I want a young Vidal.
Not sure if any exists though.
Doucoure is kind of a budget Vidal. I'd be happy with him.
Not sure if any exists though.
Doucoure is kind of a budget Vidal. I'd be happy with him.
What is the profile of central midfielder we need to sign?
- Thread starter Nick.
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It doesn't really accurately describe the type of player the word is used for either. It's a terrible word to use for describing a footballer
It's a shame Atletico tied Koke down to a long-term contract last summer, he's a very good all-rounder and I think he would work well in a three with Matic and Pogba.
If we can get someone of that profile - defensively competent, comfortable on the ball, mobile and creative - then I think we'll have a very balanced midfield. I don't think it's impossible for Ander Herrera to perform that role but I expect most fans want someone a bit more refined.
If we can get someone of that profile - defensively competent, comfortable on the ball, mobile and creative - then I think we'll have a very balanced midfield. I don't think it's impossible for Ander Herrera to perform that role but I expect most fans want someone a bit more refined.
Comfortable on the ball, Good passer and dribbler, Ball winner, and chips in with 12/15 goals a season.
Reckon we need a technical player the sort of lad who plays the one pass before the assist. Our attack has been too predictable at times as our midfielders play the most obvious passes usually. Need someone with football intelligence dosent have to be extremely physically imposing or defensive. A player in the mould of Modric or Thiago. Maybe someone like Fred or Seri
What about Geoffrey Kondogbia?
Horrid at inter but seems to be having a good season at Valencia now. Maybe Pereira could go the other way to bring the fee down.
Horrid at inter but seems to be having a good season at Valencia now. Maybe Pereira could go the other way to bring the fee down.
Essien from 2006.
Idriss Ghana Gueye?
Someone ala Herrera from 16/17.
Herrera if he could get that form back would be great.
Herrera if he could get that form back would be great.
No, we do not need another hustler. We already have Matic and Herrera. What we need is a passmaster like Kroos.
Funny that someone find it funny that people are not in agreement in a forum! What did you expect - Everybody saying the same thing?!
I think you've got your knickers in a twist over an innocuous comment that wasn't even insulting anybody.
Everybody is looking for someone to fit into a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1. I just wish we would move to a 4-4-2 with a diamond midfield. Lukaku looks like a target man but he really isn't. I'd like to see us go back to quick counters with Lukaku and another striker on the move, not with their back to goal. Key to this is mobile FB's to provide the width and Valencia and Young are both on the wrong side of 30 to be long time solutions. But as it is right now, and with young players coming through, this is how I would like to see us set up
------------------------DDG------------------------
Valencia--------Bailley-------Jones----------Young
------------------------Matic-----------------------
----------??????-------------------Pogba----------
------------------Sanchez/Gomes-----------------
------------Lukaku--------Martial/Rashford-------
If we are talking about players who are in their prime and ready to step right into the team then Vidal or Kroos are the best players for that midfield position. Problem is are they realistic targets...
------------------------DDG------------------------
Valencia--------Bailley-------Jones----------Young
------------------------Matic-----------------------
----------??????-------------------Pogba----------
------------------Sanchez/Gomes-----------------
------------Lukaku--------Martial/Rashford-------
If we are talking about players who are in their prime and ready to step right into the team then Vidal or Kroos are the best players for that midfield position. Problem is are they realistic targets...
How would people feel if an offer came in of say 30 mil + Kroos for De Gea?
While you were obviously losing the brewery goalkeeper in the world, you are also gaining arguably the best player to pay in the deep playmaker role and free Pogba, plus have a bit of money to spend on finding a new goalkeeper.
You'll be worse defensively but will gain Pogba playing his best role, which will improve your offensive by a high amount. A question will be which goalkeeper in Europe is available and can replace De Gea because i feel Real would take the offer if given.
While you were obviously losing the brewery goalkeeper in the world, you are also gaining arguably the best player to pay in the deep playmaker role and free Pogba, plus have a bit of money to spend on finding a new goalkeeper.
You'll be worse defensively but will gain Pogba playing his best role, which will improve your offensive by a high amount. A question will be which goalkeeper in Europe is available and can replace De Gea because i feel Real would take the offer if given.
I don't think that it's down to not being good enough, I just don't think he's a priority for them. He's not perfectly suited to playing on the wings which is what Valencia wants and his injury came very untimely. For Granada he really shone in central positions, namely against the likes of Madrid and Barca, but he hasn't been able to showcase those qualities at all at Valencia.
Physically he's bigger than the likes of Silva, Modric and Coutinho and Scholes who've been unequivocal successes in the premier league in similar tactical positions, and you can tell from watching him play that he's an english academy product. He isn't shy of a tackle and he's got that same kind of balance that those before-mentioned players have, which make them so strong and difficult to dispossess. I'd agree that going in to the next season relying on Pereira to be that key addition to our midfield would be naive and irresponsible, but he's already ours and he's shown promise in a role we require, it would be stupid IMO to not try him out properly before we discard him.
I wouldnot swap De Gea for Kroos+30M. Maybe Kroos+50M, then I will be thinking. In case we lose De Gea, the replacements would easily cost us 60M. We want only top keeper, and other clubs will just say 60M for our keeper or get lost knowing we are desperate.
When we play 4-3-3 , Pogba anyways has freer role. In 4-2-3-1, I would rather have a proper #10 have the freedom than Pogba.
It's because quality matters more. I do think Matic being slower, Pogba being spacey defensively and Mourinho wanting to defend more than always have the ball means that a slow creator who can't be trusted to track defensively might not suit us at the moment, but who knows how long Mourinho will be here and then maybe it would, if we played with the ball more.
TLDR: Scholes, Keane, Vieira yes, Veron or Carrick maybe not, especially if Mourinho is staying a fair bit longer. Cesc, Lampard or Gerrard only if Mourinho is leaving.
Just read that Juve wants to get rid of Marchisio, maybe he‘s worth a punt. Seemed like a good allround midfielder certainely suited to play with Pogba and will be a bargain for what I estimate will be around £30m. Still probably makes more sense for Arsenal. But he will be on the market.
I read somewhere that thiago wants to leave bayern this summer. Anyone here came across that too?
Anyway, he's very much the kind of midfielder we should be going after imo. Skillful, can pass, can score, likes to tackle, decent enough workrate, experienced. At 27, he should be coming into his peak too.
With vidal, tolisso, javi martinez, James Rodriguez, alaba, rudy, Muller, kimmich & now Goretzka all capable of playing in the centre i think bayern may be keen to listen to offers. Especially if there's a transfer request submitted.
Thiago alcantara won't be cheap but will be worth every penny i think
Anyway, he's very much the kind of midfielder we should be going after imo. Skillful, can pass, can score, likes to tackle, decent enough workrate, experienced. At 27, he should be coming into his peak too.
With vidal, tolisso, javi martinez, James Rodriguez, alaba, rudy, Muller, kimmich & now Goretzka all capable of playing in the centre i think bayern may be keen to listen to offers. Especially if there's a transfer request submitted.
Thiago alcantara won't be cheap but will be worth every penny i think
Oh no, not the brewery goalkeeper
I'd probably accept a deal like that tbh. Don't see it happening though. Why would he leave RM?
To think we could have had him for £20m in 2013 or whenever it was.
I'd be all for signing him now if he's available, only worry being I think he's a bit injury prone.
A confident passer who will also contribute with making tackles and winning the ball. Ander is capable of this, but if we're buying a new player perhaps Banega can do the job for a few years until a younger player matures and we identify them. Would also be on the cheaper side of things rather than an expensive gamble
Keep believing the nonsense some laughable media from Spain & Co. report, but Thiago wont be on the market and Bayern wont consider selling him.
What have Alaba, Müller and Kimmich to do with him?
If you want a player from that list, then it seems you have to settle for Vidal I guess.
If we are signing a midfielder in the summer I can't think of a better option than Rubén Neves.
He's absolutely smashed the championship, he's such a composed player, and is at a really good age. I feel like if we don't snap him up, somebody else will and we'll regret it.
He's absolutely smashed the championship, he's such a composed player, and is at a really good age. I feel like if we don't snap him up, somebody else will and we'll regret it.
Herrera
Pjanic-Pogba
Pjanic-Pogba
Not jumping on the bandwagon, I always thought 1 x experienced and 1 x younger was our best punt for the summer - i'd definitely take Ruben Neves and one other with Fellaini and Carrick making way.
Pogba, Matic, Herrera, Ruben Neves, ONE OTHER, McTominay would be a solid selection for me. The 'one other' is something i'm not sure about, not sure what type of player we should prioritise there.
Pogba, Matic, Herrera, Ruben Neves, ONE OTHER, McTominay would be a solid selection for me. The 'one other' is something i'm not sure about, not sure what type of player we should prioritise there.
Ruben Neves would be a good fit. Can pick a pass, can dictate the tempo, can shoot from distance, not afraid to get stuck in either. Seems to enjoy the football here in England as well. No brainer for me even if he wouldn't be cheap.
I'd say Jose's midfield transfer preferences are in this order with Milinkovic-S getting preference over Seri due to height. A midfield who can dictate play and open up defences like Verratti/Kroos/Modric/Yaya/Keane and who can defend too
1. Milinkovic-Savic
2. Seri
3. Doucoure/Vidal
1. Milinkovic-Savic
2. Seri
3. Doucoure/Vidal
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We could do with 2 of the 4 you mention above. That would give us serious options..possibly wouldn’t have been bullied by Sevilla with those additions
We need Michael Carrick's replacement. Someone who'll sit deep and pull the strings from there. Closest one out there to him is Verrati but he would cost a fortune. We need a player of this profile. Busquets and Pirlo are two more examples. Very difficult to find.
I think a good, creative passer basically. If we want to go defensive hererra is capable, hell, McTominay can do a job. If Pogba gets injured we need someone who can keep the ball moving and feed our forwards. We struggle without him and while mata helps it hasn't been a good season for him really.
Fabinho anybody?
Spurs have the double pivot of Dier and Dembele bossing the midfield giving Eriksen the freedom to conduct the attack. I don't see why we can't do the same with Matic, Fabinho and Pogba. Fabinho plays on the right side of midfield also so that would give us perfect balance in midfield.
@JPRouve I know last summer he was your main choice for our midfield. Do you think he could have a role in our current setup?
Spurs have the double pivot of Dier and Dembele bossing the midfield giving Eriksen the freedom to conduct the attack. I don't see why we can't do the same with Matic, Fabinho and Pogba. Fabinho plays on the right side of midfield also so that would give us perfect balance in midfield.
@JPRouve I know last summer he was your main choice for our midfield. Do you think he could have a role in our current setup?
Someone who can dictate play from deep, a Kroos or a Weighl type player.
Someone who could bring us both intensity and agility which are the final parts Matic and Pogba need in a midfield three, especially in term of defence. Verratti is perfect but Dier isnt a bad choice
Doucoure and neves. Job done!
We need carrickesque player, A strong minded player that will not fold in big games or cave in when opponents get in his face.
He was my main choice when Matic wasn't a clear option but I preferred the latter. My main choice in midfield is and has always been Kovacic, I wanted him over Pogba and I would still take him to play next to Pogba and Matic. The reason I wouldn't go for Fabinho is that I want to see more of McTominay and while Fabinho has a good all around game, he isn't going to technically dominate a midfield battle and I believe that it's the one thing that we are lacking.
Looking at the names in this thread, no wonder we spend 100M€ per player. Most of those players are hgihly priced.
I miss the times where directors of football had balls to target players who weren't in top clubs of their respective countries yet, but you could see they had tremendous potential. We can't only buy estabilished players, it's unrealistic nowadays.
I miss the times where directors of football had balls to target players who weren't in top clubs of their respective countries yet, but you could see they had tremendous potential. We can't only buy estabilished players, it's unrealistic nowadays.