I hope we are in for him, with hummels unavailable he is one of the best CB's available today.
Mehdi Benatia | Signed for Bayern Munich
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I hope we are in for him, with hummels unavailable he is one of the best CB's available today.
We absolutely need a new CB to come straight into the side. Even with Rio and Vidic in the squad we had so many injuries Carrick and Fletcher had to be used there. Going into next season with only 3 qualified CB's playing a formation which requires all 3 of them to be fit seems like total madness to me. If we don't sign another defender I will have zero sympathy for LVG when the inevitable happens and Jones manages to injure both Evans and Smalling.
He was rated when he started his professionnal career ( but not by L1 coaches), he had injuries who bothered him.
And he wasn't the type of CB's liked in France, too good technically and too far from a bodybuilder.
I know minimal about this lad but looking at his stats, did he really score 15 last season?
Is The Express the only actual link on this one, or is there more to it?
Didn't di Marzio say we had interest? Or did that stem from The Express?
How does one pronounce his name? I've been pronouncing it with a soft t.
Here's a super-collection to show some of his best stuff from last season.
I think you guys will enjoy some of the goals
I think you guys will enjoy some of the goals
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Only the Express, everything came from there.
No he said Roma's asking price and said we haven't bid, only said it because of the Gazetta report and they referenced the Express.
Bloody hell the express are like flies around shit this summer for transfer rumours.
So currently there's nothing in this story? LvG said we need defenders. Well we didn't get Vermaelen. Rodriguez links went quiet. Hummels is a no go. Rojo links happened because he started following United and some of our players on Instagram. If we're not after these players then who are we looking at?
I feel like we'll get Blind. His comments and the fact that we need both a defensive minded CM and a LCB just seems so likely. The comments he and his people have been making seem like he's a goner and Barcelona were the only other club linked, and I doubt they'll get him.
I don't really agree with this logic. Are you saying a player can only be quality if he's playing for a top club and there can't be quality lying around elsewhere? We know he was a Chelsea target before they went for Cahill which would have a lot to do with English and PL experience and what not. Anyone who has watched Benatia over a period has been impressed easily as he's a class player with very few weaknesses if any.
Vidic was at Spartak Moscow till the age of 26 and I don't remember many "Top clubs" being interested in him when we signed him. It's really no use of having scouting networks, quality ones, if we are just going to look at players who are either at top clubs or are being chased by one.
same here - vermaelen was plan A apparently...
I don't understand how we can go from Vermaelaen to benatia, they are completely different defenders in two completely different price brackets....unless LVG was going for two cb's.
You get people saying we need to sign established players to show intent then statements like this
United always sign unknown players who turn out to be great, a lot more than signing players at top clubs.
Roma’s Garcia: “No deadline for Benatia. I wait for him for the start of the season”
10/08/2014 - 19:29
di Enrico Passarella
Rudi Garcia spoke after the friendly against Elterndorf: “Benatia? There is no deadline like in the past year for De Rossi, but he has a contract with us and I wait for him at the start of the season with us. Starting from now, the less we change, the better, also considering the Champions League.”
Link
Roma's Garcia "No deadline for Benatia" http://t.co/XeXOcboQ7z
10/08/2014 - 19:29
di Enrico Passarella
Rudi Garcia spoke after the friendly against Elterndorf: “Benatia? There is no deadline like in the past year for De Rossi, but he has a contract with us and I wait for him at the start of the season with us. Starting from now, the less we change, the better, also considering the Champions League.”
Link
Roma's Garcia "No deadline for Benatia" http://t.co/XeXOcboQ7z
I too thought this.
Vidic was still 24 when he signed for us.
Excellent? Vermaelen's been shite for two years, was never that good in the first place, is always injured and still cost 15m plus add ons. It would've been a poor signing.
I think we need a top centre half more than anything else, if we genuinely want to play a back 3 long term. Benatia will miss a month or so at the ACoN and Jones/Evans/Smalling will cover for each other's knocks and they'd all still get plenty of game time to develop.
Apparently we're 'closing in on him'. Dont know how true it is, hes the kind of player we need but seems like we're linked with everyone lately.
It is the star though!
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/393893/EXCLUSIVE-Chelsea-set-to-land-30m-Mehdi-Benatia
It is the star though!
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/393893/EXCLUSIVE-Chelsea-set-to-land-30m-Mehdi-Benatia
Not to mention he got injured as soon as Barca signed him. I don't get why in the world LVG wanted this guy.
By the time he signs for you Woodward would still be preparing his bid.
Great. As if Chelsea even needs one more central defender, and United don't....
Well, they could do with one, not as urgently as we though. Or Arsenal
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Its one of two positions we could do with a signing.
Depends on Mourinho's plan for Zouma. If he's in and around the first team Terry, Cahill and eventually Ivanovic should do. Nothing compared to United or Arsenal.
If Azpilicueta and Luis are to start as fullback they would have Cahill and Terry with Ivanovic and Zouma as backups. So I am not sure if they actually need another CB, specially one who will cost 30m.
Not sure which role Zouma will play this season, possible that he'll get loaned out again if they sign Benatia. Ivanovic only played 2 out of 36 games at CB last season, I expect him to start there for Chelsea this season, of course he's still a good CB backup. Well, like I said, not as urgently as United or Arsenal, but still, if they're looking to sign someone a CB would be appropriate.
Didn't Mourinho state a few weeks ago that he's done with transfer business this summer?
Well, maybe. But not in the league of Benatia, he's a monster of a player and will walk in to Chelsea without any problems, the question is on whose expense, your captain or Cahill's? You have Ivanovic and Zouma who can play there, more than well cover in my opinion.
We on the other hand, are badly in a need of a world class central defender, which Benatia is.
I still think we are a CB and another striker away from a good shot at the league and Beniata would suit us but is he worth the money when we have too top class CB's already its true. Zouma looks a bit raw though, wondering if he might go on loan.
Is it true Jose has been experimenting with three at the back in pre season? Would explain the need for another CB, looking at your squad it would suit a lot of your players.
Terry is 33/34. Ivanovic seems to be preferred at RB and has errors in his game more at CB.
And having seen bit of Zouma he is pretty raw though has very good attributes.
Cahill Injury and even with their deep defensive line and the defensive game that Mourinho plays there defense would look a bit weak tbh.
They can definitely use someone top class like Benatia.
And having seen bit of Zouma he is pretty raw though has very good attributes.
Cahill Injury and even with their deep defensive line and the defensive game that Mourinho plays there defense would look a bit weak tbh.
They can definitely use someone top class like Benatia.
Why? Chelsea easily have the best defence in the Premier League, I don't think they have a single weak point. The're the last team to need another defender.
If Chelsea get him, their transfer window will be as good as reals IMO.
Terry has a year or 2 left and will prob turn into a Lampard/Giggs type happy to stay as part of the squad for his final few years. Going after Benatia makes perfect sense for them and another example of excellent management decisions if they do which is in stark contrast the total clusterfeck we've become.
Pretty much, I'd make them favourites for the league right now. Not many world class players, but so many really, really good players that their team really has no weaknesses anymore.
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