Sergej Milinković-Savić

[worldinmotion66]

Looks a totally legit link. And Eriksen makes more sense at the 10 or on the wing as things stand.

It could well be, of course. But I just don't see it, even if we've given up on de Jong. I think this is us putting something out to the media to put pressure on barca. I guess time will tell.

For what it's worth, I think Eriksen should be the 10. But we need a player in the midfield that can get the ball to him with some regularity. I don't think SMS is that player. I think we want a more disciplined, press resistent ball carrier/passer and a presser alongside him that also breaks forward (which is about the only thing Fred and mctominay are both capable of)

 

[C'est Moi Cantona]

I get it now, no one would have been that fussed about Savic last week, but threaten us with Rabiot and Arnautovic for a while before and it's a dream signing all of a sudden.

 

[VanDeBank]

I get it now, no one would have been that fussed about Savic last week, but threaten us with Rabiot and Arnautovic for a while before and it's a dream signing all of a sudden.

 

[CallyRed]

Genuinely didn’t know that.

Sarri last managed Napoli in 2018

 

[Kag]

Burt, like lots of other journalists, are being taken for a ride by agents at our expense.

Us losing yesterday was the dream scenario for everyone apart from us.

 

[HookedOnAPhelan]

I get it now, no one would have been that fussed about Savic last week, but threaten us with Rabiot and Arnautovic for a while before and it's a dream signing all of a sudden.

Personally I would love him. Excellent box-to-box player and a massive improvement on both Fred and McTominay in every way, but we would still need a deep midfielder obviously. FdJ and SMS would be a dream.

 

[UnitedSofa]

Malacia - £18M
Martinez - £45M
Frenkie - £65M (if it happens)
Rabiot - £12M
Arnautovic - £12M
SMS - £50M
Guido - £20M

So far exceeding £120M if all goes through

Were we though? All summer it was quoted that we had maybe £120m to spend. We spent all summer chasing a target who has no intention of joining us... Seems like exactly the sort of thing the owners would do to make it look like they tried.

In the meantime we spent about £80m and now we're looking at players around £30m for both (Rabiot and Arnautovic) leaving us with a spend of around £110m with £10m to play with if they demand a bit more.

So £120m spend rough total. Just as we were told all along.

If we spend much more than this then I'll happily admit that I was wrong.

 

[meamth]

He is like the size of McT but with actual composure and skills of a midfielder.

Sign him up.

 

[Mickeza]

Malacia - £18M
Martinez - £45M
Frenkie - £65M (if it happens)
Rabiot - £12M
Arnautovic - £12M
SMS - £50M
Guido - £20M

So far exceeding £120M if all goes through

We aren’t signing rabiot, SMS and FDJ.

 

[Big Ben Foster]

I would say yes. Under Sarri he changed from the pogba-esque Hollywood player who drifted in and out of games to a functional and tidier central midfielder.

Thank you. Could be a tidy player for us then.

 

[STYLOISRED]

Personally I would love him. Excellent box-to-box player and a massive improvement on both Fred and McTominay in every way, but we would still need a deep midfielder obviously. FdJ and SMS would be a dream.

I don't think DeJong and SMS will work. They are both ball carriers albeit DeJong plays deeper. The dream for me would be a midfield 3 of Ericksen as playmaker, SMS as box to box and a pure sitting DM

 

[UnitedSofa]

We aren’t signing rabiot, SMS and FDJ.

A lot of the reports (contrary to some) are stating that they’re alongside FDJ

 

[Strootman's Finger]

Typical lazy italian journalism, don't buy this for a second.

 

[Cassidy]

Typical lazy italian journalism, don't buy this for a second.

Its not coming from Italy?

 

[FatTails]

We’d have a decent team I must say

Spoiler: Team

De Gea
Fred - Maguire - Martinez - Malacia
SMS - Guido - Rabiot
Sancho - McTominay - Bruno​

 

[Mickeza]

A lot of the reports (contrary to some) are stating that they’re alongside FDJ

No they aren’t. The only report linking us to SMS by Burt specifically says we are realising FDJ isn’t coming.

 

[izec]

We aren’t signing rabiot, SMS and FDJ.

It is one of Rabiot/Guido and FDJ/SMS at best. Even SMS is not really a Frenkie replacement, not sure it makes sense. Money wise, we are not signing 2 midfielders over 50m anyway.

 

[Orc]

A United signing I’d actually be jealous of.

 

[saik]

We’d have a decent team I must say

Spoiler: Team

De Gea
Fred - Maguire - Martinez - Malacia
SMS - Guido - Rabiot
Sancho - McTominay - Bruno​

Fred RB???

Edit : Hit enter too soon. McT as striker? What is that abomination....

 

[Nou_Camp99]

A lot of the reports (contrary to some) are stating that they’re alongside FDJ

If you believe that you might want some magic beans I have for sale.

 

[EtH]

Burt, like lots of other journalists, are being taken for a ride by agents at our expense.

Us losing yesterday was the dream scenario for everyone apart from us.

How can you be so sure ? I don’t know what’s what anymore online I swear.

 

[tomaldinho1]

Typical lazy italian journalism, don't buy this for a second.

 

[AlexUTD]

We’d have a decent team I must say

Spoiler: Team

De Gea
Fred - Maguire - Martinez - Malacia
SMS - Guido - Rabiot
Sancho - McTominay - Bruno​

That is just evil..

 

[JJ12]

A United signing I’d actually be jealous of.

Shut your face

 

[Mickeza]

It is one of Rabiot/Guido and FDJ/SMS at best. Even SMS is not really a Frenkie replacement, not sure it makes sense.

SMS would play the Mctominay role - FDJ the Fred. So SMS as a FDJ alternative doesn’t make sense. However, if Rabiot is the FDJ alternative then it means we have funds for SMS I assume. FDJ plus SMS would be a cracking midfield though.

 

[pocco]

A lot of the reports (contrary to some) are stating that they’re alongside FDJ

Absolutely no chance, in my opinion. SMS is nearly as expensive as FDJ and can carry out a very similar role. I reckon he's an alternative.

 

[bosnian_red]

Nah. We don't need someone who is effectively an attacking midfielder. He doesn't do much defensively. He isn't a playmaker. He's the most "free" midfielder in a 3 like what Pogba needed. Just without the passing qualities

 

[flappyjay]

He makes sense if we are switching to a 4 3 3 and we also sign Guido or Rabiot to be the dm.

 

[pocco]

Without looking, I bet he has better stats than FDJ? Creatively and in terms of goals. Not seen him for a while but he can score with both feet from outside the box.

 

[Orc]

Shut your face

I’m serious. He’s a player I’ve fancied at Chelsea for a couple of years now.

 

[HookedOnAPhelan]

I don't think DeJong and SMS will work. They are both ball carriers albeit DeJong plays deeper. The dream for me would be a midfield 3 of Ericksen as playmaker, SMS as box to box and a pure sitting DM

SMS would obviously play the role McTominay played vs. Brighton, and FdJ would play the Fred role. Doesn't seem like Ten Hag wants to play a midfield 3.

Would it be balanced enough though? Not sure. But it would be two massive improvements on what we have in those roles right now.

 

[wr8_utd]

"I know how this story ends, with broken hearts" being played two minutes into this video seems fairly apt for the annual SMS rumors.

 

[Canagel]

Attacking 8 who loves to get forward and does his best work in the final third. Would be a really smart signing when we already have Fernandes and Eriksen in the team.

Bruno isnt good enough. And Eriksen is better deeper. We still need 2 midfielders, one deep lying and one box to box/attack minded to replace Pogba and Matic.

 

[STYLOISRED]

SMS would obviously play the role McTominay played vs. Brighton, and FdJ would play the Fred role. Doesn't seem like Ten Hag wants to play a midfield 3.

Would it be balanced enough though? Not sure. But it would be two massive improvements on what we have in those roles right now.

A double pivot of DeJong and SMS would be suicide.
Madrid tried something similarly years back with Modric and Kroos. Didn't end well.

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

Have we finally walked away from De Jong then?

 

[Loony BoB]

Without looking, I bet he has better stats than FDJ? Creatively and in terms of goals. Not seen him for a while but he can score with both feet from outside the box.

Last season: For goals, assists he's comfortably better than de Jong, yes. Chances created, on par. Serie A is a lower quality/intensity league as far as I'm aware, though. de Jong trounces SMS in pass accuracy. Basically sums up their difference in playstyles.

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

Have we finally walked away from De Jong then?

No, we know we are getting him and for how much so it's opened the door to signing additional players.

 

[Rolaholic]

Typical lazy italian journalism, don't buy this for a second.

It's from Jason Burt not Giasone Burstoni

 

[bosnian_red]

Without looking, I bet he has better stats than FDJ? Creatively and in terms of goals. Not seen him for a while but he can score with both feet from outside the box.

He's a midfielder who defensively in the past year hasn't done much (analytics wise before last year he seemed to be involved a lot more not sure what changed), whose main strength is his shooting ability and getting in chances, is as careless as Bruno with the ball without being particularly creative or progressive with his passing and nothing special at running with it.

He's tall and strong so people have a misconception as to what type of player he is I think.

 

[#07]

A double pivot of DeJong and SMS would be suicide.
Madrid tried something similarly years back with Modric and Kroos. Didn't end well.

De Jong isn't coming. It will be Rabiot and Milinkovic-Savic.

Have we finally walked away from De Jong then?

Looks like it. Funny how we're reportedly looking to pay £20m for Rabiot or Guido Rodriguez and £50 for Milinkovic-Savic, which strangely enough is the same as the £70m we had agreed to pay Barcelona for De Jong.

Clearly De Jong isn't coming and we've decided to reallocate the funds.