I would think United will be searching for a #8 to replace Fellaini in the first XI; someone with greater ability on the ball, while still retaining some measure of the Belgian's physicality (Pogba would probably be the ideal choice, Vidal, Nainggolan, Xhaka, A. Gomes, Parejo, L. Bender might also be among those considered I suppose. Perhaps Verratti or Koke for sheer quality).
Manchester United Summer Transfer Window 2015: What do we still need?
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I would think United will be searching for a #8 to replace Fellaini in the first XI; someone with greater ability on the ball, while still retaining some measure of the Belgian's physicality (Pogba would probably be the ideal choice, Vidal, Nainggolan, Xhaka, A. Gomes, Parejo, L. Bender might also be among those considered I suppose. Perhaps Verratti or Koke for sheer quality).
We'd have a right side for the next 5 years if Van Gaal rated Rafael, as Rafael-Herrera-Mata looks top notch.
A left of DiMaria-CM-Blind/Shaw would be similarly excellent if we could find someone like Herrera at LCM.
Then centrally you've got Rooney backed up by RVP at striker, Blind and Carrick wrestling for the DM spot and the CB's are Rojo, Smalling, Jones and a signing.
I'm really starting to think our summer should be something like Depay, Hummels and the best 2-way CM we can find. Koke would be ideal.
Yes but it was a while ago he said that, and that was before Herrera broke into the team etc.
That's not to say he won't still go and buy one though, just maybe not as clear as it was when he originally said, after all opinions change on a daily basis in modern football.
He didn't have any problem with injuries before his major injury, which took him out of the game for more than 6 months. But yeah right now he isn't a candidate for us, before his injury he was the perfect fit imo. I doubt van Gaal will sign him right now, he will probably rather wait 1 or 2 seasons to see how he comes back after his operation. If he gets back to his best, I can see us signing him in the future though.
Agreed Koke would be ideal on top of his ability he's Spanish and would complement the others brilliantly. I'd take Koke over Pogba I think. But I wont cry if we get either. As long as neither end up at City or chelsea then Schneiderlin would be more than good.
I like Schneiderlin a lot as a Carrick replacement, but I don't know if he's as good bursting forward as Strootman would be.
If we signed Schneiderlin I would think he'd look a tad awkward (though responsible and defensively tough) in the LCM role but if Carrick left after next year, we'd be well set up, though needing another 8 signing again:
LCM-----Herrera
--Schneiderlin--
with Fellaini and hopefully Pereira backing up the top 2 and Blind backing up Schneiderlin (and Shaw at LB).
Like I said, I have no idea who he wants. Schneiderlin is a good shout since he indeed can also play at 6 (just like Strootman) and van Gaal likes multifunctional players. He could be the natural succesor of Carrick too indeed.
There's not many good 8's available though, he wants them to be able to defend. Pogba I think is too attacking minded (although I dont watch him that often, might be wrong), Verrati isn't going to be sold, neither is Koke. He already rejected Khedira at Bayern so he's not coming. Dare I say it.. Vidal perhaps? We'll have to wait and see I guess.
I keep seeing Vidal on the Roma bench? Thats not a great sign as the man to take us forward hey. He's not young, he's had a big injury right? He ticks alot of the bad boxes right now.....
Doesn't he play for Juventus?
Sorry I mean Juve...
True, he's not getting any younger and has niggling injuries. I'm struggling to think of realistic midfielders though, Nainggolan maybe? Matuidi is unlikely to be sold since he's pretty much the only French player at PSG. Bender, Xhaka and Gundogan I can't make a judgement on.
We'll have to wait and see, box-to-box players are a rare commodity. Right now it's all speculation.
I heard William Carvalho is back to his best maybe worth another look. McCarthy at Everton is another but prob get something from Southampton just as cheap. Kondogbia.......There's a handful to go at.
What would it take to be CL challengers next season?
We need a CB,RB and a CM.Hummels and Clyne seem most likely for the first 2.I'm sure will throw our hat in for Pogba,otherwise probably a more low key signing.
Independent of that,we could also enter the race for Schniederlin,would be a good replacement for Carrick.Depay also seems likely to happen.
I do see Bale ending up at United eventually,doubt it will be this Summer do.
As for @Dante question,the positions mentioned above to fill out the squad.Plus a genuine superstar player performance over the course of the season.That could be Pogba or Bale or even come from within from the likes of Rooney and Di Maria.
Independent of that,we could also enter the race for Schniederlin,would be a good replacement for Carrick.Depay also seems likely to happen.
I do see Bale ending up at United eventually,doubt it will be this Summer do.
As for @Dante question,the positions mentioned above to fill out the squad.Plus a genuine superstar player performance over the course of the season.That could be Pogba or Bale or even come from within from the likes of Rooney and Di Maria.
What a damn reliable source this must be 
so job done for the summer
http://metro.co.uk/2015/04/07/manch...-hummels-and-memphis-depay-transfers-5136834/
Manchester United ‘agree terms for summer Mats Hummels and Memphis Depay transfers’
so job done for the summer
http://metro.co.uk/2015/04/07/manch...-hummels-and-memphis-depay-transfers-5136834/
Manchester United ‘agree terms for summer Mats Hummels and Memphis Depay transfers’
Tbh it would be a breath of fresh air if for once we get our transfer business done as early as possible.
We've apparently been linked with Cavani.
Please NOOOOOOO.
I hope LVG has learnt the 'Falcao lesson'.
I believe Cavani has scored a total of 8 goals this season, which falls well below what he will be expected to do for us in Manchester.
By comparison Lacazette has scored 24 league goals.
Please NOOOOOOO.
I hope LVG has learnt the 'Falcao lesson'.
I believe Cavani has scored a total of 8 goals this season, which falls well below what he will be expected to do for us in Manchester.
By comparison Lacazette has scored 24 league goals.
To be fair Cavani has scored 18 from 40 games, and he's mostly playing on the right wing in a 4-3-3. I can see why LVG wants him, can play in the center on the wing in his preferred formation and gets goals from either.
I thought I read a while back that Cavani doesn't like being played wide? Especially as it means playing second fiddle to the main man who gets the sole striker role (Ibrahimovic in their case or presumably Rooney/RVP in ours).
I don't think Van Gaal would feel the same. Judging by his comments on the balance that Fellaini brings to midfield I feel to replace him they'd have to possess the same qualities (power and strength). I think if we bought someone like Koke or Verratti they'd be replacing and/or providing competition to Herrera, rather than Fellaini. I think Van Gaal will be looking at someone of the Strootman/Pogba/Toure mould to replace Fellaini's position in the team.
Van Gaal said a midfielder "was a priority in order to balance the creative players" when he was playing Rooney in central midfield to shoehorn Falcao and RVP into the striker positions. It turns out he's found the balance merely by dropping our forwards and replacing Rooney with Herrera, having a balance between defensively solidarity (Carrick), physicality (Fellaini) and creativity (Herrera).
I personally think he may drop the idea for this central midfielder if no stand out player's are available. Strootman isn't fit and it's unlikely that Pogba is available and I can't see that many strong, powerful midfielders who would be a huge upgrade on Fellaini to justify the outlay.
1 RB, 2 CB's, 2 CM's, 1 Winger.
Clyne
Hummels
Godin
Pogba
Schniederlin
Bale
That's probably what will be required to instantly win it next season, you definitely need a good/world class defene to win the CL. Mind you I don't think we are going to win it next year but I'd love to get to the Quarters/Semi's.
5 new first team players doesn't guarantee you'll become champion instantly, it's probably the opposite. They all have to learn van Gaal's ways, which isn't easy-ask Herrera, and we'd see another 6 months of gelling.
I think we need 3 first team players max, and maybe some strenght in depth.
I'm saying it for a long time now, sign 3 players with Hummels, Pogba, Depay and we are done. (obviously that won't be the case, just if I could anybody I want) Those positions CB, CM, winger need to be adressed. Maybe RB
The bare minimum amount of and cheapest options and assuming no injuries:
-----Rooney-----
DiMaria----Mata-
--Vidal--Herrera-
-----Blind-------
Shaw-------Rafael
-Godin-Smalling-
-----De Gea------
Could see us be a PSGish level contender, and with Vidal and Godin being in their late 20's, could be done for about 45-50 combined I figure.
To get up there with the big 3, I think you'd have to add in Bale, realistically a top right back with Van Gaal not rating Rafael and maybe a better DM than Blind/Carrick with the former providing valuable depth at LB and DM and Carrick around to come on for 20 minutes to help protect a lead.
Obviously, in this scenario Smalling and Shaw have the best seasons of their careers, but that seems plausible.
Wasn't sure where to post this but it caught my eye, from Zonal Marking:
Work out the top 50 goal scorers, passers and dribblers from Europe's five major leagues this season, and there are only seven players who feature in all three lists: Lionel Messi, Arjen Robben, Alexis Sanchez, Eden Hazard, Gareth Bale, Nabil Fekir and Paulo Dybala. This works out, incidentally, as players who have currently scored at least 12 goals, assisted at least seven more, and dribbled past opponents at least 57 times. They're in the centre of the Venn diagram.
http://www.espnfc.co.uk/blog/tactic...or-pfa-player-of-the-year-and-its-eden-hazard
Decent case right there for signing one of Fekir or Dybala. That's a hell of a fecking list.
Work out the top 50 goal scorers, passers and dribblers from Europe's five major leagues this season, and there are only seven players who feature in all three lists: Lionel Messi, Arjen Robben, Alexis Sanchez, Eden Hazard, Gareth Bale, Nabil Fekir and Paulo Dybala. This works out, incidentally, as players who have currently scored at least 12 goals, assisted at least seven more, and dribbled past opponents at least 57 times. They're in the centre of the Venn diagram.
http://www.espnfc.co.uk/blog/tactic...or-pfa-player-of-the-year-and-its-eden-hazard
Decent case right there for signing one of Fekir or Dybala. That's a hell of a fecking list.
Dybala and Fekir have been two of my favourite emerging talents this season, love to see either in a United shirt, they'd both be ideal for a front 3.
To be fair Koke is powerful and strong, he's not some lightweight Iniesta type. The only thing he lacks from the Fellaini files is height.
A miracle. 3 or 4 world class players in the summer, and the side to gel successfully within 6 months.
I imagine (assuming we secure a top 4 finish this May), next season will be something of a placeholder; a better stab at the league, a decent run in one of the domestic cups, and a respectable (last 8) showing in our re-entry into European football. Basically solidifying a return to something approaching the old United, with a view to building towards a proper tilt at the big prizes in Van Gaal's third season.
I haven't read the article, but from those stats I imagine De Bruyne, Firmino, Felipe Anderson, Bellarabi, and Lacazette would be fairly close to making that list too, given the rates at which they dribble, score and assist.
While that's true, a lack of height might be enough to rule him out if Van Gaal is intent on having some sort of aerial presence in midfield (something which Koke/Verratti can't really provide, but Pogba/L. Bender/A. Gomes/Xhaka potentially can).
The same lars bender who was schooled by a clevs, giggs CM partnership. Hell I'd go with Koke myself.
I can see him making that call if Pogba or even Xhaka were the ones he went with, but right now Koke is so much better than Bender and Gomes it would be crazy to choose them over him because of height IMO.
As would I.
Mata and Herrera possess vastly more footballing quality than Fellaini, yet Van Gaal omitted both players from his midfield selections for prolonged spells of the season, at least ostensibly because of a lack of physicality in that zone.
But Koke doesn't lack any physicality, he's built very solidly and puts it about in midfield not unlike Keane at times. The only thing we'd miss replacing Fellaini with Koke is an aerial combatant in midfield.
Although Van Gaal did actually play Rooney as a number 8 with Mata for quite a long spell, and he's only 5ft10 - the same height as Koke.
That's a good point actually, Koke is built pretty much like Rooney and has the same aggressive streak and workrate that I think saw LvG play Rooney there a lot this season.
While that might be true, there's very little chance Koke will leave. He rejected Barcelona and Simeone extended his contract, I don't think he wants to leave right now.
Probably true but £50M is a huge get for Atleti who tend to sell big most summers to continue to fund the squad.
Yeah but he played Rooney in there showing its not height thats important!
And the press have Chelsea offering low 20s for him they do make me chuckle. 50m is alot but he's 23 and I'm with you but I doubt you'll hear of any interest going public at least from us. We'll quietly sign someone not on that level I expect.
Exactly. I think workrate and good overall defensive attributes are a must for Van Gaals number 8, even more so than height. I could make the argument that if height was so important, why was Herrera on the bench for so many games, despite being 6ft?
Well I assume Atletico also accepted Barcelona's offer (not sure), but Koke is happy at Atletico Madrid so I don't think he will want to leave. Not sure if he's interested in money.
I'm not against Koke, but I just think it's fairly unrealistic. Unless his friendship with de Gea is very good, which could be used as a bargaining tool.
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