I'm really hoping this is bollocks, it'd be a really, really rubbish signing.
Thomas Vermaelen
- Thread starter Santos J
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No, you're right. But isn't that why the signing makes sense? He may start as first choice, but if not he'd make good cover for an eventual partnership between our younger lads, who will most certainly prove to be good enough if given a run of games, which they've never had.
The only sticking point here is fitness. But I believe in Smalling and Jones, and I hope Van Gaal does too.
And this is definitely happening, I think. Solid, solid sources are all over this, and they're not all from our end either. Buckle up, he's coming.
Every transfer is a risk but you simply don't tempt faith.
And I wonder why we need to stick to this miserable 10m budget. We're replacing Rio AND Vidic FFS and not bringing in our third choice goalkeeper
As I said, if we are going to miss out on our number one target, it's a decent option.
There is a serious need to bring in a top quality CB but there is a good chance that the 4 or 5 CB's that we might be in for would favour a move elsewhere or have better offers on the table. We need a CB and for all we know, he could be the only option at the end of the day.
We 'replaced' Ferdinand and Vidic 2-3 years ago. Ferguson did the same with Scholes and Giggs, only to consistently play the so called replacements all over the place, out of position and simply not enough. Pandering to geriatrics cost the midfield big time, as well as our extremely talented young defenders, two of which are no better now than when they were signed.
Vermaelen makes sense if we are to give these guys a real chance. It's so obvious yet many people in this thread seem to overlook it. His fitness is an issue, yes, but if he gets over it then centre back is fine going into the new season. People underestimate how much Ferguson's dicking about at centre back has stifled our inability to play like any kind of defensive unit.
An injury prone defender whose biggest weakness is defending. I'd want someone more reliable as cover.
Clutching at straws time now, but perhaps this wont be our only addition at CB, perhaps Van Gaal simply sees Vermaelen as a low-cost experienced and relatively versatile addition to the squad, someone who could cover left back and allow us the option of a back 5 on occasion. However it's also possible we'll be going into the season with Evans, Jones, Smalling and Vermaelen as our only CBs, in which case, given their injury histories, we can expect Carrick to get a fair number of games in central defence.
Both Benetia and Mangala are available this summer (for high prices) but they are available.
I don't know why LVG would ever choose Vermaalen over Benetia/Mangala but perhaps Vermaalen is the only one mentioned who is keen to join us?
We'll have a smaller squad next season and I'm 100% convinced we'll have less injuries as a result. Regular game time breeds match fitness and muscle reliability. Our bloated squad has meant that too many players play too few competitive matches, therefore are more prone to injury. I've said it before, but our 'injury crises' have only been prevalent since 2009, the exact time we sold Ronaldo and started rotating the whole squad for the benefit of Rio, Giggs and Scholes and nobody else.
I was strongly against us signing him at first but I've mellowed a bit. I think Evans and Jones will end up being first choice hopefully.
I don't see why people want us to stockpile on CB's again. I mean, it was basically what stifled the progression of our young talented CB's in the first place, now people want us to sign two?
Insanity. It's like the whole 'four striker' bullshit, too. We must be the only club in Europe with four, yet people bleat on at the thought having two, or even three, even though the likes of Madrid, Bayern and Barcelona cope just fine. 5 centre backs is ludicrous. It's usually the same people that call for this that usually get on the backs of Smalling and Jones, too.
Not beyond the realms of possibility I think, but only if Evra joins Juventus. I actually don't mind Vermaelan as a player and the fact he can cover left back as well as centre half in a back 3 or 4 will offer us options. Don't get me wrong, the signing is a risk because of his fitness record, but if we can get him for around £9m, I'm not completely against us taking that gamble.
I'd agree with that. I've grown to not take United signings, not matter how big the link, as certain until the player actually signs.
But I think there's too much pointing that this one will go through. I expect it to be done in the next couple of weeks.
Yes, they are available, all players are for the right price. Do you know what those players and their agents want though and what we, compared to others are willing to give them? We could really want them but they might not even consider United.
That being said, of course we need to go after the best but at the end of the day, our top targets but not actually want to join United this summer compared to other clubs.
Exactly. And it's genuinely the reason I don't want us to sign a CB at all. If we leave Smalling + Jones/Evans to actually develop a partnership and play a whole season together, they'd actually form a great partnership. You only have to look to Arsenal with Mertesacker and Koscielny who are pretty average (well Merte is) but have formed a really good partnership, or Terry and Cahill.
Agreed.
I'd imagine because he'd rather keep the funds for a midfielder (please let it be Vidal).
I don't really want us to sign Vermaelan but I'd say both Fergie and Moyes have made worse signings than that in recent years.
Four centre-backs is perfectly adequate, but ideally you would want at least one or two of the four to be reliable. Vermaelen isn't.
Having signed three £30+ players in the last 12 months United will have to start being smarter in the market to get cover for the remaining problem areas.
It is not a bottomless pit of cash and any CB signing should only be seen as cover for Evans, Smalling, Jones...as a 4th choice CB Vermaelan will do nicely.
It is not a bottomless pit of cash and any CB signing should only be seen as cover for Evans, Smalling, Jones...as a 4th choice CB Vermaelan will do nicely.
100% agree on us needing to find a settled partnership at the back. I'd worry about having just the three though in terms of cover. So for that reason, I do want us to bring in another.
But finding the best partnership of those, and quickly, is a must.
If we did replaced them both then we wouldn't be wanting another CB. The truth is that for one reason or another they have yet to reach the expectations set. The main reason to that was due to injuries. You don't bring an injury prone player to sort that especially one whose not very good in defending.
well if where not a bottom pit of cash, why would you spend 10 million and nearly and around 100k a week on a player who spends most of his time injured, ( not to mention hasn't played well in two years)....... it just common sense buy somthing thats already broken and you will have to replace it anyway and end up spending twice as much... no logic in it at all!
You're missing his point. We had replaced them, but they were often shoved around due to the fact that SAF didn't want to completely get rid of Rio and Vidic. It ended up costing Evans, Smalling, and Jones. Because if given constant playing time throughout their tenures here, would be very good.
Basically our whole defence is injury prone. We will end up having Carrick at CB again.
i agree, the shaw fire way to hinder and players progress is over ortate them and not give them a chance to grow in to the role by giving actual playing time...
im a bit worried about shaw to be honest he has progressing so well with contant playing time, i worry whats going to happen if he starts getting rotated with evra.
Sounds like Evra is on his way to Juventus.
All three of Smalling, Evans and Jones have been injured many times over the past few years. Can't afford to go into the season with just those as options given their track records injurywise.
Signing an Arsenal substitution.. doesn't really thrill me.
Has it been made crocofficial yet?.
think thats nonsense press talk....... i can't imagen evra has signed a new contract and weve sold buttner for him to leave... press print anything
Hope it isn't the case, but this has a air of inevitable transfer to it after Belgium are out. 
People are seriously underrating him here.
Yep.
Im sure there are people in here who have never seen more than 3 matches of Benetia or Mangala but would prefer them over him simply because other teams want them so they must be good.
or people are slating him becuase they have seen him play over the past 2 years when he has been tripe, even when he is fit..... which is rare!
No they aren't. Everyone is saying what we've seen, the guy is never fit and when he is he isn't up to it. If he'd have gone to Liverpool we'd all be saying the same thing, "always injured, too soft and can't do the defensive basics".
My only doubt about this transfer is his general fitness and whether we can get him in a good enough state to play 30+ games in a season. Beyond that I welcome the move to sign defenders who can pass the ball out, it also gives me hope that we'll play 3 at the back with him as the libero. The fact that Wenger made him captain is encouraging, there can be no doubts about his application.
I'd prefer us to go for a player thats highly rated & in demand, as opposed to a player who most think has retired from the game years ago..
People here are muppets and as long as the signing won't be a 30m+ player - who preferrably they haven't ever seen him playing - they won't be happy.
Vermaelen makes sense and IMO will be a good signing. He'll provide experience, leadership on the back and as long as he is fit, he is a good player. Obviously, I would have preferred Hummels, but with him not being available, it makes sense to go for a cheapish option and see how our three CB will develop. Then next year we can splash the cash in someone expensive (if Jones and Smalling don't develop that much). Personally, I wouldn't be happy to spend that much on Mangala, he may become good but I have my reservation.
That isn't true considering that he has played 100 games for Arsenal on the last three seasons. For comparison Jones has played 104 games for us during the same time, Smalling has played 90 games while Evans has played 95 games. Players who never get injured like Vincent Kompany has played during the same time a remarkable 96 matches.
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