No transfers in January

devilish

Juventus fan who used to support United
Joined
Sep 5, 2002
Messages
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January signings unlikely - Official Manchester United Website

Sir Alex has reiterated his belief that transfers are best conducted in the summer and admits he has no current plans to add to his squad in January.


“It is very difficult to buy players in January,” he said. “You don't just want to buy any player simply because it gives you another player. If you are going to buy, you want to buy someone who can make a difference.
“We have only had maybe four or five signings in my time here in January: Louis Saha, Andy Cole, Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra [and Diego Forlan]. It is not a consistent route for us to buy in January, simply because of all the disadvantages.


“There are a lot of issues there and there is nothing in my mind at the moment.”


The manager’s stance shouldn’t come as a surprise. After all, Sir Alex rarely spends in the winter window. The last time United made significant January signings was in 2006, when Vidic and Evra joined the club.
That was shortly after the Reds last failed to reach the Champions League knockout phase and this season’s similarly early exit, coupled with Vidic’s season-ending injury sustained in Swizterland, has prompted calls for Sir Alex to dig deep once more.


But the manager has stressed 2006's winter spending was triggered by a different set of circumstances.


“At the time [we brought in Evra and Vidic] we were looking to get players in who were important in certain positions," he told reporters at his

weekly pre-match press conference.


"After Denis Irwin retired it was very difficult to get a left-back with quality because everyone looked for left-backs in our industry. Patrice was one we identified. Although he had been playing wing-back for Monaco, he has the qualities attacking-wise that attracted us.


“Vida is a lad I went to see in Paris three or four years before that, when he played for Yugoslavia against France [November 2002]. They played him as a marker in the game. They played with three centre-backs.


“I was unable to really get a feel for whether he could play in a back four. There was no evidence in that particular game. He went to Russia and played in a back four there. We knew then he could play in the back four and there wouldn't be a problem. We decided to go for him.”
 
Twigginater said:
Obviously the answer to all our problems is to buy more players.
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Its as effective as just sticking to the same coaching and players who brought us such great success in Switzerland. I don't know whether bringing in a new players in January would be a step to the right direction or not. What I do believe is that its really time to get off our high horse and start tackling the problems. Normally after such devastating result players tend to be kept on their toes rather then reassured that nothing drastic will happen.
 
Fergie.gif


'And now the end is near...'
 
Smalling was a January signing as well, even though he went back on loan. I'm sure we also signed Tosic in the January window.

Edit: How could I forget, Manucho was also signed in January!
 
But the manager has stressed 2006's winter spending was triggered by a different set of circumstances.

“At the time [we brought in Evra and Vidic] we were looking to get players in who were important in certain positions," he told reporters at his weekly pre-match press conference.
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How the hell did they interpet that as claiming the circumstances are different now from 2006? Are we no longer looking for players "important in certain positions"?
 
devilish said:
January signings unlikely - Official Manchester United Website

Sir Alex has reiterated his belief that transfers are best conducted in the summer and admits he has no current plans to add to his squad in January.


“It is very difficult to buy players in January,” he said. “You don't just want to buy any player simply because it gives you another player. If you are going to buy, you want to buy someone who can make a difference.
“We have only had maybe four or five signings in my time here in January: Louis Saha, Andy Cole, Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra [and Diego Forlan]. It is not a consistent route for us to buy in January, simply because of all the disadvantages.


“There are a lot of issues there and there is nothing in my mind at the moment.”


The manager’s stance shouldn’t come as a surprise. After all, Sir Alex rarely spends in the winter window. The last time United made significant January signings was in 2006, when Vidic and Evra joined the club.
That was shortly after the Reds last failed to reach the Champions League knockout phase and this season’s similarly early exit, coupled with Vidic’s season-ending injury sustained in Swizterland, has prompted calls for Sir Alex to dig deep once more.


But the manager has stressed 2006's winter spending was triggered by a different set of circumstances.


“At the time [we brought in Evra and Vidic] we were looking to get players in who were important in certain positions," he told reporters at his

weekly pre-match press conference.


"After Denis Irwin retired it was very difficult to get a left-back with quality because everyone looked for left-backs in our industry. Patrice was one we identified. Although he had been playing wing-back for Monaco, he has the qualities attacking-wise that attracted us.


“Vida is a lad I went to see in Paris three or four years before that, when he played for Yugoslavia against France [November 2002]. They played him as a marker in the game. They played with three centre-backs.


“I was unable to really get a feel for whether he could play in a back four. There was no evidence in that particular game. He went to Russia and played in a back four there. We knew then he could play in the back four and there wouldn't be a problem. We decided to go for him.”
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I posted this story yesterday but it was taken down- presumably because I mentioned the 'G' word
 
Tbh i understand the logic of not buying in winter. if i was a manfsr i would be doing the same thing. anyhow- i think that despite injuries we are pretty much well covered in each department so there is no need for panic buys. if a pacy left winger or cm become avaiable at the right price i would hope we sing him/them. but that wont happen
 
if the right player becomes availble he would be bought i have no doubts

Just because fergie says so means nothing. He is a master of deception. Dont be surprised if he buys but the same can be said if he doesnt.
 
I can understand why SAf is reluctant to raise our hopes of a significant signing in Jan, because of all the difficulties etc, but this is really why we should have tried harder in the summer.

If we didn't need anybody at all, then he wouldn't be looking at players in the first place, so it is obvious that we need strengthening. What i cannot understand is leaving it so late, till everybody knows we are becoming desperate for a midfielder. All this does is drive the price up, and has made it even more difficult to get the player we want.

I don't really see that situation changing in the summer, so for me, i would be tempted to try and bring someone in asap, the squad was revitalised in the first few games due to a fresh impetus, i really believe we need some type of similar boost if we are to seriously challenge City this season.

I am fairly certain that if we do not sign anyone in Jan, we will not be strong enough to prevent City becoming Champions this season. I hope im wrong, but they look so strong atm, and there is a pretty good chance that Tevez will go in Jan and City will sign even more players.

I just feel we have dragged our feet for too long with the midfield, it has held the team back from serious improvement, and it could well cost us dear this season. Hopefully not, but an early CL exit from a piss easy group suggests we are far from the team we could have been, had we strengthened our weakest area much sooner.
 
Nothing surprising in what he is saying there.

But you never know if someone like Vidic,Evra becomes available in jan we could go for him.
 
apotheosis said:
I can understand why SAf is reluctant to raise our hopes of a significant signing in Jan, because of all the difficulties etc, but this is really why we should have tried harder in the summer.
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How do we know we didnt try harder in the summer?? Half the shite in the press is exactly that, shite. We were active in transfers in the summer, no doubt we pursued certain avenues, we dont go in half arsed into transfer negotiations. Transfer dealings sometimes dont work out and the blame isnt to be always with us.

I for one would prefer to wait until the summer, especially if the player comes from overseas. It takes awhile for most players to settle to a new country and style of play, I just keep having flashbacks to Evra's and Vidic's experience when they signed and played in Jan. No doubt we are far from perfect, but going out signing a player doesnt always work out, especially with the expectation at OT, it needs to be a good and planned signing, not a rush job to please the fans.

The key for me is the experience we lost last summer. When the going gets tough they have being through it all before. Our squad is relatively young now bar the everpresent players. This season will be a steep learning curve for them, only for the good. Injuries have come at a bad time aswell, shit happens.
 
Drifter said:
The only transfers i see happening is those going out.
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I'm inclined to agree with this, but due to the injuries we've had I think players like Gibson and Berbatov will be needed at times, probably Owen too in regards to Europa League games. Diouf can go in January though, if anyone will have him :lol:

I wouldn't be surprised to see Berbatov go if the price is right though.
 
Mr Anderson said:
How do we know we didnt try harder in the summer?? Half the shite in the press is exactly that, shite. We were active in transfers in the summer, no doubt we pursued certain avenues, we dont go in half arsed into transfer negotiations. Transfer dealings sometimes dont work out and the blame isnt to be always with us.
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We were linked with plenty of players but how many actually ever seriously looked like they may sign? none from what i remember, even Sneijder. We were linked with Modric, Nasri, Sanchez and Sneijder. Out of those as far as i am aware, not one got past the most preliminary of inquires into serious negotiations. If those 4 players are the only ones in the whole of world football who will improve us, then fair enough. Otherwise as i said for me the motivation for a serious signing was not serious enough. It seemed like a token effort for me. If we could have got top quality, for a nominal fee, and not particulalrly high wages then we would have signed someone, well under those circumstances who wouldn't?

I for one would prefer to wait until the summer, especially if the player comes from overseas. It takes awhile for most players to settle to a new country and style of play, I just keep having flashbacks to Evra's and Vidic's experience when they signed and played in Jan. No doubt we are far from perfect, but going out signing a player doesnt always work out, especially with the expectation at OT, it needs to be a good and planned signing, not a rush job to please the fans.
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Im getting deja vu here. This was exactly the same scenario we were in at the same time last year, oh we'll wait for the summer, well we waited and are still waiting.

The key for me is the experience we lost last summer. When the going gets tough they have being through it all before. Our squad is relatively young now bar the everpresent players. This season will be a steep learning curve for them, only for the good. Injuries have come at a bad time aswell, shit happens.
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Which makes it all the more surprising we have not planned better for their leaving. Scholes retiring was hardly a shock, nor was Hargreaves failing to recover from injury. Yet here we are, no signings made and nothing in the pipeline. So unless SAF pulls a rabbit out of the hat in Jan, we will probably end the season trophyless, when we should have at least been better prepared for who we were going to sign, should Scholes retire and Hargreaves not recover from injury.
 
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