Transfer Tweets - Manchester United - 2022/23 | Follow the OP rules and check the quality of your sources before posting. STAY ON TOPIC!

[Loony BoB]

This guy is like the Goldbridge of the journalist world. Just loves to be negative the whole time.

Even a broken clock is right twice a day. The tweet is still very spot-on.

 

[space]

Yeah, a time difference of 4 hours would definitely hinder. Seriously, what the feck are we even doing ? In this age , we are claiming time difference is an actual hindrance !!

What an excuse FML we are so done

 

[Adisa]

Need to log off this forum. My colleagues are telling me I am looking glum.

 

[Rightnr]

Yeah, a time difference of 4 hours would definitely hinder. Seriously, what the feck are we even doing ? In this age , we are claiming time difference is an actual hindrance !!

Do you know how long it takes for a pigeon to fly over the Atlantic?

 

[ChorltonReds]

Backing the manager doesn't have to be getting him players. Backing him properly would also involve saying no if (for example) the director of football thinks it's a mistake. At the moment ETH has almost universal goodwill from the fans - if we give Arnautovic a 3 year contract, and the perception is that it was ETH's decision - he'll lose some of that goodwill. And the same goes for Rabiot.

And although things can change and people can be proved wrong - both these signings are far more likely to be disastrous than successful. And we'll have 2 more toxic squad players on inflated salaries, who we then find impossible to move on.

I refuse to believe that if we had a proper, well-respected, successful director of football (and Murtough is not) that they'd sanction either of these signings.

 

[Dazzmondo]

United know that the biggest mistake they can make this summer is to go against the wishes of the new man in charge. If gradual change is to be implemented, then it is Ten Hag who must be given blind backing for this summer at least.

The club must continue to show their full faith in the new manager, even if they have obvious doubts.

This is mental. If United's approach to transfer policy is to blindly support a new manager, then they're just replacing one kind of dysfunctionality with another. This is what you have a scouting dept and a DoF for. If your approach is to give the manager everything he points at, then those are irrelevant. And it really isn't doing EtH a favour. If you want to help EtH, then do your fecking jobs properly and don't ask him to sort out problems that other parts of management should be on top of.

Obviously EtH wants the club to do well in the longer term, but a less than well entrenched manager inevitably and always has his own survival as the most pressing immediate concern, and that will skew such decisions. We've seen that before, f.e. with OGS preferring to hang on to Lingard because he wanted the depth. A decision that was mad from a personnel management point of view, never should have been allowed to happen and wouldn't have happened if we had a functioning management structure geared to the right priorities.

Just listen to what Pep Guardiola says when he's talking about these things. He's clear what he thinks and what he wants and that this is known to management, but he's also very clear it's not really his call. You never hear him complaining about a signing and there's nothing to indicate the club isn't listening to his views, but at the same time he also isn't complaining when the club won't go above their valuation for Cuccurella, or demanding that they hang on Bernardo Silva. It looks a lot me like he's happy enough to let the people whose job it is to get on with handling player movement, confident that they're on the same page and that they'll handle it well.

I agree with this but tbf loads on here, I would go so far as to say the majority, have similarly gone with this argument that we should just get the manager the players he wants. I think this is a very outdated model for transfer dealings and one that very few of the top clubs seem to use any more. The manager should tell our recruitment team the type of player he needs and they should then do their job, a field in which they are supposed to be an expert, and find the best players of the right age, profile and price to sign. The manager should not simply be insisting on players he's aware of and holding a stance of no alternatives in situations where the players he wants aren't achievable like in the case of Antony and De Jong.

 

[gza the genius]

Seems to me like journalists are being kept in the dark about United's transfer business, so when stuff like this comes out we get the "it's all a bit desperate isn't it?" headlines.
I can't believe ETH would put all his eggs in the FDJ basket without any backups and flail around at the last minute.

Journalists know nowt!

So we're keeping all the good targets quiet but Rabiot and Arnautovic immediately get leaked? Seems unlikely to me.

 

[Scorpy]

Well if it's a red flag for some random ESPN journo we better sack the guy before it's too late

 

[Andycoleno9]

Martinez the deal with the player and the club was agreed before he signed because of Visa issues you can blame Brexit for that. Erikssen I have no idea why it took so long but there arr Articles by The Athletic which does a deep dive, I think it would be down to his cardiac arrest and any contractual / extra long medical for the length of time it took to confirm

Again excuses. Look at timeline; we hired ETH in April. So, Murtough had plenty of time to work on deals. Ins and out.
Instead, he wasted whole May in what? Then he wasted whole June in nothing. If he made research and started on those deals early (like City, Bayern or Spurs did) they would be over before pre-season. Not to mention De Jong saga who is our key signing. He should have knew about salary issue and walk away ages ago (or at least go for another midfielder like he is doing right now).

We are playing 5 PL games (6 if you count Arsenal game) in August. It is 18 points. We need every single point to get top 4. Now, we are in danger to dropping a lot of them because we failed to build team in time.

Murtough failed. And he failed miserably. In any decent company he would be sacked.

 

[red_de_pologne]

Depends where in the US they are, there's several different timezones in the US of which the greatest(PDT) is around 7 hours.

Unless they're somewhere with a two months' time difference it's a ridiculous excuse

 

[Jev]

This guy is like the Goldbridge of the journalist world. Just loves to be negative the whole time.

He has a point, though. Very, very worrying that this seems to be our targets after Sunday's performance and result.

 

[lysglimt]

I simply don't get why fans and journalists are putting Arnautovic and Rabiot in the same bracket.

One is 27 and has spent the last 9 years playing regularly for PSG and Juventus - and people can say what they want about him being a troublemaker - but if truly was the case, how come he has only played for 2 clubs in his career - and always been a regular. And apart from one long spell in 18/19 season - he is practically never injured. In the last 6 seasons, he has played about 250 matches. In fact - in his entire career since he broke into PSG, he has just that one season played less than 33 matches in a season.

The other is 33 - and you have to give him credit for scoring a lot of goals at Bologna - but at 33 ?

 

[justsomebloke]

I agree with this but tbf loads on here, I would go so far as to say the majority, have similarly gone with this argument that we should just get the manager the players he wants. I think this is a very outdated model for transfer dealings and one that very few of the top clubs seem to use any more. The manager should tell our recruitment team the type of player he needs and they should then do their job, a field in which they are supposed to be an expert, and find the best players of the right age, profile and price to sign. The manager should not simply be insisting on players he's aware of and holding a stance of no alternatives in situations where the players he wants aren't achievable like in the case of Antony and De Jong.

Yeah, I agree. And I also think there's less in the distinction than there needs to be. As long as the manager and the football dept are pursuing the same level of ambition and the same vision of what sort of football the club is playing, then there's no big reason why they wouldn't in most cases have a similar view about needs and priorities. Again, look at City.

 

[pascell]

We'll probably end the summer signing Neves and Rabiot with the de Jong money. Welcome to the John Murtough era!

 

[Matt851]

Well if it's a red flag for some random ESPN journo we better sack the guy before it's too late

It's a red flag for a lot people. You might be fine with us signing terrible people who are underwhelming footballers but its not going to get us anywhere

 

[red_de_pologne]

We'll probably end the summer signing Neves and Rabiot with the de Jong money. Welcome to the John Murtough era!

you wish

 

[justsomebloke]

I simply don't get why fans and journalists are putting Arnautovic and Rabiot in the same bracket.

One is 27 and has spent the last 9 years playing regularly for PSG and Juventus - and people can say what they want about him being a troublemaker - but if truly was the case, how come he has only played for 2 clubs in his career - and always been a regular. And apart from one long spell in 18/19 season - he is practically never injured. In the last 6 seasons, he has played about 250 matches. In fact - in his entire career since he broke into PSG, he has just that one season played less than 33 matches in a season.

The other is 33 - and you have to give him credit for scoring a lot of goals at Bologna - but at 33 ?

True. Arnautovic is obviously a much more worrying prospect than Rabiot.

 

[pascell]

you wish

Oh I really don't.

 

[therealtboy]

We'll probably end the summer signing Neves and Rabiot with the de Jong money. Welcome to the John Murtough era!

We would dominate 80% of midfields with that pairing. Add Eriksen to that and that’s a great balanced midfield.

 

[Superden]

Yeah, a time difference of 4 hours would definitely hinder. Seriously, what the feck are we even doing ? In this age , we are claiming time difference is an actual hindrance !!

Im sure its not a hindrance running their other businesses, and yet for a football club?

 

[Scorpy]

It's a red flag for a lot people. You might be fine with us signing terrible people who are underwhelming footballers but its not going to get us anywhere

How about we wait and see how they perform on the pitch before drawing conclusions?

I know it's very difficult to grasp, but the manager may actually know what he's doing.

 

[pascell]

We would dominate 80% of midfields in the UEFA Conference League with that pairing. Add Eriksen to that and that’s a great balanced midfield.

Fixed that for you.

 

[redcucumber]

I simply don't get why fans and journalists are putting Arnautovic and Rabiot in the same bracket.

One is 27 and has spent the last 9 years playing regularly for PSG and Juventus - and people can say what they want about him being a troublemaker - but if truly was the case, how come he has only played for 2 clubs in his career - and always been a regular. And apart from one long spell in 18/19 season - he is practically never injured. In the last 6 seasons, he has played about 250 matches. In fact - in his entire career since he broke into PSG, he has just that one season played less than 33 matches in a season.

The other is 33 - and you have to give him credit for scoring a lot of goals at Bologna - but at 33 ?

Juventus seemingly want him gone and their fans are doing summersaults about the prospect of him leaving - in the same way we would be if McTominay was about to leave. It doesn't feel like much of a coup, does it?

 

[therealtboy]

Fixed that for you.

Funny we reached the Final of the Europa League and finished second in the league with a worse midfield pairing. Anyways those two are better than Fred and McT and improve is drastically. De Jong would be better, we all know that but we aren’t in a position to be turning our nose up at getting better players because if we don’t you’ll be the same ones blasting the club for not improving.

 

[redcucumber]

How about we wait and see how they perform on the pitch before drawing conclusions?

I know it's very difficult to grasp, but the manager may actually know what he's doing.

So we're supposed to smile and watch despite there being legitimate concerns about our strategy? United fans have been extremely patient with the club since Fergie has gone but signing a 33 year old Arnautovic from Bologna is worrying. Why aren't we allowed to air our apprehensions? The club don't have any credit in the bank, they are hiding behind the new manager and it appears there is very little due diligence going on.

 

[Dannn411]

I simply don't get why fans and journalists are putting Arnautovic and Rabiot in the same bracket.

One is 27 and has spent the last 9 years playing regularly for PSG and Juventus - and people can say what they want about him being a troublemaker - but if truly was the case, how come he has only played for 2 clubs in his career - and always been a regular. And apart from one long spell in 18/19 season - he is practically never injured. In the last 6 seasons, he has played about 250 matches. In fact - in his entire career since he broke into PSG, he has just that one season played less than 33 matches in a season.

The other is 33 - and you have to give him credit for scoring a lot of goals at Bologna - but at 33 ?

Spot on. I can accept Rabiot because of the level he has played at and his age and if he's one of two or three coming into midfield but Arnautovic is totally unacceptable. Not signing anyone is better than sinking even more money and wages into another 30+-year old. The positions where we have a major code red are in central midfield and right back. There are no great 9s out there that would come to us right now and if by some miracle we managed to convince one of them, that is at least £100m outlay. So just let the market for forwards shake out this season and see what is there next year.
Where we absolutely must improve before deadline day is in the middle of the park and at right back.

 

[M4YON]

Unless they're somewhere with a two months' time difference it's a ridiculous excuse

I absolutely agree, I was just pointing out the US has several different time zones.

 

[M4YON]

 

[justsomebloke]

We would dominate 80% of midfields with that pairing. Add Eriksen to that and that’s a great balanced midfield.

Which, even if it was accurate, would mean it's not a top 4 midfield. So that doesn't really cut it, does it. For an investment of that magnitude.

 

[Ayush_reddevil]

I don’t get why United didn’t try to buy Werner. He is the profile of player you want and I know he has had a hard time at Chelsea but it was worth a punt

 

[Andy_Cole]

Everyone is jumping on this bandwagon. Hopefully applies pressure on the board to step up.

 

[Josep Dowling]

How about we wait and see how they perform on the pitch before drawing conclusions?

I know it's very difficult to grasp, but the manager may actually know what he's doing.

When will people like you realise you need more than a manager to be a successful football club now? The Sir Alex era is over. United have not become a modern club yet. All the successful clubs have teams helping the manager. We are STILL placing sole reliance of transfer strategy on the manager and that’s why there is no continuity when managers leave. The fact ten Hag is only wanting to sign players who has worked with before should worry all United fans. He’s only managed one decent club and in one poor League so the pool of players is tiny. He needs help.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

So we've gone from Pogba and Lingard to potentially Rabiot and Arnautovic?

 

[Highfather_24]

It was common wisdom here that it was the FdJ deal which was holding up our other targets like RB, CF and RW. So now that it looks like we wont get FdJ, and wont get our first choice targets in the other positions either(might not get anyone at all too), I guess it wasnt really the case then.

I always said it didnt make sense that a 10-15M difference in FdJ evaluation is stopping us from buying other players, if we actually had the budget. So either they had the money and couldnt get deals done, or they dont have the money. Either way, horrible incompetence all around.

 

[M4YON]

Outside of his obvious non credible transfer info this is infact true, regarding his contract and current situation at Juventus. Whilst he is 26, it absolutely screams panic buy.

 

[Igor Drefljak]

I think this is the hardest I've seen the press go in at us.

I wonder what it'll do to the fans reading it... People are easily influenced.
And I wonder what the likes of Murtough, the owners etc will make of this.

I actually think all these reports could be quite defining when it comes to really disgruntling the fans

 

[justsomebloke]

Spot on. I can accept Rabiot because of the level he has played at and his age and if he's one of two or three coming into midfield but Arnautovic is totally unacceptable. Not signing anyone is better than sinking even more money and wages into another 30+-year old. The positions where we have a major code red are in central midfield and right back. There are no great 9s out there that would come to us right now and if by some miracle we managed to convince one of them, that is at least £100m outlay. So just let the market for forwards shake out this season and see what is there next year.
Where we absolutely must improve before deadline day is in the middle of the park and at right back.

Actually, you could argue our lack of credible alternatives in the forward 3 is an even bigger code red. You saw why yesterday: A bit of hamstring trouble for Martial, and we're starting Christian Eriksen as a false 9. How often is it going to be the case this year that something will prevent 2 out of Rashford, Martial, Ronaldo and Sancho from playing? In combination with whoever of them is out of form and shouldn't play? And once that happens it's Elanga or one of the youngsters, or using a midfielder out of position. It's not sustainable.

We urgently need at least one more player good enough to play frequently, arguably even more than we need anything else. And if Ronaldo leaves, you can add another striker to that list.

 

[RedorDead21]

Outside of his obvious non credible transfer info this is infact true, regarding his contract and current situation at Juventus. Whilst he is 26, it absolutely screams panic buy.

but prob not if we won 3-0 yesterday….people would be more inclined to think hmmm maybe this will be a positive. I’m playing devils advocate here as I think this is a sideways/backward step, panicking or not

 

[justsomebloke]

I think this is the hardest I've seen the press go in at us.

I wonder what it'll do to the fans reading it... People are easily influenced.
And I wonder what the likes of Murtough, the owners etc will make of this.

I actually think all these reports could be quite defining when it comes to really disgruntling the fans

Well you saw the immediate reactions on here, even before the negative press began. In this case, I think it's just so obviously a bad sign that it triggers disbelief and ridicule pretty much everywhere. Fans, neutrals and ABU alike.

 

[M4YON]

but prob not if we won 3-0 yesterday….people would be more inclined to think hmmm maybe this will be a positive. I’m playing devils advocate here as I think this is a sideways/backward step, panicking or not

I guess we will never really know if this was in the works prior to Brighton but it certainly doesn't look like it was after ETH said only days ago it wasn't about bringing in ANY players but the RIGHT players.