Manchester United Summer Transfer Window 2015: What do we still need?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Lots of interesting replies, I am surprised at the amount of additions some want and the idea of throwing out 2 thirds of our senior CB's, I just don't see LvG being that extreme.

I see almost everyone wants a new RB, I think if we went for someone like Clyne or danillo it would be the end of Rafael, and if Valencia isn't viewed as good enough to the RB back-up I see very little point in keeping him.

I think one thing we can all agree on is that regardless of formation we need to add at least one pacey, versatile forward.
 
I think all 3 positions like we know will need improving, its pretty obvious

Defense - defiantly a RB and a CB is a must. rafeal jones smalling and evans have proved they cannot be relied upon anymore. I forgot the last time rafeal even played a game, let alone a full 90 minutes, so a new right back is a huge priority.

Midfield - defiantly we need a top class winger to inject more speed into our play, as we look so one paced without di maria, give us more trickery to beat more players. A CM is a must, because at carrick's age, we got to look at the engine room. herrera blind and di maria have done great, but we still will need a CM, but its not has desperate has the defense and attack, and who would have thought that? but much like the attack carrick is not getting any younger so its still a vital area to improve

Attack - we will need to see a freshness brought into the attack, with rooney RVP and falcao not at the right age over the next few years, next year all 3 of our strikers will be in their 30's, so its vital we see a top class striker signed to see us through in the next few years. Forget signing falcao and sign a fresh younger striker who can lead united into the future.

What I want done in the summer? signing all 5 of a RB CB CM a winger and a striker, allot of cheese, but these are the weak area's of the squad. Improve these area's in the summer, we will become one scary player, with it being VG's team, and seeing the ghosts of fergie and moyes fully put to rest, back in the champions league, adapting from fergie's retirement, and going a long way to rebuilding a squad that was left to regress since 2009.
 
We need to sign that Own Goals lad. He was instrumental for us in the 09-10 season.

On a serious note, our immediate priority is a leader at the back. Much as I like Laporte, he's still young the last thing we need is yet another youthful player to add to Smalling (25), Rojo (24), and Jones (22), Blackett (20) and McNair (19). Evans, though 27, is still not playing like the experienced center back we expect him to grow into so I would say that's a huge priority at this moment in time. Someone like Godin or Chellini would be fantastic, though I'm not sure if they would be available. Hummels may be too expensive and the concern is that he may be to us what Mertersacker is to Arsenal - solid player but lacking pace.
 
What's encouraging is that we showed last summer that United arent scared to bring in 4 or 5 players if the manager needs them. I'm fully confident that by next August we'll have a starting 11 capable of winning this league. We have sponsorship and licensing deals which make us unlike any other club. There will always be cash available.
 
I think we'll be buying a lot more German and Dutch players, that's where Van Gaal has scouted before and he was on record suggesting that those players are cheaper and offer more bang for the buck.
 
We need a player that can accomodate Di Maria in midfield.

Carrick might be that man, but he's not getting any younger.
 
We need...

A rightback-Not just someone who will be backup, but someone expected to at least compete for the starting RB position. Targets should be Coleman & Clyne.

A centerback-Definitely the highest priority need out of all. Preferably someone who is experienced, known to be a defensive leader, and not too old. Targets should be Godin, Hummels, or Chiellini (depending on contract situation?)

A center midfielder-Someone who is good at the defensive side of the game, a skilled passer, and good going forward. Basically an all around box to box CM. Targets should be Strootman, Schneiderlin, or Vidal (if Juve sell for cheap, might be worth the gamble, because at his best, he's the perfect CM for what we need)

Winger/forward-A versatile attacking player with pace, skill, and finishing ability. Not an easy find these days, but we need one. Targets should be Marco Reus (who would be perfect) and maybe Memphis Depay or Andres Cuadrado.

A striker-Only if Falcao isn't being re-signed. Otherwise, we're well stocked here.
 
Last edited:
RB- so that we have a proper RB when rafael is injured. doesn't matter if the player is an upgrade of rafa or just a back up, albeit a decent one. i'll be happy if it is either alves(free) or clyne(can play at both RB/LB)

CB- a world class CB is needed if we are going to win the league next season. hummels is still an unlikely signing and i just don't know why, and of course there are concern about his pace and injury problems. godin would be awesome. i heard chiellini is available for free this summer? imagine getting alves and chiellini both on free transfers and then both of them played a huge role for us. i agree we need a leader at the back. signing a talented young CB like laporte is welcomed but we need a leader at then back more than ever.

CM- easy to say a box to box MF but they are not many out there. still not convinced with strootman. have to wait for the next 6 months to see whether he is over his serious injury or not and worth 30million the club are going to spend for him. somehow vidal is also facing injury problems soon after been linked to us:lol:...so i'll just leave this to van gaal to think this about.

attacker- hope falcao will find his goalscoring boots soon and we'll sign him permanently. and get a versatile attacker with PACE. bale would be perfect but he'll not leave real so maybe reus.
 
I see a few mentioning another striker if Falcao doesn't become a permanent signing, the problem is there aren't many options. I think Cavani is far from the player he was at Napoli and I am not sure Lacazette who is scoring at a high rate this season in Lique 1 is good enough. Then there are players like Benteke and Berahino from the PL but consistency is still to be shown by either.

One striker I have seen a bit of this season that has impressed me and who has a good all round game is Paulo Dybala.



Another interesting option, although young, is Milik who is at Ajax but actually is owned by Bayer Leverkusen.

 
GK, CB, CM and FW.
I'd be happy with Valdes, Vertonghan, Strootman and Cuadrado. Depay as a back up winger would be a quality addition and i wouldn't mind bringing Fabio back to cover Shaw or Rafael when injured but then again we have Valencia and Young who have done well covering, still if we can get good money for them i'd let them go. Need to still get rid of a few more players, Fletcher, Anderson, Evans, Lindegaard, Amos, Fellaini (forms okay -cash in on him) and some others officially Nani, Hernandez, Cleverley, Powell, Zaha etc.
 
In terms of priority:

  1. Better centre backs or at least a pair that will play 10 games without injury, suspension or whatever.
  2. Need another quality midfielder if available.
  3. A right back if Rafael can't stay fit.
  4. Finally a couple of constructive wingers for prices that aren't extortionate.
 
RB – Rafael has proven he can’t stay fit consistently enough so a RB is an essential signing.
CB – Jones, Evans and Smalling can’t stay fit as well so at least 1 CB possibly 2 because the constant injury crisis needs to stop, ability is irrelevant if you can’t get on the pitch regularly.
CM- Need a mobile CM with a good passing range
Winger – We are crying out for pace in the final third and a different option out wide
Striker – Don’t think signing Falcao is viable so we will need 1 more striker

Realistic signings would be something like: Clyne, Schar, Strootman, Reus & Milik but there are plenty of good alternatives out there.

I would also argue we need to buy 2-3 exciting youngsters as Varela, Powell, Henriquez and Zaha could all be on their way in the summer.
 
Call me overly sentimental but I'd rather we just get the one world class CB and then spend mostly on talented youth, like the olden days.
 
A reliable centre back who can become a mainstay of the first team and if van Gaal wants either a left-sided centre back or right-sided centre back (as it is a slight idiosyncrasy of his) then I hope it's the former. Smalling can be excellent, if he maintains his fitness, while Jones and McNair can provide competition, but we only have Rojo for the left side and Evans who I think we should sell. There's a sparcity of quality, experienced left-footed centre backs, so someone like Laporte might be worth a shot. I know I'm in the minority, but we only need one new CB IMO.

A versatile fullback primarily used in a right fullback capacity. Valencia has been very solid and I've always felt he can have his place here in some capacity due to the work-rate, strength and pace he provides even if he has been one-dimensional and void of confidence for a few seasons, but I wouldn't feel comfortable relying on him for large spells of the season at right back and that definitely seems the case with Rafa's injury woes. We need a capable challenger for his position and someone who can cover for Shaw also. Clyne perhaps?

In midfield, I still feel we are lacking some steel and someone who can contribute in both thirds of the pitch. We already have two box-to-box midfielders in Herrera and Fellaini, but the former feels like a b2b verging on #10 due to his flair and creativity in the final third and even though he is a good tackler, energetic and generally competent defensively, he isn't a specialist there. As for Fellaini, I only see him as a viable option if we are using him in a utility capacity or to negate certain opponents.`Someone like Strootman or Schneiderlin would be a great addition to our midfield, providing more balance and making it very complete.

A pacy, goalscoring wide player is crucial too. Take di Maria out of the team and we are largely deprived of any pace in the team, save for the fullbacks. It's a position we certainly need another in, even if we do continue with narrow, winger-less systems. It's offers variation and a different alternative to sustain some intensity if we are chasing a game. Currently, we only have Januzaj and Lingard who I would deem suitable for a wide position (ADM has to play centrally) and Lingard isn't a youth player with a guaranteed future here. His prospects are starting to look bleaker. Signing someone like Depay would give further impetus upfront and provide a threat from a different area of the pitch.

A striker, I feel, is dependant on Falcao's fitness and form. If from now, until the end of the season, he can remain injury-free and show signs of the Falcao of old, he might be worth signing permanently and that would render the need for another striker superfluous. With Rooney, Falcao and van Persie approaching, or in, their thirties, it should allow for a more progressive transition for Wilson to stake a claim in the first team over the next few years.

Those signings and I would expect a concerted title-challenge right until the very end next season.
 
Last edited:
  • competition / cover for Rafael.
  • winger (Nani?)
  • midfield general (upgrade on Fellaini)
  • centre back (maybe 2)
  • striker (hopefully Falcao if he improves / stays fit)

Sell some of the under performing or never fit players (Evans, Jones, Mata, Fellaini). Much can change until the end of the season.
 
We need a CB, maybe even two and a RB. Smalling, Jones, Evans, Rafael had their time, they will never stay fit and we shouldn't plan with them in our starting line up. Wouldn't be shocked if we get rid of Evans and maybe another of Smalling/Jones, keep them and Rafael as backups and hope the new ones can stay fit for at least most of our games. Then we need another midifielder, where Strootman looks like a likely candidate, Fellaini deserves his place in the squad, but shouldn't be a starter in a team, who wants to fight for every title in the near future. I am not sure we need a striker, we will change to 4-3-3 in the long-term imo, so a goal-scoring winger would be the attacking option there. Rooney, van Persie and Wilson could be enough for now and we have to watch how Falcao does for the rest of the season.

Godin/Laporte, Coleman/Clyne, Strootman/Schneiderlin, Depay would be a pretty ideal window for me.
 
Not a lot. Sort out cover for left and right back, and a top notch centre back who can work the ball well, especially as we are building our play from the back these days.

Midfield when fully fit is good, just lacks pace, especially those who provide a deeper cover in front of the defence, but those signings would probably be on a 1 in, 1 out.

Priority wise, defence is a major concern
 
Three quality players, a right back, a center back and a midfield general.
 
Realistically only the Goalkeeper and Left back positions are the ones that couldn't be improved considerably with De Gea/Lindegard and Shaw/Rojo/Young/Blind
 
I can only echo what a lot of people have said already but yes I think we need a quality CB who can stay injury free for at least 75% of a season, a right back that can adequately cover for Rafael and maybe even challenge for a first team spot in time a bonus would be to get someone who can play both FB positions and cover for Shaw as well even tough with Rojo and Blind we have two player who can cover his position reasonably well I feel. If we can't find someone like that we would probably need a cover for him as well. And on top of that I would love to have another winger with some pace and preferably a brain, someone like Sanchez would be ideal and right footed should be a bonus as we have so many left footed players in the squad. I also would prefer all our players to be 26 or younger so we can build a team that will last for at least 4-5 years. On top of that I would love to get in someone in midfield who sooner or later will be able to step into Carrick's shoes and I don't think Blind will be the one to do it so I would like to see us bring in someone like Strootman.
 
Amazing those asking for a CB ,wasn't that long ago people were saying we were overstocked in that department.
 
Fewer injuries. Let th e urrent players gel and then see what the real gaps are. Strengthen in summer.
 
We need pace in the team. I'd go in big for Gareth Bale. Madrid are probably bored of him by now.
 
Drifter said:
Amazing those asking for a CB ,wasn't that long ago people were saying we were overstocked in that department.
Click to expand...
Really? Last time I remember someone saying that was when we still had Rio and Vida. Since then everyone is craving for a top class CB.
 
If we had 4 27-year-old Ledley Kings on our books, you could argue that the club had the best collection of centrebacks in the world. Problem is, if you can't ever fecking play them they'd might as well not be there.
 
Drifter said:
Amazing those asking for a CB ,wasn't that long ago people were saying we were overstocked in that department.
Click to expand...
Yes but that was probably before we sold 2 of them and realised that our current ones aren't up to scratch without Vidic to hold their hand.
 
We need a top quality CB and after that cover for right back.

With Carrick, Blind, Fellani, Herrera, Di Maria and now Rooney and Mata at the top of the midfield diamond I think we are sorted in midfield.

Up front RvP, Falcao and Wilson with Rooney, Mata and Januzaj able to provide extra cover I think we are well covered.
 
We need a CB anyway. Would like to see the addition of another midfielder (Strootman) and a winger (Robben).
 
CB- Godin - doubtful in january but 100% possible in the summer.
CM- Veratti - long term successor to carrick, would allow us to prolong carricks career with us by getting him in now and he would start the majority of games.
FW- Reus/Bale/sterling/pedro - i dont think we should buy falcao's 43m contract and i would prefer we go to a 4231/433 which would necessitate a proper wide forward
FW- Recall and retain nani from loan.

These signings are to facilitate a transition to a 1 striker system.


​
------------Big Dave-----------
Rafael---Godin----Rojo----Shaw
----Veratti(carrick)--Hererra(blind)
Di Maria(nani)---Rooney(mata)----New Winger(januzaj)
--------------RVP(wilson)

Something like that leaves us with a top quality starting 11 and tons of backup.
 
If it were possible, I think these players can drive us a notch or two above.

RB - Coleman.
CM - Vidal.
CB - Garay.
AM - Reus.
 
legball said:
If it were possible, I think these players can drive us a notch or two above.

RB - Coleman.
CM - Vidal.
CB - Garay.
AM - Reus.
Click to expand...
I was a big fan of Garay, but now that he's basically sold himself to Russia I'm not sure what to think of him really. It's a sign of a lack of ambition, isn't it?
 
Spielmacher said:
I was a big fan of Garay, but now that he's basically sold himself to Russia I'm not sure what to think of him really. It's a sign of a lack of ambition, isn't it?
Click to expand...

It might be, or it might not. He's still a fantastic CB though, wouldn't cost the earth [like Godin/Hummels] and will suit the PL.
 
Right back (starter)
CB (starter)

The rest depends on tactics.

Midfield:
Either an out-out mobile DM so we can pair him with Di Maria and one of blind, carrick, Herrera, Fellaini or an central midfield all-rounder, that we can pair with one of di Maria/Herrera/Fellaini and Carrick/Blind. Either way I think we need another starter in this area.

Forwards:
Once we have a balanced midfield-3, we can play various different combinations of attackers. Best case scenario would be 2winger+ a central forward, but we are missing two quality wingers to do so. That would be fairly unrealistic so I wouldn’t change anything for a year and play three out of Rooney, RvP, Falcao, Mata and Januzaj.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.