What do we still need? Aka The never ending story

DutchCruijff said:
We're broken. We're so so broken. We still need major investment despite spending £200m+ this summer.

We desperately need a DoF too.

Shaw, Varane, Martinez, Casemiro and Eriksen are the only players that I'd be dead cert to keep around as regulars.

There needs to be signings in January. Minimum we need to go for is a RB to compete with Dalot, a FW (Gapko - he's, however, in a title fight) and a CM.

How much? Around £120m, I'd say. And yes, that's a significant amount but we need to spend. We can't make the same mistake as last January. UCL football is crucial.

As for long term, GK, RB, CM, CM, W and #9 is needed.

We need two CMs as none of Fred, McTominay, Fernandes or van de Beek are good enough and Eriksen is ageing + fatigued.

The likes of De Gea, Maguire, Williams, Tuanzebe, AWB, VDB, Fred and Elanga need to be made surplus to requirements. Pellistri too. There's a good £100m there (saving around £10-15m purely from De Gea off the books).

This January? The minimum must be a RB, CM and FW. No excuses.

Dalot cannot go the whole campaign without rest, we cannot have a gaping hole in our team for a season and we cannot rely solely on an OAP Ronaldo and crocked Martial.
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Yeah I agree with you on the spending we need investment badly, however there won't be any spending in January. Glazers have already said so to ETH and in summer who knows how much we will have to spend. I guess we will struggle for top four and I'm sure the media and some fans will go after ETH.
 
I think that there's some obvious class in this team. Varane, Casemiro and Bruno have proven to be top class very recently and I have not doubt that the quality is still there. Martinez and Eriksen have hit the ground running. DDG is not nearly as bad as people in here say. Antony looks exiting and there should be at least some goals between Sancho, Rashford and Martial.

The players are more than good enough for a top 4 finish. What we lack is cohesion and efficiency in front of goal. A new center forward would go a long way, but we don't make it easy for ourselves in the final third. It's all still a bit sloppy, but I have faith in Ten Hag solving this in the future.
 
An ideal scenario is we Maguire has a strong world cup in a typically cautious southgate line up and someone looks to buy him in January for 60 million, the club and ronaldo part ways with not having to compensate him in any way and we then replace them with say players that only have 6 months left on their contracts at their current clubs to get at a knock down price like Skriniar and a Zaha or dembele
 
Lee565 said:
An ideal scenario is we Maguire has a strong world cup in a typically cautious southgate line up and someone looks to buy him in January for 60 million, the club and ronaldo part ways with not having to compensate him in any way and we then replace them with say players that only have 6 months left on their contracts at their current clubs to get at a knock down price like Skriniar and a Zaha or dembele
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No one will pay £60m for Maguire. We'll be lucky to get 30m. He's approaching his 30s and he's on wages which potential suitors will not be able to match.

We should accept realistic fees for both him and AWB (15-25m) and cut our losses. Knowing the club though, we'll probably keep until their contracts run out.
 
Borussia Teeth said:
No one will pay £60m for Maguire. We'll be lucky to get 30m. He's approaching his 30s and he's on wages which potential suitors will not be able to match.

We should accept realistic fees for both him and AWB (15-25m) and cut our losses. Knowing the club though, we'll probably keep until their contracts run out.
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English tax helps, I can imagine Maguire being a good get for the likes of spurs or Newcastle
 
Lee565 said:
English tax helps, I can imagine Maguire being a good get for the likes of spurs or Newcastle
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I agree that he would probably improve both of those sides, but I don't think they'd want to pay 30m+ (60m as you proposed) and pay him around 200k pw.

The only way to get rid of him, Wan Bissaka and a lot of our surplus would be to accept relatively low fees.
 
Lee565 said:
English tax helps, I can imagine Maguire being a good get for the likes of spurs or Newcastle
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Hopefully he has a great WC.

But like there are so few options to start with and it’s not like anyone of them really are hurting for someone like McGuire. If I am Tottenham or Newcastle, I am really considering not only where I am at today but if I in a year or two might have a coach who will have as much interest in playing a CB like McG as ETH has.

And if you don’t get any interest from those sides, the price drops pretty rapidly. But I mean, even a 30m return is much better for this team than just keeping him around.

I mean, granted that we have VNL and Axel T, I bet ETH easily would take someone like Ashley Young giving him depth at wing back over McG…
 
Felt most of our attacks were trying to come from right, but not sure about Antony yet. Sancho really poor right now or just not hacking it on left? Hopefully with Martials return, Rashford can keep his good form on the left, but it's weird how dynamic seems to have shifted in a space of a few months, maybe it's just me.
 
A striker should be the #1 priority.

Ronaldo is finished, Martial is too injury prone, Rashford can't hold the ball and at the moment, kept missing his chances.

After that, maybe a competition for Dalot, and another CM to partner Casemiro.
 
If we are to consistently challenge/ get back to where we belong, we need to upgrade the following positions.

Upgrade/Martial
Upgrade Upgrade/Bruno Antony
Case Upgrade
Shaw Martinez Varane Dalot
De Gea

So far what Ten Hag has shown is that he is a top coach capable of competing against the best, he is simply lacking in ammunition.
Having said that, even with the current squad he'll do well this season I think
 
Orange Tree said:
A striker should be the #1 priority.

Ronaldo is finished, Martial is too injury prone, Rashford can't hold the ball and at the moment, kept missing his chances.

After that, maybe a competition for Dalot, and another CM to partner Casemiro.
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And LW if Rashy wont improve there
 
Orange Tree said:
A striker should be the #1 priority.

Ronaldo is finished, Martial is too injury prone, Rashford can't hold the ball and at the moment, kept missing his chances.

After that, maybe a competition for Dalot, and another CM to partner Casemiro.
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Yeah... but you're forgetting a GK. Can't keep DDG here on those wages.
 
Priority #1 is obvious. We need a world class striker

Followed by a RB and De Gea's long term replacement
 
How’s Timber looking now? He’d be a nice little addition to replace Maguire and you can’t trust Varane’s fitness too much regardless of his latest injury.

Also he’d provide a welcome option for RB.
 
Obviously we can’t address everything in one window. We need about five upgrades/additions.

1. We need a RB. Frimpong is tearing it up in the Bundesliga. Go get him in January.

2. Striker. Someone fast and strong. Ship out Ronaldo.

3. Another CB with the profile of Varane (but younger), ship out Maguire.

Also need another winger (Gakpo) and playmaking midfielder.
 
AndySmith1990 said:
Priority #1 is obvious. We need a world class striker

Followed by a RB and De Gea's long term replacement
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It’s what would help us the most, but not sure if I like to see that as our scouting department’s Priority No 1.

No player type is more sought after. They are tremendously hard to find. And the price tag is set thereafter.

We have holes that must be filled:

-We really need a midfielder who can pass the ball because you just cannot count on Eriksen to be an extreme work horse there with the schedule being what is is.

It’s beyond reckless to have no substitute for Eriksen.

-Losing Varane hurts, but we couldn’t even remotely coupe with losing Martinez. Nobody is even close to being able to do what he does. Like honestly, if Martinez goes down, I think ETH seriously would consider moving one of the wingbacks to CB before going with Harry-VNL.

At Ajax, ETH rolled Timber and Blind besides Martinez.

We need a CB who can play his way out of danger and keep possession even if he is pressured.

-We of course need a RD to be able to substitute Darlot. DD will play for Portugal at the WC. He will need his rests. I think Malacia can play there. But I would have been more comfortable him doing that next to Varane…

-> The above is not ‘nice to haves’ — it’s must haves. It’s holes that we should be desperate to fill in January.

What are the costs to fill them? Even if we go budget options for all of them it’s what 60m at an absolute minimum?

And if anyone will take Ronaldo another “must” is of course you to get any Striker with a pulse.

Like Murtough and crew must get into their heads that of the “players” they have gathered for this team — many are crap in the eyes of ETH. Harry. AWB. I always liked McT — but if ETH has a say someone like him would never ever be signed through a transfer.

Donny might provide some depth — but only really for Bruno. At Ajax they had De Jong, Zichek, Tadic, Blind — a ton of guys who you wanted to have the ball. Donny’s role was play simple, take runs, jump into holes and so forth. He isn’t depth for Eriksen.

We need an overhaul of the squad. That will cost money. We will probably have to go with budget options just to get half of the needs filled. How can we afford 100-150m for a world class striker?
 
The striker issue is a worry because we need 2. As popular as Martial is at the moment, even if you generously ignore how bad his performances were the previous 2 seasons, he's just too injury prone to be relied upon. We need to replace Ronaldo in January, and probably Martial in the summer unless by some miracle he stays fit for the rest of the year and has a good season.

Maguire needs a replacement, and realistically his replacement needs to be good enough to start because Varane is made of glass.

RB to replace AWB.

Keeper to replace De Gea.

Midfield probably still needs something given ETH still wanted De Jong even after we signed Eriksen, and VDB will surely be sold next chance we get.

That's a lot of money needed for the squad to feel "complete".
 
NLunited said:
Obviously we can’t address everything in one window. We need about five upgrades/additions.

1. We need a RB. Frimpong is tearing it up in the Bundesliga. Go get him in January.

2. Striker. Someone fast and strong. Ship out Ronaldo.

3. Another CB with the profile of Varane (but younger), ship out Maguire.

Also need another winger (Gakpo) and playmaking midfielder.
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But this is what frustrates me a bit because we can of course not fill the holes we have with long term solutions in one window — but to play ETHs style of soccer, he needs his players to meet a certain minimum level of standard in specific areas and let’s be honest, we have a bunch of squad players who doesn’t meet those standards.

Like if we had a Ashley Young, he would be valuable depth for ETH. Is he someone ETH could be expected to challenge for a title with? No, of course not, but he could play if called upon. AWB can’t play ETHs style. Fred can’t, despite his heroics the other night. Harry can’t. VNL is a depth depth option at best. And so forth.

My point is just, if we didn’t have AWB we would have signed a depth RB for ETH, if we didn’t have Harry we would have signed a depth CB for ETH, if we didn’t have Fred we would have signed a depth CM for ETH. ETH would have gotten those players. No PL team goes into a season with the bench full of academy players.

But these guys shouldn’t be considered, they are not real “options”. We cannot expect to give ETH a team that can challenge for a title after one window — but we should work 24/7 to replace AWB, Harry, McTominy, Fred and co with “real options” for ETH.

Why? Because then we can at least play ETH’s style. We wouldn’t win anything if we had Ashley Young, David Luis, Ivan Raketic and Rabiot instead of AWB, Harry, Fred and McTominy — but we could play the right way. Build in the right direction. Play like we have the last 2-3 games. With the current squad we have — there is a huge risk for that there will be stretches during the season that will be catastrophic. And that will hurt everyone, the confidence in ETH, the players who aren’t at fault with it won’t get anything to work with, if creats bad habits etc etc etc.
 
Dominos said:
The striker issue is a worry because we need 2. As popular as Martial is at the moment, even if you generously ignore how bad his performances were the previous 2 seasons, he's just too injury prone to be relied upon. We need to replace Ronaldo in January, and probably Martial in the summer unless by some miracle he stays fit for the rest of the year and has a good season.
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100% agree.

Honestly, Martial has been given a chance to be a Manchester United player. He hasn’t taken it. Should be sold ASAP.
 
Messier1994 said:
But this is what frustrates me a bit because we can of course not fill the holes we have with long term solutions in one window — but to play ETHs style of soccer, he needs his players to meet a certain minimum level of standard in specific areas and let’s be honest, we have a bunch of squad players who doesn’t meet those standards.

Like if we had a Ashley Young, he would be valuable depth for ETH. Is he someone ETH could be expected to challenge for a title with? No, of course not, but he could play if called upon. AWB can’t play ETHs style. Fred can’t, despite his heroics the other night. Harry can’t. VNL is a depth depth option at best. And so forth.

My point is just, if we didn’t have AWB we would have signed a depth RB for ETH, if we didn’t have Harry we would have signed a depth CB for ETH, if we didn’t have Fred we would have signed a depth CM for ETH. ETH would have gotten those players. No PL team goes into a season with the bench full of academy players.

But these guys shouldn’t be considered, they are not real “options”. We cannot expect to give ETH a team that can challenge for a title after one window — but we should work 24/7 to replace AWB, Harry, McTominy, Fred and co with “real options” for ETH.

Why? Because then we can at least play ETH’s style. We wouldn’t win anything if we had Ashley Young, David Luis, Ivan Raketic and Rabiot instead of AWB, Harry, Fred and McTominy — but we could play the right way. Build in the right direction. Play like we have the last 2-3 games. With the current squad we have — there is a huge risk for that there will be stretches during the season that will be catastrophic. And that will hurt everyone, the confidence in ETH, the players who aren’t at fault with it won’t get anything to work with, if creats bad habits etc etc etc.
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It is ok to have a few players in there that don’t have to exact qualities the manager wants. This is where good coaching comes in.

Don’t ask Fred to be a playmaker, but keep it simple. He is useful as a pressing monster. He can stay for squad depth.

Weaknesses can be covered by other players. We need to address the most glaring issues, which right now is a RB and a striker. We can do that.

Until then, we have to manage with what we have. That is going better than expected.
 
NLunited said:
It is ok to have a few players in there that don’t have to exact qualities the manager wants. This is where good coaching comes in.

Don’t ask Fred to be a playmaker, but keep it simple. He is useful as a pressing monster. He can stay for squad depth.

Weaknesses can be covered by other players. We need to address the most glaring issues, which right now is a RB and a striker. We can do that.

Until then, we have to manage with what we have. That is going better than expected.
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The thing is, there will of course always be a delta between what the coach wants and what he has — but I think in our case that delta is so big that it’s unacceptable.

Chris Wood is a Sean Dyche type of striker. You can’t give Sean Dyche two strikers who are 5’4-7.

When you play Ten Hag ball everyone must be on the same page. Everyone must not be world class, but it’s a tremendous balance act and you cannot have three guys who don’t understand what you are doing and are good in the right areas. When you err in that balance act its 4-0 to Brentford after 45.

We have signed some really expensive players over the years, and there is an — IMO incorrect belief — that they are more well rounded than what they are. Harry, Fred And AWB are two examples. It’s like giving Sean Dyche a player like Javi Hernandez.

I 100% agree with what Goldbridge was talking about today.
 
Messier1994 said:
The thing is, there will of course always be a delta between what the coach wants and what he has — but I think in our case that delta is so big that it’s unacceptable.

Chris Wood is a Sean Dyche type of striker. You can’t give Sean Dyche two strikers who are 5’4-7.

When you play Ten Hag ball everyone must be on the same page. Everyone must not be world class, but it’s a tremendous balance act and you cannot have three guys who don’t understand what you are doing and are good in the right areas. When you err in that balance act its 4-0 to Brentford after 45.

We have signed some really expensive players over the years, and there is an — IMO incorrect belief — that they are more well rounded than what they are. Harry, Fred And AWB are two examples. It’s like giving Sean Dyche a player like Javi Hernandez.

I 100% agree with what Goldbridge was talking about today.
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I partially agree with you, but no manager gets to pick all his own players (unless he is at the club five+ years and has total control over transfers).

Fred was useful against Tottenham. Ask a player to do what he is good at, not what he can’t do.

In the case of Maguire and Wan-Bissaka you are right. I don’t think they really can be starters for 10Hag. The same with Ronaldo. But they are useful coming off the bench.
 
I would go (not in order):

GK who is good with his feet
RB to compete with Dalot: £15m
Young CB: £30m
Midfield: £50m
Striker: £80m
 
Unless Ronaldo goes in January, I dont see any serious movement in the January market.

Think we need to look at what we need next season really. Fo me the first eleven is still maybe 4/5 short and the squad 3.4 short of a genuine trophy hunting side. Of coruse we are not signing eight.

I still think its the outward players needs looking at as we still have a massive squad.

At this moment, the first thing to look at is we havea huge number of players with contracts expiring. For me, I expect Shaw and Rashford to get new contracts. Dalot and Garnacho, I wonder if they sign new contracts, personally despite doing well, not bothered if DAlot stays of is tempted by possible Madrid/Barca supposed interest, obviously hope Garnacho stays as he has potental. I think Fred gets a new contract....he shouldnt though, simply hasnt been anywhere near good enough to justify the fee and contract he had in the first place.

But for sure out is DeGea, Ronaldo, Tuanzabe, Jones and Heaton and lets face it, almost for sure out is Greenwood....all six free

Who else should DEFINATELY go, Henderson, Bailly, Telles, Williams and VDB and I am sad to say Bissaka

Thrn you can add to that do we take up the option to buy Dubravka, does Maguire stay when realsitically bar injuries to Varane, he is on th ebench and are there takers for him? Personally I think he has a decent world cup which he will and there will be.


Apart from that Martial stays, cant rely on him, Rashford iSNT a striker so cf is the big priority....but we also have no GK bar Dubravka so that is even more of a pioirty.

Also Fernandesis still yet to prove he is THE player of the first 6/9months and for me its not Fernandes and Eriksen throughout a season, its one of them. So out first eleven next season:

GK: ?
RB: ?
CB: Varane
CB: Martinez
LB: Shaw
CM: Casemeiro
CM: ?
AM: Fernandes
LW: Rashford
RW: Antony
CF: ?

2nd eleven

GK: ?
RB: ?
CB: Lindelof
CB: Maguire or young cb signed if he leaves
LB: Malacia
CM: ?
CM: McTominay
AM: Eriksen
LW: SAncho/Garnacho
RW: ?
CF: Martial

So we are 7 short maybe:

I think we need to sign next summer

GK -good with feet
RB
CM - Box to box
CF

Still leaves us four short in a second eleven but personally with the likes of Iqbal, Hannibal, Savage, Pellestri, Elanga and Amad I dont feel a second cm or rw signing is needed, plenty os squad options.

But I DO think e need to sign

GK: Experienced
RB: Laird not convinved enough yet so I think if Dalot gos, we need to sign antother

So for me its four major signings and two squad signings.

Thik the criticisms of DeGea have been unfair, bar a couple of years where he ahs been poor, been the thirrd best keeper in my 40yrs supporting the club we have had, but someone good with the ball at there feet does help up be mor efluid from the back.

Never been a fan of Dalot and despit edoing wel this season still dont think he is good in the tackle or particularly good going forward either, think there is far better out there.

Still think despite a huge improvement that Eriksen/Fernandes dont both go with Casemeiro, epsecially a year older next season. Take one of the tw out and add a real quality box to box rather than one of McFred, we would hugely imporove there.

Center forward is a painful one. Despite some of his antics Ronaldo is a true legend of this club, was our best player last season....but there is decline, time is coming to an end here, but shouldnt be slated. Someone who should have been a legend of this club, and should be slated as he had absolutely everything ability wise to be a phenomenal striker is Greenwood. We really need quality signed there, no idea who tbh, talk of the SOUth American market and that could be interesting.

Im not going to name any players for now, as its early in the season and at th emoment mainly the same as before, but quality in those four areas signed next summer and the team continuing to improve individually and as a group and all behind Ten Hag still, i think we wouldnt be far off challenging for trophies
 
Think it's clear we have a top manager in place. No doubt we'll be good as long as he's here. The question is, what will we need to eventually reach the very top? Is it possible for us to truly compete with Pep and City, or are we biding our time until Pep leaves? Klopp did it with big spending and a perfect transfer record for about 4 years and striking gold with a few cheap buys or young players. And they're dropping off now, because thats how football typically works. City with Pep don't really have that drop off ever due to the relentless spending combined with Peps brilliance.

So for us, I'd say Diogo Costa is a must. Frenkie is a must. And then we have to get the CF position right. But we definitely need a truly world class attacker, as it's ultimately hard to be successful without a world class player up there. All of ours I wonder if very good is their cap. I'd say only Joao Felix out there of reachable players has truly elite potential, so we really need to do all we can to get him in. That last 5% is probably the hardest step to take in football, but at least I'm convinced that it won't be the manager that holds us back from that for once. Also would need to fill the squad properly around them.

Unrealistic in one window, but can see something like this...
January 2023:
  • Frimpong
Summer 2023:
  • Frenkie
  • Diogo Costa
  • Cheaper CF (toney)
With us then going big on a top striker the following year. Unrealistic to expect another 200m window IMO.
 
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GK
Diogo Costa
Unai Simon

RB
Frimpong

CB
Timber

CM/DM
De Jong
Enzo Fernandes
Lovro Majer
Teun Koopmeiners

LW
Gakpo

ST
David
Osimhen
Sesko

A mixture of those over the next 2/3 windows would be lovely.
 
BenitoSTARR said:
GK
Diogo Costa
Unai Simon

RB
Frimpong

CB
Timber

CM/DM
De Jong
Enzo Fernandes
Lovro Majer
Teun Koopmeiners

LW
Gakpo

ST
David
Osimhen
Sesko

A mixture of those over the next 2/3 windows would be lovely.
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Love the CDM/CMs. Have we been linked to them?
 
If we only have a budget of 100 mill then get Kane. If we somehow get 200 mill then get Kane and Bellingham. We need players that will take us up levels and these two are special. We might not make the title, but we will be much closer. They should be the main targets and if we cant get them then De Jong and Oshimen as second options.

I dont think the other areas are as crucial. Id leave Wan Bissaka as back up for example. Sure everyone has written him off but he hasnt been given a chance. Remember he will be back up and as a back up I think he can do a job. Especially with some Ten Hag coaching. If Dalot can make improvements so can he. Same as De Gea. Yeah we will never be a world class play from the back team but we will can still be really good and Dea Gea is still a great keeper. Just replacing a keeper is not as easy as people make out. It could really easily go tits up and we end up with a worse keeper and struggle for years like we did after Schmiecal left. Plus its more cash out of the budget that we could spend elsewhere. Its a problem for the future. Same as our CB's. Maguire and Lindelof as back up to Varane is not as bad as people make out. I think they are fine. For now.

The only other movement should be nice to haves and players wanting out. if we can sell Wan B and get a better RB for the same fee then sure do it. If Maguire wants out then again replace for similar fee or see if we can pick up free transfers - Ndika for example. Then sell the not needed players if we can.

This team would be special -

Rashford--------Kane-----------Antony
-----------------Bruno/Eriksen---------
-----------Bellingham---Casemiro-----
Shaw----Matinez----Varane----Dalot
-----------------De Gea------------------

The following window I suspect we will need a back up striker to replace Martial and a top CB to replace Varane both because of injuries.
 
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In a dreamworld we would get:
GK - Diogo Costa turned 23 1 month ago playing for Porto and Portugals national team - 50m euro
CB - Gvardiol 20 years old playing for RP Leipzig and the Croatian national team - 80m euro
RB - J. Frimpong 21 years old playing for B.Leverkusen and can play for Netherlands, England or Ghana, most likely Netherlands - 50m euro
CM - De Jong 25 years old playing for Barcelona and the the Netherlands national team - 70m euro
CM - Bellingham 19 years old playing for B.Dortmund and English national team - 140m euro
LW/ST - Rafa Leon 23 years old playing for Milan and Portugals national team - 120m euro
ST - Osimhen 23 years old playing for Napoli and the Nigerian national team - 90m euro
= "Only" 550m euros but we would have a hell of a squad.

Sell Henderson, Wan Bissaka, Maguire, Tuanzebe, Jones, Williams, Telles, VdB, Fred/McTominey, Elanga, Ronaldo, Martial. Cant come up with more right now...

But, to be more realistic we should go all in for Bellingham, a striker and and a back up RB.
 
SWE-Chucky said:
In a dreamworld we would get:
GK - Diogo Costa turned 23 1 month ago playing for Porto and Portugals national team - 50m euro
CB - Gvardiol 20 years old playing for RP Leipzig and the Croatian national team - 80m euro
RB - J. Frimpong 21 years old playing for B.Leverkusen and can play for Netherlands, England or Ghana, most likely Netherlands - 50m euro
CM - De Jong 25 years old playing for Barcelona and the the Netherlands national team - 70m euro
CM - Bellingham 19 years old playing for B.Dortmund and English national team - 140m euro
LW/ST - Rafa Leon 23 years old playing for Milan and Portugals national team - 120m euro
ST - Osimhen 23 years old playing for Napoli and the Nigerian national team - 90m euro
= "Only" 550m euros but we would have a hell of a squad.

Sell Henderson, Wan Bissaka, Maguire, Tuanzebe, Jones, Williams, Telles, VdB, Fred/McTominey, Elanga, Ronaldo, Martial. Cant come up with more right now...

But, to be more realistic we should go all in for Bellingham, a striker and and a back up RB.
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Why would we go for Gvardiol when we have a great LCB centerback only 24 in Martinez? In a perfect world, you look at who is elite as a future RCB. Timber someone I'm sure we go for, though the height would be a concern for me. Ahmedhodzic as a punt if he keeps developing as he has I think might work.
 
If just we can show a bit more ambition backing ETH in January and try to sign players in priority areas I'm sure we will make a top 4 and bring back Champions League football.

Would be happy to see us targeting players in the winter window that doesn't have much time left on their contracts and can fill the gaps in the team and have the potential to be even more, such as Marcus Thuram, Youssoufa Moukoko, Malo Gusto and Enzo Le Fee. They are all in a price range that can be covered by selling some players. In the situation where we currently are and with big transfers rarely happening during winter, I know that they might not be setting the world on fire but I'm kind of convinced that strikers like Thuram and Moukoko can't do worse than Ronaldo is doing and Martial is just unreliable due to his injuries.

Then in the summer, if we get something like £120-150m go for Victor Osimhen as a starting striker with Thuram/Moukoko as a backup option and Diogo Costa or Robert Sanchez as a long-term first-choice goalkeeper. Also, we have a fair amount of young prospects who could be given chance by ETH like Ethan Laird, Hannibal Mejbri, Amad Diallo and Alejandro Garnacho, so it will be interesting if any of these players can make it next season.

I wouldn't exclude the possibility to go for Jurrien Timber again in next summer as he is a highly talented player who already worked under ETH and can cover a few different positions.

Rafael Leao would also be an interesting player to look up in the summer of 2023. as he would enter his last year of contract if he doesn't extend at Milan, but with starting striker and moving Rashford on the left it is not exactly a position we should be splashing the cash on, even though I do like Leao's qualities.
 
Given how we really need to beef up the squad with ETH players, the number of glaring holes we have, and how we still are a fairly “unattractive” team with the CL questionmarks — I am not sold on that we will be able to find the right man for the right price for the striker position.

Just for the sake of argument — how do you guys look at the prospects of Marcus Rashford becoming a great No 9?

Like I think that he at times has played awful football as a No 9. He has really not been able to hold up the play. His pressuring has been far from great. He has not been able to utilize his biggest strength — making those in behinds runs from the left — as a striker. And mentally, he has just been fragile which doesn’t help his ability to adopt on the field. You want that ‘never quite’ mentally at the No 9 position. Sometimes it’s a very unthankful job you got. Like his play against Brighton as a No 9 (like he was the de facto No 9 that game even if Eriksen was put there on paper) is perhaps one of the worst No 9 performances I’ve seen at this level.

But — with that said — he got the speed. He got the physic. He can finish. He can head the ball. He is very good working those combos in tight quarters. It’s not head scratching why both van Gaal and Ragnick. Rash is older now, more experienced.

Like, I know one thing, I think that it would be so advantageous for this team to not hit the market — looking for a striker — as a Europa League team, known as being a graveyard for players to sign with, with everyone knowing that our recruitment team is both a joke and desperate. I am very convinced that we are heading in the right direction and won’t be that team in just a couple of years. I so much rather make a handful of signings on a range from like Martinez to Malacia to give ETH a true squad and give us the ability to clear out the waste that just don’t suit what we want to do going forward.

But is there any chance that ETH could teach Rashford to play as a proper No 9?
 
Haven't we already spent next years transfer budget on Antony and Casemiro?

Our main aim in the summer should be to get a goalkeeper to replace De Gea and a forward to replace Ronaldo.

We will probably need to sell players to buy though, so its going to be tough to bring in any big signings!
 
@Messier1994 He can't finish really though that's the issue, he's got no composure whatsoever and misses so many chances. And although he scored a fantastic header in the last game, on the whole that's a glaring weakness too.
 
DutchCruijff said:
We're broken. We're so so broken. We still need major investment despite spending £200m+ this summer.

We desperately need a DoF too.

Shaw, Varane, Martinez, Casemiro and Eriksen are the only players that I'd be dead cert to keep around as regulars.

There needs to be signings in January. Minimum we need to go for is a RB to compete with Dalot, a FW (Gapko - he's, however, in a title fight) and a CM.

How much? Around £120m, I'd say. And yes, that's a significant amount but we need to spend. We can't make the same mistake as last January. UCL football is crucial.

As for long term, GK, RB, CM, CM, W and #9 is needed.

We need two CMs as none of Fred, McTominay, Fernandes or van de Beek are good enough and Eriksen is ageing + fatigued.

The likes of De Gea, Maguire, Williams, Tuanzebe, AWB, VDB, Fred and Elanga need to be made surplus to requirements. Pellistri too. There's a good £100m there (saving around £10-15m purely from De Gea off the books).

This January? The minimum must be a RB, CM and FW. No excuses.

Dalot cannot go the whole campaign without rest, we cannot have a gaping hole in our team for a season and we cannot rely solely on an OAP Ronaldo and crocked Martial.
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No excuses? How about the excuse that 3 more first team players in January is wildly unrealistic.

It's pretty clear where we are lacking in our squad and there's a common consensus that we need at least a CF, CM and RB before we're challenging for titles. But we're not challenging for titles this season, and no amount of January spending is going to change that.

Currently, we're looking pretty good! The team is starting to embrace ETH's football, and we're well on track for a top 4 finish (although long way to go). People are talking like us not being in a title challenge this season is unacceptable. That was never the plan.

In January, I'd like us to address RB. I have no clue where TF Wan Bissaka is but to have only one senior RB is mad. If we can then sort a quality CF and CM in the summer (and maybe Gakpo), our squad is starting to look pretty stacked. We'd still have some depth issues in defence and there are always areas to improve, but this is a marathon, not a sprint.

TBH this is the first time I've felt optimistic about Utd for a while.
 
Next summer we need
A backup for De Gea that won't sulk
Laird back in the squad
A starting box to box midfielder
A starting attacker
 
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