No one, he's very unique. Mourinho will have to change the plans of the structure of our midfield for next season if Pogba doesn't come.
Pogba Alternatives
- Thread starter Devil may care
- Start date
A free flowing Ramsey is something else. Wenger really doesn't make the most of his qualities. 3 years is still too long a time to buy him, Wenger wouldn't let him go and i'd prefer Pogba. But something like 30 mil and 1 pound is never a bad idea.
People need to understand that we're in a situation that we need to overspend to get the top talents if we want to get back quickly to the top.
If we were reigning champions and just signed Mourinho with CL football things will obviously be different.
Bazoer at Ajax is agood alternative
Saul Niguez for me.
It depends.
Is Jose planning to play Pogba as a no.8 or as a no.10?
Or does he want someone who can play either role (remember what he said about wanting "specialists" though)?
When we know that, then we can start talking about alternatives.
Is Jose planning to play Pogba as a no.8 or as a no.10?
Or does he want someone who can play either role (remember what he said about wanting "specialists" though)?
When we know that, then we can start talking about alternatives.
Pereira.
Yep definitely would be more attainable than Pogba.
It would require a formation change but:
--------Carrick/BFS----Schneiderlin------
Mikhtaryan----Griezmann----Martial
-------------------------Zlatan-------------------
Would be incredible.
Pogba is not worth 100m not by a long shot
Good player but extremely overrated. Rather buy two wc midfielders than splash all on him
Good player but extremely overrated. Rather buy two wc midfielders than splash all on him
That midfield is extremely underwhelming.
Curious to hear who those two attainable wc midfielders are..
so his plan was to sign PP from the get go or rethink everything? not buying into that. he's too good a manager for that.
is pogba attainable?
Saul Niguez, Nainggolan, Kante. Outside punt on Weigl, Tielemans, Rabiot, Halilovic.
Break Qatar economy may help with that.
I know he's not a similar player to Pogba but Kante. I'd argue even with Pogba we should go for him/someone similar. Truth is we don't have a defensive midfielder and Kante is the best in the game right now. We thought we were getting a DM in Schneiderlin - who I like - but truth is it was Wanyama who was the main DM when they were at Southampton and Schneiderlin turned defence into attack and covered the whole pitch.
I'm still not convinced that we've got a good partner for Pogba even if we go for him and - I know we can't judge too heavily on one performance - but there were definite signs last night that Pogba requires a deeper lying midfielder to really excel. I don't think Matuidi is that player as he seems to spend most of the game trying to drive forward (not a bad thing). I don't know who, in our squad right now, would be a good partner in a midfield 2 for Pogba.
Apologies for derailing the thread but I think it's something worth considering when addressing our midfield in general - we need a DM and Pogba isn't a DM.
I'm still not convinced that we've got a good partner for Pogba even if we go for him and - I know we can't judge too heavily on one performance - but there were definite signs last night that Pogba requires a deeper lying midfielder to really excel. I don't think Matuidi is that player as he seems to spend most of the game trying to drive forward (not a bad thing). I don't know who, in our squad right now, would be a good partner in a midfield 2 for Pogba.
Apologies for derailing the thread but I think it's something worth considering when addressing our midfield in general - we need a DM and Pogba isn't a DM.
I still think the back-up option will be Matuidi. Not like-for-like by any stretch but I do reckon he'd improve our midfield and he strikes me as a Mourinho type player.
Ruben Neves
Kovacic or Isco. Ramsay would be interesting too. Seems to thrive in a counter-attacking setup.
Kante's failure to impress in the deep lying role, or holding midfield role was the problem that Pogbq had to be sacrificed to bring the balance. Arguably Drinkwater with his calmer style brings the balance to Leicester also. Kante is an all action midfielder, who runs a lot and loves get involved. It's not his game to patiently stay put, holding his position and calmly read the game before acting. Kante + Matuidi is a mess as both is similar to a way that they both use their energy as an asset to their defensive game. Matuidi is more proven in bigger stage as well as having better presence and more tool in his attacking. Kante is far from one of the best in the world. He was the best performers (form) in the league, but he is not on the level of one of those great that had grace PL midfield. Hoping him to replicate his performance level and consistency of last season in a different role and bigger club is all that difficult. Hoping him to be able to move up another level is very wishful thinking. Kante is far from Makelele. He is too good to be a sub, but too difficult to integrated into the XI.
Agree that either way we still need a deep lying midfielder despite whether we get Pogba, Matuidi or not.
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Saul, koke, kante
Those saying you can't buy a like for like with regards to Pogba are right, he's not a full CM right now, at least not a £100M one. To be at his best he needs to be the freest #8 in a proper 3 man midfield.
Essentially we could use the £100M to buy a CM and a #10, or a RW and play Micki as the #10.
Essentially we could use the £100M to buy a CM and a #10, or a RW and play Micki as the #10.
No direct alternative.
We would have to switch up the tactics and get someone else.
We would have to switch up the tactics and get someone else.
Is Kante unrealistic?
Could double, even triiple his wages. And okay, Leicester are Champions, but I would be very shocked if United didn't finish ahead of Leicester every single season from now until 2116.
If that £25m release clause is true, it's a no brainer
Could double, even triiple his wages. And okay, Leicester are Champions, but I would be very shocked if United didn't finish ahead of Leicester every single season from now until 2116.
If that £25m release clause is true, it's a no brainer
Even another CB. I think it would be great to have an experienced defender.
Which players would you buy with that money?
Seen that name alot on this thread but nah not going to happen, he signed a new contract with Atleti.
New contract, no fecking chance, different sort of player.
Athletico isnt someone's feeder club. They are a top 5 club in Europe right now and they have their 3 best players tied down to new contracts. Also what makes you think they will be available AND want to move to United? Kante? He has had one good season but Pogba has proven himself way more than his international teammate.
Would like Kante very much if we don't end up with Pogba. Was also pining for Khedira years ago before Real got him, though he's closer to 30 now.
Verrati and Saul Niguez would be great alternatives for Pogba, based on what I have seen. Needless to say both of them would not be available.
Kante might be available but he is a different player to Pogba.
Koke is another midfielder who would be a great alternative. Again, not sure about his availability & he seems to have rejected offers from Barca to stay with Atletico Madrid.
Kante might be available but he is a different player to Pogba.
Koke is another midfielder who would be a great alternative. Again, not sure about his availability & he seems to have rejected offers from Barca to stay with Atletico Madrid.
Once Bayern got involved we'd very little to no chance as you've suggested. But I believe we could have concluded everything way before that happened.
LVG didn't want Sanches
Pereira and Goss
Or dare I say it, Strootman.
Or dare I say it, Strootman.
Rakitic
Kante, seems like hes off to Chelsea though.
Kante isn't attacking like Pogba at all. He's just a busy body that's good at intercepting and can run a lot. Put him against all the deep lying defences we have to deal with, he will look like a lost sheep.
We've got Schneiderlin/Blind/Mensah for that job, we need somebody who can unlock a defence with a dribble/pass/long shot.
He turned us down because of lvg
Releasing Schweinstiger and Herrera in those sorts of roles might help. The former can't be depended on due to injury so I agree we need a player in that mould. But If we slapped say, £70m on Saul Niguez then we save £50m from the Pogba deal and still get a very very good player. I know Saul can play often as Defensive midfield, but he can operate in advanced areas too.
Its not about "all-rounders." They aren't specialists which is what the top teams have. whats so great about having someone who can defend a bit, but isn't quite a tough tacking enforcer? or someone who can make a pass, but doesn't have the vision, technique and drive to be a playmaker like his peers can, or someone who can head the ball, but not quite aerially dominant? I would rather have a Yaya who will score 15-20 goals than a jack of trades
Don't you think we already tried something with Saul before all this Pogba shit? I think we tried to sign him but he decided to stay when his role became more prominent at Atletico and we missed out on the CL then during the discussions with Raiola about Ibra the Pogba idea came into play and he gave us some encouragement. We were obviously looking for a driving midfield player who is a physical specimen if you take the Sanches pursuit into account.
Re-Schweinsteiger and Herrera, I think the former can play a role alongside a defensively sound anchorman but for how many games because his body won't allow him. Other than Perreira I don't see anyone else with the technical ability and mobility to play as an 8 for us, even if we get Pogba we would still need that type of midfielder to play as a Schweinsteiger alternative.