He did look good on the few occasions I watched Sassoulo. He was playing as the LCM in a two and looked strong defensively and offensively via his ability to pass the ball to a high level. But Italian players seem to favour staying in Serie A if the likes of Juve, Inter etc come calling so it seems a difficult task to prise someone like that away from Italy if the big domestic clubs are showing interest.
Potential Matic Replacements
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Yes, I agree. Did a quick search and Juve is apparantly interested. There has been a few cases though. But I doubt we are even interested...
Italian international, so I’m sure all the big clubs in Italy are on him. Reminds me a bit of Xabi. Could have said Carrick, but he looks more aggressive.
Ndidi has been mentioned a lot but wouldn't be the right fit IMO. It was different when you were looking for a partner for Pogba, now that it's a spot next to Fred though, you want a more progressive passer in that pairing.
How has Brozovic been getting on this season? He looked class last year but not sure if he's kept that up. Inter are difficult to deal with I know but Utd have made a few deals with them since the Perisic debacle (Lukaku, Sanchez, Young - I appreciate this is all one-way traffic but might curry some favour perhaps) but there seem to be a few whispers that he might be dispensible in Conte's eyes, plus only has 18 months left on his deal I believe.
How has Brozovic been getting on this season? He looked class last year but not sure if he's kept that up. Inter are difficult to deal with I know but Utd have made a few deals with them since the Perisic debacle (Lukaku, Sanchez, Young - I appreciate this is all one-way traffic but might curry some favour perhaps) but there seem to be a few whispers that he might be dispensible in Conte's eyes, plus only has 18 months left on his deal I believe.
What about Zakaria
Bissouma dissapointing in the Wolves game yesterday, Brighton looked better once he was removed at halftime (and they changed tactics)
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The only issue is he wont leave Italy. If you like him Koopmeiners is a perfect alternative
Locatelli looks great
I'd go with the guy who I would have prefered when we signed VDB though as Matic's replacement. He isnt as physical but we have Pogba and McTominay as options for that when needed. His versatility to play at LCB as well as the DM role, and the fact I've seen him since he played for Defensa are extra reasons why he's my favourite
Is he in the Dutch national side?
He's South American
Would make a lot of sense considering OGS are looking for a left footed CB too. But why is he not playing more? Looked instrumental in a few games last year.
...1.78 as LCB, has to be a monster to compensate 
its not April foos day for a few months
the guy is useless. Not even a regular in the Ajax first team. I meant to say April Fool's day
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He’s barely played this season displaced by Schuurs and not getting time at DM either. Would be a monumental risk.
He’s been ousted by Blind and Schuurs and with the emergence of Gravenbach I don’t see him playing DM anytime soon either.
Not good enough for Ajax first XI yet someone good enough for ours? Scratching my head on this one.
Young dutch players being pushed at Ajax? Who would have thought
If he wasnt good enough for them they wouldnt have won the league with him playing last season
They had the 2nd best defensive record with him playing DM and CB and he played better than VDB who we bought.Its almost as if hes a more available option than the players being suggested who would cost £50 million or more
I think you are watching through rose coloured glasses. I am an Ajax supporter an season holder and blind was brilliant last year, plus we had Dest and Veldman and Mazroui and TagliaficoYoung dutch players being pushed at Ajax? Who would have thought
If he wasnt good enough for them they wouldnt have won the league with him playing last season
Its almost as if hes a more available option than the players being suggested who would cost £50 million or more
This guy wouldnt get into the WBA team
Like I said I've watched him since I first came across him at Defensa. I remember posting on here he'd be a good signing when Ajax got him. I cannot say ive watched Ajax this season, all I know is that I believe in the player from what I've seen. Plenty of ability and great character, aggresive and determined
Martinez and Alvares are probably the worst buys Overmaars has done since he became Technical Director
This is the toughest position to get right, we don't need just some clogger, we need a Carrick type holder.
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They aren’t just pushed for the sake of it unless you genuinely want to argue that they both aren’t in that side on merit too? If that’s the case you’ll have a hard time convincing any Eredivisie watcher that they haven’t done well since coming into the side.Young dutch players being pushed at Ajax? Who would have thought
If he wasnt good enough for them they wouldnt have won the league with him playing last season
Its almost as if hes a more available option than the players being suggested who would cost £50 million or more
What is more likely is that you like the player and want to see him at United as Dutchred pointed out its rose coloured glasses. He was not influential in that side and to suggest he was a key component rather than just a component is revisionary.
There is a better alternative than him in Eredivise but he’s not at Ajax and does the same roles better.
Agreed not an Ajax fan but avid watcher of the league and Blind was far more influential if were wanting to pick out reasons for their defensive record.
Nowhere near the level United should be looking at.
Young dutch players being pushed at Ajax? Who would have thought
If he wasnt good enough for them they wouldnt have won the league with him playing last season
Its almost as if hes a more available option than the players being suggested who would cost £50 million or more
Ridiculous point to make. Chelsea won the league with Victor Moses at RWB, did that mean he was a top-class player that everybody should have been after?
It's almost as if he's available because he's not a regular at Ajax anymore, and therefore likely not good enough for United.
Did it occur to you maybe that United need to spend £50m+ to get a good Matic replacement, and not sign a cast off from an inferior team?
That's what I fear but he's still number on my list for a Matic replacement. He reminds me of a slightly bigger Fred with the passing of a poor man's Carrick.
I remember the uproar when we replaced Keane with Carrick from Spurs, and now we find it impossible to find anyone fit to lace Carrick's boots. A Carrick-type CDM would give us a new dimension, well two actually both in defence and in attack.
Ideally a deep lying defensive playmaker a la Carrick / Alonso. Not sure who fits but that's the ideal profile.
Could Zakaria provide that or is he more of a DM
It means he was good enough for Chelsea to win the league, just like Martinez was good enough for Ajax to win the league. Stop arguing with nobody its not a good look
No, we have DMs that are way below £50 million in value and Matic isn't starting most matches so we obviously dont need to waste money.
Bingo! If whoever replaces him cant control tempo or lacks a first touch then we have already failed.
Now the squad is a good one, this maintain phase involves a couple of crucial signings in midfield to replace Matic and Pogba. I would imagine Tielemans and Grealish would do it, though I may be misjudging Tielemans’ attributes.
If we buy him wed have to commit to a 3 man midfield which we'be barely done this season. Asking him to play in a midfield 2 with wingers who for the most part aren't disciplined defensively is asking for trouble.
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My own view having watched him quite a lot is that he’s adept at the simple stuff and can progress the ball through passing but is more likely to do so with a dribble forward. I do like him as a player but I’m not sure he’s quite what I’d ideally personally want.
He’s not a playmaker in terms of deep lying passer it’s more short line break passes and beating the press with a ball carry.
He's got the potential to be absolutely brilliant next to a more cultured midfielder due to his monster defensive capabilities but it doesn't look like Pogba is gonna stick around so even though i'm a fan I feel we should look for a different type of midfielder to add to the ones already at the club. Camavinga looks the most exciting option next to Fred IMO.
Zakaria is also still finding his feet after being out for a while through injury and has been used sparingly by Marco Rose at Gladbach. He was again on the bench in the last game againt Arminia Bielefeld.
We don’t need a like for like to replace Matic just as we didn’t have a like for like when Carrick basically replaced Keane, we’ve got a great spread of balance and variety across our whole group of midfielders but what we DON’T have is a pure out and out defensive midfielder and that’s what we need.
There aren’t many options like a Keane or even a Carrick out there but we’ve got Fernandes, Pogba (currently), McTominay, Fred, VDB, Matic (currently) and then Garner, Levitt and Galbraith coming through.
Not one single player in all of those is a pure out and out defensive midfielder other than Matic and for me he’s effectively done as anything more than a sub to bring on with 15-20 minutes to go so someone who’s main job is simply to shield the defence and drop in with lots of stamina and a great engine is what’s needed.
There aren’t many options like a Keane or even a Carrick out there but we’ve got Fernandes, Pogba (currently), McTominay, Fred, VDB, Matic (currently) and then Garner, Levitt and Galbraith coming through.
Not one single player in all of those is a pure out and out defensive midfielder other than Matic and for me he’s effectively done as anything more than a sub to bring on with 15-20 minutes to go so someone who’s main job is simply to shield the defence and drop in with lots of stamina and a great engine is what’s needed.
I have been Matic's biggest critic at times, he plays too deep, is slow and runs around like he has wellingtons on. That said he played well against Wolves and seems to be play well in patches when it matters, still think he has life in him but not as a resgular starter.
I dont think we will replace him when he does leave as Fred has moulded into a more defensive player for us this season. MCT has the physicality but not the composure, ( that's prob why he and Fred play well together.) and we have youngsters coming through
--Galbraith will also come through judging by his excellent u23 perofrmances, Garner and Levitt, jury is out still as both need to develop phsyically.
If Pogba gets his way and a move to Madrid or Juve then we MUST sign Grealish.
I dont think we will replace him when he does leave as Fred has moulded into a more defensive player for us this season. MCT has the physicality but not the composure, ( that's prob why he and Fred play well together.) and we have youngsters coming through
--Galbraith will also come through judging by his excellent u23 perofrmances, Garner and Levitt, jury is out still as both need to develop phsyically.
If Pogba gets his way and a move to Madrid or Juve then we MUST sign Grealish.
Tonali, by all accounts, would have been perfect had he not gone to AC Milan.
I genuinely would take Rice.
I genuinely would take Rice.
Someone should keep an eye on Ibrahima Diallo at Southampton who put in a MOTM performance against Liverpool earlier. Still only 21 but looked very impressive from the limited evidence at hand.
Tielemans would definitely improve us as he's two footed and plays lovely through balls that Rashford would feast on, but he and Fred or he and McTominay is probably slightly below what we'd want defensively. If we buy a proper CB and your man Grealish to peg teams back that could change things.
We should have signed Partey and paid for it by selling Matic, Lingard, Jones, Rojo for cheap and having wages off the books, but that's apparently impossible. Goddamn we should really have sold Lingard when his stock was up, he still couldn't play a through ball.
Tielemans is not a defensive anchor - he'd just give us yet another player suited for the same type of role as Fred or DvdB.
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