Varane was never good enough in the build-up and the high line, though. He's a very good box defender, but whenever he played, we always played with one of the deepest defensive lines across the whole league. His deficiencies are something that couldn't ultimately be tolerated if we wanted to move forward and improve as a team, add to that his injury concerns and £350k/week wages, and it's clear that he had to go.
Potential Centre-Back Signings
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) and Jamie (@Vault Dweller) get the depressing job of reviewing United's 3-0 loss at Old Trafford to Liverpool. They discuss what went wrong, Casemiro's day to forget, and the pressure now on Erik Ten Hag. They also take some time to give McTominay a proper farewell, and give their overall thoughts on the Summer Transfer Window.
Varane was never good enough in the build-up and the high line, though. He's a very good box defender, but whenever he played, we always played with one of the deepest defensive lines across the whole league. His deficiencies are something that couldn't ultimately be tolerated if we wanted to move forward and improve as a team, add to that his injury concerns and £350k/week wages, and it's clear that he had to go.
Varane not good enough in a high line is a weird take considering he played for Madrid and France
Kambawala/Maguire RCB if we can’t get anyone in for a sensible fee
The Premier League of the 2020s has different demands to the environments Varane excelled in (La Liga 2010s, CL in an all-timer Madrid side, and especially international football). Also, Madrid and France never really played the type of football that we are aiming towards.
I think it's a bit of a myth that Varane is good in a high line. The stats also back this up.
I think the reason we are so keen on Branthwaite is that he can be first choice RCB but also play LCB in Martinez absence (with Maguire etc then filling in at RCB) - it means we could get away with 1 CB signing unless we move a couple of the existing CBs on. Personally I'd prioritise a RCB and then a LB with Shaw covering Martinez at LCB and Branthwaite being 1st choice RCB and 3rd choice LCB.
I tried to categorize some realistic CB options, based on speculated asking fees I found online:
LCB:
10-20m: Strahinja Pavlovic, Facundo Medina, Jhon Lucumi
20-30m: Riccardo Calafiori, Alessandro Buongiorno, Lorenzo Pirola
30-40m: Piero Hincapie, David Hancko
40-50m: Willian Pacho, Goncalo Inacio
(over 50m: Jarrad Branthwaite, Alessandro Bastoni, Jorrel Hato, Castello Lukeba, Murillo)
RCB:
10-20m: Aaron Anselmino, Oumar Solet
20-30m: Kevin Danso, Lutsharel Geertruida, Maxence Lacroix
40-50m: Ousmane Diomande, Matthijs De Ligt, Kim Min-Jae, Odilon Kossonou, Gleison Bremer, (Giorgio Scalvini)
50-60m: Antonio Silva, Edmond Tapsoba, Marc Guehi, Mohamed Simakan
I would suggest that spending 65m max for two CBs would make much more sense than splashing it on Guehi or Branthwaite.
It could be something like Diomande + Pavlovic or Calafiori + Danso.
Personally I would hijack Anselmino from Chelsea as well but that could be made through Lausanne (they buy him and loan him to Nice directly, if that's possible).
LCB:
10-20m: Strahinja Pavlovic, Facundo Medina, Jhon Lucumi
20-30m: Riccardo Calafiori, Alessandro Buongiorno, Lorenzo Pirola
30-40m: Piero Hincapie, David Hancko
40-50m: Willian Pacho, Goncalo Inacio
(over 50m: Jarrad Branthwaite, Alessandro Bastoni, Jorrel Hato, Castello Lukeba, Murillo)
RCB:
10-20m: Aaron Anselmino, Oumar Solet
20-30m: Kevin Danso, Lutsharel Geertruida, Maxence Lacroix
40-50m: Ousmane Diomande, Matthijs De Ligt, Kim Min-Jae, Odilon Kossonou, Gleison Bremer, (Giorgio Scalvini)
50-60m: Antonio Silva, Edmond Tapsoba, Marc Guehi, Mohamed Simakan
I would suggest that spending 65m max for two CBs would make much more sense than splashing it on Guehi or Branthwaite.
It could be something like Diomande + Pavlovic or Calafiori + Danso.
Personally I would hijack Anselmino from Chelsea as well but that could be made through Lausanne (they buy him and loan him to Nice directly, if that's possible).
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There was hardly a player that could out-pace Varane - I think it was Kroos who said that he was the fastest at the club, including Ronaldo and Bale. I’ve also seen him chase down lots of players. Was it his positioning playing a high line that was a concern?
I would honestly be quite happy with a marginal upgrade on peak-Maguire. A Maguire that that is more comfortable at receiving the ball under pressure is a really good CB in my opinion. I also think de Ligt is quicker and more nimble than Maguire ever was.
Harry Maguire at 2019-2021 was 26 to 28 year old. Probably the beginning of the peak years for most CBs. It was interupted by the Greece-thing. de Ligt will be 25 in a few months. Injuries permitting, he is likely to continue improving for a few more years.
Depending on cost (that was also always an issue for public perception on Maguire) I would be positive towards de Ligt. Buy of course, we would also have to look into his injuries the past season.
The stats that involve a team setup to play deep even when Varane isn’t playing is the evidence? Ok make sense, we play deep because of 1 player named Varane…
We’re linked with Guehi as well. He could be an option. England starting XI CB.
I like Guéhi, but the glaring issue with him IMO is that you cannot pair a 1,82m tall player with Martínez in central defense. I want our "main" CB signing to be compatible with every CB we have, and then we can make compromises if we're planning on signing another CB. So I would really like Guéhi as an option, if we already had a Branthwaite, or a Yoro, or a Tapsoba in the squad. However, it's a definite no from me if he's coming as our only CB signing...and Palace don't need to sell anyway, which means they'd ask for some ridiculous fee from us that the player probably isn't even worth. If we won't pay 60-70m for Branthwaite, we're definitely not paying that for an alternative option either.
Yeah I think paying around £35-£40m plus addons would be a very fair price for De Ligt
A Diomande and Lucumi pairing out of the options makes sense to me. Lucumi has attributes that are similar to Martinez, so you don’t lose anything if Martinez gets injured. Then either of them covers LB as well. Diomande comes in as a starting RCB.
Decision making. Also he gave the impression of just playing scared
Btw fast over 30+ meters but didn't have great acceleration. I've seen plenty of players blow right by him over 10/15 meters, but over longer distances he'd manage to recover
Good post. Some very good options here.
Thanks. It shows that we don't have to pay silly money on Branthwaite as there are so many alternatives.
Cheers. Thanks for the update. Very few players that tall have great acceleration. Rio being a bit of an exception. Many more athletic big cbs around now than just10-15 years ago.
The two Bayern lads would be great signings, if they could be gotten relatively cheap.
Probably nothing to it but this would be good news! Offer them 15M and then lets laugh at Chelsea.
Based off nothing but some comps and hope, I think this lad could be really good.
I am pretty sure that at least Kim will be available once their Korean tour is over. Can't see them going with 7 CBs (Upamecano, De Ligt, Kim, Dier, Ito, Stanisic, Tah?) into the next season. Also De Ligt. But problem is that both will have high wage demands.
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Or sign Guehi as CB but sign tall DM like Onana or Palhinha.
We should be all over Antonio Silva from Benfica as Varane's replacement. Shaw can cover LCB for now, assuming he stays fit. We can't afford two quality centre backs this summer, so we need to prioritise right here.
I know he’s injured but I like Botman. Good on the ball, very quick and good in the air
Out of the young crop of centre backs, he is the best currently. He was considered the premier defensive talent prior to Yoro emerging.
I think he will be one of those centre backs that will sign for a club like PSG and then quietly have a very good and long career at the top level.
He is good on the ball, good in the air, has good speed for a defender and has shown he has leadership qualities too.
A lot of people on here want Diomande but he is definitely not ready to step into our starting RCB role, whereas Silva has much more experience and would be suited to the role.
Bold of you to assume that Shaw can stay fit.
Yeah I can understand that way of thinking, however Shaw can't stay fit so wouldn't include him as a CB anymore. This Euros has proved that signing a LB has gone up priority list to maybe 4th
I think we will sign Branthwaite and the Argentinian from Boca. Now the Todibo deal is dead. Shame I was hoping for Todibo and Icnacio or Pavlovic
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Arouna Sangante is another young interest player for RCB. Aggressive player, good at intercepting and progresses the ball a lot. Can also play as a RB, so good fit for the squad. If we went for a starting RCB, him as a backup and RB backup wouldn't be a bad idea. He would also be cheap as Le Havre unlikely to ask for a big fee.
Anyone but Antonio Silva. Didn't expect him to be this bad.
Bella-Kotchap for 20-25m I see as better value than Anselmino for 15m in that I have seen him play and been impressed with him in this league.
Inacio with a 50m release clause could be another good shout too
Inacio with a 50m release clause could be another good shout too
Where did Will Fish go? Seriously replace Lindelof with Kambwala (& Evans), hes better then him anyway and Swede could get us perhaps 15-10 million and we use that money for higher quality player.
£100m player apparently.
Talk about overreaction. You change your opinions daily, mate
Next game he has a good game, you'll post here "Antonio Silva. Always knew he had it in him. What a player!".He is not bad at all. He is one of the most talented young defenders in the world and plays for Portugal at the age of 20. He made a mistake and conceded a penalty, so that makes him a shit player? Literally one game, and you go from recommending him in one of your earlier posts to claiming he is bad.
It was a joke. I have seen a few games, but yesterday he was really really bad. That being said, he is not my favorite option because of the high fee demand by Benfica.Talk about overreaction. You change your opinions daily, mate
He is not bad at all. He is one of the most talented young defenders in the world and plays for Portugal at the age of 20. He made a mistake and conceded a penalty, so that makes him a shit player? Literally one game, and you go from recommending him in one of your earlier posts to claiming he is bad.
There will be a loan market if we don't get our primary targets...
worst thing we could do is waste money on a player we will need to replace in a couple of years
worst thing we could do is waste money on a player we will need to replace in a couple of years
Who are options in this loan market?
no idea exactly who would be available but there are Reguillon level players available at a number of the larger clubs I'd imagine.
far from ideal but if you are better waiting for a main target and there isnt a young player to step in then a short term solution would be preferable
if rumours are true then De Ligt without an obligation could be interesting. A team with some young CBs coming through might be willing if they cant get a sale for a more senior CB they want to move on
all very much a last resort scenario as worst comes to worst we could probably get by for a year by promoting Amass and having Kambwala, Evans and Shaw as options behind Martinez and Maguire
Id be really shocked if we don't buy a CB this Summer
What is this based on?
Just seen Romano tweet Maxence Lacroix is not singing a new deal at Wolfsberg. Not an expert on him. But isn’t he extremely quick and highly rated. Could be a good deal. Can’t cost a fortune if he has a year left on his contract