Too early to be getting worried?

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Not worried about the lack of signings yet, but definitely concerned about the scatter gun approach to targeting potential signings. Nothing is being leaked by United, but rumors of United going through the list of Real Madrid's squad is a bit worrisome. It just may be that Woody is trying to annoy Real Madrid, but it does not look good when you fail to land those targets.

It seems our signings are looked at as an opportunistic signings, than anything that was thought out throughout last season. Clubs nowadays identify the player, talk to his agent to see if he is interested, and then make an approach to the club to discuss the transfer. But it seems that is not the case with United. Take for example our completed signing of Depay, if Depay was identified and we had spoken to his agent, why was he about to sign for PSG before United made the move. I know LvG stated that we did not want to sign anyone before the end of the season, but if there had been proper communications, then Depay would have sat tightly until the season was over and sign for United.

If Woody could not get commitments from their primary targets, then a few of the secondary targets should have been signed up already. Pre-season starts in a few days, it would have been nice to have the players settled in before they fly off on the tour.
 
ghagua said:
Not worried about the lack of signings yet, but definitely concerned about the scatter gun approach to targeting potential signings. Nothing is being leaked by United, but rumors of United going through the list of Real Madrid's squad is a bit worrisome. It just may be that Woody is trying to annoy Real Madrid, but it does not look good when you fail to land those targets.

It seems our signings are looked at as an opportunistic signings, than anything that was thought out throughout last season. Clubs nowadays identify the player, talk to his agent to see if he is interested, and then make an approach to the club to discuss the transfer. But it seems that is not the case with United. Take for example our completed signing of Depay, if Depay was identified and we had spoken to his agent, why was he about to sign for PSG before United made the move. I know LvG stated that we did not want to sign anyone before the end of the season, but if there had been proper communications, then Depay would have sat tightly until the season was over and sign for United.

If Woody could not get commitments from their primary targets, then a few of the secondary targets should have been signed up already. Pre-season starts in a few days, it would have been nice to have the players settled in before they fly off on the tour.
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You're worried about the media having hundreds of targets for us?

How has that ever been different any other summer?
 
Pexbo said:
You're worried about the media having hundreds of targets for us?

How has that ever been different any other summer?
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Try reading the whole post before you feel compelled to respond. I know the media will link United to everyone, but there is definitely some truth to Hummel's, Schweinsteiger and the Real Madrid players. I gave an example of Depay, if there was proper communications, why was he about to sign for PSG before United made the move? He could have just sat tight and signed for United when the season was over.
 
ghagua said:
Try reading the whole post before you feel compelled to respond. I know the media will link United to everyone, but there is definitely some truth to Hummel's, Schweinsteiger and the Real Madrid players. I gave an example of Depay, if there was proper communications, why was he about to sign for PSG before United made the move? He could have just sat tight and signed for United when the season was over.
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There's nothing definite about anything. We haven't briefed the press on anything since Moyes. The only thing we briefed the press on last season was that we didn't have an agreement with Shaw and we were not interested in Herrera.

So any links to the vast amount of players we are linked to is more than likely the players angling for contracts or agents trying to get their player's name out there.
 
Pexbo said:
There's nothing definite about anything. We haven't briefed the press on anything since Moyes. The only thing we briefed the press on last season was that we didn't have an agreement with Shaw and we were not interested in Herrera.

So any links to the vast amount of players we are linked to is more than likely the players angling for contracts or agents trying to get their player's name out there.
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I understand what you are saying, but this season should have been different than the last 2 summers. This year we had a manager who would have planned during the season, identified targets, and maybe got some kind of commitment from the players at least.
 
ghagua said:
I understand what you are saying, but this season should have been different than the last 2 summers. This year we had a manager who would have planned during the season, identified targets, and maybe got some kind of commitment from the players at least.
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It's June 29th?
 
ghagua said:
I understand what you are saying, but this season should have been different than the last 2 summers. This year we had a manager who would have planned during the season, identified targets, and maybe got some kind of commitment from the players at least.
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We have to be careful negotiating with players before their club agree. Though it does happen. Also it is still early yet isn't. Not a lot of movement at all. And we have zero idea who LvG and Woodie are really after.
 
I was expecting for something other than Depay to be done already - while we've not started training, it can never be done early enough - but the market isn't there for us to do as we please. Selling clubs, agents, players, sometimes those things take times. Sometimes something that you did not expect come up, like Ramos.
 
We've already secured Depay, and we seem to be seriously interested in Schneiderlin. Keeping DDG would feel like a signing for me, as I had resigned myself to losing him. All of this, and the window hasn't even officially opened yet. We're not blowing everyone away in the market like Chelsea did last summer, but we're moving at a steady pace. I'm not worried yet. It'd be a different story though, if we were getting to the end of July with no real activity.
 
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A couple of weeks or so to go before panic mode. I hope we get something done this week.
 
Maybe we wait with the presentation of our four new world class signings till we have the new Adidias kit? ;) (Would be a bit late though.)

I still have a good feeling about this transfer window because I have trust in Van Gaal's scouting skills and his coolness. (Real Madrid will hate to negotiate with him, I guess.) The only thing I don't like is the fact that we have these two very important matches in August. If Van Gaal plans to sign a few new players who should be in starting eleven, he should do it in the next weeks, in the best case before our trip to the States.
 
Pexbo said:
There's nothing definite about anything. We haven't briefed the press on anything since Moyes. The only thing we briefed the press on last season was that we didn't have an agreement with Shaw and we were not interested in Herrera.

So any links to the vast amount of players we are linked to is more than likely the players angling for contracts or agents trying to get their player's name out there.
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There has been plenty of briefing going on
 
Im impatient but deep down I do recognise it is simplistic to say we "havent learned the lessons from the past" by taking a bit of time. Obviously there is a point at which any further delay will negatively impact our start next season - but I dont think we are there yet. More importantly, another criticism that has been levelled at Woodward - by me and others - is that he has overpaid on occasion. But we cant have it both ways. If the only consideration was getting the deal done, yes we could just throw money at the problem and overwhelm other clubs with massive bids they couldnt possibly refuse, and get everything tied up in a week. But that would not be sustainable: we may be a rich club but we wouldnt be for long if we started splashing ridiculous money out on every transfer we made, especially as each signing sets its own precedent that affects future business we do, by setting a benchmark.

If Woodward is driving a hard bargain and we end up getting the players we all want in, at the best possible price we could get them for, because Woodward negotiated hard (in the process changing our relationship with clubs like Madrid, making them think twice about unsettling our players in the future) then I think it will have all been worth it. Yes, like a kid on December 21st, I wish things would hurry up, I would rather not wait. But good things come to those who do. Hopefully he will strike the right balance: get the best deals he can, while not leaving it TOO late to get them here so Van Gaal can start working with them. I think if we see a couple of arrivals in the next couple of weeks he will have achieved that balance. In the meantime I will still feel impatient, while knowing that says more about me than Woodward's negotiating strategy this summer.
 
We're completely inept when it comes to making all our transfers in good time, in order to get a balanced and settled squad by the start of pre-season.

Our level of dynamism in the transfer market mirrors that of a dead sumo wrestler at the bottom of a 5000 ft canyon
 
Yeah cos it's so easy. That's why all the other CL clubs have their transfers already nailed.
 
I'm sure it's been mentioned on every page of the thread (I'm too lazy to go back and look), but the window doesn't open until tomorrow. Why would anyone expect there to have been a boat load of signings at this point?
 
ravelston said:
I'm sure it's been mentioned on every page of the thread (I'm too lazy to go back and look), but the window doesn't open until tomorrow. Why would anyone expect there to have been a boat load of signings at this point?
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The Window is largely irrelevant. Any club can sign any player any day of the year but they can only register them in a Window.
 
3rdCarter said:
Southampton rejected the bid for schneiderlin.

Everyone freak the feck out.
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I'm not freaking out because of the rejected bid. Most 1st bids are rejected because it gives you space to negotiate. 2 weeks to sign Ramos, Coleman, Schneiderlin and a striker is difficult. It will be a big blow if we don't complete most business before we head out to the USA after being so confident of doing so with the manager stating it many times.
 
I feel that too many of the players we are chasing are using us to get an improved contract at their current club.
I believe Schweinsteiger is doing this.
Schneiderlin - I think he is a genuinely attainable target and probably will be a MUFC player next season.

For those saying that other CL clubs are also struggling to do business quickly - I dont care about other CL clubs. I only care about MUFC and I want us to go toe-to-toe with Chelsea next season. To do this, we cannot handicap ourselves by not having our new players do a full pre-season.

CFC already have a great squad. They also have arguably the best manager in the World. We need to get any and every advantage we can, to win the title. I don't want us to be 2nd to Chelsea in any area and that includes transfer dealings.
 
Updates so far:

Gundogan - seems to have renewed his contract (and possibly off to Barca next season)
Pogba - we were never in for him
Otamendi - Nothing new
Schweinstiger - He's to BM what Giggs is to us, don't think it's ever going to happen.
Schneiderlin - Our bid was rejected and no new bids since, according to Koemam
De Gea - Still uncertain, and potential replacement Cech has gone to Arsenal
Ramos - Seems like we've put in a bid, but he may be just angling for a new contract with Real like what Alves is doing.
Vidal - Linked with Arsenal

We still need:
  • An top class central defender
  • A right back (can't rely on Rafa staying fit, and Valencia to not screw up something)
  • A No. 6
  • A box to box player
  • Potentially another striker
Don't think we will get them in 2 weeks before the tour starts.

I guess the discomfort here is that compared to us, Liverpool has been doing their business quietly and effectively, securing Milner, Ings, Firmino, and soon Clyne; players who would fit into their 1st team. Joe Gomez looks decent for Charlton and if Lovren and Sakho continues their dumb and dumber act, he might just get a break.
 
Red Comet said:
Updates so far:

Gundogan - seems to have renewed his contract (and possibly off to Barca next season)
Pogba - we were never in for him
Otamendi - Nothing new
Schweinstiger - He's to BM what Giggs is to us, don't think it's ever going to happen.
Schneiderlin - Our bid was rejected and no new bids since, according to Koemam
De Gea - Still uncertain, and potential replacement Cech has gone to Arsenal
Ramos - Seems like we've put in a bid, but he may be just angling for a new contract with Real like what Alves is doing.
Vidal - Linked with Arsenal

We still need:
  • An top class central defender
  • A right back (can't rely on Rafa staying fit, and Valencia to not screw up something)
  • A No. 6
  • A box to box player
  • Potentially another striker
Don't think we will get them in 2 weeks before the tour starts.

I guess the discomfort here is that compared to us, Liverpool has been doing their business quietly and effectively, securing Milner, Ings, Firmino, and soon Clyne; players who would fit into their 1st team. Joe Gomez looks decent for Charlton and if Lovren and Sakho continues their dumb and dumber act, he might just get a break.
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So you'd rather us have been like Liverpool and sign a load of average players?

They might be good enough for Liverpool but bar Firmino (who I haven't seen play) not one of their other signings would have been at the standard we are looking for to get us back to the top. Not to say I don't agree with the general sentiment of your post but I'm certainly not worried about what tier 2 Liverpool are up to.
 
I'm worried what the feck we actually pay our scouting team for. Both Coleman and Schneidlin could have been picked up for peanuts, yet our pants are being pulled down for the best part of 40mil.
 
AKDevil said:
Yeah plenty. Kane interest for starters. Schneiderlin 'bid accepted.'
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Got quotes from the actual NAMED club officials. Or are those just the rumour you have chosen to believe and therefore are deciding on your own that they came from the club?

We now have reports that the bid for Schneiderlin has not been accepted and no new bid has been made. Sort of blows your "bid accepted" story out of the water doesn't it.

Oh well, if not for gullible people what would con-artists do for a living.
 
SammyUnited_83 said:
Someone made a good point, Woody is talking a good game, interest in Kane, Ramos, and Schweine sounds great but seems hot air at the moment.
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Or Woodie has not said a damn thing and all the stories are coming from someplace else. With the reality being we as fans and the media have no real idea who are targets really are.
 
...aka Las Cortinas said:
So you'd rather us have been like Liverpool and sign a load of average players?

They might be good enough for Liverpool but bar Firmino (who I haven't seen play) not one of their other signings would have been at the standard we are looking for to get us back to the top. Not to say I don't agree with the general sentiment of your post but I'm certainly not worried about what tier 2 Liverpool are up to.
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That's not what I meant at all.

I'm not advocating us to sign loads of average players. My post was saying that they signed a bunch of players who would realistically improve their current first team. Comparatively, we haven't. Of course, we are shopping in a different market, and the difference in quality between the 2 clubs (I mean, we have ADM sitting on the bench) means that it is harder to sign players that would improve our 1st team (smaller pool of players, most at big clubs already). However, there are "low-hanging-fruits" such as Schneilderlin who would improve us, and I rather we get him quickly than chasing after very tough targets like Schweinstiger and ended up with nothing, or we end up desperately signing players like we did under Moyes.
 
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