Think he only has 2 years left on his contract so I guess not impossible but I would have thought inter would sooner shift the likes of Erikson, Sanchez or if they really need cash one of martinez or Lukaku
Potential CB Options
- Thread starter croadyman
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Would find it strange if we didn't have some sort of interest in him. Seems to have a lot of what we're looking for. Good in the air, very good with the ball at his feet, left footed and an integral part of a defence that has just won a major league title.
On a different point, does it even matter? We could have prime Beckenbauer in that defence and we'd still look completely unorganised. It's been the same all season - and Ole has shown an inability to get a handle on our set-piece vulnerability.
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Since Inter are skint, how about an attempt at Skriniar?
Much of the value that he offers is on the ball. He's at his best when he gets on the ball and carries it forward or plays an incisive pass from the back. Defensively, he's good in the air and can put in a tackle, but he's not as good in several other areas as a bunch of other options; I'd put his defensive ability with Koundé, which I'd put below Upamecano.
Liverpool have this morning triggered the release clause for Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig. Potentially going to be a great defender if he can stay injury free, but he has been beset by injury problems this season making only 18 appearances.
Is he potentially a good buy, at £35 million he appears to be cheap?
Is he potentially a good buy, at £35 million he appears to be cheap?
Not progressed no?
Skriniar has barely improved since when we were linked to him under Jose.
Injury prone player with only one good domestic season behind him and that too couple of years back and once you factor in his lack of experience outside the domestic league he is hardly cheap punt for £35 million .
Some rate his potential highly but from little I saw of him he is a player who looks clumsy and unrefined on the ball and relies heavily on his physicality while defending . Not somebody I would have liked United to pursue .
I’ve been wondering myself why we are not linked with this lad ahead of the names I’m seeing linked with. He is good passer but not great at it. Just makes the quick simple pass forward to get the play moving. He is a defender and that’s what we need next season.
I just hope we don’t regret not looking at him. Young, ready for step up in class, leadership and monstrously built. He doesn’t lack passing ability just prioritises the simple quick forward accurate passes with nothing fanciful, let defending be the priority in our search.
I really like and rate this lad. He is going under the radar unnoticed but believe he is a gem ( kinda like Van D) waiting to explode.
If Inter are having a fire sale this summer, we really should be going for Bastoni.
I see a majority of fans talk about United's inability to play out of defence, so a player like Bastoni would be a great start to solving this issue. He's very comfortable on the ball and can either pass it through the lines or dribble forwards to get us up the field. He's 6 ft 3 and good in the air, so that would help remedy our issues with set-pieces. Also, he's left footed, so we could slot him in at left centre back alongside Maguire which could give us more angles of attack when playing out of the back.
Overall, Bastoni has had the 2nd most minutes for Inter (behind the goalkeeper and the most out of all centre backs), so Conte clearly has seen something special in this player, especially when you consider the calibre of defenders Conte has worked with in the past at both Juventus and Chelsea. Bastoni is only 22 as well! So this would definitely be a transfer for now and the future.
It's quite hard to gauge how much he'll cost but if he gets a run out for the Italian side at the Euros, I expect his reputation and price to skyrocket.
Unfortunately, Bastoni has recently renewed his contract with Inter until 2024, so that rules him out for now.
Surely Maguire plays on the left now, likes playing with Shaw. Would have thought a right-sided CB would be ideal. No idea how important the sides thing is, other than sticking with a settled pair.
Ben White.
Yes moving Maguire to the right wouldn't make sense.
Is Pau Torres actually good? He's looked really average in the 4/5 games I've seen him play. What does he offer that Lindelof doesn't?
Italians rarely leave Italy but excellent shout. https://fbref.com/en/players/75b86fb3/scout/365_euro/Alessandro-Bastoni-Scouting-Report
Botman, Torres, Bastoni and Varane would all improve us.
Our new CH should come from one of the following five players Torres, Edmond Tapsoba, Varane, Koude and White. Each one has its weaknesses. The big question is, do you go for experienced or potential? Potential Tapsoba has everything needed but experienced; Varane has the most experience but has hit his ceiling.
Watched him a few times this season, he's been solid. Athletic, fearless and good on the ball. Good shout.
If he's available, then we must get him.
Pogba and Martial should be enough to encourage him.
Yeah i like him.
I do too, but he's weak in the air. We need a dominant defender like Maguire.
Maguire is going to stay in his left CB position isn't he? So I'm not sure how Botman or Torres will fit in.
Plays in a 3 doesn’t he? Iirc
For a team battling relegation yes.
Maguire is good in the air, we still concede loads from set plays. We need somoene who concentrates and isn't a bottlejob.
Played in a back four for Bielsa's Leeds in the Championship.
Hence why we need more.
No a set piece coach is what we need not tall players in the team that we already have.
Did I say we need tall players or did I say we need aerially dominant players like Maguire? Two different things!
I said in the Varane thread that I'd be shocked if we get a free run at him with no competition. Surely at least one of the likes of PSG, City, Chelsea will take him on a cut price deal if he only has 1 year left on his contract? Even if we win the race for him, the competition will likely drive the price up unfortunately.
Kounde is my preference since this January and he already opened himself to leave and join bigger club club to win. He’s been reported a lot to be one of our target and being scouted by our scouts a lot this season. And his transfer fees will be about the same as Varane. The point is, there is an alternative in the CB spot even if we lose one of them to Chelsea.
What are you struggling with?
What's up with Koulibaly? Why aren't we linked with him still?
Any chance we could get Laporte from City...would fit the left foot/play from the back mold that Ole seems to want to fill. Downside would be that the deal would help fund Pep's acquisition of Kane or Grealish.