You've not even seen him play, and he's 18! How do you know he isn't going to be better than both of them? Or do you just criticise for the sake of it?
Raphael Varane
- Thread starter Ringo 07
- Start date
You've not even seen him play, and he's 18! How do you know he isn't going to be better than both of them? Or do you just criticise for the sake of it?
The fee has gone up to £3.7m now.
Manchester United beat Arsenal in race to sign Raphael Varane | Mail Online
Manchester United beat Arsenal in race to sign Raphael Varane | Mail Online
Brown is most probably off IMO.
If we do get him I wouldn't be surprised if we play him as a holding midfielder as well, Carrick barely gets a game off as we have no other true DM, so this lad, if signed, could add versatile cover.
To Everton after calling Fergie a cnut. Twitter ITK claim Rodwell may be part of the deal.
Yep unfortunate but true.. I would rather see the back of O'Shea rather than Brown but unfortunately SAF favours O'Shea and had a spat with Brown at the beginning of the season regarding his 1st team opportunities.. Also the fact that we have very little cover at LB.. If Evra were to get injure in effect we would only have Fabio.. However I am certain even Rafael and Evans can fill that spot if need be.. The fact that we have great amount of cover at RB doesn't help Brown either.. Rafael, Fabio, O'Shea. Followed by Evans and Fletcher if need be..
Everton eh? They have loads of options at CB and at RB..
RB: Hibbert, Coleman, Hitenga, Neville
CB: Distin, Jagielka, Hitenga, Rodwell..
I have my doubts but letsee.. Everton does make sense logistically for Brown.. Close by as well as a good team with European aspirations.. I personally think he is good enough to be an Arsenal player.. But I doubt whether he would go to Arsenal.. He wouldn't go to Pool or City and Chelsea have better options so that would leave Villa, Spurs and Everton..
Calm down, queen. If SAF and club choose to sign him, good. If not, he's just another youngster rumored to the club. One of dozens every year.
Ummm... because they're both young French defenders when being linked to the club.
This guy has been playing first team football since the age of 17. He's 18 now and being linked with Manchester United...
Mexes was just another French defender at that age.
What's your point? I said both were French defenders as in French nationality.
Mexes was being rumored to United at age 19/20 and broke into Auxerre's first team at age 17.
First games for Auxerre at 20 according to Soccernet.
My initial post was more of a jibe about Varane-Mexes nothing against the player at all.
And how many posters seem to immediately peg a player above Evans.
And how many posters seem to immediately peg a player above Evans.
Well I can now see where the comparison came from anyway. Doesnt seem that long ago that we were linked with Mexes
A goal for him today
Next we hear of him he'll have randomly signed for Stoke or Villa probably.
Serious?
The promising 18-year-old has apparently impressed Sir Alex Ferguson enough for the Red Devils boss to make his move, according to France Football magazine.
Varane has made 19 appearances for Lens this season since breaking into the first-team, and has drawn widespread acclaim for his composure on the ball and tactical awareness.
It’s thought that the Gunners, and German giants Munich were also keen on the 6ft 3in stopper, but United have stolen a march on the competition and are believed to have already opened talks with Lens.
Varane recently denied claims that he had had spoken to Sir Alex Ferguson about a possible move to Old Trafford, but admitted they were following his progress.
‘There's no promises from Man Utd. There has been contact from Manchester United's side, but also from other clubs,’ said the Frenchman.
‘I do like the Premier League. But there's also interest from Spain and Germany. I don't like one competition in particular.'
Read more: Manchester United 'pip Arsenal to French youngster Raphael Varane' | Metro.co.uk
From The Metro, 11/05/11
Varane has made 19 appearances for Lens this season since breaking into the first-team, and has drawn widespread acclaim for his composure on the ball and tactical awareness.
It’s thought that the Gunners, and German giants Munich were also keen on the 6ft 3in stopper, but United have stolen a march on the competition and are believed to have already opened talks with Lens.
Varane recently denied claims that he had had spoken to Sir Alex Ferguson about a possible move to Old Trafford, but admitted they were following his progress.
‘There's no promises from Man Utd. There has been contact from Manchester United's side, but also from other clubs,’ said the Frenchman.
‘I do like the Premier League. But there's also interest from Spain and Germany. I don't like one competition in particular.'
Read more: Manchester United 'pip Arsenal to French youngster Raphael Varane' | Metro.co.uk
From The Metro, 11/05/11
Ligue 1: Team of the Year « twofootedtackle.com
Sounds promising tbh, although with Smalling and Evans we don't need any young center back
We always need more players of exceptional quality. Smalling has been good this season, Evans hasn't. Maybe this Varane guy could be better.
I'd leave it in the hands of SAF to make the final decision.
He plays DM too, he's like Rodwell I guess, only a sixth the price.
Whether he's as talented as Rodwell I'm not sure, but I could see him being a good punt.
Rio can't go on for too long. He has too many injury problems. So one of Smalling/Evans is going to be starting soon alongside Vidic. So we do need a backup center half. For £3m, it is not a bad fee. He is 18 and so he has a lot of time to improve and Rio, Vidic and Smalling will easily help him settle in.
I could only see us signing him if we beleive he can become a full time DM.
Why not? We don't have much width squad wise in the CB area. O'Shea isn't a CB and who know about Brown. Rio has 2 seasons left in him. This guy is 17. Seems the logical buy to make.
O'Shea isn't a CB? What planet have you been on?
He can play center back but his position is right back. He is versatile but he is better as a full back rather than a center half. He will only be used there when we have everyone else injured.
So why worry?
Rio, Vida, Evans, Smalling, Wes, O'Shea..
Rio, Vida, Evans, Smalling, Wes, O'Shea..
Because Rio is in his 30's and will not be playing 3-4 seasons from now.. Vidic is probably a few years short on his last major contract too.. Wes seems to be out bound, Smalling and Evans are class replacements.. O'Shea is versatile squad player (not a CB, he is not young either)
We don't seem to have any young, promising CB's coming through from the Academy/Reserves.. Don't get me wrong there are always hopefuls but none seem to be concrete potential 1st teamers..
3-4 seasons in a row we seem to have the same injury crisis at the back and I see absolutely nothing wrong in signing a player who is young, versatile and apparently has loads of potential.. Especially at the price that is being touted..
So now I ask you.. Why not?
Tom Thorpe disagrees.
How'd you come to that conclusion?
Too slow.
About as quick as Evans I'd say. So no.
And probably quicker then Vidic.
He is a first teamer at his current side and will not get the time at CB over the next two seasons that he deserves. Not with Vidic, Rio, Smalling and Evans on our books.
So its logical that if he can play at DM and most reports say he can then thats where he is likely to settle. We like to have a settled defence and the bodies are clearly there so it makes perfect sense for him to be used in midfield where we rotate alot more than we do in defence.
If he's that good, snap him up before his price rises up further and loan him back to the club for a year or two or when Rio decides to call it a day
He is 17 or 18. He is not going to break into the first team for at least the next two to three years. By that time, Rio might call it a day. Brown would have left and O'Shea might not be quick enough to play in CB. So we need a specialist CB to take over and this lad could be that guy.
He's a first choice in the top division in France and near a full call up if rumours are correct so I would expect that he'd only move to a club where he would get a fair share of games, not be content to wait 2/3 years.
I think half the cafe doesn't know what 17 or 18 means. Especially in central defence, where players generally start later than out wide or up front. By the time this lad is old enough to be a regular then Rio, and maybe Vidic, may have gone. Brown will likely to be gone in weeks, not years, and whilst O'Shea can do a job he has never been first choice, and is hardly likely to be then.
So you've got Smalling and Evans, which means at least one more centre will be needed, and if that one has the potential to be better than Evans he needs grabbing with both hands.
Loan him out for a year a two, train him and play him in pre-seasons to keep him part of the club, bring him in when he's ready. As someone else says we need a number of players with the potential to be world-class, and we'll never get them if we just sit on our arses watching our current squad get older.