Matthijs de Ligt / signs for Juventus, lowering their average age to 56

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One thing I am really confused was why English and Dutch media are so quiet. Usually it would be a big story when it is related to United and some big players. The media will cover every single day.

All the claims are from Spain, or Catalonia.

Probably because no one knows anything and one or two like Romero are making educated guesses. If there was something substantial you can bet all the big guns like Di Marzio would be all over this.
 
Lets put the positives of each team and weight it ourselves :

Barcelona :
-Compete for Prizes straight away
-Have competition so not first team straight away but will challenge and grow better
-Same school of football as Ajax
-Messi
-A team mate, Frenkie De Jong just signed
-Lots of Dutch legends from Barcelona
-Better Football
-Has mentioned interest in Barcelona

United :
-Better Salary
-Will be first team straight away
-Can be part of a new building project
-Team CEO Van Der Sar and Blind from United
-Riola prefers money and in good terms with United
-Language
-Might be captain soon as United missing a leader


Thats all I can think of at the moment feel free to add anything more.
 
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Lets put the positives of each team and weight it ourselves :

Barcelona :
-Compete for Prizes straight away
-Have competition so not first team straight away but will challenge and grow better
-Same school of football as Ajax
-Messi
-A team mate, Nigel De Jong just signed
-Lots of Dutch legends from Barcelona
-Better Football
-Has mentioned interest in Barcelona

United :
-Better Salary
-Will be first team straight away
-Can be part of a new building project
-Team CEO Van Der Sar and Blind from United
-Riola prefers money and in good terms with United
-Language
-Might be captain soon as United missing a leader


Thats all I can think of at the moment feel free to add anything more.

Good Ol' Nigel, He is a big draw.

Frenkie is better though.
 
Lets put the positives of each team and weight it ourselves :

Barcelona :
-Compete for Prizes straight away
-Have competition so not first team straight away but will challenge and grow better
-Same school of football as Ajax
-Messi
-A team mate, Nigel De Jong just signed
-Lots of Dutch legends from Barcelona
-Better Football
-Has mentioned interest in Barcelona

United :
-Better Salary
-Will be first team straight away
-Can be part of a new building project
-Team CEO Van Der Sar and Blind from United
-Riola prefers money and in good terms with United
-Language
-Might be captain soon as United missing a leader


Thats all I can think of at the moment feel free to add anything more.

Under Valverde that is not really true. Any positional play Barcelona do is just muscle memory. And it is Frenkie De Jong.
 
25 pages since I last checked the thread. Can only mean one thing. :drool:
 
One thing I am really confused was why English and Dutch media are so quiet. Usually it would be a big story when it is related to United and some big players. The media will cover every single day.

All the claims are from Spain, or Catalonia.

I remember the English media didn’t have a clue about the Pogba transfer back in 2016 until United briefed them when the deal was all but done

It’s early days and I can only see United briefing the likes of Stone etc once we/if are close to signing him.
 
Probably because no one knows anything and one or two like Romero are making educated guesses. If there was something substantial you can bet all the big guns like Di Marzio would be all over this.
I can assume that all sources until now are coming from Barca perspective. What Catalonia medias reporting are all from what Riaola told Barca board.

How about United perspective? I can imagine all journalists are trying to gather information from United recently. But it's gone so quiet.

Make me wonder United used by Riaola and United have no clue what's going on atm.
 
Lets put the positives of each team and weight it ourselves :

Barcelona :
-Compete for Prizes straight away
-Have competition so not first team straight away but will challenge and grow better
-Same school of football as Ajax
-Messi
-A team mate, Nigel De Jong just signed
-Lots of Dutch legends from Barcelona
-Better Football
-Has mentioned interest in Barcelona

United :
-Better Salary
-Will be first team straight away
-Can be part of a new building project
-Team CEO Van Der Sar and Blind from United
-Riola prefers money and in good terms with United
-Language
-Might be captain soon as United missing a leader


Thats all I can think of at the moment feel free to add anything more.

The way i see it is:

Raiola is pushing towards United because we will pay the demands and if De Ligt goes to Barcelona now he will be there a long time or his whole career. Why have a client make one move when you can have him possibly make two or three moves? Each of them with a payout for Raiola. He will sell it to De Ligt as United is a step up from Ajax (You may argue this due to champions league but the EPL and United are both alot bigger in stature than dutch football especially when Ajax will lose players this transfer window). He will tell De Ligt that if things aren't going well within 2-3 years, we can make some fuss and get a move to Spain or Italy. Meanwhile, United will be using 'the project', No 5, Captaincy, Money, ex-players..everything in their power to try and sell it to De Ligt. On top of this, Im sure i read a while ago that De Ligt is a massive fan of the EPL and had been told by many Dutch legends that a move there would serve him better right now, learning in a competitive and physical league at a young age, l don't know if i am imagining that or not but either way, the EPL is proberly serving is a draw aswell. All in all, i believe that a move to United is just as likely as a move to Barcelona. Especially, when Barcelona seem to have a lack of funds to do everything they want to do in the market in this window.

Anyone thinking the Copa Del Rey will have any effect are being stupid. IF Barcelona couldn't match the demands before that game, Do you believe they will break their wage structure and give De Ligt what he wants because of one domestic cup final when they are league champions?. If anything, they will tie up the Griezeman deal or a similar attacking transfer. Barcelona will answer losses with attackers, not defenders. If they have the financial ability to meet the demands.

Could go either way but i think its 50-50 and people thinking he wouldn't pick United vould be suprised.
 
I'd take a league two CB. Providing he's not made out of digestive biscuits like the rest of our dross he'd be an upgrade on anyone but Lindelof.
 
Gerard Romero is the Di Marzio equivalent for Barcelona. On this potential transfer I trust Romero over Di Marzio.

If he's saying we're close, then it's likely the case.
 
I remember the English media didn’t have a clue about the Pogba transfer back in 2016 until United briefed them when the deal was all but done

It’s early days and I can only see United briefing the likes of Stone etc once we/if are close to signing him.
Pogba was first reported from Di Marzio then followed by English media very quickly. I expect more media cover on English media today.
 
Lets put the positives of each team and weight it ourselves :

Barcelona :
-Compete for Prizes straight away
-Have competition so not first team straight away but will challenge and grow better
-Same school of football as Ajax
-Messi
-A team mate, Frenkie De Jong just signed
-Lots of Dutch legends from Barcelona
-Better Football
-Has mentioned interest in Barcelona

United :
-Better Salary
-Will be first team straight away
-Can be part of a new building project
-Team CEO Van Der Sar and Blind from United
-Riola prefers money and in good terms with United
-Language
-Might be captain soon as United missing a leader


Thats all I can think of at the moment feel free to add anything more.
He's never said much about an interest for Barca, in fact the only preference hes ever said was for the premier league. Also hes 19 so he can still go to both clubs in his career and be a legend at both (like Ronaldo with United and Madrid)
 
Pogba was first reported from Di Marzio then followed by English media very quickly. I expect more media cover on English media today.
If I recall correctly, Pogba was first mentioned by Duncan slap head Castles who was basically a Jose mouth peice
 
Lets put the positives of each team and weight it ourselves :

Barcelona :
-Compete for Prizes straight away
-Have competition so not first team straight away but will challenge and grow better
-Same school of football as Ajax
-Messi
-A team mate, Frenkie De Jong just signed
-Lots of Dutch legends from Barcelona
-Better Football
-Has mentioned interest in Barcelona

United :
-Better Salary
-Will be first team straight away
-Can be part of a new building project
-Team CEO Van Der Sar and Blind from United
-Riola prefers money and in good terms with United
-Language
-Might be captain soon as United missing a leader


Thats all I can think of at the moment feel free to add anything more.
Dutch legends for United too over the years.
 
If this deal goes through and he does get a minimum of 250k per week, what is this going to do to our wage structure? Everyone will be demanding as much or even more. I am sure Rashford, Pogba and De Gea will want just as much. This doesn't include an new players that we may get. This is tricky business which Woodward needs to get a control of. He needs to get rid of Sanchez asap to have a chance of retaining balance.

Not as big a problem as you've made it seem imo. He'll be amongst the highest paid earners at the club because he's a potential superstar and the rest of the players will understand that. I think the wage structure gets in a mess when the likes of Alexis and Lukaku are our highest earners, not someone who has the pick of every club in Europe. Also, I can't see why Rashford would demand just as much? Would personally hesitate to give him half that amount with all due respect, and if he thinks he's earned a wage that large then he's got completely different things to worry about.
 
A 17 year old De Light absolutely bossing it in the Europa League final vs us.

 
Pogba was first reported from Di Marzio then followed by English media very quickly. I expect more media cover on English media today.


Di Marzio is number one for Italian transfers which what it was back in 2016 when we got Pogba from an Italian club - Juventus.

The reliable English journos such as Stone etc didn’t mention Pogba coming until the deal was near completion.

Gerard Romero is one of the top sources for Barcelona (Barca’s version of Di Marzio) who’s commented on this
 
A 17 year old De Light absolutely bossing it in the Europa League final vs us.



Pathetic how we didn’t sign him after that because of a dinosaur. Fergie would have snapped him up just like he did with Ronaldo at a young age.
 
So just some clarification on the "Reddit ITK" hype merchants.


/r/reddevils has a few "ITKs" that have gathered a decent track record. Some of these guys have nailed transfers and corporate sponsorship announcements months-to-weeks before they were announced. Essentially, overnight these "ITKs" heard the club got an offer accepted by Ajax and we have the better personal terms because of Barca's tighter wage structure. As a result of this, 2 other "ITKs" said that the club is briefing certain groups as are the Barca side. That was when Romero's tweet came out. This has thrown the muppets into overdrive.

One of the ITK's has said that it's so far advanced that the club is trying to tie the marketing with De Ligt and the No.5 and also Rio Ferdinand having a bigger role in the club. Essentially the "marketing" for the potential signing is De Ligt is the new Rio, we are passing the number down. blah blah blah.

The more "muppet" side of this whole thing is that De Ligt has started to like Rio's Instagram posts. But that means absolutely nothing.

There is nothing concrete to say it's 100% confirmed, Riaola is an awful human being so this could all be a play to make Barca hurry up and unload dead-wood to fund the personal terms and De Ligt has no real interest in joining us.

Why would people say that? Because he’s extremely good at his job. If I was a player I’d want Riola representing me.
I’d know he’d be getting me a best possible deal. If you’re good at something never do it for free.
 
Pathetic how we didn’t sign him after that because of a dinosaur. Fergie would have snapped him up just like he did with Ronaldo at a young age.

To be fair - it was Rio who urged to sign Ronaldo & maybe now it's looking like he may be important if we end up getting de ligt.

DOF :drool:
 
Reddit update from the ITK is that Barca tried to jump in after their loss today, can't compete and that the deal with us is done. Expected announcement anywhere between tomorrow morning and 48 hours.

How can we possibly go to sleep.

Ohh it's that time of the year again... those famous 48 hours...
 
Di Marzio is number one for Italian transfers which what it was back in 2016 when we got Pogba from an Italian club - Juventus.

The reliable English journos such as Stone etc didn’t mention Pogba coming until the deal was near completion.

Gerard Romero is one of the top sources for Barcelona (Barca’s version of Di Marzio) who’s commented on this

Di Marzio has a pretty good track record across all of Europe. All he would have to do here is get in touch with one of his sources to find out, or even talk to Raiola.
 
Still trying to remain calm, I know people have already said this but wouldn't mind betting Mino has told him go to Utd for 5 years then leave for Barca when you are 24
 
Lets put the positives of each team and weight it ourselves :

Barcelona :
-Compete for Prizes straight away
-Have competition so not first team straight away but will challenge and grow better
-Same school of football as Ajax
-Messi
-A team mate, Frenkie De Jong just signed
-Lots of Dutch legends from Barcelona
-Better Football
-Has mentioned interest in Barcelona

United :
-Better Salary
-Will be first team straight away
-Can be part of a new building project
-Team CEO Van Der Sar and Blind from United
-Riola prefers money and in good terms with United
-Language
-Might be captain soon as United missing a leader


Thats all I can think of at the moment feel free to add anything more.
Why would Blind be advocating for a move to us? It’s not like his experience with us went that great. Think he’d warn him about joining us, if anything.
 
I remember the English media didn’t have a clue about the Pogba transfer back in 2016 until United briefed them when the deal was all but done

It’s early days and I can only see United briefing the likes of Stone etc once we/if are close to signing him.
Ducker and Ogden were saying Herrera wasn't a target anymore according to what they had been told. Herrera was having a medical at the precise moment.
 
Di Marzio has a pretty good track record across all of Europe. All he would have to do here is get in touch with one of his sources to find out, or even talk to Raiola.

I don’t know about Di Marzio. Wasn’t he close to Jose? Before that I don’t recall him leaking any major news for us.

He was insistent from December 2015 that Jose was joining us, so probably did have someone in Jose’s camp giving him news. He reported a few weeks ago that Celtic would like Jose.
 
To be fair - it was Rio who urged to sign Ronaldo & maybe now it's looking like he may be important if we end up getting de ligt.

DOF :drool:

That’s a myth. Our players did say to Sir Alex to sign him but we were already well along the way to signing him as plenty of other clubs wanted him too.
 
And I know many here have an inferiority complex about Barca and Real but, if you are a great CB you probably want to play in England. Virgil Van Dijk just won the Player of the Year award John Terry won it in the past. The likes of Adams, Stam, Campbell, Rio, Terry, Vidic , Kompany and now Van Dijk are some of the biggest icons of the PL era. England seems to be the country that respects the CB the most with Italy second.
 
Why would Blind be advocating for a move to us? It’s not like his experience with us went that great. Think he’d warn him about joining us, if anything.

Why not - he was part of every trophy we won't post SAF. Just because Jose sold him doesn't mean he is going to bad mouth the rest of the club. Guy was good for us and he looked happy whilst he was here.
 
And I know many here have an inferiority complex about Barca and Real but, if you are a great CB you probably want to play in England. Virgil Van Dijk just won the Player of the Year award John Terry won it in the past. The likes of Adams, Stam, Campbell, Rio, Terry, Vidic , Kompany and now Van Dijk are some of the biggest icons of the PL era. England seems to be the country that respects the CB the most with Italy second.

That’s a good point. I’m sure that’s been taken into a consideration. I mean everyone has an ego and everyone wants to be remembered as one of the greats I’d imagine.
 
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