Which midfielder do you prefer?

Something like Rice & De Jong would fantastic as a base, although that would cost us an arm and a leg. Tchouameni looked great in the very little that I’ve seen of him, he’d be a good Rice alternative.

No one player would fix us unless there’s a young Roy Keane on the market but I haven’t seen one.
 
We desperately need a midfielder that can shield the back four. They need to be positionally excellent, good at interceptions and have composure on the ball under pressure! Our current crop are like a group of headless chickens!
 
Bebestation said:
Caqueret is the player I'm most interested in the French footballing sides.

Just seems like a Verrati type of situation where you might have to get him young.
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The Lyon lad? Agreed, he would be an instant upgrade on our other box to box mids. Doesn't really help much for a number 6 but that could be a second signing, as you said.
 
Have to say I've been massively impressed with that Jacob Ramsey at Villa. Possibly the most complete, young midfielder I've seen in quite a while. He literally has it all, dribbling, shooting, passing, tenacious, good at winning back the ball, positionally and tactically he seems very sound for a player his age.

Honestly I'm thinking he'd possibly be a better choice than Bellingham when you factor in likely cost. Could see him go on to be a top midfielder if handled correctly from here on out. I reckon the top teams will all be in for him soon.
 
pocco said:
Have to say I've been massively impressed with that Jacob Ramsey at Villa. Possibly the most complete, young midfielder I've seen in quite a while. He literally has it all, dribbling, shooting, passing, tenacious, good at winning back the ball, positionally and tactically he seems very sound for a player his age.

Honestly I'm thinking he'd possibly be a better choice than Bellingham when you factor in likely cost. Could see him go on to be a top midfielder if handled correctly from here on out. I reckon the top teams will all be in for him soon.
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I posted about him a few months ago. Within a few touches of the first game I saw of his, I could see the talent. Villa have produced another Grealish already.
 
Tyler Adams is a lively fecker, I don’t know much about him and haven’t really seen him play in a full match but his name come up somewhere so I done the standard YouTube check (yeah, yeah I know) but he’s tenacious and seems to love tackling, pressing and intercepting, I’d be interested to hear what regular Bundesliga watchers make of him.
 
pocco said:
Have to say I've been massively impressed with that Jacob Ramsey at Villa. Possibly the most complete, young midfielder I've seen in quite a while. He literally has it all, dribbling, shooting, passing, tenacious, good at winning back the ball, positionally and tactically he seems very sound for a player his age.

Honestly I'm thinking he'd possibly be a better choice than Bellingham when you factor in likely cost. Could see him go on to be a top midfielder if handled correctly from here on out. I reckon the top teams will all be in for him soon.
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I'm glad you and @Yagami said it first, I thought it was just because of the nadir our midfield is in, I'm easily impressed.

Not sure he's a better choice than Bellingham, even with cost factored in though, as I can't imagine Villa letting him go for much if at all cheaper than Dortmund would.
 
Personally think we need a CM strong on the ball and a CDM as well. Good to hear Whitwell talking up the possibility of signing a midfielder in January on his podcast.
 
Yagami said:
I posted about him a few months ago. Within a few touches of the first game I saw of his, I could see the talent. Villa have produced another Grealish already.
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Lash said:
I'm glad you and @Yagami said it first, I thought it was just because of the nadir our midfield is in, I'm easily impressed.

Not sure he's a better choice than Bellingham, even with cost factored in though, as I can't imagine Villa letting him go for much if at all cheaper than Dortmund would.
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Damn.

I reckon he'll end up the scousers, Gerrard will smooth that path when the time comes.
 
Anyone at this point… Could we we pull Garner home?
Zakaria would be good. If he falls through, then we still could make a profit on him.

can’t see us sign anyone else in this window, and that sucks.
 
Palhinha / Tchouameni if they're possible, Zakaria if they're not I guess? I like Bissouma a lot (as a player at least) but it really depends what the odds on his rape case are looking like I suppose. If we let Donny go then it would be good to get someone like a Caqueret as well but that seems unlikely in Jan at least! Would like to see Hannibal get a few games in the 2nd half of the season though, I think he's pretty much ready to be involved.
 
Bebestation said:
Caqueret is the player I'm most interested in the French footballing sides.

Just seems like a Verrati type of situation where you might have to get him young.
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I agree, we'd be stupid to miss out I think.
 
Does it really matter who or what type of midfielder we sign? Whoever it is we'll inevitably ruin him regardless.
 
TwoSheds said:
Palhinha / Tchouameni if they're possible, Zakaria if they're not I guess? I like Bissouma a lot (as a player at least) but it really depends what the odds on his rape case are looking like I suppose. If we let Donny go then it would be good to get someone like a Caqueret as well but that seems unlikely in Jan at least! Would like to see Hannibal get a few games in the 2nd half of the season though, I think he's pretty much ready to be involved.
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Just to be correct, Bissoumas case isn’t a rape case.
 
elnorte said:
Does it really matter who or what type of midfielder we sign? Whoever it is we'll inevitably ruin him regardless.
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That's my sentiment really. I created a thread the other day about the players we've signed post-Fergie, and how many of them have actually improved in their time here. You could make a case for Shaw maybe, but other than that there's not many (if any). The fact of the matter is, we just don't improve players. Ok, Sancho hasn't been here long and I'm not writing the guy off, but he was one of the most exciting young players in Europe, and he hasn't exactly got fans in the edge of their seats. This is not a dig at him, but more the incompetence of us as a club when it comes to nurturing players.
 
croadyman said:
Personally think we need a CM strong on the ball and a CDM as well. Good to hear Whitwell talking up the possibility of signing a midfielder in January on his podcast.
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Feck defensive midfielders. We need to two CM's who can press aswell.
 
we badly need player with a strong presence and good tackler. fecking pissed that any tom and dick can just dance through our midfield.
 
We seriously need 2 committed midfielders who could pass and play the ball, and 1 who is reliable DM to protect back 4 and win midfield battle, and won't feck up a pass. Bruno should move up to play as shadow striker, instead of as part of 3 midfielders, as he is more about goals and final balls, instead of filling the gap in midfield. Realistically, maybe we should try to build this:

De Gea
new RB Varane new CB Shaw
De Jong Tchouameni Neves
Bruno
Greenwood Ronaldo
​
In (this winter): Neves 40m, Zaharia 7m
In (this summer): De Jong 75m,Tchouameni 55m, new RB, new CB
Out: Martial 30m, Maguire 30m, VDB 25m, Henderson 25m, Matic 0m, Pogba 0m, Lingard 0m

DM: Tchouameni, Zaharia
CM: De Jong, Neves, Fred, Mctominay
AM/WF: Bruno, Sancho, Diallo
FW/WF: Ronaldo, Greenwood, Rashford, Elanga

Popular choices such as Rice and Belingham aren't realistic at all, due to their price tag ( I think both would have cost over 100m each if we are to persuade their clubs to let them go)
 
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Do we have space in squad to buy new players? Or do we need to offload before signing someone.
 
It‘s not like there are cheaper top class midfield options in the summer. Why not just spend the summer budget in January to save our season? Neves, Tchouameni, are you telling me both or either of them is not available now?
 
RedRonaldo said:
We seriously need 2 committed midfielders who could pass and play the ball, and 1 who is reliable DM to protect back 4 and win midfield battle, and won't feck up a pass. Bruno should move up to play as shadow striker, instead of as part of 3 midfielders, as he is more about goals and final balls, instead of filling the gap in midfield. Realistically, maybe we should try to build this:

De Gea
new RB Varane new CB Shaw
De Jong Tchouameni Neves
Bruno
Greenwood Ronaldo​
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Going down this route then break the bank for Lamptey. I'm also not entirely sure Shaw is good enough, should take a look at Kostic for LWB

Also Neves is kind of pointless in there. You want another midfielder with serious legs who can crash the box. Ironically Pogba would be perfect :D
 
Anyone. Any of the midfielders. Can he both run for 90 minutes, and control a ball reliably? Great, he's better than what we have.
 
One of the tabloids said today that RR had a £33mil deal lined up for a CM, 23 year olf Haidara (might of got his name wrong), but club are stalling on the deal to the frustation of RR.

Never seen the lad play so dont know anythign about him.

I agree with others we need 2 x CMs, i wouldnt mund kalvin Phillips from leeds. Always good with ball retention and circulation. As he plays for biesla pressing for him isnt an issue so would be fine under RR and poch as they both like to press.
 
giorno said:
Going down this route then break the bank for Lamptey. I'm also not entirely sure Shaw is good enough, should take a look at Kostic for LWB

Also Neves is kind of pointless in there. You want another midfielder with serious legs who can crash the box. Ironically Pogba would be perfect :D
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We will need to be realistic on who to bring in this month. Admittedly Neves may not be the best long time option, he is at least obtainable this winter window, PL proven, and who I think will improve our midfield this season.
 
We arguably need 3 new starting midfielders with various attributes so, all in all, any good midfielder really.
A dictator, a classic DM and one that runs around like a fecking nutter. If you can find these 3 things in 2 midfielders that'll be grand.
 
Declan Rice all day long. Him in front of the back four, Fred or McTominay box to box, Fernandes advanced playmaker.
 
Just two blokes with passing ability and upper body strength enough to protect the ball. Enough of Fred's chicken runs and Mctominays sideways passing.
 
I grew up on Scholes and Carrick get a player with the skill set of one of them 2 and I will be happy.
 
Tchouameni, Kessie, Zakaria, Kamara, Haidara
Any 2 of these, but please get at least one this window, if we really want top 4.
 
One of these
Rice...ndidi... touchemeni
And one of these
Bellingham... milenkovic-savic, tielemans...

Assuming pogna goes on a free

Really depends how much money we have as rice and Bellingham would probably be £200m+
Touchemeni and tielemans perhaps more like £100m

Probably we end up with zakaria and kessie and give ronaldo a payrise instead
 
I don’t think Dortmund will sell Bellingham in the same season as Haaland and I’m becoming a bit sick of their over estimations on prices. We got done on Sancho. Not saying he won’t come good, just that we paid 20m too much

my preference would be rice + neves or Tielemens
 
I'd like us to get Rice/Touchouameni and Tielemans. Then Pogba leaves, sell VdB and Matic, promote Hannibal or Garner to the first team
 
simonhch said:
Declan Rice all day long. Him in front of the back four, Fred or McTominay box to box, Fernandes advanced playmaker.
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Rice is box to box. You’d limit him if you had him sitting.
 
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