Seeing as even Rosenborg has 20+ shots against us we definitely need legs in the midfield, so he'll definitely be important to us.
Manuel Ugarte | Romano - he’s signed | Awaiting Club announcement
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I'd love Ugarte, but yeah I would also like another ball playing midfielder who can rotate with Mainoo. That's crucial if we want to see the best of him in long term.
Sure I read Zubimendi has a 50mil release clause. Be hard to convince him to join though. Matts Weiffer could be a cheaper option though. I really like the look of him.
Same thing we've needed for years, a player who is comfortable receiving the ball under pressure and helping us in build up. Even if we don't have the intention of becoming a 'possession-based' team, we need to become a lot more efficient with how we use the ball in midfield. Last season was horrible to watch, our midfielders would just punt the ball up the pitch any time they were at a loss for an idea, which was quite often.
Somebody like Zubimendi would be great but I don't expect we'll actually get him. The noises in the media suggest a second midfielder isn't considered a huge priority at this point in time.
This, I think. I'd be happy if we set up like that version of Liverpool, who I think Ugarte would have been a good fit for. Mainoo + Ugarte + ???. Another high-intensity midfielder would be a good way to go. The problem is if we had that midfield three like Liverpool did, I don't see where Bruno fits. I don't think he can play in a midfield three with Mainoo. It would be a big call to sell Bruno, but I hope we make it and move to a 4-3-3. I'm not saying I think this will happen, but that’s how I'd like us to go. Klopp’s Liverpool at their best weee more United in style than Pep’s football.
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It's not ideal, but having a ball winner covering a lot of ground beside him and a good defense behind him, that's hopefully able to defend a lot higher, Eriksen might be a useful understudy for Mainoo.
I haven't seen him play. Is he Mascherano type midfield destroyer?
I just don't believe Eriksen has the legs to play that position. It seemed a bit out there when we first signed him, it shouldn't really still be happening two years on.
Not that long ago we had some great games with a Casemiro, Eriksen, Bruno midfield. If we pick his games, let him play the cup games in Europe and against lesser teams, I think he could still bring something to the table. I could also image EtH may still play Mount in that position. He played there against Rosenborg.
Of course, I'd prefer we'd just buy a specialist 8 with legs to relieve Mainoo off some pressure. But I can understand that a DM, a LB and maybe even another CB are higher up on the priority list.
I know it's probably been posted, but seems like most haven't acknowledged this
It is pretty obvious that Casemiro has to go.
I wish the club could convince him to do so but we shot ourselves through the foot by giving the lazy fecker a long contract on huge money...absolute fecking madness!
Read that spurs are interested in mctom now so hopefully that will push the price up a bit.
25-30 for him and replace with ugarte would be a good bit of business.
25-30 for him and replace with ugarte would be a good bit of business.
Why do we need to sell a midfielder before buying Ugarte? Is it because of the financial rules or do we not have money? Just sounds like something that would be preferable rather than something that is required.
That's probably why we have been looking at offloading Casemiro and will consider new offer from Fulham for McT.
I do find it interesting that some people don't understand how a midfield trio should work i.e. Passer-Creator-Destroyer. They want another ball playing midfielder. We have Mainoo, we have bruno we have eriksen, mount and gore.
Ugarte gives us something we have sorely lacked for a long time. A ball hunting midfielder who will force turnovers/transitions of play. A younger version of Kante. He won't sit in front of the back four, he will go hunting. If we don't sell Casemiro and manage to get Ugarte anyway, him and Casemiro could work well together.
Hope this deal happens. Fingers crossed.
I think both Casemiro and Mctominay could end up leaving. That will give us space for Ugarte plus 1 more space for one of our young lads to fill.
Casemiro had it coming in a couple situations and we as fans sometimes choose to ignore the reality
He literally overreacted and cost us at crucial times during the season
I still appreciate the player as a fan but yeah dark arts doesn’t mean you blatantly misbehave
I feel like Ugarte can really get into rival players heads and create that fear long term since he’s so young and will learn the PL flow and eventually settle down well
Yes Rodri has seem to be given preferential treatment here n there
None of that fills me with confidence. Sounds like a cast off.
Bit of both. Financial restrictions and squad space.
We currently have 6 midfielders plus potentially Collyer for 3 positions it would make sense to have a one out one in policy.
Then you have to bear in mind the expense Casemiro brings with his wage package and transfer fee. Ideally you want that removed before you even think about spending over £40m for another midfielder. Probably things we wouldn’t have thought of in the past but things well run clubs do I.e. Real Madrid.
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It's supposedly not limits set by regulation, but at one point it's just more sustainable and profitable to use money wisely and keep the net spend under control. The decade of rash spending only led to debt and negligence to the infrastructure.
Also not throwing huge fees around helps not being extorted by every seller.
He's very young, room to grow and had a monster start of the season at a club notoriously difficult. People swoon over Vitinha and Ruiz but they struggled longer than Ugarte has before Luis Enrique got them moving.
I grow impatient.
Just get rid of McTominay.
Just get rid of McTominay.
Agreed, both need to go, hopefully we can shift them for decent fees. I wonder if Hannibal will also be sold, he could generate £10million. Then there is Eriksen.
I don't see us going big on two midfielders even if we do shift a couple. Can see Ugarte replacing Casemiro if he goes with De Ligt happening if we can shift McT and a CB, which if it happened would be an unbelievable window.
In case you missed it the first time…
Casemiro and McTominay out for Ugarte and Rabiot please
Unless a club offer in excess of 25mil for either player we won't be selling them.
I wouldn’t be surprised if we sold both but I think we need funds for a striker and central defender so we might hope that Gore steps up or retain Hannibal as back up.
Can we win the community shield as well?
Sorry, Weiffer’s already been snapped up.
Ideal scenario would be to shift Lindelof, McT, Casemiro and Antony, hopeful of moving on 3 of them in reality. Bring in De Ligt, Ugarte and Xavi Simons. Would prefer Branthwaite to De Ligt but don’t believe we have the funds to swing the difference in price between the two and still fund the midfield upgrade.
I see, thanks! I think we should just get him in either way before he gets snapped up by other clubs and try to sell a midfielder after that. At the end of the day, it's up to us as we have received offers for McTominay and probably Casemiro as well. I'm sure there are lower level clubs from other leagues interested in Eriksen too.
I don't get how McTominay who's 27, even in the last year of his contract, wouldn't fetch 25M+ considering the season he just had.
I know people have concerns about his passing range.
But I still want him because
1) We need someone with legs in midfield to protect our defence. With Casemiro, Mct or Eriksen playing alongside Mainoo, our defence has been far too exposed.
2) Would be good to actually have someone throwing in crunching tackles and putting fear in the opponent. That element of physicality has been missing from our team for far too long.
3) Need some more South American passion and aggression in the squad. Something I’ve come to appreciate after signing Martinez.
Think he would be a good addition to the squad. He doesn’t need to start every game against the teams that play low block. But certainly a very useful player to have in the more important games where our defence needs extra protection.
But I still want him because
1) We need someone with legs in midfield to protect our defence. With Casemiro, Mct or Eriksen playing alongside Mainoo, our defence has been far too exposed.
2) Would be good to actually have someone throwing in crunching tackles and putting fear in the opponent. That element of physicality has been missing from our team for far too long.
3) Need some more South American passion and aggression in the squad. Something I’ve come to appreciate after signing Martinez.
Think he would be a good addition to the squad. He doesn’t need to start every game against the teams that play low block. But certainly a very useful player to have in the more important games where our defence needs extra protection.
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If we want a progressive passer in midfield some of the top ranked ones in Europe’s top 5 leagues that might be buyable
- Groß
- Caqueret
- Guimarães
- Barella
- Pepelu
- Fofana
- Stiller
- Ederson
Not convinced he's what we need.
Why
I really like the look of Atalanta's Ederson for the spot. Incredible engine, good physicality, wins his duels, solid enough on the ball, probably contributes a bit more going forward than Ugarte. He was absolutely everywhere in both legs against Liverpool when Atalanta beat them in the Europa, and likewise in the final against Leverkusen.
Footballing terms it was a lifetime ago though. Casemiro and Eriksen, have shown some serious decline since then. Eriksen can't do that job anymore. I don't even think of him as a Utd player, he doesn't factor into my thinking. A bit like the last period of Mata's time here.
Happily do a loan with option to buy.
They’re just pulling the Simon Cowell “I didn’t like it…I loved it” trick
They’re not convinced but certain he’s what we need
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