Was so obvious for some of us for a while that this kid was going to be the best in the world. Yet I'm sure many here would still prefer us to buy Alderweireld from Spurs rather than this world-class defender who has 10 years ahead of him at the very top.
Matthijs de Ligt / signs for Juventus, lowering their average age to 56
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Was so obvious for some of us for a while that this kid was going to be the best in the world. Yet I'm sure many here would still prefer us to buy Alderweireld from Spurs rather than this world-class defender who has 10 years ahead of him at the very top.
I honestly think the board will do everything they can to avoid any more Mino Raiola players. Otherwise we'll have a situation in a year where DeLigt suddenly starts flirting with Madrid and putting in half-arsed performances until he gets paid £450,000 a week
Pogba ain't putting half arsed performances. He is not that good.
I’m sure not many would prefer that.
De ligt is very close to going to barca. Barca need him. Pique has max 1 more season even if he is playing excellently. Umtiti will be sold this season. so it is a matter of urgency along with a nunber 9.
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Why Utd can’t put in a bid? We can definitely afford it. Would Ajax not sell to the highest bidder? I would push the price up for Barcelona so that their transfer kitty get reduced. I really cannot understand why we would sit here a watch while good young players are bought by good team.
We're busy renewing Rojo, Jones and co contract and his name is not Varane, and his price tag is not 100 mil.
Yeah, I think United should blow the bank and more this season. Especially for this one which is sure to become something big.
I don't think that's how it works...
Before you start arbitrarily bidding for random players, you check with the player's representatives that he's actually interested in joining.
What do you think De Ligt's reaction would be if he received such a request from United? Ill-concealed laughter?
Uh. No.
You can inquire via the player's club too. Many cases, the players know about interest from other clubs via the clubs, too. It's not always exclusive via agents. Players can change mind, at later time and give in to get the transfer in last minute. The work to get bid agree by the club if not via release clause may be complicated.
I'm sure Daley Blind put in a good word for us based on how his time went at United.
Sorry mate, but Ajax doesn’t decide where he goes.
And United is not really in the position to turn his head, if he has a chance to play for Barca.
United are in position if we get top 4. No, not to the same extent as Barca as they're a force in football. United can turn heads with money. That's literally all United can do. I wouldn't bet on United, but United are in position to do such a thing as any club with money and stature is. All things equal, it's clear Barca wins like it's a joke.
Think the best strategy is to sign a player or two to show him United will be better with him in the side. Won't happen with Woodward though.
It's why I would be in favor of making VDS our DoF so that he could be part of the pitch.
This ship has sailed. We need to somehow get these players into the squad before they’ve shown so much the likes of Barcelona want them. It’s the only way. That means our recruitment needs to markedly improve. There’s no way we are getting anyone in a head to head with them currently. On the flip side You’ll just end up with players that are here solely for financial reasons and not much to do with football and that’s not a trait you want in your supposed leading players. Let them grow inside the club and hit the heights before paying them the really crazy money. We will basically end up with another pogba contract situation every time if we keep going like this.
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This kid goes to Barca, I won't blame him , but if he comes here, the Prem is suited to him, think it will make him better player.
We need this kid and we should make sure we get him .
We need this kid and we should make sure we get him .
VDS is not DoF at Ajax. He’s CEO, literally Woodies job
This guy can have the pick of any club in the world, and it seems every club wants him.
Unfortunately we just aren't at the top of the queue right now. We should definitely be throwing everything at him mind, but I think he will end up at Barca.
Unfortunately we just aren't at the top of the queue right now. We should definitely be throwing everything at him mind, but I think he will end up at Barca.
I think this fella and Sancho would fix 90% of our problems. De Ligt in particular would fill a leadership void, whilst also being a world class player.
You just can't fathom the stupidity of our club two seasons ago we play against Ajax in a final Sanchez was decent, De Ligt was outstanding in the game. Sanchez goes to spurs, we end up signing Lindelof who struggles and was terrible in his first season, since then has shown that at best he'll be a decent feature for the squad in years to come.
Present times De Ligt has established himself in two years as a world class defender, will walk into any central defensive pairing the contrast between him and our entire set of defenders night and day. The entire world are interested now fans and media alike are harping plaudits.
You are now seeing why our transfer policy has been diabolical. We give impetus to the manager too much and miss out on players who would have had minimal competition for signatures, we was recommended Goretzka for free and went against it last season. We are now going to see the exact same structure supercede itself with Solskjaer, all targets he wants and not a collective ambition with a DOF who will always be at the club regardless of the manager.
We are already set up to fail next season, Einstein's theory of doing the same thing expecting different results, nothings changed.
Present times De Ligt has established himself in two years as a world class defender, will walk into any central defensive pairing the contrast between him and our entire set of defenders night and day. The entire world are interested now fans and media alike are harping plaudits.
You are now seeing why our transfer policy has been diabolical. We give impetus to the manager too much and miss out on players who would have had minimal competition for signatures, we was recommended Goretzka for free and went against it last season. We are now going to see the exact same structure supercede itself with Solskjaer, all targets he wants and not a collective ambition with a DOF who will always be at the club regardless of the manager.
We are already set up to fail next season, Einstein's theory of doing the same thing expecting different results, nothings changed.
Should have signed him after the EL final, the talent was apparent even then.
All comes back to not having a coherent long term plan. Would never have been a Mou signing. Even if he was he wouldn't have developed that well under his management. Few extra bus tracks over his face etc.
We need to get back to being a reason these young players want to come. Too late for De Ligt I imagine and the current crop of young superstars. To be fair I questioned why Pogs was coming to us and not Real when he returned. We don't want them coming for the wrong reasons either.
Should get both. 125M on two top quality centre backs is good business. Lindelof and Tuanzebe as back up. Cash from sales/wages of Smalling, Rojo, Bailly and Jones would be a good start
Move heaven and earth to bring VDS as Sporting Director (Phase 1) - tangibly demonstrating our will to change direction and build for the future. Phase 2: De Ligt as landmark signing whilst rationalising wage structure i.e. paying off has beens on £350K p/w who have inevitably undermined all contract negotiations from Jan '18 onwards.
Have barca ever thrown that kind of money at a defender before...80-100m? I can see City been interested.
If I was Ole or whoever deals with transfers I’d be phoning Ajax telling them we’ll match or beat anyone’s offer. Get on to the entourage tell them the truth that we might not win a trophy next year but we have the money, the name and will build a team around him so that in a year or 2 we’ll be in a position to win. Tell him who we plan to bring in to help, get Ole on the phone to him, get Fergie on the phone to him, get Usain Bolt, Gary Oldman, Jon Snow, Drake, whoever it takes, just let him know he’s wanted, start chipping away and see where we land and hope that’s enough.
Well, yes. De Ligt should be a good signing for any team and £25 million for Alderweireld should prove to be good value. That pairing would lack a bit of pace though. Alderweireld would be a good foil for De Ligt in terms of his ability and composure on the ball, and conversely De Ligt is a dominant, aggressive ball-winner which compliments Toby defensively. I like the idea of signing Koulibaly, and having Smalling and Tuanzebe in the squad as they can cover ground more quickly.
I know that.
A couple of us think we should try and make him our DoF just so we could have a better chance at De Ligt.
If we signed De Ligt, Koulibaly, Sancho, and a flying RB it would transform us next season IMO
But what makes you think he’d take a lesser job?I know that.
A couple of us think we should try and make him our DoF just so we could have a better chance at De Ligt.
Pigs might fly
Yeah it probably won't happen, but it's that sort of outlay we need to truly jump us up a level.
I guess we will see how serious Woodward/Glazers are about getting us back to the top.
At least £300m right there.
Feck Jose and LvG. They completely ruined our transfer policy.
LvG had the likes of Dele Alli and Kroos under his eyeballs yet let them pass. Likewise with signing Memphis ahead of Mane.
Mou played against Sanchez and De Ligt in a game and basically ignored them, bought Lindelof and was prepared to spunk money on Maguire.
LvG had the likes of Dele Alli and Kroos under his eyeballs yet let them pass. Likewise with signing Memphis ahead of Mane.
Mou played against Sanchez and De Ligt in a game and basically ignored them, bought Lindelof and was prepared to spunk money on Maguire.
Yep... but that's honestly what it requires. We should be able to make 50-100 back in player sales, 200m would soon look small change once we start competing again.
Anyway money isn't the most important thing, top class coaching will get us to where we need to go. Look at Ajax, mainly young players mixed with a few good players playing well above their station.
Nope. IIRC, Ajax have retained these players on condition that they will be allowed to go to any club they wish to go irrespective of whether this club has tabled the highest bid or not, provided of course the club bids a minimum acceptable amount
No point in dreaming about De Light he's Barca bound its a waste of time going after him. Unless we offer mental wages and fees, this isnt happening.
Yeah it's truly a shame we didn't think about this two seasons back when it would have been a great option.
This kid is something else, just has that elegance you rarely see these days.
Whilst he is a good Player it's going to hurt me watch us buy Umtiti whilst De ligt goes to Barca.
I'm hoping the lad is up for a challenge at somewhere 'different' but all it is is wishful thinking.
I'm hoping the lad is up for a challenge at somewhere 'different' but all it is is wishful thinking.
It's not going to happen sadly. Tbh, we never used to sign that amount of talent under Fergie either.
De Ligt would probably be the best possible signing we could get. Shame.
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