Many of the best deals/players I see in the PL were January signings. I’d argue it’s actually been the best time to make signings in recent years and that United are again behind the other top clubs, who have all clocked on
Discuss. Oh God please don’t ignore me and discuss
It's obviously more difficult to sign most players in Jan as most clubs are reluctant to let their better players leave but we do tend to use it as an excuse, even when we're in desperate need of reinforcements. Before, the excuse was that players will be cup tied in Europe, but now that's no longer an issue they just use the 'difficult to sign players in January line'. It's very transparent, and you get the feeling that even if half of our squad were ruled out for the season, we'd force the manager to cope until summer. I get that it's difficult but it would be nice to at least try.
Its true and fair, but when a good January window can really have a massive lifting influence on the second half of the season, it's a hard one to take. Great business is possible in that window, we've done it before, and hopefully will next month.
Fergie used to run this "no value in the market" company/Glazer line every year and this gullible fanbase treated those words as gospel. Many somehow still believe it's true.
Its utter garbage. United, I hope, brief this line to try and manage expectations of what we'd be willing to spend. If United actually believe this there's something desperately wrong.
There is no specific time of the year that a deal has to be done. Deals are being done all the time. The winter and summer transfer windows are just when player registrations can happen.
You don't see Florentino Perez sitting on his hands waiting for January to call up and ask about Endrick. City did not wait for July to start negotiations for Alvarez or Haaland.
Clubs can sign players at any time of the year. If you have long term targets that you've been working on, you should already know whether their clubs will let them change registration in January and how much it'll cost.
Bruno was probably our best signing in years before this summer, and made an impact more quickly than any signing I can remember.
There's no reason it can't work if it's the right player. The only difference is the pool of players available because a lot of clubs would be unwilling to sell stars mid-season.
Saha was signed in January too I think. There are countless examples in the Premier League and all around Europe.
It’s funny as well because it’s not like we’ve done good business in the summer window by comparison, most of our transfers have been overpaid at the end of the window or shite.
It’s always better to announce you have lots of money in advance of any transfer window to ensure you get top value whilst alerting other clubs to your targets.
It's obviously true insofar as there will certainly be more of a reluctance on some clubs' part to sell their key players in the middle of a season rather than between seasons. Which at the least means it will likely require more money to convince them to sell. So, in general, more difficult.
But that doesn't apply to every circumstance or every player. And even if it does apply, sometimes it's still worth paying that extra money from the perspective of your own season.
Negotiations for players need to be started by early December to give enough time to a club who would be selling to come up with a plan b.
Going to a club in the last week of the January transfer would is stupid, even the first week is stupid. Why sit on your hands and wait when you can just point out suitable players and start working on deals.
However, I begin to wonder what our transfer committee actually do. They remind me of a typical college student who leaves it to the last minute till they have no choice to rush a deal. Its absolutely scandalous how we deal with transfers.
Meanwhile Madrid signed a guy who won't join the club till the Summer of 24 or something I think. Meanwhile we can't even get a signing done before the next window opens.
2018-19
SUMMER: Dalot, Fred, Grant
WINTER: Woolston (on a free in November)
2019-20
SUMMER: James, AWB, Maguire
WINTER: Bruno, Bishop
2020-21
SUMMER: Van de Beek, Telles, Cavani, Pellistri
WINTER: Amad (joined in winter, signed in summer)
It is not an option to avoid spending in January because they need to get top 4 to be able to have a big summer. Not finishing top 4 means the best options are out for another year. Finishing top 4 accelerates this program drastically, thus they will spend even if it's via more loans as the sale is pending.
I think using January to prepare for summer signings and agree to pre contracts is smart. I also think that if opportunities present themselves for players that are good additions outside of immediate needs (Alvarez for City last winter for example, or Endrick for RM), then you should always take them.
I don't think overpaying for a decent player to pry him off of another club midseason is the best way to allocate resources though.
Clubs from big leagues won't want to let go of players in January, especially these days, and will demand massive prices. But they have their own objectives and these players are usually key players.
The best chance for January signings is for bench players/out of favor players at other clubs where they can get cash for an unhappy player and the player can reignite their career. So we're looking at someone like Memphis, or Joao Felix if we're loaded, which we aren't. Someone like Osimhen isn't possible as Napoli want to compete for trophies this year.
Ahhh, the annual cry about us “claiming January is hard to do business” thread.
It’s clearly harder, players doing well in their leagues, or the Champions League are less inclined to leave, clubs doing well are less open to selling. The new player and manager have zero pre-season to work together, and if it took a World class midfielder like Casemiro a couple of months to really get going with Ten Hag, that tells a story.
The title of the thread is statement of fact.
We’ve proven with Bruno, Sanchez and Mata we’ll do business if we see something that fits, but doing business for business sake, meh, we’ve bought enough shite in summer and in January.
I’m sure if ETH has a player on his list who’s gettable, a deal will be likely be found.
Many of the best deals/players I see in the PL were January signings. I’d argue it’s actually been the best time to make signings in recent years and that United are again behind the other top clubs, who have all clocked on
Depends on a player by player basis. Some clubs are probably more open to disrupting their entire season for a good financial outcome. Some aren't. So it pretty much stands to reason as a general rule that the bulk of activity is in the summer.
Clubs from big leagues won't want to let go of players in January, especially these days, and will demand massive prices. But they have their own objectives and these players are usually key players.
The best chance for January signings is for bench players/out of favor players at other clubs where they can get cash for an unhappy player and the player can reignite their career. So we're looking at someone like Memphis, or Joao Felix if we're loaded, which we aren't. Someone like Osimhen isn't possible as Napoli want to compete for trophies this year.
I don't think we should be using January for main transfers. However, we still have massive squad issues, which for me is actually one of our biggest problems. We don't have great options outside our starting 11 and January is a good time to bridge that gap between the starting group and the bench.
It isn't the best time in the sense that clubs generally don't want to sell their players mid season. However, we simply aren't good enough to be taking a snooze and waiting it out until the summer. Just depends on what the situation is with regards to the sale. Generally though the line is pre-historical thinking.
Some clubs want to sell or are open to it. Atletico wants out from under Joao. Juve and Inter there is blood in the water financially. Etc. The smart clubs will play the market.
We have not been a smart team but we are now with ten Hag. He is driving the bus.
