Only AWB struggles here. And I'd definitely try out Laird and Williams in RB before spending again in that position
Williams isn't our starting left back. I'm all for getting more attacking full backs but I'd put that at the bottom of our prioritiesYou saw that Williams was caught in their pressing traps 10 times to day. His passing is sloppy as well. Made some bad passes/passing decisions in almost every game since he started playing in the EPL.
Laird is certainly, on paper, the best attacking fullback we have at the club. I still think it is naive to think that we can rely on him as our only attacking fullback next season considering the potentially difficult transition into senior football and his injury record over the last two years.
Just had a look at the final PL table.
We lost fewer games (8) than City (9).
Conceded only 1 goal more than City and only 3 goals more than Liverpool.
It's when you look at goals scored (66) you can see we're in a lower class than City (102) and Liverpool (85)
Conclusion: Attacking reinforcements are vital.
Jadon Sancho
Idrissa Gueye
Jan Vertonghen
David Brooks
We won't have the money for Rice and Grealish.We don’t need the latter three.
Absolutely no chance we're bringing in those 3 after Sancho. It will be bargain basement players after Sancho. Probably a few unheard of kids.Oblak
Sancho
Partey
Koulibaly
then we are real title contenders, even with Ole at the wheel
Absolutely no chance we're bringing in those 3 after Sancho. It will be bargain basement players after Sancho. Probably a few unheard of kids.
We won't have the money for Rice and Grealish.
And yes we do need the latter 3
If we sell Lingard, Smalling, Rojo, Jones then possibly.Could see us going for Grealish this summer and Rice next if he is still on the market then
If we sell Lingard, Smalling, Rojo, Jones then possibly.
GK: DeGea - Romero - Grant
FB : Wan Bissaka - Shaw - Williams - TFM
CB : Lindelof - Maguire - Bailly - Tuanzebe
CM : Pogba - Fred - McTominay - Matic
AM : Fernandes
FW : Greenwood - Rashford -James
CF : Martial - Ighalo
This is our main squad rn if we dont consider the deadwood and the youth guys.
- We are sorted in the GK section. Maybe replace De Gea with Henderson? But that's Ole's call.
- I think we need another full back. Shaw struggles with injuries, and Brandon seems more of a RB than a LB to me. Laird can step it up, but thats a risk. TFM's future is a question mark. I think we need another backup full back(preferably a left footed LB).
- I also think we need to upgrade on Lindelof, and we should target a fast, strong CB who is good with his feet. Bailly and Tuanzebe are too injury prone.
- Midfield seems fine. McTominay and Fred need to step it up next season, otherwise we will need to an upgrade on them, preferably with a DM.
- We need a backup AM. Grealish seems perfect.
- Sancho as RW.
- Ighalo is fine till Jan, maybe a striker will be need in Jan.
So for this summer targets should be : CB, FB(maybe?), AM, RW
You wouldn't get anywhere near 180 mill for the players you are selling. De Gea you might get someone offering 30-40 mill. Rojo Jones, you would have to give away on a free. You might get at a push 20 mill for Fred and Lingard. 12/13 mill apiece for Sanchez and Smalling. 10 mill or less for the rest.Our current squad:
GK: DeGea - Romero - Grant - Henderson - Pereira
RB - Bissaka - Dalot - Mensah - Laird
LB - Williams - Shaw
CB - Lindelof - Maguire - Bailly - Tuanzabe - Mengi - Smalling - Rojo - Jones
DM - Matic - Garner
CM - Pogba - Fred - McTominay
AM - Fernandes - Perriera - Mata
RW - Greenwood - Lingard - James
LW - Rashford - Sanchez - Chong
ST - Martial - Ighalo
I would sell the bolded players trying to raise up to £180m and would also loan Garner and Chong (also Levitt and Galbraith to be loaned) and Ighalo loan to us is only il January at which point I would hope to be moving Greenwood inside more, leaving us:
GK: Romero - Grant - Henderson
RB - Bissaka - Laird
LB - Williams - Shaw
CB - Lindelof - Maguire - Tuanzabe - Mengi - Bailly
DM - Matic
CM - Pogba - McTominay
AM - Fernandes Mjebri
RW - - James - Sancho
LW - Rashford - Grealish
ST - Martial - Greenwood
If our presale budget is £150m....thats gone on Grealish and Sancho for me, hence adding them to the above list. I have also added Mjebri to the above list as Grealish for me also covers Fernandes but Mjebri can have oportunities there so Fernandes is covered too.
So for me we have an international and very good number 2 keeper that Henderson can battle it out and learn from in his first season with us to see if he is ready to step up, I have no worries of Romero being number 1 for a year, he is a very good keeper and hasnt made mistakes either.
Though our full backs are not exceptional, that is a decent four full backs so that isnt a priority for me either....but I will add to it
CB there is an obvious lack of proven quality in terms of playing for us, its a priority
DM is a VERY weak area as Matic isnt young and still not 100% convinced he will be consitent over a season. Garner needs the loan to prove if he can step up. So again this is a priority squad wise as Fred/McTominay cant really do it
CM I am not concerned about as Grealish again can also play there if needed so we are ok there.
As we know Greenwood can also play RW if Sancho is out, though I dont liek him at all James as option six in the front three is ok, that is a very strong front three options wise.
So for me, some if not all of the money raised from sales needs to go on a quality centre back and a quality defensive midfielder;
CB - Romagnoli - Gabriel - Konate - Upamecano - Koulibaly
DM - Tonali - Van De Beek - Soumare - Camavinga - Zakaria
The bolded players would be my first choices but also of course I see these as the most unlikely purchases due to prices and age (koulibaly), the Italians I dont think will leave Italy and I think Camavinga goes to Madrid if he goes anywhere this summer. I would also rule out Van de Beek as I see him further forward, not really a DM.
Though I have seen Lille a few times, I cant even remember Gabriel really so cant comment on him. Also Williams has had a decent first season (he can compete at right back too), Shaw has been ok but from watcing Mendes the oter day, he looks a huge talent, could be cheap and adds serious competition, so:
In:
Nuno Mendes £20m
Sancho £95m
Grealish £65m
Upamecano £40m
Soumare £35m
£255m
Sales, lets just estimate £150m from those = net spend of £105m and leaves us with:
GK: Romero - Grant - Henderson
RB - Bissaka - Laird
LB - Williams - Shaw - Mendes
CB - Lindelof - Maguire - Upamecano - Tuanzabe - Mengi - Bailly
DM - Matic - Soumare
CM - Pogba - McTominay
AM - Fernandes Mjebri
RW - - James - Sancho
LW - Rashford - Grealish
ST - Martial - Greenwood
Think the kepper situation isnt really weakened, full backs a slight improvement of promis and competitioj with Mendes, slimed out but improved quality central defence wise, far more depth to the midfield quality wise when ou include Grealish there and the depth of quality in the front three is outstanding. Also the age of the squad is young and talented so it can grow, only three old players in the whole squad so it an grow over a year or two
You wouldn't get anywhere near 180 mill for the players you are selling. De Gea you might get someone offering 30-40 mill. Rojo Jones, you would have to give away on a free. You might get at a push 20 mill for Fred and Lingard. 12/13 mill apiece for Sanchez and Smalling. 10 mill or less for the rest.
CB - Kabak
DM - Partey/Rice
AM - Grealish/VdB
RW - Sancho
We finished this season with our strongest XI being: De Gea-Awb-Lindelof-Maguire-Shaw-Matic-Pogba-Bruno Rashford-Martial-Greenwood. However there are some players in this line up that we can't do without. These players are Maguire Shaw Matic Bruno and Greenwood
If we are without Maguire we lose a commanding presence at CB and no one else on the team can replace that. Without Shaw the lb position becomes a weak link as his back ups - Dalot and Williams are not as good defensively and are also right footed which hurts out attack a bit. Without Matic we have no one else in DM that can shield the defense and also build up play with progressive forward passes. Without Bruno we have no one else that is as creative and even close to being good enough in AM. Without Greenwood who isn't even an RW our right wing is simply dead and ineffective
Based on the above, we need another CB with commanding presence, another solid left footed LB, another DM that can shield the defense and build up attack, a backup AM and an actual RW. I think these 5 positions are what we need to fill in the next two windows to complete the team. Not that I expect this to be done but these are my choices:
CB - Kabak
LB - Rayan Nouri
DM - Partey/Rice
AM - Grealish/VdB
RW - Sancho
I saw 13 mill offered for Smalling. Roma wont go any higher. Sanchez we are trying to get 20 mill, ( Inter offering 15) as we have to pay his contract up. If he wants to leave why do we have to give him a penny? I honestly cant see a team coming in for Jones unless we give him away. Same for Rojo. I would love you to be right, but just cant see it.Had this argument a million times now. JOnes is a 28year old England international in what world do you think he is a free transfer? Do you really think nobdy would sign him for £5m for example just as a throwaway figure? We are refusing offers which add up to more than you are stating for Smalling/Sanchez according to the press. Wont go into the rest all individually but the figures you are mentioning add up to well over £120m so hey maybe somewhere inbetween the two figures.
We wont sell half of them anyway but its only DeGea I would keep personally for another season.
I saw 13 mill offered for Smalling. Roma wont go any higher. Sanchez we are trying to get 20 mill, ( Inter offering 15) as we have to pay his contract up. If he wants to leave why do we have to give him a penny? I honestly cant see a team coming in for Jones unless we give him away. Same for Rojo. I would love you to be right, but just cant see it.
Had this argument a million times now. JOnes is a 28year old England international in what world do you think he is a free transfer? Do you really think nobdy would sign him for £5m for example just as a throwaway figure? We are refusing offers which add up to more than you are stating for Smalling/Sanchez according to the press. Wont go into the rest all individually but the figures you are mentioning add up to well over £120m so hey maybe somewhere inbetween the two figures.
We wont sell half of them anyway but its only DeGea I would keep personally for another season.
According to media Roma looking at Vertonghan as Utd wont lower the price to £13 mill for Smalling. Might be unattainable to get £20 mill.We should be looking at £20m for Smalling. The others can go for free. With Sanchez, it’s probably just creative accounting - we aren’t getting a fee for him.
According to media Roma looking at Vertonghan as Utd wont lower the price to £13 mill for Smalling. Might be unattainable to get £20 mill.
The issue is wages. The cost to a buying club are the transfer fee and the wages of the player. We pay a lot more than other clubs. The reality is that Jones would go to a club like Everton or West Ham, and they are going to have to put him right at the top of their wage structure, and to do that they will need a nominal or free transfer.
Jones on a free but on wages of £100k per week on a four year contract is £21m - so no, clubs aren’t going to want to pay a transfer fee for him. Look at the entire package.
If Sanchez was on a reasonable wage, say £100k per week, then there would be clubs willing to pay us £10-15m for him. But he’s not on a reasonable wage, so again looking at the total package, if the player using willing to take a massive pay cut, then it’s the transfer fee that gets eroded. No one is paying a transfer fee for Sanchez, given his age, appalling form over the past 3 years (bar the last 6 weeks), and the fact his wage demands will be astonishing.
He doesn’t deserve the wages he’s on, or will be asking for, and so it’s the transfer fee that has to go, and it will go to zero.
I saw 13 mill offered for Smalling. Roma wont go any higher. Sanchez we are trying to get 20 mill, ( Inter offering 15) as we have to pay his contract up. If he wants to leave why do we have to give him a penny? I honestly cant see a team coming in for Jones unless we give him away. Same for Rojo. I would love you to be right, but just cant see it.
Watching today's final, both Arsenal and Chelsea would bite our hands off if we offer Smalling for 20m.You are right, and it might be. But if Roma don’t want him for £20m, I think There are other clubs that will.
Clearly this summer is an anomaly, and we don’t know what clubs will spend/ what they can afford. But he’s a player in him prime, with 3-4 years left, and proven in a different league, I think that’s worth a good fee.
Agree with the clearing out. We should just bite the bullet, make a list of who Ole wants and find clubs willing to take the rest in one go. This would free up a load of money from wages and allow more funds for bringing players in.Well certain players will of course be harder to move on than others and certain players we probably will lose a proportion of the fee with compensation. It may even mean we are unable to move certain players on that we want to this summer which is bad.
Overall though my general point is I find it ridiculous how low fans seem to value our players transfer values. As an extreme example I had someone the other day listing I think 10players and saying we wouldnt get more than £35m for the lot £3.5m each on average, it was even less than that I think.
It is a buyers market and we do have the problem of players on big contracts of course but basically our whole deadwood wouldnt get the price of Nathan Ake it appears.
The fees wont be so small within the premiership if Ake is £41m, Grealish £80m then surely we are able to get £18m for SMalling, over £20m for Lingard as examples.
Only reason I dont see us bringing in good money from transfers is I dont see us trying to sell maybe more than five players which again for me is a nother window of nowhere near enough clearing out
Just had a look at the final PL table.
We lost fewer games (8) than City (9).
Conceded only 1 goal more than City and only 3 goals more than Liverpool.
It's when you look at goals scored (66) you can see we're in a lower class than City (102) and Liverpool (85)
Conclusion: Attacking reinforcements are vital.
Hopefully the Sancho deal will get done this week and that will be one huge box checked.
We have been linked with a few CB's which is promising from an intent perspective at least, not sure about the level of the one's we're linked with specifically.
The big worry is the lack of any stories linking us with a holding midfielder, Matic should be a squad player next season, a player whose minutes need managing and we need a new quality weekly starter with more stamina, pace and mobility. Fred and McTominay are not the answer.
I see a lot of talk about fullback's but Shaw and AWB will be the starters and we have just signed Williams to a new deal with a big pay rise so clearly the manager and coaches see more in him than the Caf right now, and there's the promising Laird. I don't see any FB business being done until next summer, if at all in the near future.
Striker backup will be looked at post Igalho, I'm interested to see if Martial can push on further next season and how Mason progresses, I could see us adding another versatile forward next summer rather than a pure #9.
Coaching and the #10 position were the biggest issue with regards goals, since Bruno arrived, Martial fired up and Mason got some consistency we've looked pretty coherent in attack and that was without Rashford even in top gear as he was coming back from a long lay off.
Pretty confident the reason there has been a distinct lack of links to holding midfielder is because Utd have no intention of bringing one in until next summer
Just been listening to the Stretford Paddock podcast and they were suggesting we could do with a couple of experienced heads in this team. What do people think to that suggestion?
