Well that's that then.
Thiago Alcantara | Signed for Bayern Munich
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran are here to talk about a frustrating 2 points dropped at Crystal Palace. They then discuss the regeneration of Old Trafford. Finally, Nik is joined by special guest Michael Statham from the Football Oranje podcast - who gives us a more in depth look at our EL opposition FC Twente, and then runs through the (many) Dutch connections currently at United.
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Thiagoff again? I knew it 
Changes nothing really. It's the same unsubstantiated waffle every day. Just wishy washy half-truths being spun in different directions. It's the kid himself who needs to speak up and say something.
Of course Mazinho isn't going to make the announcement, it changes nothing.
We've approached Barcelona several times over the years regarding Thiago but always been told he's not for sale, that hasn't changed this time.
What has changed is that his dad and agent have been broadcasting that he's got a release clause, which means we already know the price and we've treated that as a green light to ignore the bit about him not being for sale.
I don't know if this is my inner muppet speaking, but what Robbo and Thiago's father said seem like smokescreen to me. We're very very close ladies and gents.
It would actually be hilarious if we don't end up signing him.
All I read into it is that it confirms that he does indeed have a decision to make. So it's positive news if anything and as I said before, if it's us he's dealing with he'll know that we ask for discrepancy as we like to do things officially.
It's a big decision and will affect the rest of his career, he's got a bit of time to mull it over and it's no surprise that he's taking it.
It's a big decision and will affect the rest of his career, he's got a bit of time to mull it over and it's no surprise that he's taking it.
Ah, Robbo - but the thing is that Fergie ain't in charge anymore. It was he who made us cope, more than the lads, I'm afraid.
A modern manager in charge of one of the biggest football cubs in the world needs better options in the middle of the park, that's just the way it is. Fergie managed - but he wasn't a modern manager, he was a one-off, old school genius (damn, I miss him). He was lucky too - that Carrick didn't pick up a serious injury last season, or the one before that.
I normally don't get too excited about pre-season matches, but this year I will be paying close attention. How Moyes makes us line up is going to be extremely interesting. If he sticks to something close to Fergie's model we will need reinforcements in the middle - there's no way around it.
Is right. There's nothing to stop Fabio kicking on and becoming as good and as important as his twin.
Not signing the upcoming stars in football is hilarious.
For a new manager in charge, I can understand why this might be too risky, though. If Evra were to leave, having someone like Baines around would be Godsend, as much as I love the twins.
On the same day that Thiago signs on with Barca, we unleash the news that we have signed Fellaini. Wowzah.
I think no matter what shape he goes with, we need reinforcements. I think if he sticks with Fergie's disjointed 4-4-2, he might get away with sticking with what we have and using utility players and playing Rooney all over the place, though I don't think 4-4-2 has ever been his style. I don't think many, if any, top teams can really play that way anymore. I predict he's going to go with a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 which will be very midfield-heavy. He certainly needs more options.
So, Barcelona have sold David Villa. Wondering what that could mean to Thiago and further sales.
He'll stay and take jersey #7 and there will be a mass muppeticide.
He'll stay and take jersey #7 and there will be a mass muppeticide.
I still think he will stay. If I was his advisors I would tell him to be patient.
Hmm! Dad's playing it far too cool here methinks. Obviously he can't say a deal's been done, that's up to Barca and United but it's the sort of vague answer people give when they don't want to say anything.
Deal's not far off by the sounds of it. Goodie....
Deal's not far off by the sounds of it. Goodie....
He'd fancy his chances of breaking into the first team after watching Xavi in the confed cup.. Xavi is getting on a bit now... but then he also has Fabregas to think about.
It feels like ages, but in reality it's probably not been that long. Looking at the time scale and using pure guess work on what we know:
Pre U21 Tournament (Up to 5th of June): It was established (leaked by one of Thiago's team no doubt) that Thiago was availible at €18m due to the clause. At this point we may have made initial contact or seeing as our interest in him would appear to date way back we may have been in contact before.
U21 Tournament up to 18th of June: I doubt it was something he really spent a lot of time seriously thinking about. I also doubt that we had made any proper offers to him or his agent at this point.
19th to 24th June: It would appear he took a few days out with team mates in Israel and this was initially confused as his "Holiday"
24th June to 4th July: He went on holiday on the 24th and according to Twitter was still on holiday on the 4th July just 4 days ago.
So it's perfectly feasible that he has only just got back from holiday and only just checked in with his agent and started to think about his next move. In fact it makes perfect sense that that is the case and he has another week til he checks in for preseason with Barcelona.
In football manager you can sign a player in two days. Trigger release clause, get bid accepted, agree terms(just agree the agent's initial demands), and the player is yours.
Yes, I agree. I don't think he'd get away with doing what Fergie has been doing either - he had the art of Not Emphasizing Central Midfield down to perfection, no other half decent side lined up like we did under him and Moyes would be mad to emulate that style.
If I were Moyes I'd say: I have an excellent option for DM/holder/deeper lying CM in Carrick. I have a potentially excellent option for the most offensive midfielder in a three of sorts - in Kagawa. Apart from that I have players who can do a job, but who haven't proven themselves beyond that. And I have no cover for the one player whose quality and proficiency in the role is undisputed. And he is past thirty.
If we've really been in for Thiago all this time, then I feel we've made some missteps as a club for not getting the resolving the matter one way or another by now. I just feel like we've not pressed hard enough to get resolve it- and this feeling is based on nothing concrete but, based on what has been reported or said here.
Before it was Moyes is not starting till July 1 and Thiago was on vacation, even though the other parties such as Wooward and Co, Manzinho and Thiago's agent were all available to to thrash out the main parts of the deal - leaving the final parts, such as a clause that would reduce his buyout if certain playing time is not reached, to be approved by Moyes when he started officially and Thiago giving his yay or nay. Now a week later and a few days before we leave for pre-season, with the manager who needed to be at club to make the deal happen, the saga seems far from being concluded.
Even if Thiago doesn't happen now and we do get someone else, it's going to mean that player is not going to get a proper pre-season with us, while not the end of the world, it's yet another thing that makes this whole saga extremely frustrating.
Before it was Moyes is not starting till July 1 and Thiago was on vacation, even though the other parties such as Wooward and Co, Manzinho and Thiago's agent were all available to to thrash out the main parts of the deal - leaving the final parts, such as a clause that would reduce his buyout if certain playing time is not reached, to be approved by Moyes when he started officially and Thiago giving his yay or nay. Now a week later and a few days before we leave for pre-season, with the manager who needed to be at club to make the deal happen, the saga seems far from being concluded.
Even if Thiago doesn't happen now and we do get someone else, it's going to mean that player is not going to get a proper pre-season with us, while not the end of the world, it's yet another thing that makes this whole saga extremely frustrating.
You have no idea what goes on behind the scenes. There is no way any of us know how much pressure has or has not being put on.
You have no idea what goes on behind the scenes. There is no way any of us know how much pressure has or has not being put on.
You are so smart and so right ... thanks.
Nonsense. It's been about 3 or 4 weeks including an international tournament and staff holidays.
The De Gea transfer is comparable. In April 2011 it was reported we had signed him from Atletico for £17.8m, the next day Fergie said it was nonsense. It wasn't until another month after that the club official declared we would be signing him and we completed the deal at the end of June.
Yeah mate, don't you know it'd be hilarious to see us miss out on a potential world class signing because then we all could laugh at the muppet meltdown on here.
Just think of the high quality bantzzz.
Keep calm and ThiagOn, people. He's coming.
If the club have not been interested in Thiago I wish they would just say so, then at least we know they may be looking elsewhere. The fact they have said nothing is fanning the flames. So they are deliberately trying to keep the fans happy by making us think we are after him or they are actually after him.
I still reckon he will come, it's a matter of time
Right - because we had begun work behind the scenes even while DDG was at the tournament, there were people from United working on the deal with both Atletico and DDG reps. Soon as DDG got done with the tournament the deal was nicely tied up. In this case that hasn't transpired. I have no clue what is going on behind the scenes, I just feel as though we've not done all we could have - it's just a gut feeling based on nothing concrete but, all the hearsay (sorry Randall).
This.
So we wrapped DDG up quickly (3 months from the date it was first claimed we had signed him for £17m), while we are not working fast enough on the Thiago transfer which has been speculated on for just over a month?
have you ever bought a house? How many houses did you scout? How long did it take from when you identified your chosen house to agreeing a price with a vendor? Then how long did you take to do your due diligence? Then how long did it take to get the details of the contract agreed? And signed? How much did your house cost as a proportion of a mid-tier (c£20m) transfer fee? Did you also have to negotiate an ongoing salary with, let's say, the live-in butler? How long did that take?
We might sign him, we might not. But 'we are rubbish at transfers, why does it take so long, I can go into Hamleys and buy any toy I like to be ready to throw out of my pram in less than five minutes' is a silly criticism.
How have we made missteps? What about Barca using stalling tactics?
I don't see the fun part, but I do think he will turn out to be a monumental waste of time.
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