly has to go. Lukaku can stay but I still thinks its optimal to upgrade if possible.

Lukaku will always have streaky form and well we know the rest
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Upgrade him with which player?
 
Nori- said:
I'd still sell both. Its nothing new that Lukaku goes through phases. Scores a lot then goes quiet for a few weeks. He's also consistently clumsy. If we get what we paid for him, I'd sell him this summer. Imagine someone like Kane at United with all the chances Lukaku gets, he'd finish on 40+ a season.

Sanchez - Wrong club, wrong time. Doubt we will get much for him considering his wages and age but id take a small hit and sell him. Might even have a positive effect on our wages being down to earth again. Feels like we are paying fortunes at the moment.
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Not that true actually. Last season Kane took about twice as many shots as Lukaku and in all competitions they scored a similar amount.
 
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