Finally! Good signing, I hope.
Manuel Ugarte | Romano - he’s signed | Awaiting Club announcement
- Thread starter WeePat
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Good. Get him in training ready to start on Sunday
Good purchase in the end. We desperately needed a more defensive minded midfielder give Case's issues. Now we have him.
We still need to replace Erikssen and get a more creative midfielder as an alternative for Mainoo. But that, i guess is a job for the next Summer.
We still need to replace Erikssen and get a more creative midfielder as an alternative for Mainoo. But that, i guess is a job for the next Summer.
I thought it was €60m fixed they wanted, plus possibly some add ons.
Yessssss.
Are we in for anybody else or is this the last one?
Are we in for anybody else or is this the last one?
Sigh, time to unzip
What jersey number will he wear?
What jersey number will he wear?
Really hope he’s quite good on the ball.
We should be really happy with this signing. Where's the "We're winning the league" guys, I need them back.
Does this mean Casemiro is now a bench option? Can't see him wanting to stay around for that
We are moving on Sancho so I’m hoping to get Rabiot as we still need better midfield options.
Jason Wilcox must be there to escort him back
Would take that!
Ou yes, we have a here wo go finally!
We do some business!
We do some business!
Can't bring myself to be super excited about this one but it seems like it will definitely improve our physical levels in midfield. The amount of times Mainoo and Case just got bounced off players they were trying to tackle on Saturday was not fun.
Still think we could really do with bringing in another physical all-rounder with more of an emphasis on their passing/ball retention.
Still think we could really do with bringing in another physical all-rounder with more of an emphasis on their passing/ball retention.
I think Casemiro was absolutely world class in his Madrid days. We’ve got him as he’s running out of steam. Against Brighton at the weekend we had a great break on and his legs just couldn’t do it and he lost the ball. He’s a good back up but this needs to happen.
He’s 23 and highly rated. They’ve knocked €10m off what they paid after a season and might recoup it if he’s a success here. At the end of the day they’re a state backed club that would quite happily leave a player on the bench for a season to prove a point. We’ve got a good player at a good price and that’s what matters.
More than a month back? Oh right, I thought we’d be going from when negotiations started rather than some arbitrary period in time which suits you’re miserable narrative best?
It is going to be tedious to read the "I told you so" insufferable posts in his first game the second he misplace a pass 
All in all, I think he will do well for us. Not a world class midfielder and lacks in some areas, but his athleticism and physicality will help us tremendously in midfield. I've seen a few matches of him and players literally bounce off of him when they're jumping into him. His ability to keep the ball with pure strength is unmatched.
All in all, I think he will do well for us. Not a world class midfielder and lacks in some areas, but his athleticism and physicality will help us tremendously in midfield. I've seen a few matches of him and players literally bounce off of him when they're jumping into him. His ability to keep the ball with pure strength is unmatched.
Get in
Great news that it's finally been sorted. 
It's amazing how long these discussions drag on when the end result is so often pretty much what you'd expect. I guess there's so many things to quibble over in the structure of the end deal - though they quickly resolve all things like that with deadline day deals every year! - but somewhere around this fee, with the initial closer to our estimate and the add ons moving it closer to theirs, has always been the likely end.
Just glad it looks like it's coming to a positive end at last.
It's amazing how long these discussions drag on when the end result is so often pretty much what you'd expect. I guess there's so many things to quibble over in the structure of the end deal - though they quickly resolve all things like that with deadline day deals every year! - but somewhere around this fee, with the initial closer to our estimate and the add ons moving it closer to theirs, has always been the likely end.
Just glad it looks like it's coming to a positive end at last.
You can't rely on Casemiro every game this season and this was the best option out there. A player needed for the squad, but I would like a controlling midfielder as well.
Be interesting how we line up going forward. All the talk of Casemiro instantly becoming a bench option I feel will be wide of the mark, but I have no idea how we'll fit everyone in.
One thing is for certain, our press shouldn't die a death the second Mount leaves the pitch now.
One thing is for certain, our press shouldn't die a death the second Mount leaves the pitch now.
Any possible flight tracks?
Working at home and I want to keep my eye on the sky
Working at home and I want to keep my eye on the sky
Don't think he starts in CM for some time.
Wish it would have happened a month ago, but it is what it is. Let's hope he can help fix our midfield and is not another Amrabat case of high hopes, underwhelming reality
People looking at individual stats are sometimes missing the overall picture. We need a team that works collectively together and is greater than the sum of its parts. Putting 11 individually greater players doesn't necessarily mean it's going to work as a fully functioning team.
Considering neither De Ligt or Zirkzee have started any of our games I doubt Ugarte will unless we get injuries to all our midfielders...
Any decent one would cost 50+m, unless he's a stop gap like Rabbiot. I'd prefer us getting a winger, if we prepare to spend that much. Our wingplay is a joke.
Here we go!
ETH will probably start him in October... looking forward to it!
ETH will probably start him in October... looking forward to it!
So we have actually reduced the price from 50M fixed to 42M and 10M in performance related add ons based on us winning things etc. Its a good compromise, I think they wanted 50M in case of loan and obligation to buy plus loan fee, which overall would have been more expensive, so smart of our negotiators to buy him outright with better terms and reducing the fee. I am also confident we would have negotiated payment terms to be also in 4 to 5 years.
Much needed signing, the aggression and bite we needed in the middle, with Cas on his last legs post 60 mins and Maino currently not up to it physically, the less said about Bruno the better.
Much needed signing, the aggression and bite we needed in the middle, with Cas on his last legs post 60 mins and Maino currently not up to it physically, the less said about Bruno the better.
With the way Mainoo and Casemiro run out of steam by the 60th minute, we're looking for two players who can come in to replace them at this point without weakening the team or hampering our creativity in middle of the pitch.
Casemiro/Ugarte seems like a good swap, either way around.
The massive question mark for me is who do we rotate in for Mainoo, assuming Mainoo is the starter.
Casemiro/Ugarte seems like a good swap, either way around.
The massive question mark for me is who do we rotate in for Mainoo, assuming Mainoo is the starter.
Yeah looking at the calendar, 21st September against crystal palace is probably the earliest realistic game he'd start, will be probably only be on the bench for the first time a week prior to that.
If a stop gap like Rabiot (on a free) would successfully fill the role until we sign a more long term one, then we should do definitely do that! The main question is would Rabiot be a successful enough addition for that role or just a cheap, convenient one? If he's both, then obvious that's perfect.
What we needed in midfield was someone who can control the tempo and spray passes like Scholes, we've not been able to control games in midfield since he retired. I don't know why the club can't see this and identify this profile of player.
Finally
Good price in the end. I'm guessing the McT deal gave us wiggle room to structure the deal in a way that PSG preferred, and so they were prepared to drop the overall price.
Wasted our budget on a signing that changes nothing. Anyways, welcome abroad Manuel.
I'd be starting him vs Liverpool because they'll just run through Casemiro/Mainoo
Maybe not
Why would a club agree to add ons that are virtually impossible to make?
If they had any sense it would be based on appearances and probably making Europe/ position in league for them to agree on it.
I dont think paying what we did is the end of the world, if he ends up performing well. But I'm not gonna pretend that 70M thing was ever a realistic thing just to make it seem like we "won" the negotiation. I dont think we have to win every negotiation either. Cheer up big fella, we just signed a midfielder, lets hope he clatters into some Liverpool players next sunday.
Ornstein and Romano say he is flying into Manchester today for his medicine. Stone comes in as usual with the "He might be flying in" line
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