Looks to be an excellent player.
Matthijs de Ligt / signs for Juventus, lowering their average age to 56
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran are here to talk about a frustrating 2 points dropped at Crystal Palace. They then discuss the regeneration of Old Trafford. Finally, Nik is joined by special guest Michael Statham from the Football Oranje podcast - who gives us a more in depth look at our EL opposition FC Twente, and then runs through the (many) Dutch connections currently at United.
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Varane in comparison looks like a headless chicken without Ramos babysitting him. Hope Woody knows which CB to spend the money on.
£200m mega double deal for Varane and Bale is probably being tabled by Ed as we speak.
I dont get this obsession with having that of a young team. Like its a purpose in itself.If we somehow managed to get De Ligt and Sancho our starting 11 would surely be one of the youngest in Europe.
De Gea 28
Dalot 19
Lindelof 24
De Ligt 19
Shaw 23
Matic 30
Herrera 29
Pogba 25
Rashford 21
Martial 23
Sancho 18
Average age: 23.5
Most of that team could play for 10 years. If we could get a young midfielder too it would be even lower. A massive outlay now, but could potentially save money in future seasons. You have to try to get the best players when they are available, or next year we will be trying to sign an inferior player for a huge amount of money anyway. Isn't that a false economy Ed?
Its fine and completely great to have young players in the squad but to challenge for the PL and the CL one needs a balanced squad age-wise. We already have one of the youngest squads in the top-6. In many ways our rebuilding has already been done, with players like Martial, Lindelof, Lingard, Shaw and Rashford. Pogba and Lukaku are relatively young as well.
I would certainly not object to get Koulibaly in instead of De Ligt for example. Or even Bale instead of Sancho.
There are other transfer windows coming up and new great prospects will appear next season already. To just buy every hot prospect available this moment in time is stupid IMO. There needs to be squad management.
Earlier on in the year I said that we need prioritise a centre. I had chosen Koulibaly to be the guy we go all in for. Since then, I still we need to prioritise the centre back position. But it has to be this guy. We can't City, Barcelona or Madrid get this guy. If Woodward wants a marquee name, he would be the perfect person. He showed in the last two games what he can do. He is everything this club is about.
Please Woodie, sign him up.
Please Woodie, sign him up.
Yes, we've never seen an established world class centre back have a starring role at a world cup and then struggle for Madrid the following season. Undeniable proof that it was just baseless hype.
Sadly think Madrid will be in for him also after that. So we better get ready to pay Mino.
You mean playing besides another world class CB?
This kid just oozes class. We should move heaven and earth to bring him in.
He's talking about Canavaro?
I echo what was said on the CL thread Varane is the most overrated player in World Football.
Yeah. Not a perfect like for like comparison given their career stages but the broader point is pretty straightforward. Forwards can play starring individual roles and excel even in a broken team. Defenders can't. They are hugely dependent on the structure of their team and their defence. It's a big part of the reason why they don't win individual awards - it's hard to seperate the individual from the defensive unit. Varane is playing badly in part because the midfield protection is tragic and the other individual defenders are totally lost. Vidic in this Madrid team would be a car crash of a defender.
Varane is one of the few defenders that has excelled in an aggressive, risky team like Madrid and a sturdy, workmanlike team for France, all at a young age, and over multiple seasons. The idea that one poor season is enough to reverse all that is ridiculous. Especially considering it's been shown over and over again that a) after reaching the absolute pinnacle of the game, it's hard to recreate the huge levels of motivation and focus needed to succeed once more and b) a long season followed by a strong world cup run makes it very difficult to recharge and find that physical peak.
That said, De Ligt looks quality. I'd take them both!
He'll read this and spend big on Ramos
If we somehow managed to get De Ligt and Sancho our starting 11 would surely be one of the youngest in Europe.
De Gea 28
Dalot 19
Lindelof 24
De Ligt 19
Shaw 23
Matic 30
Herrera 29
Pogba 25
Rashford 21
Martial 23
Sancho 18
Average age: 23.5
Most of that team could play for 10 years. If we could get a young midfielder too it would be even lower. A massive outlay now, but could potentially save money in future seasons. You have to try to get the best players when they are available, or next year we will be trying to sign an inferior player for a huge amount of money anyway. Isn't that a false economy Ed?
I'm more interested in how sick it would be. You should only build for the future in football, as an aspiring top European side, whilst also planning to succeed right now. No team stays together long enough for a five year plan to be enough in and of itself. It's great that they're young, but I prefer to ignore the age thing and just look at this:
Martial Rashford Sancho
Pogba
Matic Herrera
Shaw De Ligt Lindelof Dalot
De Gea
And consider that on paper that team is in with a shot of winning any trophy going, including the CL. The fact that they might still be around to do it again six years later (minor tweaks allowing) is just a bonus.Pogba
Matic Herrera
Shaw De Ligt Lindelof Dalot
De Gea
Pleeeaaaaase Woody...
To be honest with you, I don't pay that much attention to player performance threads on the Caf. Opinions change like the wind on here. We had better players than varane that were labeled overrated, so I'm not surprised at all. I think he's an excellent player who is just having a bad season as you pointed out, and as the rest of the Real team. We will be raving on about those players soon enough, whether it's for Real or different team.
As for De Ligt, yeah looks a cracking talent. I can't believe he's 19. I do hope we go for De Ligt, instead of Koulibaly, if ithat is ndeed who we are going to go in for this summer.
No thanks, we don't need a Sánchez 2.0 . I can imagine Pogba right away asking for Bales salary.
The Madrid team is a team in transition and were there for the taking. But that shouldn't take anything away from De Ligt, he played very well, along with Blind who was also excellent.
Madrid will also be interested in him now, and I hope we're too.
Madrid will also be interested in him now, and I hope we're too.
It seems like they have their eyes set on Eder Militao of Porto.
He looks like a worldy. I think investing in a prospect like De Ligt would be as big a statement as Pogback. 10+ years ahead of him, clearly a leader and a superb partner for Lindelof or Bailly. I'd take him as the marquee summer signing over Sancho at the moment, with no hesitation.
This Guy is class, exactly what we need, he's a leader
I totally agree with you. If we get De legt we have the foundation to build a world class team. Our number one priority has to be get a solid back 4 which will include 2 ball players as centre halves. This allows us to play more risks and play a higher line. If we have to wait a transfer window or 2 to get the other positions so be it. Ideally we need a CH, an experienced RB, RW and possibly a midfielder to replace matic.
Because our best talents are all younger right now. It makes more sense to buy players that fit in their timeline (their prime years). For example, if you buy Koulibaly, how long is he going to be a top CB? Let's say it's 3-4 years. United will need to replace him after that. With de Ligt, you won't need to replace him unless we sell him for big money. So you potentially have De Ligt for all of Rashford's career along with Martial, and Greenwood. Thus you have extended your title winning window by a few years.
Plus, you have to consider the landscape that is European football. In a few years Messi and Ronaldo will be done, and as far as I can tell, it will make it much easier to win the CL in that time. Barca is already saving up for life after Messi.
Agreed. Good defender with great pace. But not world class or even close.
What about replacing Matic with Rice?
We've got to at least be in for him.
I haven't seen much of him, but sure, that would be another good signing. I imagine Sancho and De Ligt would absorb an entire summer's worth of transfer budget, probably. Which for me would be worth the wait for a Matic replacement.
I mean, sure he is young and all, but apart form being one of the greatest talents in todays top football he is also performing on the big stage already. Not to mention that even if we were to spend big on him why can't we invest in another defender as well? (Koulibaly or something). It's not like we don't have a notoriously injury prone center back selection anyways.
I... don't think you've ran these numbers...
What’s wrong with spending couple hundred mil on some new CBs, huh? If it doesn’t work out, just restore the last saved game.
We don't need two CBs. It would be overkill.
Give Ajax a blank check. He is that good. only 19 too..wow.
Koulibaly is 27 years old ready. He'd be 30 in just 3 years. See what happened in the past when we brought old players in? Bastian Schweinsteiger and Alexis Sanchez are the 2 most recent examples of how old players decline VERY fast. So people are not "obsessed" with age. It's just reasonable conclusion. Even Zlatan who everyone raved about declined very quickly in the later parts of Jose's first season here.
And seriously, Bale instead of Sancho? He's 29 years old already and should head to China soon (If not now). Manchester United is not a retirement house.
Well, I respectfully disagree with your conclusion to what we seem to agree upon: We currently have a lot of talent in the age bracket 20-26.
I think we should be very careful with loading up our squad with more players there. We cant have a squad with 25 players where everyone is 25 years old or thereabout. Its extremely shortsighted. What will happen in 5 years? Just saying.
A squad needs to be balanced; not just ability-wise, but age-wise as well. Hopefully you will have one, maybe two players leaving each and every year due to age and one or two players leaving because they are not good enough or because they want to leave in search of playing time.
We have a very young squad both in defense and offensively. If we need to buy young talent anywhere its in midfield. I dont think Pereira or McTominay will hack it in the long-term. IMO.
We are Manchester United and we are rich enough be able to manage our squad so we are competative every season and dont need to go through rebuilding processes every five years or so.
LvG fecked up by trying to do this in one season, when he should have kept one or two of the old guard around for continuity.
SAF was a master at this; knowing when to bring in experience when the squad was getting young/un-experienced. Players like Sheringham, Blanc, Henrik Larsson, even fecking Michael Owen. There are more examples. Zlatan is the ultimate Mourinho--example.
De Ligt is an awesome prospect, but if we bring him in, Bailly is toast IMO. And Tuanzebe´s promotion would be in question as well.
And if we go for a more experienced CB like Koulibaly or Aldeweireld (which I firmly believe we will), and they are good for 3-4 years I will guarantee you that another prospect like De Ligt; as good or better, will emerge on the European scene and we will be in for that anyone then.
The same reasoning goes for Sancho where we are stocked with young offensive talent.
We seriously dont have to or should do everything in one window and go for all the young prospects available right now and then.
Probably going elsewhere.
I refer to my post above and my examples there.
And yeah: Bale before Sancho. IF - which is a big if - we get rid of Sanchez.
Sancho is not nearly ready yet for the PL. He is certainly not ready for making an impact for a title-challenging team.
Bale is. He is top-5 in the world offensively, used to the PL and would bring instant impact to United.
There will be a new Sancho next year or in two years.
Bale is always injured. Terrible gamble.
Agreed,how many more bloody lessons do we need to learn.
Why is everyone convinced he’s moving? I think he will be at Ajax for a good few years before he moves.
He is such a fantastic defender, even better for such a young player. Maturity beyond his age, plays like a seasoned pro.
Given the choice, we should do everything to sign him.
Given the choice, we should do everything to sign him.
Every time I see this thread bumped, I come in hoping to see him linked with United, only to be disappointed
This guy and Sancho are perfect for us, two players with massive massive potential in two positions we lack quality in.
If we get him and Sancho, our team is set for a while. Shaw, Lindelof, De Ligt, Sancho, Pogba, Martial, Rashford, DDG, Dalot - that's 9/11 players who can possibly play for us for 5-10 years. Even if they cost a combined fee of 200 million, they are going to be worth it. If we could add one or two young CMs next year, the team should be set for years with us only having to add players for depth or some outrageously talent youngster.
Please make this happen Woody. We should have signed him right after that Europa League final
This guy and Sancho are perfect for us, two players with massive massive potential in two positions we lack quality in.
If we get him and Sancho, our team is set for a while. Shaw, Lindelof, De Ligt, Sancho, Pogba, Martial, Rashford, DDG, Dalot - that's 9/11 players who can possibly play for us for 5-10 years. Even if they cost a combined fee of 200 million, they are going to be worth it. If we could add one or two young CMs next year, the team should be set for years with us only having to add players for depth or some outrageously talent youngster.
Please make this happen Woody. We should have signed him right after that Europa League final
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