Manchester United transfer news and rumours for summer 2014

I wouldn’t rule out Cleverley leaving, only has a year on his contract and there doesn’t seem to be any urgency to offer him a new one, Herrera’s arrival and the possibility of further signings will make it very difficult to get in the team on a regular basis so I think there are definitely big question marks against his future.

If he does stay he should only be offered a 1-2 year extension on his current contract as he is yet to justify a big contract and pay rise, if he turns things round we can offer him a better deal but if not we won’t be stuck with another high earner who isn’t good enough.

Fellaini and Anderson should piss off before Cleverley does. Fletcher is also done. Tom should stay.
 
From the 4 players that United have primed the media with it seems LvG is most concerned with the defence at the moment, other than Vidal (and that's tenuous at best) there have been no midfielders linked with any conviction at all, I know Blind can play there but i'd see him as LB cover, and occasional DM.
 
Fellaini and Anderson should piss off before Cleverley does. Fletcher is also done. Tom should stay.

Don't think Cleverley would be much of a loss, there is an argument for all of them going though so will depend on who impresses and who we can actually sell.
 
I don't see us letting go of 3 CMs. Anderson is gone. Either one of Fellaini/Cleverley go, or they both stay. I'd get rid of Fellaini.

No they can't all go, not yet anyway but if we do bring in another cm I would have thought one of fellaini/Cleverley will go, anderson will go if anyone will take him and I think, fletcher will be kept until then end of his contract at least.
 
Not sure about this but Hummels is a fantastic reader of the game but lacks the pace and not sure why agility is important in a centre back to be honest any much more than any other out field position. But he's not as good an athlete as a young Rio who was an absolute rolls Royce.
Agility is massively important in CB's. Most elite Centre Halfs are about 6-2 and taller, and they're facing technically skilled and very fast attackers that will beat them time and time again if they don't move their feet and body fast in small spaces. Agility is the difference between Benzema scoring twice against Germany in the Quarter finals, or being held scoreless.

He probably couldn't keep up with a young Rio in pace, but he is just as strong, about as smart, has really good positioning and is a very dangerous header of the ball, much better i offensive set pieces than Ferdinand ever was. But the original comparison was between Hummels, Ramos and Pique, and among those three, there's absolutely no doubt Mats is the superior player. Can't see a better CB than him in football today.
 
Agility is massively important in CB's. Most elite Centre Halfs are about 6-2 and taller, and they're facing technically skilled and very fast attackers that will beat them time and time again if they don't move their feet and body fast in small spaces. Agility is the difference between Benzema scoring twice against Germany in the Quarter finals, or being held scoreless.

He probably couldn't keep up with a young Rio in pace, but he is just as strong, about as smart, has really good positioning and is a very dangerous header of the ball, much better i offensive set pieces than Ferdinand ever was. But the original comparison was between Hummels, Ramos and Pique, and among those three, there's absolutely no doubt Mats is the superior player. Can't see a better CB than him in football today.

Agility is important in every sport but not more important in centre back to any other position. Him meld is better than the two you mention but Tiago Silva is a level above him. The one major attribute Hummels lacks is a turn of foot. Not the end all a be all.
 
So, the news that we'll be using three at the back for the rest of the season changes our priorities somewhat doesn't it? CM still important (as always) but CB really needs some strengthening. At least two players one would think...

Hummels is the name linked the most but seems next to impossible to get. That leaves us withe De Vrij and Vermaelen...
 
Sign:

Vidal, Vermaelan and Blind

Sell:

Nani, Young, Fellaini, Kagawa, Bebe, Hernandez & Anderson

and we'll win the league for a net spend of around £90m, with a streamlined squad full of quality rather than quantity.

Simples.

-----------Rooney/Welbeck--------RVP/Wilson-----------

-------------------------Mata/Januzaj---------------------------

-------------Herrera/Cleverley-------Vidal/Carrick-----------

Shaw/Blind------------------------------------------Rafael/Valencia

------------Vermaelen/Jones/Evans/Smalling/Keane-------

-------------------------DDG/Lindegaard--------------------------

Bit part players:

Fletcher
Powell
Lawrence
James
 
Selling Kagawa would be a crime imo.
He's not going to get much gametime though is he? Mata will surely be first choice behind the strikers and there are games where I can see LVG playing Herrera there as well for added workrate.
 
From the 4 players that United have primed the media with it seems LvG is most concerned with the defence at the moment, other than Vidal (and that's tenuous at best) there have been no midfielders linked with any conviction at all, I know Blind can play there but i'd see him as LB cover, and occasional DM.

And rightly so. We've lost 3 of our starting back 4 for the last decade and are expected to play with 5 in defence from now on. feck Vidal we NEED defenders.
 
And rightly so. We've lost 3 of our starting back 4 for the last decade and are expected to play with 5 in defence from now on. feck Vidal we NEED defenders.
39 days left, should be enough time to sort out midfield and defence.
 
He's not going to get much gametime though is he? Mata will surely be first choice behind the strikers and there are games where I can see LVG playing Herrera there as well for added workrate.

LVG picks players on Fitness, Form, Skill and personality. If mata dips in form, he wont hesitate to drop him, this isn't moyes, players will get picked if they shine
 
Far too quiet at the moment, no muppetry/excitement going on at all.

When you look at it in days to the first game, 23, it doesn't sound very far away at all!

Seems even more surprising that Woodward would come out with such forceful comments the other day. Just why!?
 
Good. Getting a top experienced CB would make me as happy as getting a top midfielder. Playing 3 at the back when your only backups have very limited first team experience is not that ideal. :) Someone like Hummels or Benatia, come on Woodward make it happen!
 
I don't think De Jong completely fits the criteria. Van Gaal will be giving younger players a chance. He may also go for some established but younger footballers on the market.

If De Jong link is true, I'll be surely surprised.
 
I think one in midfield and 2 in defense if we are going to play 3-4-1-2

Maybe but leaves us very short in the middle if we get injuries, but you could be right.

Fear it could be Blind, De Jong, & De Vrij, but right now i'd take that !
 
Am I the only one thinking we are done for the summer. I mean, people kept saying we will sign Vidal once he is back from holidays, but the other players being rumored could have been signed any other time. I just hope we don't panic sign someone like Fellaini last year.
 
No one has a clue who we are signing. Pulling it out of thin air.

Now everyone will move onto Dutch players because it's an easy link.
 
I don't think De Jong completely fits the criteria. Van Gaal will be giving younger players a chance. He may also go for some established but younger footballers on the market.

If De Jong link is true, I'll be surely surprised.
Not so far fetched in my opinion, Van Gaal isn't building a team for the future, he's building a team for the "now" and as such needs established, reliable performers. He will give youngsters a chance, but only gradually.

We need to hit the ground running in the league and get off to a good start if we're to regain the status we lost last season.
 
Am I the only one thinking we are done for the summer. I mean, people kept saying we will sign Vidal once he is back from holidays, but the other players being rumored could have been signed any other time. I just hope we don't panic sign someone like Fellaini last year.

I think we very well may be done. Not so much the lack of gossip currently, its more that there hasn't been a clearout. We clearly need defensive reinforcements but unless we can get a Vidal or a healthy Strootman we're set in the middle and up front....I didn't get to see the Galaxy match though it probably didn't provide much to judge on, but I will watch it tonight and then the Milan match. I can't wait.
This morning they replayed the Sunderland match from the League Cup and it's amazing how quickly my mind blotted out the "Moyes era".
 
I think we very well may be done. Not so much the lack of gossip currently, its more that there hasn't been a clearout. We clearly need defensive reinforcements but unless we can get a Vidal or a healthy Strootman we're set in the middle and up front....I didn't get to see the Galaxy match though it probably didn't provide much to judge on, but I will watch it tonight and then the Milan match. I can't wait.
This morning they replayed the Sunderland match from the League Cup and it's amazing how quickly my mind blotted out the "Moyes era".

Does make you wonder every time Woodward says we can match what barca payed for Suarez, he should give free tickets away