Mario Mandžukić

If we are a goal down in injury time and get one last chance I would hope it falls to Mandzukic before anyone else.

Really hope we get this transfer through the guy is proven world class and if we only get two years from him it will be enough .

Plus if our other attackers can't learn anything from playing with him then they shouldn't be wearing the shirt
 
Marcus said:
He is our new Henrik/Zlatan. May not be a bad idea to have his experience in the frontline. He seems to hold the ball up better than Lukaku at least.
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I kept thinking for a minute or so as to how he would be something like Mkhitaryan and then realized that you were talking about Larsson
 
Raven said:
Never been a huge fan of his, just not really my type of player. But I do appreciate this as a signing, if it comes through, because he does offer a good plan B, because he's a good player. Would be perfect if we got him and Dybala, but now I'm getting silly.
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No way is Dybala coming.
 
Nr.7 said:
I’m pretty sure those who doubt him would change their minds once they see what he brings to the team (mentality, quality and right type for the way we want to play).
Honestly, he’s one of the few players from abroad that I wouldn’t worry about wether he’d need adapting to the PL.
He has been successful wherever he’s been and he has been to different leagues playing for top teams.
The guy’s a winner.

I’m from Croatia so I’ve watched him for years now.
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Agree with you. My brother-in-Law is Italian and a Juventus supporter so I have watched more Juve matches than any other team bar United this last few years.

He's no Fellaini minus the hair-do as some posters on here laughably declare.
 
Mr Pigeon said:
Zlatan was 35 when he came here, so I wouldn't worry too much.
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I've not seen enough of him but i am a bit worried if he's the only other signing we're considering. If he's just an add-on due to Lukaku going to Inter, then I'm good I suppose. I'm more interested in getting another midfielder though.
 
Always liked him when i've seen him play. Would be pleased if we got him as it takes the pressure off our very young strike force.

Nothing wrong with a Zlatan/Teddy/Larson older striker to come in and add a bit of experience. Larson only got 3 goals when he was here and Teddy only got 5 in 1999 but they made a big contribution.
 
UnitedObsession99 said:
44 goals in 162 for Juve, 20 in 76 in last 2 seasons. Dog shit! A 1 in 4 striker is no better than I'd expect even a youth striker to get.
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Let's be honest with stats.

Last season in Serie A, Mandzu 16 goals+assists in 2021 minutes = 0.71 (G+A)/90

Rashford last season in the league, 17 goals+assists in 2343 minutes = 0.65 (G+A)/90

Martial last season in the league, 13 goals+assists in 1623 minutes = 0.72 (G+A)/90

Rashford and Martial are our starters and Mandzu at 33 is at par with them.

Youth strikers don't do that well otherwise Rashford and Martial should be binned.

Mandzu also is a great defensive player and fits Ole's high press system like a glove.

For a backup striker, this is as good as it gets.

If there is anything to complain about, Woody needed to deliver Ole a 8 or a 10. He failed on both counts.
 
USREDEVIL said:
I've not seen enough of him but i am a bit worried if he's the only other signing we're considering. If he's just an add-on due to Lukaku going to Inter, then I'm good I suppose. I'm more interested in getting another midfielder though.
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Yeah I have always been adamant since we got linked with him as part of the Dybala swap that would only be happy signing him if it was along with a creative player, however right now with very little time in the window that is starting to look highly unlikely.
 
He’s a warrior, would be welcome if only for roughing up opposition defenses.

Good presser, can score a goal.

If only for a season or two what’s not to like
 
SaintMuppet said:
He’s a warrior, would be welcome if only for roughing up opposition defenses.

Good presser, can score a goal.

If only for a season or two what’s not to like
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Yes, it makes sense to have him for many reasons, and one reason is to bring physical presence alongside our youngsters like Greenwood if need be. He wouldn't cut down much game time from their development either. I just hope we don't pay a transfer fee but rather offer to involve Darmian in a swap. Should use our money on a midfielder if anything.
 
He is 33, his injury slowed him down and he's moving to a new league. There's a reason why Juve want him out.

We are replacing a proven striker with basically a former player and for what? So that the Glazers can syphon more money out of the club?
 
What a complete waste of fecking money and space. Decent player but not for us. It's signings like this that resigned Liverpool to mediocrity before Klopp.

So much for Youth, Courage , Success.

What a joke of a window.
 
Sterling Archer said:
What a complete waste of fecking money and space. Decent player but not for us. It's signings like this that resigned Liverpool to mediocrity before Klopp.

So much for Youth, Courage , Success.

What a joke of a window.
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Its the type of signing you make when you are at the end of a limited budget and there are still gaps you need to fill. Maybe we can fit matuidi or lemina in as well while at it
 
And let's stop comparing Mandzukic with Ibra. There's a huge gap in terms of talent and physical condition.
 
devilish said:
Its the type of signing you make when you are at the end of a limited budget and there are still gaps you need to fill. Maybe we can fit matuidi or lemina in as well while at it
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Sell Lukaku and buy Mandzukic is ridiculous. One of the richest clubs in the world. Boasts about our revenue and we're on a budget? Feck that.
 
Sterling Archer said:
Sell Lukaku and buy Mandzukic is ridiculous. One of the richest clubs in the world. Boasts about our revenue and we're on a budget? Feck that.
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We are starting the season with a weak CM, no RW and barely any cover for Rashy. Unfortunately the Glazers know that it's OK as fans will pay irrespective of what tripe they throw on the pitch of OT
 
devilish said:
We are starting the season with a weak CM, no RW and barely any cover for Rashy. Unfortunately the Glazers know that it's OK as fans will pay irrespective of what tripe they throw on the pitch of OT
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What gets me is, I was completely ok with going for a more financially constrained but thorough approach. I really got behind that slogan from DJs announcement. I could live with us signing prospects instead of ready made stars. I just n needed to see the dead wood gone as well.
 
Sterling Archer said:
What gets me is, I was completely ok with going for a more financially constrained but thorough approach. I really got behind that slogan from DJs announcement. I could live with us signing prospects instead of ready made stars. I just n needed to see the dead wood gone as well.
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The dead wood can still go until end of the month you know
 
He is a really competitive striker, a “defensive striker” I would love to have him as back up if we were challenging for titles, but at the moment I dont think he will make any significant difference for our season and since we decided to not invest properly and strengthen our squad I would rather give Greenwood minutes, so he develops and maybe next season we can challenge for something.
 
SAFMUTD said:
He is a really competitive striker, a “defensive striker” I would love to have him as back up if we were challenging for titles, but at the moment I dont think he will make any significant difference for our season and since we decided to not invest properly and strengthen our squad I would rather give Greenwood minutes, so he develops and maybe next season we can challenge for something.
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I think Greenwood will still get plenty of minutes. He can play on the right, and possibly behind Martial/Mandzukic against certain teams.
 
Sterling Archer said:
What gets me is, I was completely ok with going for a more financially constrained but thorough approach. I really got behind that slogan from DJs announcement. I could live with us signing prospects instead of ready made stars. I just n needed to see the dead wood gone as well.
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All I wanted was to see us buy the right players for the right positions. I would have rather seen us buy joachim Andersen, 2 CM and a RW then spend all the dosh of Frankenstein. Instead we will start the season with a worse midfield and forward line then we had
 
If he was on a free transfer I'd understand it.

At £15m on £6m wages it doesn't make any sense.
 
In games where Rashford is getting muscled out Mandzukic would be a godsend.

If he comes, which I’m not sure he will, we’ll be thankful as much as I like Rashford we are soft in attack as it stands and MM would add a big dose of physicality.

One or two years and he would be massively useful to us in our current situation. Then hopefully Rashford and maybe Greenwood would be more finished articles and ready to lead our line.
 
devilish said:
Its the type of signing you make when you are at the end of a limited budget and there are still gaps you need to fill. Maybe we can fit matuidi or lemina in as well while at it
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This. Joke. A big fat joke we are.
 
Definitely would take ,even at his age. Darmian and 5 to 10m would be the most I'd go too though. We need a short term cover striker. Martial and rashy are too alike and inconsistent to be honest and a short term cover would buy Mason 1/2 more yrs to develop. Very disappointing window though, seriously hectic and seems unplanned. We shouldn't be in this position at this stage. Deals in and out should be done by now and we should have improved the squad,which doesn't seem the case. Surely ed last summer transfer window.
 
This guy is not a physical player like it's made out to be, he is a diver of the highest order and referees will wise up.
 
SinNombre said:
Let's be honest with stats.

Last season in Serie A, Mandzu 16 goals+assists in 2021 minutes = 0.71 (G+A)/90

Rashford last season in the league, 17 goals+assists in 2343 minutes = 0.65 (G+A)/90

Martial last season in the league, 13 goals+assists in 1623 minutes = 0.72 (G+A)/90

Rashford and Martial are our starters and Mandzu at 33 is at par with them.

Youth strikers don't do that well otherwise Rashford and Martial should be binned.

Mandzu also is a great defensive player and fits Ole's high press system like a glove.

For a backup striker, this is as good as it gets.

If there is anything to complain about, Woody needed to deliver Ole a 8 or a 10. He failed on both counts.
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As an insurance policy maybe you are right. But there is no way we should be paying £10m. £5m max! At 33 he could easily decline even further.

And personally I'd rather gamble on Greenwood. Having a backup just means one more player getting in the way. Same as Mata and Gomes and Jones/Rojo/ Darmian and Tuanzebe.

Yes i guess we need some experience, but not at the cost of what looks to be some of the most talented youngsters in many years. And certainly not when there is nothing special about those older players who are frankly either not good enough or slow down the game too much.

Take into account Mandzukics stats were in a dominant Juve team. Easy to get scraps off Ronaldo as he pulls all the players towards him leaving other players space. And his ability is so good that passes turn into assists. So stat inflation is easy and yet still i would argue those stats are poor.
 
USREDEVIL said:
I've not seen enough of him but i am a bit worried if he's the only other signing we're considering. If he's just an add-on due to Lukaku going to Inter, then I'm good I suppose. I'm more interested in getting another midfielder though.
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I'm the same as you as I'm worried we haven't replaced Herrera or Fellaini, but Mandzukic would fit our new system quite well and he'll bang in quite a few. He also puts an effort in defensively if needed.

We do absolutely need bodies in the midfield but we can always take the City approach and just keep teams under constant pressure. I think this is why Ole put such an emphasis on fitness training this summer - he wants us to be able to do it all season and not burn out like he saw in the last couple of months.

...it's actually quite refreshing having a manager again who has a plan of action, isn't it? :devil:
 
After all the haggling this summer we’re going to end up paying a big fee, huge wages and giving too long a contract to him.

This move is few years too late, can see him doing ok but he’s not quite player he was and it’s a tough league to join at this stage in his career.
 
If it happens he's good cover whilst Greenwood matures.

Always seemed like a warrior type to me and I like a fighter.
 
No idea if he still got it but he has always been a bit underrated.
A fighter and better in moving the ball around than he gets credit for.
Would not mind him for cheap money as back up in case Martial and Rashford are on one of their inconsistency streaks of which we are going to see a few this season.
 
I've always really liked Mandzukic. He also has the look of one of those lean wiry men whose athletic ability shouldn't deteriorate too rapidly. He was never about top end pace anyway, a 33 year old who could at least give us a couple years I reckon.
 
Good player, with an eye for goal and experience to help bring through Mason, for a good price. Im in.
 
Replacing Lukaku with him makes our squad so much weaker. And feck Ed for leaving this to deadline day, probably won't even get him.
 
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