What do we still need? Aka The never ending story

I don't think West Ham would sell us both Diop and Rice, and I'd only want Bale on a loan with option to buy.. But this is my ultimate realistic muppet summer fantasy.
Handanovic
Meunier Lindelöf Diop Shaw
Rice Tielemans
Bale
Zaha Rashford Martial
​
 
Besides Alderweireld, Meunier and Fernandes. Which other players are quality and not that expensive?
 
Let’s be honest. No CL means it’s only dream getting the likes of Eriksen, De Ligt, Sancho & likely we will lose Pogba.

I’ll be realistic, and I think this will be our squad next season, we will struggle to get Sancho. Zaha will be too expensive for alternative winger and Ole will be forced to changes his system to 3 at the back with wing back because we won’t sign a winger.

DDG
Tuanzebe Lindelof Maguire
Meunier Rabiot Matic Shaw
Bruno
Rashford Lukaku

DDG will stay until his contract end in 2020.

We might sign Maguire because he’s the only available ball playing in the market that wants to join us.

Meunier because he’s available cheap.

Bruno because of his release clause.

Rabiot replacing Herrera who’s joining PSG and if Real is getting both Eriksen & Pogba, thus they will give up on Rabiot.

I’m hoping we can get a top striker but I can’t think anyone available in the market. Cavani for a short term May be? Since his contract end 2020.
 
1. New owners
2. New CEO
3. New DOF

Everything else in the meantime is like pouring petrol on a fire. Until we rid ourselves of the parasites and their chief Joker (Ed) we are destined for also ran status.
 
Romero
Wan Bissaka Lindelöf Koulibaly Shaw
Rice Neves
Fernandes
Sancho Griezmann Son

Henderson
Smalling
Dalot
McTominy
Doucoure
Martial
Rashford
Spending: 550m

This team would be in top 4 for sure next season.

Sell:
De Gea 60m
Darmien 10m
Jones 15m
Rojo 10m
Valencia FREE
Mata FREE
Herrera FREE
Pogba 140m
Lukaku 65m
Sanchez 20m
Total: 320m

550-320=230m total spent.
 
If Pogba wants to leave and Herrera is off to PSG, then we need a new midfield. It seems the best way to build it is by having a deep-lying playmaker, a box-to-box mid and a creative midfielder.

A new midfield of 3 with Neves, Ndombele, and Fernandes sounds promising. We need balance and talent in our midfield. If we sell Pogba, we could buy at least 2 of those players.
 
Considering all the rumours, replacements I would be looking at if any are leaving that are possible deals:

DeGea - Romero
Darmian - Laird
Valencia - Bissaka
Rojo - Tuanzabe
Bailly - Upamecano
Matic - Garner
Herrera - NDOmbele
Pogba - Barella
Mata - Angel Gomes
Sanchez - Bale loan or Greenwood
Martial - Sancho
Lukaku - Pepe

I think we would be looking at a £50-100m profit on those deals. Regardless of outgoings Upamecano, Bissaka and Barella would be priority signings for me anyway.

On top of whatever happens I think we should be looking at 1-2 huge signings on top DeLigt, Koulibaily, Romagnoli, Fernandes, Felix are some of the names spring to mind that are lets be honest improbable

Also likes of Rice, Ascacibar, Lozano, Tonali all possibly great deals and with the exception of Rice I would think all under £40m


 
jesperjaap said:
Considering all the rumours, replacements I would be looking at if any are leaving that are possible deals:

DeGea - Romero
Darmian - Laird
Valencia - Bissaka
Rojo - Tuanzabe
Bailly - Upamecano
Matic - Garner
Herrera - NDOmbele
Pogba - Barella
Mata - Angel Gomes
Sanchez - Bale loan or Greenwood
Martial - Sancho
Lukaku - Pepe

I think we would be looking at a £50-100m profit on those deals. Regardless of outgoings Upamecano, Bissaka and Barella would be priority signings for me anyway.

On top of whatever happens I think we should be looking at 1-2 huge signings on top DeLigt, Koulibaily, Romagnoli, Fernandes, Felix are some of the names spring to mind that are lets be honest improbable

Also likes of Rice, Ascacibar, Lozano, Tonali all possibly great deals and with the exception of Rice I would think all under £40m
Click to expand...
DeGea - Romero: £50m max. 1 year left on contract. PSG and RM only options.
Darmian - Laird: Will not get anything from Darmian, but Laird is the next best prospect we have.
Valencia - Bissaka: Cost us £40m as a minimum.
Rojo - Tuanzabe: Will get us £5m max.
Bailly - Upamecano: Bailly out for some months, £20m seems likely, Upamecano will cost more than £40m.
Matic - Garner: £15m for Matic at most.
Herrera - NDOmbele: £50m as a minimum.
Pogba - Barella: £40m for Barella, £130m for PP.
Mata - Angel Gomes: Nothin.
Sanchez - Bale loan or Greenwood: Bale? Who would take Sanchez? Can we sell Sanchez without paying him off?
Martial - Sancho: Martial on +£200k per week, no one will give us decent money for him and pay his wages given the effort he is displaying. Sancho around £100m.
Lukaku - Pepe: Lukaku on +£200k per week, £40m max from Inter. Pepe would cost the same as a minimum.

Total spend would be a cost of £50m not included agent and sign on fees. And the team would be arguably no better off. The wage cost would be considerably lower though.

Ascacibar is almost as limited as Valencia... The Argentinian Lee Cattermole.
 
Fosu-Mens said:
DeGea - Romero: £50m max. 1 year left on contract. PSG and RM only options.
Darmian - Laird: Will not get anything from Darmian, but Laird is the next best prospect we have.
Valencia - Bissaka: Cost us £40m as a minimum.
Rojo - Tuanzabe: Will get us £5m max.
Bailly - Upamecano: Bailly out for some months, £20m seems likely, Upamecano will cost more than £40m.
Matic - Garner: £15m for Matic at most.
Herrera - NDOmbele: £50m as a minimum.
Pogba - Barella: £40m for Barella, £130m for PP.
Mata - Angel Gomes: Nothin.
Sanchez - Bale loan or Greenwood: Bale? Who would take Sanchez? Can we sell Sanchez without paying him off?
Martial - Sancho: Martial on +£200k per week, no one will give us decent money for him and pay his wages given the effort he is displaying. Sancho around £100m.
Lukaku - Pepe: Lukaku on +£200k per week, £40m max from Inter. Pepe would cost the same as a minimum.

Total spend would be a cost of £50m not included agent and sign on fees. And the team would be arguably no better off. The wage cost would be considerably lower though.

Ascacibar is almost as limited as Valencia... The Argentinian Lee Cattermole.
Click to expand...

Not saying some of these players have been awful, but funny how so many under value what our players are worth (including our own board in all honesty) and then we over value foreign imports. To be fair I think you have got the minimum spends pretty spot on but I thihk you are way under £100m out on the money we should be recieving for the outgoings.

I would agree arguably we arent any better off as some of those outgoing players are hugely talented....and have been average to awful so no guarantees. I would say bar two of the youngsters and Barella they are all better replacements though (of course I would as I chose them yes)

As for Ascacibar, maybe other managers think the same as I am surprised no big teams have come in for him, including some of the SOuth American managers at clubs like Spurs and West Ham. For me he may be aggressive, rash, temperamental like Cattermole and not the most technical player.....but his positioining is superb, his timing of tackling and breaking up play is superb and his aggresive style and heart would make him a fans favourite, hey its worked for Herrera who has been average in his time here and Ascaibar as a defensive midfielder has a much higher ceiling ability wise for me.

The fact of the matter is our defence is shambolic pretty much throughout, our first choice midfield is decent when they all perform together....which is rare and our attackers are under performing or hugely over rated on the whole.

There is a huge job to do, and it appears a fair few players who dont want to be here for various reasons and none of them bar DeGea and Valencia have ever warranted consistently that we should want them here anyway, that is reason enough in itself why we would be better off as most of them arent just over rated, there attitude and mentality is totally wrong, that needs fixing for a start
 
jesperjaap said:
Not saying some of these players have been awful, but funny how so many under value what our players are worth (including our own board in all honesty) and then we over value foreign imports. To be fair I think you have got the minimum spends pretty spot on but I thihk you are way under £100m out on the money we should be recieving for the outgoings.

I would agree arguably we arent any better off as some of those outgoing players are hugely talented....and have been average to awful so no guarantees. I would say bar two of the youngsters and Barella they are all better replacements though (of course I would as I chose them yes)

As for Ascacibar, maybe other managers think the same as I am surprised no big teams have come in for him, including some of the SOuth American managers at clubs like Spurs and West Ham. For me he may be aggressive, rash, temperamental like Cattermole and not the most technical player.....but his positioining is superb, his timing of tackling and breaking up play is superb and his aggresive style and heart would make him a fans favourite, hey its worked for Herrera who has been average in his time here and Ascaibar as a defensive midfielder has a much higher ceiling ability wise for me.

The fact of the matter is our defence is shambolic pretty much throughout, our first choice midfield is decent when they all perform together....which is rare and our attackers are under performing or hugely over rated on the whole.

There is a huge job to do, and it appears a fair few players who dont want to be here for various reasons and none of them bar DeGea and Valencia have ever warranted consistently that we should want them here anyway, that is reason enough in itself why we would be better off as most of them arent just over rated, there attitude and mentality is totally wrong, that needs fixing for a start
Click to expand...

"Underperforming"/not really good players on high wages are difficult to sell for a good fee --> Basically everyone you mention as players going out, bar PP and DDG. A couple of years ago, some other teams in the PL would pay good money for our players basically because they played for us. This is not the case anymore.

Ascacibar got effort and some positional/defensive abilities, but we should aim to have a team able to pass and receive the ball. If we are going to be a top team we need to be able to create goals and chances without having to rely on counterattack and set pieces --> Team must be able to keep the ball while under press. We already got enough players barely able to receive and pass the ball when they are not even under press. No reason to add another (not saying that Ascacibar is incompetent with the ball, just not good enough).

Our squad is shambolic. Only ones worth keeping if we aim to challenge for PL/CL in 3 years time as OGS stated(not that it is going to happen under the current owners, CEO or manager): Lindelof, Shaw, Rashford, McTom, PP, Dalot and DDG. And most of them as squad rotational players/talents at most given their current abilities.
 
Fosu-Mens said:
"Underperforming"/not really good players on high wages are difficult to sell for a good fee --> Basically everyone you mention as players going out, bar PP and DDG. A couple of years ago, some other teams in the PL would pay good money for our players basically because they played for us. This is not the case anymore.

Ascacibar got effort and some positional/defensive abilities, but we should aim to have a team able to pass and receive the ball. If we are going to be a top team we need to be able to create goals and chances without having to rely on counterattack and set pieces --> Team must be able to keep the ball while under press. We already got enough players barely able to receive and pass the ball when they are not even under press. No reason to add another (not saying that Ascacibar is incompetent with the ball, just not good enough).

Our squad is shambolic. Only ones worth keeping if we aim to challenge for PL/CL in 3 years time as OGS stated(not that it is going to happen under the current owners, CEO or manager): Lindelof, Shaw, Rashford, McTom, PP, Dalot and DDG. And most of them as squad rotational players/talents at most given their current abilities.
Click to expand...

Fair point, I do agree on the wages, we seem to offer bigger contracts to players after they have had a short period of performance and new contracts to model professionals that sadly arent good enough as footballers.

I do agree on needing more players with basic technical abilities with the ball too which is such a sad statement for a club our size.....but I also think some put too much of an emphasis on defenders and defensive midfielders having great technical ability moving forward, I think if they excel in other areas being competent in that area (which for me players like Ascacibar and Rice certainly are) is more than enough. The problem is more when you have average players like Smalling who is a decent defender but awful on the ball or some of these full backs for example that are great going forward....and cant defend. Dont think there is a problem with players having deficincies if they excel in certain areas, its those that have deficincies that are average in all other areas which sums up most of our centre backs since Rio/Vidic for example
 
jesperjaap said:
Fair point, I do agree on the wages, we seem to offer bigger contracts to players after they have had a short period of performance and new contracts to model professionals that sadly arent good enough as footballers.

I do agree on needing more players with basic technical abilities with the ball too which is such a sad statement for a club our size.....but I also think some put too much of an emphasis on defenders and defensive midfielders having great technical ability moving forward, I think if they excel in other areas being competent in that area (which for me players like Ascacibar and Rice certainly are) is more than enough. The problem is more when you have average players like Smalling who is a decent defender but awful on the ball or some of these full backs for example that are great going forward....and cant defend. Dont think there is a problem with players having deficincies if they excel in certain areas, its those that have deficincies that are average in all other areas which sums up most of our centre backs since Rio/Vidic for example
Click to expand...

The importance for a team being able to keep the ball and play under press will only increase in importance in the future. Having a defense and midfield able to pass the ball under pressure is vital, as it would make it difficult for the opposition to create "traps" and exploit the opposition weaknesses when on the ball. Controlling the ball --> controlling the game --> increased likelyhood of winning.
Having players like Smalling or Ascacibar and trying to controll the ball against a team that presses high, would make it easy for the opposition to create traps or force long balls.
If the players have limited abilites on the ball, they need to be outstanding in others --> Kante.
 
Fer said:
Besides Alderweireld, Meunier and Fernandes. Which other players are quality and not that expensive?
Click to expand...

Julian Brandt. Although I doubt we’ll be top of his list.

Weirdly, by the sounds of it I don’t think Frankfurt will want a bomb for Jovic.

Also, De Ligt has said he doesn’t expect to cost more than the €75m Barca paid for De Jong. That is a bloody bargain if so. We should do everything possible to inflate that fee if not get him.
 
DDG

AWB - De Ligt - Lindelof - Shaw

Pogba - Rice - Fred

Sancho - Felix - Martial/Rashford

If I were you this is what I would be hoping for, with Felix playing as a false number 9
 
The Boy said:
DDG

AWB - De Ligt - Lindelof - Shaw

Pogba - Rice - Fred

Sancho - Felix - Martial/Rashford

If I were you this is what I would be hoping for, with Felix playing as a false number 9
Click to expand...


---------------DDG
AWB - De Ligt - Lindelof - Shaw
-----Gomes - Garner - Pogba
--------------Felix
-----Sancho -- Greenwood

:drool:
 
The Boy said:
DDG

AWB - De Ligt - Lindelof - Shaw

Pogba - Rice - Fred

Sancho - Felix - Martial/Rashford

If I were you this is what I would be hoping for, with Felix playing as a false number 9
Click to expand...

Swap AWB for Meunier and Rice for Bruno and that would be the perfect summer.

Either way, I'd lose my shit if we managed to pull that off.
 
Rifer said:
CL or no CL,
players (promising youngsters or even top players) can still be interested in joining.

Difficult? sure.
Impossible? no.

Realistic examples:
1. Season 14/15
2. Season 16/17
Click to expand...

I agree with you but the thing that gives me a doubt is that our manager is not as well known as LVG & Mourinho now. And plus because this time the likes Pogba & DDG are likely to leave means no top players are interested to join us with squad of average players.
 
Going by the ever changing transfer speculations.

Outs:
Herrera
De Gea 60 m
Pogba 130 m
Lukaku 55 m
Sanchez
Mata
Darmian 5 m
Bailly 20 m
Valencia
Rojo 10 m

Total : 280 m

Ins:
Dean Henderson
Tuanzebe
De Ligt 80 m
AWB 40 m
Felix 90 m
Bruno 60 m
Van de Beek 50 m
Tielemans 40 m
Sancho 120 m

Total: 480 m

Net Spend: 200 m
 
golden_blunder said:
Transfer Muppet Mode
Obviously won’t happen but this would be a strong spine with electrifying pace up front. Give them a year to play together then watch them tear up the league

Richarlison €70m
Meunier €27m
Alderweireld €25m
Ben Godfrey €15
Rice €35m
Sancho €100m
Daniel James €20m
Bruno €40m

DDG
Godfrey Alderweireld lindelof
Meunier Shaw
Rice
Bruno. Pogba
Sancho. Richarlison James
Click to expand...

How much have you seen of Godfrey and James? I don't follow the Championship so hadn't heard of them but having Googled them it seems we're linked with Godfrey and James is linked with City.
 
pocco said:
How much have you seen of Godfrey and James? I don't follow the Championship so hadn't heard of them but having Googled them it seems we're linked with Godfrey and James is linked with City.
Click to expand...
A couple of full matches and plenty of highlights. James is probably the one who could make the most immediate impact, he’s got kanchelskis type pace. He tore city to bits in the cup game and imho he’s easily ready for the PL.

Godfrey is huge potential and if I was playing a back 3 I’d be tempted to chuck him in, due to his ability to bring the ball and his pace. He reminds me a little of Rio. But I probably wouldn’t start him in a standard 4 at the back immediately. Worth a punt
 
Bring in Pogba's mates & watch them light it up!

Dybala & Griezmann at United next season is what we need.

Griezmann
Pogba Dybala Fernandes
Fred Barella
Shaw Lindelof Smalling Meunier
DDG
 
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Think I've made up my mind on my dream/realisticCM signings: Tielemans and Neves.think they'd pair brilliantly, both young, both having excellent seasons and both were touted as future world class midfielders when they were breaking through.

Sancho we all know is the dream right wing, them between Wan Bissaka and Meunier we have 2 realistic but very good options at right back (meunier makes sense for multiple reasons).

Those 4, combined with the proper expected sales, would set us up really well IMO. Anyone sold who we dont really expect to sell like Pogba, de gea, lukaku and we'll have to add on to this probably.
 
Last edited:
golden_blunder said:
A couple of full matches and plenty of highlights. James is probably the one who could make the most immediate impact, he’s got kanchelskis type pace. He tore city to bits in the cup game and imho he’s easily ready for the PL.

Godfrey is huge potential and if I was playing a back 3 I’d be tempted to chuck him in, due to his ability to bring the ball and his pace. He reminds me a little of Rio. But I probably wouldn’t start him in a standard 4 at the back immediately. Worth a punt
Click to expand...

What about Max Aarons the full back have you seen much of him seems highly rated too. I watched a couple of Norwich games and Godfrey did look very good at championship level anyway but I cant remember seeing Aarons at all in either game.

Considering in my opinion at least we have five good squad centre backs and not one quality centre back, makes it all the more frustrating seeing Jones get a new contract and to a degree Bailly and his injury.
WOuld much rather than Jones/Rojo for example have a couple of the five spots given to younger players that could already be good squad players that also have the potential to be much more such as the likes of Tuanzabe and Godfrey......We definately need to sign at least one top quality centre back though of the likes of De Ligt, Koulibaily, Romagnoli, Upamecano etc
 
jesperjaap said:
What about Max Aarons the full back have you seen much of him seems highly rated too. I watched a couple of Norwich games and Godfrey did look very good at championship level anyway but I cant remember seeing Aarons at all in either game.

Considering in my opinion at least we have five good squad centre backs and not one quality centre back, makes it all the more frustrating seeing Jones get a new contract and to a degree Bailly and his injury.
WOuld much rather than Jones/Rojo for example have a couple of the five spots given to younger players that could already be good squad players that also have the potential to be much more such as the likes of Tuanzabe and Godfrey......We definately need to sign at least one top quality centre back though of the likes of De Ligt, Koulibaily, Romagnoli, Upamecano etc
Click to expand...

Aarons looks good going forward, I’m not sure defensively yet. I’m hesitant after seeing sessegnon hyped at championship level.
 
sideshow_bob said:
Bring in Pogba's mates & watch them light it up!

Dybala & Griezmann at United next season is what we need.

Griezmann
Pogba Dybala Fernandes
Fred Barella
Shaw Lindelof Smalling Meunier
DDG
Click to expand...
That would be an interesting team but I think the greasyman ship may have sailed 2 summers ago
 
If Lukaku and Pogba both leave surely six players isn’t too much to ask...

Rb Meunier
Cb De Ligt or Alderweireld
Cm Ndombele or Barella
Cam/Cf Dybala or Bruno
Rw Sancho
St Jovic or Milik

That’d be £350m or so. Not crazy at all considering outgoings will net us nearly half that surely.

—————Jovic
Rash——Bruno——Sancho
——Ndom—McT/Fred
Shaw—MdL—Victor—Meun
—————GK
 
The Nani said:
If Lukaku and Pogba both leave surely six players isn’t too much to ask...

Rb Meunier
Cb De Ligt or Alderweireld
Cm Ndombele or Barella
Cam/Cf Dybala or Bruno
Rw Sancho
St Jovic or Milik

That’d be £350m or so. Not crazy at all considering outgoings will net us nearly half that surely.

—————Jovic
Rash——Bruno——Sancho
——Ndom—McT/Fred
Shaw—MdL—Victor—Meun
—————GK
Click to expand...


Would stay away from Dybala. He is the "final piece" type of player.

I think most agree that Meunier would be a good signing.
Alderweireld/De Ligt: What about Ake?
Would sign both Barella and Ndombele if Pogba is leaving.
Bruno: Not sold. His finishing and set piece ability are both world class, and can use his weaker foot as well. I would say that it depends on the price, and with City going in, then no.
Sancho: Next season. Will not come this season unless we pay well over £100m.
Jovic/Milik: Milik is the next Cavani. Dependent on price regarding both.
 
We need to add young, PL-proven players that would love to wear a Manchester United shirt to our weakest positions. For example:
RB: Wan-Bissaka has delivered top performances consistently for over a year now, and has the potential to develop into a fantastic player.
DM: While Declan Rice is no fancy name that would keep the transfer muppets happy, I have been very impressed with his performances this season. I think we would be an upgrade from Matic from day 1 and cover the room behind Pogba.
CM: Tielemans had a slow start to his Monaco period, but the entire Monaco team have been very poor lately. His talent has been well known for years, and I think he has been the best player in Leicester since he arrived in January. I think he would fit nicely alongside Pogba and give us another attacking outlet from midfield.

Throw in some exiting players that have shown solid performances in other leagues, for example:
CB: Jonathan Tah would be a perfect partner to Lindelöf, as he is physically very solid and good in the air. I would say that he is similar to Smalling defensively, but a much calmer player that is comfortable with the ball in his feet.
RW: Nicolas Pepe has impressed me in the few Lille games I have seen this season, and I think we need a rapid and direct player that naturally plays to the right of our attack.

5 players that would instantly improve our starting 11, all with the potential to develop into top players. A very rough estimation of 50 mill per player will give a gross spend of 250 mill, which should be realistic without selling any of our key players.
 
Tielemans 35 - 40m
Meunier 25- 30m
Rice 40- 50m
That's 3 brilliant value signings under 100m.

If Sancho is available, go for it or try some other options for right.

Alderweireld is available for 25m but huge contract would be a problem. He is demanding 200k and 4 years -.probably not worth it.
 
Which of the players we have mentioned, you wouldn't sign?
 
Jibbs said:
Going by the ever changing transfer speculations.

Outs:
Herrera
De Gea 60 m
Pogba 130 m
Lukaku 55 m
Sanchez
Mata
Darmian 5 m
Bailly 20 m
Valencia
Rojo 10 m

Total : 280 m

Ins:
Dean Henderson
Tuanzebe
De Ligt 80 m
AWB 40 m
Felix 90 m
Bruno 60 m
Van de Beek 50 m
Tielemans 40 m
Sancho 120 m

Total: 480 m

Net Spend: 200 m
Click to expand...

Would be only dreaming. 7 players in, Woodward would have a cardiac arrest.
 
After watching today we need LB,RB,CB,DM,CM,LW,RW and ST, that is not even including people for squad depth either, that is how bad we are looking right now and no sign of it changing whilst Ed continues to think he knows best.
 
Alderweireld: 25 million pound buy-out clause
Manolas 31 million pound buy-out clause.
Meunier - 20-30 million pounds.

There's more than enough value in the market right now so we better not use that excuse again.
 
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