Scattergun approach for new midfielder - guess who we sign?

I still think we get Ugarte with Amrabat joining after the rest of the business is concluded. Really thought we'd have seen movement this week. I'd love to be a fly on the wall while the discussion is happening.
 
I think we won't be able to sell anyone else, which means I think we bring in 1 more player at most. Doubt that player will be a CM, probably a CB or RB.
 
Not buying Ugarte has nothing to do with a “hard stance”.. we just failed to raise the funds required. We might not even get a second CB, meaning we’re far worse off at the beginning of this season than last year. Defence lost Varane and Kambwalla, midfield lost Amrabat.
 
I'd love the signing, and - if there was a real chance the player could be attained - I wouldn't be surprised to see us quickly turn our attention to Manuel Locatelli later in the window.

From OP's list:

-If we go for an expensive option, it should be Zubimendi IMO. He's the only one on the list for me, who could have a real long-term future at the club and is good enough to justify a big investment at the same time.

-If we have an elite level long-term target in mind that's not attainable this summer, someone like Adam Wharton, for example, and we want to prioritize him for the long-term rather than splashing big money on an inferior player this summer, then Berge, Amrabat, and Fofana could all do a decent job as part of a double-pivot or 3-man midfield until the opportunity opens up to get the long-term target. Rabiot could be a shrewd signing too, but here I'm only really thinking about DMs we could pair with our first choice #8 in Mainoo, and I'd rather consider the Frenchman as compeition for Kobbie, and not someone who should play together with him.

So if we want to be smart, then Rabiot, plus one of Berge, Amrabat, or Fofana could be a cheap and effective way to raise the floor of the squad both qualitatively and physically, and then the ceiling-raiser midfielder ideally joins in 2025 or 2026.
 
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I’m optimistic for our transfers going forward with the new regime but it seems to be playing out in the media way too much still. I suspect the links to other midfielders are ultimately there to force PSG’s hand over Ugarte but it comes off as obvious and desperate.

Would love it if tomorrow, out the blue, we announce that we’ve signed 21 year old DM Enrique Montes Arrayo from some Peruvian club for 50p. Then Tim Vickery proclaims him as the best young player from South America in decades.

But nah, those days are mostly over for a club of our size. We seemingly have to telegraph a move for someone quite well known for a couple of months and then finally end the ‘transfer saga’ by paying double our original offer.
 
We’re not going to sell any midfielders so I suspect we will bring in Amrabat or Berge as they will be cheap.
 
Amrabat only - he’ll be like a new signing! We’re falling even further behind our rivals, even though they haven’t signed anyone
 
Scattergun because a load of nobodies on twitter saying we’re going for X,Y and Z? How do you know we’re interested in the majority of them? If you believed all the rumours each window for the last 20 years, we’d be after about 30 players a window.

Pay less attention to clickbait rumours and life as a Manchester United fan is so much less stressful (until the season starts)
 
Bertie Wooster said:
Yeah, I agree with all of that. But I'm not one for then going to the other extreme and stubbornly refusing to admit it really wouldn't be great if our only CM addition was making Amrabat permanent, or a similar signing to him on loan or something.

As you say, fine to start playing hardball on the United Tax. But then we've really got to do what other clubs do and find a good alternative at a more reasonable price elsewhere. It all depends who we get instead, and there doesn't seem to be many strong links that any good option is close or a realistic target. Largely due to the lack of any strong links that any player we hope to sell looks like leaving.

So as the start of the season, and end of the window, draw closer, I'm beginning to worry about the calibre of player we'll likely bring in. Which is especially a worry for the crucial DM role that I was really hopeful Ugarte would fill.
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Unfortunately, the situation that the new regime have walked into is one of high wages and low value players, so I can see us struggling for a few transfer windows, even a few years. The team will not be as competitive as we all want to be but hopefully we can keep the core of our side fitter for more of the season.If we can sell one or two and make shrewd investments then our fortunes may change more quickly, but it seems doubtful right now.

The only way to change our situation long term is to play hardball and show that we won’t be bullied. If that means lesser calibre signings or more loan deals in the short term then I think it’s what’s best for the club. I like that we’re going after younger players with greater potential, it’s the smart move here.

I also don’t think we should underestimate how much Greenwood has screwed up our plans, we’ve spent over £100m on his replacements given he was expected to be our star striker at this point. That has had a huge knock on effect in how we’ve been unable to invest in what we need, as well as obvious wasting of resources like Anthony.

Like you, I’m worried most about DM. I’m just hoping we can get a loan deal done for Ugarte.
 
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