What do we still need? Aka The never ending story

I think what United needs most isnt necessarily position based. I think more than anything we need some ball player with some creativity, passing skills and technique who plays and stays behind the ball. Some who can find spaces from the back, so that A) we will get way more comfortable playing ball when we're put under pressure and B) we will get better in slicing opponents who park the bus.

There is really no-one now who is really good at this who plays at one of our 'behind the ball' positions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or maybe even 8 depending on your style of play. Preferably it would be a 3, 4, or 6. Maguire is just not a ball player who plays the team out of pressure or finds spaces, neiter is Lindeloff or any other of the Central Defenders. We also dont have fullbacks with that kind of skill. We play at the number 6/8 position with Matic, Fred or McTominay which also arent play makers.

All the talk of right wingers and strikers.. I feel like as long as we dont sort out the above, our attacking players who are usually involved in a later stage will remain to struggle whoever they are, as delivery will remain crap or they will only get the ball when spaces on the opponents half are small. Lets find out what more the likes of Rashford, Martial, Greenwood, Diallo (and even Dan James) can do when we can create some better circumstances for them to excel, before spending a shitload of money an a player like Sancho (who might or might not be better than the liked we already have).

We need a play maker behind the ball, preferably a #4 or a#6!

(If you are all thinking now, Damn we should have kept Daley Blind... That's right.. You should have!!!)

Disclaimer: All the above is based on the assumption of nót wanting to be a team who purely goes for counter football and will also wants to create some exhilarating and entertaining football in possession.
 
It seems both Haaland, Mbappe and Sancho could be available this summer.

Lets buy them all.
 
I don’t think we are going to get Haaland - this feels a little like the De Light frenzy from couple of years ago. Should focus on other spots - Sancho, Bentancur swap for Pogba and a CB.

Would love to see Mason make striker spot his own next year. His overall game is a lot better this season - just needs his shooting radar to come back and develop his poaching. His link up play, physicality, and confidence to take on players is all improved vs prior season.

Sancho, Rash backed up by Amad and James feels enough firepower for the next 10 seasons. Also have Elanga and Pellistri as prospects.

If Martial can rediscover his mojo and Mason can do the above, I think our attack is resolved.

Mejbri will backup Bruno in time.

VDB and Bentancur as CMs with McFred as backup. Garner getting ready and waiting

All of the above is realistic (except for maybe Martial rediscovering his Mojo).

- Sancho is available and Dortmund want to sell.

- Juventus want Pogba but don’t have cash. Swap makes most sense.

- need to figure out CB.
 
While the flames continue to be fanned on the Haaland rumours I don't think there's any chance we get him and the bulk of reports have us needing to queeze 2 signings out of just £100M. I have no logical reasoning for it but I think we might well get Varane, and then I think Ole will go for a a Striker, Andre Silva looks the most rounded, high scoring and reasonably priced option.


 
Need to replace Lukaku for one.

Need to improve the midfield. Near impossible if Pogba goes.

Personally think we got bigger issues than CB
 
Lots of sounds coming out that we l make one marquee signing, which I think will still be Sancho
With the rest depending on what funds we can raise from sales.

Who do people think we l sell and how much can we raise towards any further signings?

Martial 40/50m?
Lingaard 20m?

Could possibly see us raise funds for Silva and a centre back

Very tricky market and summer ahead I think.
 
Buy (total: 185m):
CB: Milenkovic (25m)
DM: Bissouma (40m)
RW: Sancho (90m)
CF: Patson Daka (30m)

Sell (70m):
Lingard: 25m
Bailly: 15m
Matic: 15m
Dalot: 10m
Jones: 5m

1st eleven:

------------------------Daka---------------------------
Rashford---------Bruno--------------Sancho
----------------Pogba----Bissouma-------------
Shaw-----Maguire----Milenkovic----AWB
--------------------Henderson---------------------


2nd string:

------------------------Martial---------------------------
James--------------DVB--------------Greenwood
------------------Fred--------McT-----------------------
Telles-----Lindelof----Tuanzebe----Williams
-------------------------DDG-------------------------------
 
There’s no point talking about “is this or that position a priority” - if we carry on fixing the team at a snails pace then we'll just continue to be top four contenders and limp out of the Champions League once the going gets tough. If we are serious about winning the Premier League and/or the Champions League we need to bite the bullet and invest in four quality additions -

Centre Back
Centre Midfield
Right Wing
Striker

With the quality needed, I expect this to set us back around £400m less any sales (although if one of those sales is Pogba you can make this five needed).
 
Yeah, Andre Silva and Patson Daka are better than Martial. As was Dembele year before.
Absolutely stupid and totally biased, it is just unbelievable.
 
Milenkovic, Sancho and Rice in with Lingard, Jones, Bailly, Dalot and Pereira going. An elite striker like Haaland, Kane or Mbappe would be great but it would blow all of our budget; maybe if Pogba leaves.
 
Any chance Bout and the gang can be employed to find someone off the radar?

It would appear likely we pump most of our funds into Sancho, which means CB and CF funds will be limited by what we recoup in sales.

Personally rather see us continue with the blend of building for the next 5+ years with a sharp eye on competing now, especially with anticipated funds being tight in the current climate.

If that means we bring in someone in the mould of a Fofana, and except we may have to stick with Lindelof and Maguire until he's deemed ready, then so be it.

With Martial's deficiencies and Cavani's likely exit, we may need to be more lavish and secure in terms of a forward. We already have an extremely youthful frontline, which hopefully will be added to with Sancho.
 
Bristol_Red_87 said:
Any chance Bout and the gang can be employed to find someone off the radar?

It would appear likely we pump most of our funds into Sancho, which means CB and CF funds will be limited by what we recoup in sales.

Personally rather see us continue with the blend of building for the next 5+ years with a sharp eye on competing now, especially with anticipated funds being tight in the current climate.

If that means we bring in someone in the mould of a Fofana, and except we may have to stick with Lindelof and Maguire until he's deemed ready, then so be it.

With Martial's deficiencies and Cavani's likely exit, we may need to be more lavish and secure in terms of a forward. We already have an extremely youthful frontline, which hopefully will be added to with Sancho.
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Marcel Bout has had the final say on all the players we have signed at youth level since 2017. At first team level, he and the gang didn't have the power to implement the recruitment strategy. The strategy at first team level has been left to the first team manager, who decides on the recruitment plan going forward. That may have changed now, with John Murtough being appointed the DoF.

But to answer your question, Bout and the gang would have no problem signing the likes of Fofana. But like I said, it all depends on the type of profile the decision makers at the top of the chain, choose to follow.
 
I wasn't really that impressed when I saw him last season but is Norwich's Buendia worth a look? He is apparently dominating the Championship and creating loads of chances.
 
I'm not saying people are wrong at all, but those who think we need a RW/RF more than a pure out-and-out Striker - can you educate me as to why?

For me, with the chances we have missed this season and chances created and squandered, I think if we put a proper #9 like a Nistelrooy or a 2012/13 Robin van Persie in front of Bruno, Pogba, Rashford etc, he would score a bucket load, give us a focal point and be the missing piece.

Tell me why I'm wrong
 
LawCharltonBest said:
I'm not saying people are wrong at all, but those who think we need a RW/RF more than a pure out-and-out Striker - can you educate me as to why?

For me, with the chances we have missed this season and chances created and squandered, I think if we put a proper #9 like a Nistelrooy or a 2012/13 Robin van Persie in front of Bruno, Pogba, Rashford etc, he would score a bucket load, give us a focal point and be the missing piece.

Tell me why I'm wrong
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I would say it’s the quality and type of chances. Only Luke Shaw and Telles are remotely close to Bruno but then most of the chances they create are crosses or set pieces. Bruno I wouldn’t say carves out that many more gilt edge chances. I don’t feel like this season our strikers have really missed that many golden oppertunities. No more than usual or anymore than someone like Haaland. More like they’ve been starved of service for the most part.

They do play a hand in that themselves by not passing, over dribbling, not moving, crap hold up or not bringing others in I should add.

So for me the quality of chance creation isn’t there and I don’t see how just getting a striker in solves that. The team as a unit needs to do better for me and I think someone like a Sancho who isn’t just hitting hopeful balls in to the box or chipping straight balls in might create more higher quality chances for our strikers if they up there game and get in the right positions.
 
GK (DDG has to go, his mistakes the last 2 seasons cost us much (FA cup, now in the period that we lost the PL (Everton period),

CB footballing and fast defender,

CF good in the air or one that can hold the ball so that our team can move up.
 
LawCharltonBest said:
I'm not saying people are wrong at all, but those who think we need a RW/RF more than a pure out-and-out Striker - can you educate me as to why?

For me, with the chances we have missed this season and chances created and squandered, I think if we put a proper #9 like a Nistelrooy or a 2012/13 Robin van Persie in front of Bruno, Pogba, Rashford etc, he would score a bucket load, give us a focal point and be the missing piece.

Tell me why I'm wrong
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I don't know which one I think we need more. If I was confident in Martial getting back to something like his best it'd definitely be a winger, but as it is I'm 50/50.

The argument for a right winger is that if we sign the right one, he will not only score more goals himself, he will not only set up more goal scoring chances for others, but he will also hopefully help the midfield with general creation and playmaking duties and help our entire style of play more than what a striker might be able to do. We are incredibly limited down one whole side of the field and having a top option there might also increase the space and time that our left side attack gets, making them even more effective than they already are.
 
Tallis said:
I don’t think we are going to get Haaland - this feels a little like the De Light frenzy from couple of years ago. Should focus on other spots - Sancho, Bentancur swap for Pogba and a CB.

Would love to see Mason make striker spot his own next year. His overall game is a lot better this season - just needs his shooting radar to come back and develop his poaching. His link up play, physicality, and confidence to take on players is all improved vs prior season.

Sancho, Rash backed up by Amad and James feels enough firepower for the next 10 seasons. Also have Elanga and Pellistri as prospects.

If Martial can rediscover his mojo and Mason can do the above, I think our attack is resolved.

Mejbri will backup Bruno in time.

VDB and Bentancur as CMs with McFred as backup. Garner getting ready and waiting

All of the above is realistic (except for maybe Martial rediscovering his Mojo).

- Sancho is available and Dortmund want to sell.

- Juventus want Pogba but don’t have cash. Swap makes most sense.

- need to figure out CB.
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You know this is never happening with Ole as manager right
 
One thing we do need is to get rid of some high earners that don't contribute.

Mata (160k p/w)
Jones (75k p/w)
Romero (70k p/w)

And just look at our 4 highest-paid players at the club:

De Gea (375k p/w)
Pogba (290k p/w)
Martial (250k p/w)
Cavani (210k p/w)

All of them have futures in doubt or a lot of fans have doubts about them.
 
I dont think a huge amount has changed from what we needed last year personally. For me the biggest problem we still have...is that we still have a lot of deadwood to clear

Out

Romero
Bailly
Jones
Dalot
Mata
Lingard
Perreira
Chong

Also there are others I think we should be selling due to form or age and competition in terms of rebuilding

DeGea
Fred
Matic
Van de Beek
Cavani
Martial

What I think we need:

CB: Romagnoli
CM: Rice
CM: Camavinga
RW: Sancho
CF Amine Gouiri

I would guess at a net spend from fees recieved and spent of about £120m. Although it massively trims the squad, we have a lot of younger players comign through and a lot of these players are versatile:

LB: Shaw, Williams, Telles,
CB: Romagnoli, Maguire, Tuanzabe, Lindelof,
RB: Bissaka, Williams
CM: McTominay, Rice, Pogba, Camavinga
AM: Fernandes, Pogba, Gouiri, Camavinga, Sancho, Greenwood
LW: Rashford, James, Gouiri, Sancho, Pogba, Amad
RW: James, Sancho, Amad
ST: Greenwood, Rashford, Gouiri

So still plenty of options for each position and this isnt including several youngsters who I think are good enough for the squad or have already been included and players in some cases:

Mengi, Laird, Mjebri, Garner, Shoetire

All pretty difficult transfers, I think with outgoings a net spend of about £120m but lets not go into all of that. Romagnoli would be a uge improvement on our defence, especially in terms of communication, organisation and leadership, let alone quality. Rice and Camavinga would give us much better balance, technical ability and energy overall I feel than those they would be replacing. Sancho would answer our rw problems and allow the likes of Amad to develop at a more realistic pace.

Gouiri is a gamble but I think has huge potential as well as versatility, still only 21. I think Haaland and Kane are too expensive as good as both are, hey would probably be costing near to twice the fee of Sancho this summer and lets not forget, he is still learning and had a tough season, but he hasn teven really played there yet but we have one of the most talented young strikers in the world already in Greenwood
 
I think we should go for PL proven players.

Pedro Neto, Rice(or Bissouma as cheaper option), Tielemans or Neves if Pogba leaves. For Cb dont know, maybe Andersen or Mings. No money for CF. :D
 
CF
RW
DM
CM
RB

Ings, Sancho, Rice, Grealish, Aarons.

A bit above our budget maybe? Hopefully we can raise some funds from shifting Lingard, Dalot etc.
 
It feels like we keep adding to our never ending what we need list. Along with failing to add a CDM/RW from the last summer transfer window. We need arguably five positions covered. Arguably another CM as well if Pogba leaves. Our club is just honestly so piss poor in planning. You watch by the end of the summer window we’d probably sign a player for a position that didn’t need strengthening.
 
The striker situation will be the biggest headache for United this summer. Will Cavani be given an extension? If not, it means Martial and Greenwood. The former coming off a very poor season and the latter not yet ready to be leading the lines. There's rumours of Kane wanting to leave but the fee would be astronomical and City will be interested too. I can't imagine a scenario where Kane picks us over City. Haaland probably won't move until the release clause kicks in.

It leaves the option of sticking with what we've got and addressing other areas of the squad. Or looking for another stop gap striker or gambling on a youngster.
 
I can't see us spending over £75m net, but we have some players that we can let go and our squad's in a position where we're not so desperate for an overhaul - as we have been in the past.

Outgoings should be:
  • Lingard
  • Mata
  • Matic
  • Jones (if possible)
Others could be:
  • Dalot
  • Bailly
  • De Gea
  • Pogba
  • Van de Beek
  • Cavani
  • Romero
  • Martial
  • Pereira
Incomings are difficult to predict, but a dynamic and aggressive striker would be great; even if not Haaland or Kane, I think we could upgrade on the current options. A marquee striker/forward would help us go up a level.

Should Pogba leave, we would need a high quality midfielder, which is unlikely to be cheap or easy to find. Similarly, if Bailly wanted to leave then we'd need to find a defender with speed.
 
First things first. Let’s find a way to keep Pogba. We now look like squad that’s within reach of major trophies, if the proper acquisitions are made. Hopefully that, plus an improved wage structure, will get the job done.

If we believe Greenwood is ready to serve at CF then it’s really down to bringing in a RW (Sancho) and a CDM (Rice is overhyped but he would be a solid acquisition) and we’re set. I’m not going to lose any sleep over not bringing in a CB, although if we lose Bailly we’ll need to add depth. And for me it’s a no-lose on the GK position.
 
Silverman said:
What about Philips from Leeds at DM?
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Really like him tbh and think he'd be a very smart signing. Very good passer, smart on the ball, solid defensively and plays in a system that really demands a lot from him defensively.
 
bosnian_red said:
Really like him tbh and think he'd be a very smart signing. Very good passer, smart on the ball, solid defensively and plays in a system that really demands a lot from him defensively.
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I agree. But he's a leeds man, born there and played there all of his life. Not sure he'd want to leave, especially if they stay up (Which it looks like) And the rivalry with United and all that
 
slavishduke said:
I agree. But he's a leeds man, born there and played there all of his life. Not sure he'd want to leave, especially if they stay up (Which it looks like) And the rivalry with United and all that
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Well we did sign Cantona/Rio/Smith from Leeds! Long long time ago but the rivalry isn't what it was either, so I think there's a chance to do business with them, certainly more realistic to sign him than signing Ndidi/Rice/Kane or any of the other star players from smaller premier league clubs. Grealish to an extent too as I don't see anyone paying what Villa would likely ask for.
 
I know its impossible but the CB that I like the most is Marquinhos, he has all the attributes. He may not be as recognized as other names because he plays in France but he's seriously good. Real comfortable on the ball, up to the point he can play CDM, great in the air in defense and attack, leadership attributes, strong, fast, and will be 27 next month so still haves a lot of time to play.

If by any chance we would spend another 70M on a defender we should try him first before Varane, Kounde, Pau Torres, etc
 
JoeyJoJoJrShabadoo said:
My dream target is Varane. Hes a world class CB at a time when there are very few kicking around. If only :lol:
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100% . He is also very used to having a «slow» CB partner to cover for.

Been some loose chatter about a Pogba / Varane swap, but thats probably just wishful thinking.
 
theklr said:
100% . He is also very used to having a «slow» CB partner to cover for.

Been some loose chatter about a Pogba / Varane swap, but thats probably just wishful thinking.
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Just like Pogba’s, doesn’t his contract expire next summer?
 
JoeyJoJoJrShabadoo said:
My dream target is Varane. Hes a world class CB at a time when there are very few kicking around. If only :lol:
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Yeah would be mine in that position as well but still I cannot decide what's going to be our top priority in the summer, personally it still feels like despite us never signing him in a million years there is a belief that we could somehow fund a move for Haaland when I would much rather go for Sancho and either a CDM/CB instead.
 
Varane is class but he rejected us to spend his prime at another club. Let’s not spend 60 million on him and 2 huge deals until he retires. I think we should find someone who has their best years ahead and we would do well to keep reminding ourselves that these kinds of transfers have got us nowhere in the last 8 years. So unless he’s really pushing to come here I’d be stepping aside at those prices and wages
 
I’m not sure why we’re still being linked with CBs. Our defensive record since roughly Christmas is title-winning standard.

We need a CF. Plain and simple. A 34yo Cavani transforms this team when he is fired up. Imagine what a world-class forward in his prime would do.
 
Lentwood said:
I’m not sure why we’re still being linked with CBs. Our defensive record since roughly Christmas is title-winning standard.
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Probably because Bailly and Tuanzebe arent trusted as proper backups I guess. Cant expect Maguire to play 1 million minutes without injuries yet again, and Lindelof do seem to have some back issues.
 
Ali Dia said:
Varane is class but he rejected us to spend his prime at another club. Let’s not spend 60 million on him and 2 huge deals until he retires. I think we should find someone who has their best years ahead and we would do well to keep reminding ourselves that these kinds of transfers have got us nowhere in the last 8 years. So unless he’s really pushing to come here I’d be stepping aside at those prices and wages
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World class player at 60 mill is a steal. We will be paying that for anyone good to be honest. Also pretty sure Varane didn't turn us down. We turned him down

If you can think of an equally good younger model then absolutely I am all in
 
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