What do we still need? Aka The never ending story

Well we need Kante 2.0, to free up Pogba. But then you have Bruno, who plays more like a second striker than a midfielder. If Bruno could sit a bit deeper, and we can find this midfield destroyer, great. Then a front three of Rashford, Cavani and a right winger to rotate with Greenwood, for games when he's a poor fit, and hopeful he can play some striker next season.

Then I think we need a right back who is good in the air, because teams are absolutely killing is targeting Wan Bissaka in the air, where he's diabolical.

Defensive mid, right wing, right back, I think we're a top team.
 
we can't afford to buy Oblak when we need to utilize that money to strengthen the squad. Varane would be a great choice to partner Maguire because of his experience and ability on the ball. Sancho would be a great addition to provide goals and assists from the right. I'm just not sold on Rice to be honest at the price he would cost. You could get Grealish for that same price.
 
Tuenzebe in for Lindlof.Baily for cover.Competion at right back.Bruno needs help preferably Maddison,Tielemans or Grealish in that order.Someone who LOVES to head the ball a la Ramos,Otamendi type for both boxes.Drop Fred.
Change of formation also.532,352,442 please.Give Henderson the season to sink or swim.Get some decent coaches in under Ole.
 
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Beans said:
Well we need Kante 2.0, to free up Pogba. But then you have Bruno, who plays more like a second striker than a midfielder. If Bruno could sit a bit deeper, and we can find this midfield destroyer, great. Then a front three of Rashford, Cavani and a right winger to rotate with Greenwood, for games when he's a poor fit, and hopeful he can play some striker next season.

Then I think we need a right back who is good in the air, because teams are absolutely killing is targeting Wan Bissaka in the air, where he's diabolical.

Defensive mid, right wing, right back, I think we're a top team.
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Even though I agree with some of your points, I think it will be a mistake to move Bruno deeper to accommodate and/or free Pogba as Bruno he is our best and most effective player. We should be in the market for defensive midfield but as a part of the double pivot behind Bruno at no.10 and Pogba, despite his abilities, should be as good as gone.
 
Kane (CF) £90m plus Martial
Sancho (RW) £80m
Varane (CB) £40m
Ward-Prowse (CM) £20m
Traore (RW) £25m

Total: £255m

Bailly (CB) £20m
Jones (CB) £5m
Martial (CF) £40m - swap plus cash for Kane.
James (RW) £25m
Williams: £20m

Total: £70m

Net spend: £180m

Tried to come at this from a point of view of how can we set up and how can we play etc.

Let's take the front three combinations.
  • Sancho Kane Rashford.
  • Sancho Kane Greenwood.
  • Rashford Kane Sancho.
  • Rashford Cavani Traore.
  • Pogba Kane Sancho.
You can set up to counter with incredible pace utilising Traore and Rashford etc. You can use Pogba and Sancho and Kane to try and unlock defences that sit deep where pace is nullified.

You have an incredible goalscorer in Kane who has great movement. You have passers and creative players around him.

Now midfield:
  • Pogba - Fred - Bruno
  • Pogba - JWP - Fred
  • Scott - JWP - Fred
  • Scott - JWP - Bruno
  • Pogba - Scott - JWP
Again, people overlook in my opinion JWP, I think he has incredible delivery on set pieces, good engine, solid passer, energy and works very hard. Ideally you'd want a £90m signing but Liverpool have shown that players like Wijnaldum and Henderson make a midfield tick and I think we need on of those.

Using Fred's industry recovering the ball and JWP as a base free's up Bruno or Pogba to make things happen. I think we overlook the importance of set pieces and JWP has probably the third best delivery in the league behind KDB and TAA. Shaw has been good but this will really help us break down those stubborn teams.

Defence:

By adding Varane, we are adding pace which can help us push up the pitch, so we can have Shaw and AWB creating overloads in wide areas without being terrified of being battered on the counter, leave Fred and Varane deep etc.

Other points:

If we don't get Kane, go for Grealish.
 
Sancho+ Saul and one of Camavinga or Tchouameni would fix our midfiled for years as we need to upgrade SMT and Fred in the centre
 
Sancho + Grealish + Camavinga/Ndidi
Add in Oblak if we get rid of De Gea
Sell Lingard Perreira De Gea plus any other deadwood to offset some of the outlay
 
Murder on Zidane's Floor said:
Kane (CF) £90m plus Martial
Sancho (RW) £80m
Varane (CB) £40m
Ward-Prowse (CM) £20m
Traore (RW) £25m

Total: £255m

Bailly (CB) £20m
Jones (CB) £5m
Martial (CF) £40m - swap plus cash for Kane.
James (RW) £25m
Williams: £20m

Total: £70m

Net spend: £180m

Tried to come at this from a point of view of how can we set up and how can we play etc.

Let's take the front three combinations.
  • Sancho Kane Rashford.
  • Sancho Kane Greenwood.
  • Rashford Kane Sancho.
  • Rashford Cavani Traore.
  • Pogba Kane Sancho.
You can set up to counter with incredible pace utilising Traore and Rashford etc. You can use Pogba and Sancho and Kane to try and unlock defences that sit deep where pace is nullified.

You have an incredible goalscorer in Kane who has great movement. You have passers and creative players around him.

Now midfield:
  • Pogba - Fred - Bruno
  • Pogba - JWP - Fred
  • Scott - JWP - Fred
  • Scott - JWP - Bruno
  • Pogba - Scott - JWP
Again, people overlook in my opinion JWP, I think he has incredible delivery on set pieces, good engine, solid passer, energy and works very hard. Ideally you'd want a £90m signing but Liverpool have shown that players like Wijnaldum and Henderson make a midfield tick and I think we need on of those.

Using Fred's industry recovering the ball and JWP as a base free's up Bruno or Pogba to make things happen. I think we overlook the importance of set pieces and JWP has probably the third best delivery in the league behind KDB and TAA. Shaw has been good but this will really help us break down those stubborn teams.

Defence:

By adding Varane, we are adding pace which can help us push up the pitch, so we can have Shaw and AWB creating overloads in wide areas without being terrified of being battered on the counter, leave Fred and Varane deep etc.

Other points:

If we don't get Kane, go for Grealish.
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25M for James ? 20M for Brandon ?

I don't even smoke but I want what you're smoking mate.
 
Anyone that says adding a guy like Saul to our midfield wouldn't be an upgrade has lost his damn mind. He's a brilliant footballer and he would cost a hell of a lot less than Rice.

Swap Pogba for Grealish then you purchase Sancho, Varane and Saul. That is adding 4 guys who could easily be in the first XI and it's adding significant depth in our attack and midfield.
 
I think the most important signing would be a proper defensive midfielder. Don't know exactly who, but that's what we need the most. After that, I'd go for a Sancho and then another CB.
 
bosskeano said:
Swap Pogba for Grealish then you purchase Sancho, Varane and Saul. That is adding 4 guys who could easily be in the first XI and it's adding significant depth in our attack and midfield.
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Dont think Pogba would want to go to Villa. That and he is one of our best players . If he leaves United ( and Im starting to think he wont) It will to be a one of the clubs that were involved in the Super league . Not Villa
 
In:
Donnarumma, £20M SoF
Varane, £40M
Rice, £40M + Lingard
Valverde, £40M + Pogba
Sancho, £80M

Out:
De Gea, £30M
Dalot, £15M
Jones, £5M
Bailly, £20M
Matic, £5M
Pereira, £10M
Martial, £30M

Net spend: £115M

Donnarumma
AWB - Varane - Maguire - Shaw
Valverde - Rice
Sancho - Bruno - Rashford
Greenwood

Henderson
Williams - Lindelöf - Tuanzebe - Telles
McTominay - Fred
Diallo - van de Beek - James
Cavani
 
It would be really nice if the club could pull the finger out and get some ambition.

That way either Ole does better and if he doesn't a better team is left for the next guy

Can't have another shite summer.

I see Tampa Buy has a nice Stadium renovation coming so don't think there should be money excuses.
 
Will go with Varane/Kounde at CB, CDM (doesn't have to be Rice), Sancho & Trippier. Would love to swap DDG for Oblak but don't realistically think that's on the cards at all and also sounds like Saul would need a proper DM to be effective in our MF setup
 
Looks like we're dragging our heels as always. Doesn't seem like any of the deals being talked about are close to be completed. Most of the players will be at the Euros, then on holiday and then the season starts. Doesn't leave nearly enough time to get the deals done that we need.
 
Nicoseth said:
Looks like we're dragging our heels as always. Doesn't seem like any of the deals being talked about are close to be completed. Most of the players will be at the Euros, then on holiday and then the season starts. Doesn't leave nearly enough time to get the deals done that we need.
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:lol:

The transfer window doesn’t open for another 10 days you muppet
 
croadyman said:
Will go with Varane/Kounde at CB, CDM (doesn't have to be Rice), Sancho & Trippier. Would love to swap DDG for Oblak but don't realistically think that's on the cards at all and also sounds like Saul would need a proper DM to be effective in our MF setup
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I’m not sure Trippier would really be needed. Might as well just take Dalot back unless Milan are offering something too good to be true. Just seems like a somewhat unnecessary expense that. As for Saul I reckon you could pair him with any of our midfielders.
 
Andersons Dietician said:
I’m not sure Trippier would really be needed. Might as well just take Dalot back unless Milan are offering something too good to be true. Just seems like a somewhat unnecessary expense that. As for Saul I reckon you could pair him with any of our midfielders.
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Just think he offers us something different at RB when AWB either needs a break or just being ineffective
 
You would get frustrated with N’didi. He’s different to Kante in that he plays far deeper and he’s technically not as gifted as you’d maybe like.

I’d have thought Kessie would be the one.
 
Sleigh said:
You would get frustrated with N’didi. He’s different to Kante in that he plays far deeper and he’s technically not as gifted as you’d maybe like.

I’d have thought Kessie would be the one.
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We look obsessed with Rice and nobody else is even in the picture
 
First and most important is it would be nice to actually spend some money on players to improve our starting XI unlike last summer where we topped up our bench and U23’s…..
 
Well first of all I’d like if we actually strengthened positions that actually need strengthening. I still maintain the opinion that RW and CDM need to be the priority over a ST.

I still think we’ll be in for another torturous transfer window which will see us spending most of our time on a player we will not get (Kane, Sancho, Haaland take your pick) then up comes the Euros and when that’s finished players will go on holidays and we’ll scramble on deadline day with a panic buy.
 
VivaRonaldo85 said:
First and most important is it would be nice to actually spend some money on players to improve our starting XI unlike last summer where we topped up our bench and U23’s…..
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Spot on. We have a habit of doing this every few summers.

We don't have the luxury of getting away with it though as we aren't good enough
 
kirk buttercup said:
Dont think Pogba would want to go to Villa. That and he is one of our best players . If he leaves United ( and Im starting to think he wont) It will to be a one of the clubs that were involved in the Super league . Not Villa
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i wasn't being literal in that Pogba would go to Villa just that it was a swap of players on the roster. Pogba and Grealish would cost relatively the same in the transfer market.
 
Beans said:
Well we need Kante 2.0, to free up Pogba. But then you have Bruno, who plays more like a second striker than a midfielder. If Bruno could sit a bit deeper, and we can find this midfield destroyer, great. Then a front three of Rashford, Cavani and a right winger to rotate with Greenwood, for games when he's a poor fit, and hopeful he can play some striker next season.

Then I think we need a right back who is good in the air, because teams are absolutely killing is targeting Wan Bissaka in the air, where he's diabolical.

Defensive mid, right wing, right back, I think we're a top team.
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So you mention AWB as being targeted in the air but not the number one target?
 
The ideal is:

Centre Back, 2 x DM, 1 x Attacking wide play, striker - 5 signings

Of those that improve us, prob the most expensive would be

Marqhuinos, Rice, Barella, Sancho, Kane - £500m odd, not happening

The cheapest:

Romagnoli, Kamara, Zakaria, Gabrielle Veron, Ronaldo - £140m

We need somewhre inbetween and we need to remember we have £2-300m of assests that are all expendible....not all at once. So we need to get the balance of being ruthless with a few outs, whilst also brave and smart with the ins
 
Nicoseth said:
Hasn't stopped Barca or Milan get their ducks in a row. Real also signed Alaba. So no, not really an outrageous claim.
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Fair enough. Personally I will start to worry when there is 10 days left of the transfer window and we havent made any signings.
 
bosskeano said:
i wasn't being literal in that Pogba would go to Villa just that it was a swap of players on the roster. Pogba and Grealish would cost relatively the same in the transfer market.
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ah Sorry I getcha now. Tbh I would like to get Grealish and keep Pogba . We need depth with Quality, if we replace one with the other we still lack the depth and have the same problem .
 
Sleigh said:
You would get frustrated with N’didi. He’s different to Kante in that he plays far deeper and he’s technically not as gifted as you’d maybe like.

I’d have thought Kessie would be the one.
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I really liked the look of Kessie when we played them in the EL. Hard to get past and good on the ball as well.

Also as this shows, hes scored 13 goals for Milan this season, the higest success rate for long balls and the highest ratio of blocked passes and shots in Serie A this season. Looks like a very well rounded player with plenty of strings to his bow

In: Sancho, Kessie, Varane (170 million total)
Out: DDG, Romero, Baily, Jones, Dalot, Mata, Lindgard, Pereira, Matic, Martial, Chong (100 million total)

70 million net spend. I know this is completely unrealistic since we are utterly useless at moving players, but it would improve us immeasurably and lighten the wage bill at the same time
 
Bobcat said:
I really liked the look of Kessie when we played them in the EL. Hard to get past and good on the ball as well.

Also as this shows, hes scored 13 goals for Milan this season, the higest success rate for long balls and the highest ratio of blocked passes and shots in Serie A this season. Looks like a very well rounded player with plenty of strings to his bow

In: Sancho, Kessie, Varane (170 million total)
Out: DDG, Romero, Baily, Jones, Dalot, Mata, Lindgard, Pereira, Matic, Martial, Chong (100 million total)

70 million net spend. I know this is completely unrealistic since we are utterly useless at moving players, but it would improve us immeasurably and lighten the wage bill at the same time
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He takes their penalties

I don’t think he’s any/much better than Fred from what I’ve seen
 
kirk buttercup said:
Fair enough. Personally I will start to worry when there is 10 days left of the transfer window and we havent made any signings.
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Agree with that mate. And I actually think we will be active in the market. We just seem so slow off the mark compared to other teams. Would be nice to have one or two deals done before the euros but wishful thinking.
 
golden_blunder said:
So you mention AWB as being targeted in the air but not the number one target?
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You mean De Gea? It certainly doesn't help when your keeper is so weak in the air. Especially when I started my United support when VDS was here, who was a master of defending the box against balls in the air.

AWB is a tremendous defender on the ground, the best tackling fullback I've ever seen. If he can get better at defending balls in the air then good enough for me.
 
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