Manchester United ready to back José Mourinho with £100m-plus in January

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Think we will bring in Godin and Alderweireld in January. Maybe Everton Soares from Premio up front.
I think Godin would be a bad buy tbh. Not only is he unproven in the Premier hes 32 and hasnt the time to adapt either. Mou would be dropping him after a ddozen games never to be seen again. Look at Bailly for example. Plenty of time to adapt and could be given game time, without playing every game or full game, but has just been discarded. On the subject of age, why cant we look at max 27 year olds so we got some longevity and the chance to adapt to the Premier if not up to scratch.
 
£100m ?
At best that is two class players ...

This is the attitude that's gotten United on the slide since Fergie retired. £100m is a huge sum if spent wisely. People say there are no more bargain gems left in this inflated market, but they are wrong

Spurs last three signings: Juan Foyth for £11.2m, Lucas Moura for £25m, Paulo Gazzaniga (sum unknown but not much) ... so for a fair bit less than £50m we've likely sorted a near-future 1st choice CB, our future GK after Lloris and a pacy and dangerous attacking player who has featured lots for us this season.

United could follow a similar path if they chose and start building for the long-term ... it doesn't have to be always about spending £50m per player or more.
 
This is the attitude that's gotten United on the slide since Fergie retired. £100m is a huge sum if spent wisely. People say there are no more bargain gems left in this inflated market, but they are wrong

Spurs last three signings: Juan Foyth for £11.2m, Lucas Moura for £25m, Paulo Gazzaniga (sum unknown but not much) ... so for a fair bit less than £50m we've likely sorted a near-future 1st choice CB, our future GK after Lloris and a pacy and dangerous attacking player who has featured lots for us this season.

United could follow a similar path if they chose and start building for the long-term ... it doesn't have to be always about spending £50m per player or more.

Do you really think Gazzaniga is your future GK? He’s 26, couldn’t break through at Southampton and unless he’s been injured he still seems to be behind Michel Vorm in the pecking order?
 
Do you really think Gazzaniga is your future GK? He’s 26, couldn’t break through at Southampton and unless he’s been injured he still seems to be behind Michel Vorm in the pecking order?

I think he's now overtaken Vorm (who is now 35 years old) as our No. 2 GK. He's started 5 games for us this season, 2 in the Prem, 2 in the League Cup and once in the CL … been impressive. I think we won all those games.
 
This is the attitude that's gotten United on the slide since Fergie retired. £100m is a huge sum if spent wisely. People say there are no more bargain gems left in this inflated market, but they are wrong

Spurs last three signings: Juan Foyth for £11.2m, Lucas Moura for £25m, Paulo Gazzaniga (sum unknown but not much) ... so for a fair bit less than £50m we've likely sorted a near-future 1st choice CB, our future GK after Lloris and a pacy and dangerous attacking player who has featured lots for us this season.

United could follow a similar path if they chose and start building for the long-term ... it doesn't have to be always about spending £50m per player or more.
Your talking about Spurs, I'm talking about United. long term ? There's too much at stake for a long term plan.
 
You say 'already' but we have'nt had a decent RB for 2/3 years and he's failed to impress in that time, he can't even hold down a squad place.

I agree. Sadly TFM doesn’t look like he’s developing into the player we hoped he could be. Hasn’t really impressed on loan, we need to get on with buying a top level young right back.
 
Howdy Everyone,

Just buy Ajax Amsterdam and be over with it..
 
I think Godin would be a bad buy tbh. Not only is he unproven in the Premier hes 32 and hasnt the time to adapt either. Mou would be dropping him after a ddozen games never to be seen again. Look at Bailly for example. Plenty of time to adapt and could be given game time, without playing every game or full game, but has just been discarded. On the subject of age, why cant we look at max 27 year olds so we got some longevity and the chance to adapt to the Premier if not up to scratch.

Difference between Godin and Bailly would be that one is the best defender in the world and the other is basically a stuntman.
 
You say 'already' but we have'nt had a decent RB for 2/3 years and he's failed to impress in that time, he can't even hold down a squad place.
He's 20 years old and has rarely been given the chance to impress in that position.

Of all the players that should be shipped out he's waaaaaaaaaaaaaay down the pecking order for me.

I admit he needs first team football.Maybe a good championship team may of been a wiser choice.Going to PL clubs desperate for survival is usually a poor decision for many young players.Those teams more often than not tend to favour experience in such circumstances,which is totally understandable.
 
This is the attitude that's gotten United on the slide since Fergie retired. £100m is a huge sum if spent wisely. People say there are no more bargain gems left in this inflated market, but they are wrong

Spurs last three signings: Juan Foyth for £11.2m, Lucas Moura for £25m, Paulo Gazzaniga (sum unknown but not much) ... so for a fair bit less than £50m we've likely sorted a near-future 1st choice CB, our future GK after Lloris and a pacy and dangerous attacking player who has featured lots for us this season.

United could follow a similar path if they chose and start building for the long-term ... it doesn't have to be always about spending £50m per player or more.
The difference is - we have terrible scouts atm.
 
This is the attitude that's gotten United on the slide since Fergie retired. £100m is a huge sum if spent wisely. People say there are no more bargain gems left in this inflated market, but they are wrong

Spurs last three signings: Juan Foyth for £11.2m, Lucas Moura for £25m, Paulo Gazzaniga (sum unknown but not much) ... so for a fair bit less than £50m we've likely sorted a near-future 1st choice CB, our future GK after Lloris and a pacy and dangerous attacking player who has featured lots for us this season.

United could follow a similar path if they chose and start building for the long-term ... it doesn't have to be always about spending £50m per player or more.

You also spent 100 mill on Sanchez, Sissoko and Jansen. If we're not cherry picking transfers...
 
This is the attitude that's gotten United on the slide since Fergie retired. £100m is a huge sum if spent wisely. People say there are no more bargain gems left in this inflated market, but they are wrong

Spurs last three signings: Juan Foyth for £11.2m, Lucas Moura for £25m, Paulo Gazzaniga (sum unknown but not much) ... so for a fair bit less than £50m we've likely sorted a near-future 1st choice CB, our future GK after Lloris and a pacy and dangerous attacking player who has featured lots for us this season.

United could follow a similar path if they chose and start building for the long-term ... it doesn't have to be always about spending £50m per player or more.

Foyth has been at your club for over a year and played 3 games.

Gazzaniga pretty much the same. You can equate those to a signing like Dalot or maybe even Chong or Fosu Mensah.

Meanwhile you spent 100m on Sissoko Sanchez and Jansen as has been mentioned.

If were talking about signing prospects well we do that already, but this seems like we want players to go straight into the first team right now so your examples are not very relevant
 
This is the attitude that's gotten United on the slide since Fergie retired. £100m is a huge sum if spent wisely. People say there are no more bargain gems left in this inflated market, but they are wrong

Spurs last three signings: Juan Foyth for £11.2m, Lucas Moura for £25m, Paulo Gazzaniga (sum unknown but not much) ... so for a fair bit less than £50m we've likely sorted a near-future 1st choice CB, our future GK after Lloris and a pacy and dangerous attacking player who has featured lots for us this season.

United could follow a similar path if they chose and start building for the long-term ... it doesn't have to be always about spending £50m per player or more.

No thanks. It's not like Spurs are winning loads of trophies and dominating league to follow your example.
 
Your talking about Spurs, I'm talking about United. long term ? There's too much at stake for a long term plan.

What is this "too much at stake" for a long-term plan?
 
The difference is - we have terrible scouts atm.

Is it really possible for it to be the only explanation. I mean, most of the guys have been on the job for decades, how could they be "terrible" ?

From the youth setup from the first team transfers could we really complain ? In details, Pogba, Rashford, Lingard (+Fosu-Mensah, Tuanzebe, Mc Tominay and the Perreiras) all come from the youth team, Martial, Shaw, De Gea, Jones and lastly Dalot were good under 20 recruits, Mata, Lukaku, Sanchez, Bailly, Fred and even Matic could have been picked by any top team at the moment we recruited them. When you look at it, Valencia, Young, Smalling, Grant and Fellaini were at least coherent domestic buys. The leftovers are Herrera, Romero, lindelof, Rojo and Darmian. The first two had their uses, which leave us only three potential oversea targeting errors, which is not a lot.

Football also is a matter of context, globally, it's obvious that the first eleven under, for instance, could play good football, at least for this season, if in the right setup or context. Also let's keep in mind that results wise this United team is still there, they actually achieve stuff.

De Gea
Valencia-Bailly-Jones-Shaw
Fred-Matic-Pogba
Sanchez-Lukaku-Martial


Bold : Underleveled/ Past their peak

The defence may be the biggest flaw, it's one a the most common position for top players, I mean, one of the easiest to find if it means something. I don't really understand the club's transfer policy atm but if we focus on the youth I'll go all in for De Ligt, if we're looking for an established player let it be Varane or Umtiti, 100M£ should do just fine.

In the summer I would focus on the other bolded postions, maybe Sidibe to put an easy rotation with Dalot as RB, Frenkie De Jong seems obvious as a DM to rotate with Matic, and at least Pullisic, Lozano or even try to put Malcom out of his Barcelona misery as a RW. It will be expensive but not unrealistic. No marquee signings but what's the point in such a flawed market.

Globally we can all agree on the fact that United need a clear long term vision as a sport team and as an organization. I want us to have a clear idea of the footabll we want to play and to build around it. It is the cleaverest path to reach our goals may they be sportive ones or economic.
 
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No thanks. It's not like Spurs are winning loads of trophies and dominating league to follow your example.

Nope we instead wait the likes of Juventus and Spurs to buy players which we then offer ridiculous sums of money to try and lure them to OT.
 
Nope we instead wait the likes of Juventus and Spurs to buy players which we then offer ridiculous sums of money to try and lure them to OT.

Yeah that's the only 2 options available.
 
This is the attitude that's gotten United on the slide since Fergie retired. £100m is a huge sum if spent wisely. People say there are no more bargain gems left in this inflated market, but they are wrong

Spurs last three signings: Juan Foyth for £11.2m, Lucas Moura for £25m, Paulo Gazzaniga (sum unknown but not much) ... so for a fair bit less than £50m we've likely sorted a near-future 1st choice CB, our future GK after Lloris and a pacy and dangerous attacking player who has featured lots for us this season.

United could follow a similar path if they chose and start building for the long-term ... it doesn't have to be always about spending £50m per player or more.

And that's why Spurs will never win the league
 
Nope we instead wait the likes of Juventus and Spurs to buy players which we then offer ridiculous sums of money to try and lure them to OT.

Like Dalot Memphis Martial Shaw....

Like Fosu Mensah, Chong...
 
Foyth has been at your club for over a year and played 3 games.

Gazzaniga pretty much the same. You can equate those to a signing like Dalot or maybe even Chong or Fosu Mensah.

Meanwhile you spent 100m on Sissoko Sanchez and Jansen as has been mentioned.

If were talking about signing prospects well we do that already, but this seems like we want players to go straight into the first team right now so your examples are not very relevant

He's played in 11 games, not 3: that's pretty good considering he's only 20 and has Vertonghen, Alderweireld and Sanchez ahead of him. Gazzaniga has played in 6 games.

Sanchez has been a good signing and even Sissoko has improved a lot (81 appearances). Janssen I'll give you.

I'll predict that in two years from now Foyth, Sanchez and Gazzaniga will be amongst our first XI regulars … Sanchez is almost there already.

The point is that United don't give younger players enough chances to develop - and don't focus enough on finding hidden gems - because you are too focused on spending lots of money on 'name' players who will supposedly come in and quickly make you a better team … which in turn speaks of an endless short-term focus at the expense of re-building a long-term dynasty.
 
He's played in 11 games, not 3: that's pretty good considering he's only 20 and has Vertonghen, Alderweireld and Sanchez ahead of him. Gazzaniga has played in 6 games.

Sanchez has been a good signing and even Sissoko has improved a lot (81 appearances). Janssen I'll give you.

I'll predict that in two years from now Foyth, Sanchez and Gazzaniga will be amongst our first XI regulars … Sanchez is almost there already.

The point is that United don't give younger players enough chances to develop - and don't focus enough on finding hidden gems - because you are too focused on spending lots of money on 'name' players who will supposedly come in and quickly make you a better team … which in turn speaks of an endless short-term focus at the expense of re-building a long-term dynasty.

What do you mean "I'll give me", I am not saying they are poor singings I am saying cost is relative to whether you are talking about signing players to impact the first team now or in the future.

This is complete rubbish. Current first team players: Rashford Lingard Martial (Pogba signed as a young gem) Dalot (signed as a future RB)

Every summer we signed established players and then also sign young players who we hope to develop. Some don't work out some do.
Its a complete lie to act like we are only searching for name players.

Martial Dalot Memphis Chong Fosu Mensah Varela amoungst others all signed in the last 5 seasons

Bailly and Lindelof signed as young CB who we hoped to develop

You are simply talking nonsense

Fact is the overall strategy is balanced the issue is our scouts don't seem to pick the right players and our managers can't get the best out of them.
 
And that's why Spurs will never win the league

Signing Foyth, Moura and Gazzaniga is why Spurs will never win the league?

I see …. should we have spent more and signed Bailly, Alexis Sanchez and Lee Grant instead?
 
Like Dalot Memphis Martial Shaw....

Like Fosu Mensah, Chong...

Players we either don't utilise or sold/nearly sold too early

I am not against signing the occasionally big name. However going for players who had won everything there is to win and are looking for a last pay cheque is stupid. How did it served us having Matic, Sanchez, Mata and co around?
 
The point is that United don't give younger players enough chances to develop

Shaw 23 - 1350 mins
Lindelof 24 - 1169 mins
Martial 22 - 995 mins
Rashford 20 - 747 mins
Bailly 24 - 379 mins
Dalot 19 - 180 mins
Pereira 22- 170 mins

Last season
Lukaku 24 - 4071 mins
Pogba 24- 2879 mins
Rashford 19 - 2676 mins
Lingard 24- 2652 mins
Lindelof - 23 - 2361 mins
Martial 21 - 2337 mins
Bailly 23 - 1359 mins
Shaw 21 - 1330 mins
Mctominay 20 - 1307 mins
 
Yeah that's the only 2 options available.

the point is that your argument that signing bargains can't win you things is wrong. Juventus do it all the time with the occasional big signing and they can't stop winning.
 
Players we either don't utilise or sold/nearly sold too early

I am not against signing the occasionally big name. However going for players who had won everything there is to win and are looking for a last pay cheque is stupid. How did it served us having Matic, Sanchez, Mata and co around?

So the problem isn't really with the transfer strategy when we are actually buying these young players for the future.
 
the point is that your argument that signing bargains can't win you things is wrong. Juventus do it all the time with the occasional big signing and they can't stop winning.

I didn't say signing bargain won't help you win, I said following Spurs model won't help us win. Nothing to do with Juventus who have highest wage bill in Italy by distance and completely dominate transfer market.
 
the point is that your argument that signing bargains can't win you things is wrong. Juventus do it all the time with the occasional big signing and they can't stop winning.

In a one team league.... where they dominate financially... right....
Also his argument was the players mentioned by Spurs are not going to win us anything.
 
What do you mean "I'll give me", I am not saying they are poor singings I am saying cost is relative to whether you are talking about signing players to impact the first team now or in the future.

This is complete rubbish. Current first team players: Rashford Lingard Martial (Pogba signed as a young gem) Dalot (signed as a future RB)

Every summer we signed established players and then also sign young players who we hope to develop. Some don't work out some do.
Its a complete lie to act like we are only searching for name players.

Martial Dalot Memphis Chong Fosu Mensah Varela amoungst others all signed in the last 5 seasons

Bailly and Lindelof signed as young CB who we hoped to develop

You are simply talking nonsense

Fact is the overall strategy is balanced the issue is our scouts don't seem to pick the right players and our managers can't get the best out of them.

Come off it. First, I didn't say you only look for name players: I said you focus too much on this.

Moreover, Martial was a 'name' player, as the price tag indicates. And where are others that you mention (Dalot, Memphis, Chong, Fosu Mensah, Varela)? Not playing for United (or hardly ever) seems to be the answer.

You've spent an absolute fortune, yet already you'll soon need to replace Matic, Sanchez, Young, Valencia and Fellaini.

The issue is not primarily the scouting (they look for the type of players they are told to look for) nor even the managers (they operate within the "fast-lane return to the top" brief that they've doubtless been given).

The fundamental issue has been the focus on endless short-termism at the expense of a long-term strategy for rebuilding a dynasty - and that's down to the club chair and the owners who employ him.
 
Shaw 23 - 1350 mins
Lindelof 24 - 1169 mins
Martial 22 - 995 mins
Rashford 20 - 747 mins
Bailly 24 - 379 mins
Dalot 19 - 180 mins
Pereira 22- 170 mins

Last season
Lukaku 24 - 4071 mins
Pogba 24- 2879 mins
Rashford 19 - 2676 mins
Lingard 24- 2652 mins
Lindelof - 23 - 2361 mins
Martial 21 - 2337 mins
Bailly 23 - 1359 mins
Shaw 21 - 1330 mins
McTominay 20 - 1307 mins

Your list includes eight players aged 23 or older … that's hardly a definition of 'youth' players.
 
Come off it. First, I didn't say you only look for name players: I said you focus too much on this.

Moreover, Martial was a 'name' player, as the price tag indicates. And where are others that you mention (Dalot, Memphis, Chong, Fosu Mensah, Varela)? Not playing for United (or hardly ever) seems to be the answer.

You've spent an absolute fortune, yet already you'll soon need to replace Matic, Sanchez, Young, Valencia and Fellaini.

The issue is not primarily the scouting (they look for the type of players they are told to look for) nor even the managers (they operate within the "fast-lane return to the top" brief that they've doubtless been given).

The fundamental issue has been the focus on endless short-termism at the expense of a long-term strategy for rebuilding a dynasty - and that's down to the club chair and the owners who employ him.

Martial wasn't a name player.
Anyway where are they now is what I was saying some will work out some won't

Well Dalot (is still developing) Chong is still developing, Martial is a regular, Memphis was moved on (didn't work out for him, I suspect because we haven't had a manager with a good enough attacking identity on the pitch) Fosu Mensah (is still developing on loan), Verela (left the club, he has actually gone back to Uruguay I believe)

Your actual question of where are they now highlights it is you who is thinking short term.

At a club like United it is going to be even harder to work out since the expectation are far greater than at Spurs.

For instance where is Njie now? Where is Fazio? Where is N'Koudou? Where is Lopez?

Now where we agree is that United haven't got their long term strategy right, but I disagree that our transfer policy hasn't reflected a balanced approach to signing both established players and players for the future.

It is just the case that singing players for the future carries risk of players not eventually being good enough. Also signing players for the future requires management that allows for progressive development of young players.

The overall point I was making was the Spurs players you mentioned Foryth and Gazzaniga are comparable to players United have signed Dalot and Fosu Mensah. Young talents who we hope to develop and are on their development path.
 
Your list includes eight players aged 23 or older … that's hardly a definition of 'youth' players.

Shaw was 22 last year. I mentioned it as 21. So yeah he was 22 last year when he played decent number of games.

What's your definition of youth players then?
Sanchez - 22 - 1154 mins
Winks - 22- 817 mins
Alli - 22 - 710 mins
Foyth - 20 - 270 mins

And apart from them, none of other young players played more than 90 mins. So now 22 qualifies as Youth players, now that Spurs play 22 year olds?

Last season
Alli - 21 - 3790 mins
Sanchez - 21 - 3434 mins
Winks - 21 - 1500 mins
Foyth - 19 - 720 mins
Walker peters - 445 mins

Hardly playing "Youth" and easily comparable to ManUtd and easily arguable that ManUtd have done better.
 
Total mins by U20 players

ManUtd - 180
Spurs - 6

Last season mins played by U20 players
ManUtd - 2678 mins
Spurs - 722 mins

2016-17
ManUtd - 3906 mins
Spurs - 667 mins

So much for playing Young players.
 
Martial wasn't a name player.
Anyway where are they now is what I was saying some will work out some won't

Well Dalot (is still developing) Chong is still developing, Martial is a regular, Memphis was moved on (didn't work out for him, I suspect because we haven't had a manager with a good enough attacking identity on the pitch) Fosu Mensah (is still developing on loan), Verela (left the club, he has actually gone back to Uruguay I believe)

Your actual question of where are they now highlights it is you who is thinking short term.

At a club like United it is going to be even harder to work out since the expectation are far greater than at Spurs.

For instance where is Njie now? Where is Fazio? Where is N'Koudou? Where is Lopez?

Now where we agree is that United haven't got their long term strategy right, but I disagree that our transfer policy hasn't reflected a balanced approach to signing both established players and players for the future.

It is just the case that singing players for the future carries risk of players not eventually being good enough. Also signing players for the future requires management that allows for progressive development of young players.

The overall point I was making was the Spurs players you mentioned Foryth and Gazzaniga are comparable to players United have signed Dalot and Fosu Mensah. Young talents who we hope to develop and are on their development path.

It's one thing to sign established players, but when these have included several players approaching their career-end - e.g. Matic, Sanchez, Schweiny, Ibrahimovich - then questions have to be asked.

And regarding young players, since Fergie retired is there even one you've signed aside from Martial who has been a clear success or even likely to be heading to a first XI spot?

All signings carry risk, even those of 'name' or established players. It's debateable whether signing a young prospect carries more risk than signing an established player for several times as much money, because the former can be let go without too much damage, whereas if the latter doesn't work out then (a) you've blocked or slowed some youth development; and (b) you may only be able to sell them for a big loss and/or by continuing to subsidise their wages.
 
It's one thing to sign established players, but when these have included several players approaching their career-end - e.g. Matic, Sanchez, Schweiny, Ibrahimovich - then questions have to be asked.

And regarding young players, since Fergie retired is there even one you've signed aside from Martial who has been a clear success or even likely to be heading to a first XI spot?

All signings carry risk, even those of 'name' or established players. It's debateable whether signing a young prospect carries more risk than signing an established player for several times as much money, because the former can be let go without too much damage, whereas if the latter doesn't work out then (a) you've blocked or slowed some youth development; and (b) you may only be able to sell them for a big loss and/or by continuing to subsidise their wages.

And also included plenty that were not?

Herrera Fred Bailly Felliani Lindelof Schniderlin Mata Lukaku Pogba Darmian I mean why would you again cherry pick a handful of transfers to make a point when my post specifically mentioned balance? Key word being balance.

Also you would notice that 3 out of the 4 signings you mentioned were former players of the current manager when they were signed, that should tell you something.

Anyway my point has always been thats our transfers spending has always been balanced in terms of established players, and younger players. So your point again is null and void if you are attempting to say it isn't.
 
I think he's now overtaken Vorm (who is now 35 years old) as our No. 2 GK. He's started 5 games for us this season, 2 in the Prem, 2 in the League Cup and once in the CL … been impressive. I think we won all those games.

Fair enough. Still though, surely he needs to be playing football at this stage in his career if he’s any good? He’s only 14 months younger than De Gea who’s in his 8th season as first choice Utd keeper. He’s also older than Courtois, Ederson, Alisson, Kepa, Pickford etc who all look to be superior to him.

I think he’s unlikely to be first choice GK for any team with ambitions of winning trophies so it’s hardly a signing United should be aspiring to.

You’ve potentially signed an adequate 2nd choice goalkeeper for a reasonable fee. United’s number 2 is Sergio Romero and was signed on a free transfer.
 
In a one team league.... where they dominate financially... right....
Also his argument was the players mentioned by Spurs are not going to win us anything.

Juventus had been competitive for the last 60 years. Plenty of dynasties had risen and fallen throughout that time
 
I didn't say signing bargain won't help you win, I said following Spurs model won't help us win. Nothing to do with Juventus who have highest wage bill in Italy by distance and completely dominate transfer market.

I think you always need the occasional big signing to close a gap which spurs can't afford. However their model is closer to SAF/juve model then Mou's model is. Its also far more effective then buying players for lulz always to forget having signed them after few months
 
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