Wow. It's getting heated in here. Why? We are going to spend at the very least 50million pounds on this next player. Whether that's Perisic, Dier or Matic, it seems the opinion is split whichever way you go. Why not embrace what will be the underwhelming signing of the season and move to the Alexis Sanchez or Neymar thread and be entertained instead of frustrated?
Nemanja Matic| BBC says deal agreed
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I can't understand people talking of Matić as being a finished player at 28, even more when he didn't play so much in the first years of his senior career. It's true he's a particular player, that usually starts the season very slowly (so, it will be a pity he's not around from day one for all the physical work and not training with Chelsea team either) and must have a strange psychological aspect too, being hard to motivate perhaps. But Mourinho and his staff, namely the fitness coach, worked with him just two seasons ago, surely they know him inside out and wouldn't be caught by surprise with any of Matić perks.
He could do wonders for our midfield, specially turning the midfield two option more secure for games we would have to go into 4-3-3, always a more defensive option for Mourinho.
He could do wonders for our midfield, specially turning the midfield two option more secure for games we would have to go into 4-3-3, always a more defensive option for Mourinho.
But you think something more than that - you just said no credible criticism is possible:
...which, in fairness, does seem to be consistent with your way of thinking about Mourinho. But it seems like bizarre Mourinho-exceptionalism to me (unless it is not credible to question any manager).
While I wouldn't agree that Matic is poor I agree with some of the options he's mentioned being better value for money especially Danilo Pereira. He's very talented and the ideal age too. He's 6'2 so not small. He'd tick every box imo. Don't think it matters because Jose seems to only have a select few he's interested in and I'd rather we sign Matic/Perisic than no one but there are better options that simply don't seem to be under consideration and it's a bit strange tbh. Strootman has recovered pretty well from his injury and also might be worth considering again. Though N'Zonzi wouldn't be my first choice, the fact that he has a buy out clause would make him a decent alternative too if we wanted to save money. I think Danilo Pereira has a buy out clause of around £50m also
Yep, criticism and credible criticism are imo two separate things. Anyone can have an opinion, but not everyone can back up their opinions when challenged.
Oh for sure, but by your standards (knowing exactly what attributes a manager values in a player before making any judgement), the only person who can credibly criticise a Mourinho signing is.... Mourinho. Which I'm sure is a point of view that Mourinho would heartily agree with!
And by the same measure only Klopp can credibly criticise Klopp transfers, only Pardew for Pardew transfers, etc.
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You can also credibly criticize Mourinho's signings as long as its constructive, but you also have to consider that he's going to do what he's going to do irrespective of what you or I think.
I agree. The potential is there, but the potential needs 2 years to mature. What we need now are players at their peak and who are consistent.
If you saw how tenacious he was in his first 6-8 months back, and how he's been laboring around the pitch since, you'd realize that's just not true.
You do know he almost beat the points record with a team comprised of Victor Moses, Marcos Alonso, Gary Cahill, and David Luiz? He upped all of their games, even Pedro and Hazard. Probably the least talented 90+ point team in PL history.
Go look at other Chelsea forums and see how happy, I mean sad, we all are about losing him. The clear cut consensus is not what you think it is. The "PR team" isn't that good.
Oh for sure, and I doubt that anyone on here thinks they are influencing the club's transfer business, but that's just as true of, say, van Gaal's conservative possession tactics, and I still think it was fair enough for people to moan about that.
Very weird that Chelsea are risking selling him to us, seems overconfidence, even if we outbid Juventus for 10m.
Good points.
- Jose has worked with Matic before and really likes and trusts him.
- Matic seems to want to really play for United and Jose.
- Matic is actually a very good and experienced player who can improve us.
- Matic has won the Premier League twice (how many of our players have won it before and possess the psychological advantage winning it provides?).
- Chelsea seems open to selling him even to a rival
- As for the price, I have come to accept the fact that it is about who is buying and who is selling.
My summation: Yes, there may be a few good options out there but this deal actually makes a lot of sense. Sign him up.
- Matic seems to want to really play for United and Jose.
- Matic is actually a very good and experienced player who can improve us.
- Matic has won the Premier League twice (how many of our players have won it before and possess the psychological advantage winning it provides?).
- Chelsea seems open to selling him even to a rival
- As for the price, I have come to accept the fact that it is about who is buying and who is selling.
My summation: Yes, there may be a few good options out there but this deal actually makes a lot of sense. Sign him up.
Sums it up perfectly. I'd prefer Verratti, but then who wouldn't and that's never going to happen.
As GM K said, Matic is Premier League proven, experienced, knows the manager, wants to come and would perfectly fill a void in our team/squad. At this point I couldn't care less if players cost £20m, £50m or £80m - the finances of elite football are so divorced from reality and fans that it's become meaningless.
rashford-------lukaku------------mkhi
--------pogba----matic----herrera----
LB-------lindelof-----bailly------tony v
--------------------ddg------------------------
i'll take this starting line up at this moment, given the difficulties for us to get new players in.
matic will give us the balance needed in midfield. will allow pogba to be extra 10 yards forward and play more freely.
until shaw really proven himself a worthy starting LB, i am happy to have blind or darmian there.
we got option at Cb with smalling, jones and rojo to come back as well.
fellaini should be plan B.
the key is for the likes of rashford, martial, mhki and pogba to add to their goal tally. lukaku will probably replaced ibra's 28 goals of last season but we need to score more.
not surprise if matic is our last signing this summer and he could well be our 2017 version of carrick summer 2006.
--------pogba----matic----herrera----
LB-------lindelof-----bailly------tony v
--------------------ddg------------------------
i'll take this starting line up at this moment, given the difficulties for us to get new players in.
matic will give us the balance needed in midfield. will allow pogba to be extra 10 yards forward and play more freely.
until shaw really proven himself a worthy starting LB, i am happy to have blind or darmian there.
we got option at Cb with smalling, jones and rojo to come back as well.
fellaini should be plan B.
the key is for the likes of rashford, martial, mhki and pogba to add to their goal tally. lukaku will probably replaced ibra's 28 goals of last season but we need to score more.
not surprise if matic is our last signing this summer and he could well be our 2017 version of carrick summer 2006.
I didn't like the signing but when Jose and Juventus are fighting for the player is obvious he is very good player.
Would rather have overpaid for Dier but oh well, I'm confident of him doing as good a job if not better in the short term.
Not many options up front, or on the wings. Been a poor window so far
Yeah given the choice overpaying for Dier seems good option, not that he is better but he is young and have lot of years in tank.
Pros for Matic is, Juventus are also in for him which shows how highly rated he is, Jose wants him at any cost and it's the player who wants out of Chelsea to play for Jose.
This is the second time Matt Law mentioned that Matic wants out rather than Chelsea wanting him to sell.
Now we're just taking the piss. And I love how Jose said he wouldnt just accept every ridiculous price tag.
It's reported by Matt Law, so you know the deal. We should wait to see what others will report.
I don't get hung up about transfer fees, but if are going to throw £50m at Matic, who will only play when our CAPTAIN does'nt, surely we should be looking at younger heirs to Carricks crown ?
One thing is for sure, if we sign Matic then Carrick won't be playing regularly.
considering how things have gone this year with journos and MUFC, i'm not reading much into it. Matt Law went full salt mode after lukaku, just highlighting how far out the loop he was for weeks when we were talking with Raiola. He basically had no idea and just said Raiola "got his way" after the BBC "deal agreed story" in some weak attempt to cover himself for a year of worthless reporting on lukaku to chelsea.
Matic to MUFC is only a "thing" when Stone and Ducker post simultaneous articles/tweets, hence confirming a "briefing".
Matic to MUFC is only a "thing" when Stone and Ducker post simultaneous articles/tweets, hence confirming a "briefing".
But have you actually way watched him play on a consistent basis over the past two seasons?
It's different
Buying Marcos Alonso for 30m seemed stupid last year as he had two average spells at Sunderland and Bolton Yet it made sense for what Conte wanted to do with the squad. It may not have had the same impact had he bought someone else
Anyone claiming than 50m pounds for 29 year old Matic is anything other then a pathetic and a bad deal for us, needs their head checked. Whichever way you look at it, 50m is a pathetic transfer and seriously shakes my confidence in Jose and Ed. We better overpay 60m for a 6 years younger Dier than this. Pathetic is the only word i can say to this.
Give Jose Perisic and Matic (or Dier) and he will likely deliver the premier league title next season.
That's what I don't understand, why make him captain then ?
Who cares?
If we need Matic. Sign him. We are loaded, it makes next to no difference.
Such strange attitudes.
'Bad deal blah blah', we aren't a family of four on the breadline FFS.
If Matic helps us get back to being a title challenge for 2-4 years then it's money well spent.
Oh, come on mate. You shouldn't say such things. Price in football, is nothing but perceived value. Unfortunately, the value we fans perceive means little. It's primarily the value of the buying and selling clubs that count most. So what a player is worth is highly subjective and depends on multiple factors that determine value. This is especially tough to predict in today's insane market.
This is not Van Gaal time where captain will always play.
I care. Any Manchester United fan should care. Any company who spends its money irrational is going only one way. And i don't want Manchester United going that way.
To me this is just a Chelsea leak letting us know what they want for him, & I'd be very surprised if we just paid it, more likely this will force our hand to look elsewhere even more, or if the Matic deal is done then it'll be for considerably less than £50 m.
What is so funny? Spending 50m on a 29 year old Matic after just saying we will not pay any price clubs want us to pay? Yeah that is funny. Of course if it's true regarding the price, this guy Matt Law is a Chelsea mouthpiece.
I gave up with that kind of thinking when we sold to these bastards in 2005
I have been very much against this transfer as per my most recent quotes but decided last night to watch parts of some of his Chelsea games.
I have changed my mind, he's exactly what we need, his reading of the game is exceptional and therefore tends to intercept balls rather than need a big tackle (a bit like Carrick), he's also not as cautious with his passes, frequently picking out a forward run, as opposed to a square ball. He creates freedom for his other midfielders and tbh in the games I watched he made Kante look good by restricting the opposition with his positional sense and allowing Kante to close the player down.
Don't get me wrong he's not worth anything like £50m but I can very much see why Jose wants him now.
I have changed my mind, he's exactly what we need, his reading of the game is exceptional and therefore tends to intercept balls rather than need a big tackle (a bit like Carrick), he's also not as cautious with his passes, frequently picking out a forward run, as opposed to a square ball. He creates freedom for his other midfielders and tbh in the games I watched he made Kante look good by restricting the opposition with his positional sense and allowing Kante to close the player down.
Don't get me wrong he's not worth anything like £50m but I can very much see why Jose wants him now.
You know what? I think I'll trust the club, ran by some very shrewd businessmen, not to spend money irrationally. Whatever we pay for Matic, we can afford it. Getting hung up on transfer fees and worrying about the clubs sustainability is a complete waste of time and energy.
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