in a few of the interviews after the Barca signing he talked about phoning Maxwell himself to apologise for it falling through and stuff. One of them was NOS, but he doesn't really say any more than "I called Maxwell", in response to a question, in that one (https://nos.nl/video/2268721-frenkie-de-jong-barcelona-is-altijd-een-droom-van-me-geweest.html). there were one or two others where he went into a bit more detail about how difficult the decision between PSG was, though you get the feeling he was always going to go for Barca if they became properly serious for him, which they did right at the end
Matthijs de Ligt / signs for Juventus, lowering their average age to 56
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in a few of the interviews after the Barca signing he talked about phoning Maxwell himself to apologise for it falling through and stuff. One of them was NOS, but he doesn't really say any more than "I called Maxwell", in response to a question, in that one (https://nos.nl/video/2268721-frenkie-de-jong-barcelona-is-altijd-een-droom-van-me-geweest.html). there were one or two others where he went into a bit more detail about how difficult the decision between PSG was, though you get the feeling he was always going to go for Barca if they became properly serious for him, which they did right at the end
It seems the regular Barca Journo's have gone quiet and concentrating on other targets. PSG is being mentioned but we are not being mentioned if it was just to put the price/agent commission, surely we would be the number 1 club to link to. The fact PSG is being mentioned I hope it is just Raiola trying to squeeze us for cash, and the only club he could use is PSG. I highly doubt Deligt would go to the French league. Then again when he says there is only 1 logical choice, for ajax that usually means Barca. I just hope players like Sanchez (Spurs) and VVD sell him the attraction of the PL.
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Do we really care whether he goes to Barca or PSG? We won't be playing either for a while!
Well done to Team Raiola to have fed the United "sources" and triggered the ITKs and media that he might come here. Exactly what they wanted to happen I guess.
Well done to De Ligt to do his part in saying all kinds of right words that Raiola told him to say.
Well done to De Ligt to do his part in saying all kinds of right words that Raiola told him to say.
/thread please
Let’s not waste another moment on this guy. If he is not coming here I don’t care if he plays for FatPieMuncher FC
Let’s not waste another moment on this guy. If he is not coming here I don’t care if he plays for FatPieMuncher FC
Nearly 200 pages and pretty much the only links we got are from "reddit ITKs" 
This thread is surely going down in history.
This thread is surely going down in history.We're out of the race according to Gerard Romero. Juventus, PSG and Barcelona are the main contenders for his signature.
Let's see how long does it take before people complain about the club wasting their time on De Ligt, despite the fact we've been barely linked by any half decent source. I'm going to go with less than a week.
We've been linked with De Ligt by decent sources. Most in this country were saying that we had interest but didn't believe we would land him while reliable Barca journos like Romero said we offered a good deal to De Ligt.
Can we lock this thread now?
He’s definitely murdered a few prostitutes and buried them in the swamp.
That would be a shame to not get this guy... Come on Ed, throw the money and let's make it happen.
He said right mind.
For a player that young and that talented he was definitely worth going after. I think we tried but there are better options for him. Football wise, he's suited to Barca and financially PSG can outbid us. I think we are trying with other targets but the prices being quoted are outrageous. I mean 60 mil pounds for AWB or 70 mil for Maguire is insane.
But this where the lack of a director of football hurts. In the case where our primary targets were not available an experienced DOF would have 2nd, 3rd or 4th options. There's gotta be better value than 70 mil Maguire in other leagues. I think we have done a good job identifying our main targets, I am just worried we dont have a plan B or C or D in case they reject us or we are outbid
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Fair point.
There's always a way to get back in the race, throw more money at the kid.
Meh. Its a Raiola client. Would be shocked if we aren't back in this race once again
and don't sign him up as well
and don't sign him up as well
Heart breaking if true
Jesus H Christ! No need to be so dramatic
I don’t get why we are linked to any other central defenders ??? We clearly aren’t getting him.
I only believe di marzio.
who the hell is Gerard Romero and why does it seem like muppets are ready to take the fade on this guy’s word?Heart breaking if true
Not concerned. We're signing him.
Love how when Romero said United were leading the chase, people were saying he wasn't reliable and the sorts, and the guy reporting de Ligt to PSG was the most reliable source and what not, but as soon as he posts something negative, it's the end of the world, and he's super reliable etc.Heart breaking if true
One way or another this crap show will be over soon and we can all focus elsewhere on other targets.
This nonsense that “not being in the champions league is costing us players” is ridiculous and should stop. Let’s get real, players are choosing other clubs for larger, more integral issues than because we didn’t get fourth.
1. We just won 2 of our last 12, and ended the season playing poorly. We are entering a 7th season of rebuilding under a manager who isn’t an established big name, and we aren’t expected to challenge for major trophies.
2. Would it really have made much difference if we’d somehow made 4th with same the results and playing the same football in the last 12 matches? I.E., what if Chelsea and Arsenal had completely collapsed and we managed to sneak in. Hardly a ringing endorsement.
3. We could have finished second and still had players turn us down. Liverpool just won the bloody thing and players might still choose Madrid and Barca over them.
4. Like it or not, even if we have a sustained period of success, the allure of Madrid and Barca will remain regardless as a thorn in our side (see Ronaldo, Christiano)
5. There will be 32 teams in UCL next year, how many are more attractive destinations than us? 4? 6? 8? 10? Give you a hint, it’s not 32.
6. England is currently a competition between 6 top sides. Chelsea is in the UCL but they’re losing their manager and best player and staring down a 2-year transfer ban. Eriksen asked to leave Tottenham. Are Chelsea and Tottenham really that much more attractive because they made the UCL?
Consider this the proverbial glove slap to all posters past and present who moan about not being in the UCL costing us players.
What we need to do is build an exciting team that starts going in the right direction that clearly indicates future success. Suppose we hadn’t fallen off in those last 12 matches, and the Ole magic bounce had continued, but we came up short and in 5th. This place would be buzzing, and players (and even some of this miserable lot) wouldn’t be talking about how not making 4th would’ve cost us players.
1. We just won 2 of our last 12, and ended the season playing poorly. We are entering a 7th season of rebuilding under a manager who isn’t an established big name, and we aren’t expected to challenge for major trophies.
2. Would it really have made much difference if we’d somehow made 4th with same the results and playing the same football in the last 12 matches? I.E., what if Chelsea and Arsenal had completely collapsed and we managed to sneak in. Hardly a ringing endorsement.
3. We could have finished second and still had players turn us down. Liverpool just won the bloody thing and players might still choose Madrid and Barca over them.
4. Like it or not, even if we have a sustained period of success, the allure of Madrid and Barca will remain regardless as a thorn in our side (see Ronaldo, Christiano)
5. There will be 32 teams in UCL next year, how many are more attractive destinations than us? 4? 6? 8? 10? Give you a hint, it’s not 32.
6. England is currently a competition between 6 top sides. Chelsea is in the UCL but they’re losing their manager and best player and staring down a 2-year transfer ban. Eriksen asked to leave Tottenham. Are Chelsea and Tottenham really that much more attractive because they made the UCL?
Consider this the proverbial glove slap to all posters past and present who moan about not being in the UCL costing us players.
What we need to do is build an exciting team that starts going in the right direction that clearly indicates future success. Suppose we hadn’t fallen off in those last 12 matches, and the Ole magic bounce had continued, but we came up short and in 5th. This place would be buzzing, and players (and even some of this miserable lot) wouldn’t be talking about how not making 4th would’ve cost us players.
Not sure you guys quite understand how hard it will be to get the best prospects with our joke Owners/CEO/Manager/last half decade/current players/vision/setup/project/weather.
He was never coming here.
He was never coming here.
You should consider supporting another club dude. Feel better.
I feel quite fine with who I support as a club. Doesn't mean I'm okay with the direction or any of the appointments recently. We tried going big name and failed. We don't really have another choice now but to ignore top prospects and go for routes like Dortmund and Atletico. Downside is I don't think we have the structure to pull it off.
Great advice. Anyone who is not deluded should feck off.
If he doesn't join us, I ll start calling him FAT MAT
We need to see how this rebuild goes. It’s not going to be easy, but the superstar nonsense had to stop.
I think it’s better staying positive and reevaluate at a later stage. For now, it’s only early times in the transfer window and pre season is not here yet.
@dove It is not about being delusional. We need to give this time. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Yeah I think the issue with the Rome analogy though is that a lot of us feel we're on the latter part of the roman empire.
What rebuild? We've been rebuilding and starting again in 3 different cycles over 6 years. That's not normal. There's nothing wrong with what @Flytan concluded - there is a serious problem with direction and infrastructure starting from the very top.
Using a "support someone else" card is a very bizzare reply.
I think many feel like that. We will pull trough and be great again though. I feel very confident about that.
Yeah that’s a bit childish from me. It’s just annoying with all the negativity.
We got serious problems, no doubt about that. But we are trying to change things and I think it’s important to stand behind that. It’s just to soon to say that this new project under Ole will make it our not.
It will be super hard to attract top talent like him. Mostly because we seem like a club rebuilding under the wrong people (I haven't seen any sort of play style under Ole and the board plus glazers are not football people). I am desperate for Ole to implement an exciting style of play, only then can the rest follow.
Spot on. The disappointing end of the season has led to some bizarre behaviours.
Of course, there’s the usual “doomsday is upon us” posting. To some of this very strange “Fire Ed Woodward or let’s hope we get relegated so we get rid of the Glazers” nonsense (I suppose they are also holding out hope that their petition to get Game of Thrones Season 8 re-made will pick up steam). In between, there’s some mildly sensible discussion of club structure (DOF) and very valid discussion of the players.
Possibly lose out on a very promising Ajax centreback to Barca though, it’s the end of days!
But that's not what he said. He said we never had a realistic chance when pitched against Barcelona & company, because we have so many problems at the club at the moment. Even if this rebuild does work out, it will be multiple seasons before it starts seeing true dividend and De Ligt has better offers on the table.
5/1 to sign for us now...if anyone still has faith you can make a few bob.
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