Who's gonna replace Maguire if he leaves?

BuzzKillington said:
I feel like a stuck record to keep mentioning this, but we have to be aware of the home grown rule. 8 of a named squad of 25 need to be this. Any time a position is mentioned everybody in here starts throwing out random names of young players from Europe who they’ve seen play once or twice.

Maguire is one of the HG players, if he’s leaving we could probably do with his replacement satisfying one of those spots. Back up CB is a position we can afford to be a little weaker in than maybe first choice striker.

We need to be having a good look at relegated clubs if we don’t want to blow a load of money on a backup.
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I think this may be a factor in the summer too. We are likely to replace Jones, Maguire, AWB. There's also the possibility of McT, Elanga, Tuanzebe, Heaton, Butland, Williams and he who must not be named leaving. Rashford and Shaw still haven't signed their contracts although its highly likely both will. It's why I was delighted Pickford just signed his new contract. I'm expecting us to waste the summer bidding for Kane, Rice and Bellingham and for all to turn us down or Levy asking us for 150m+ so it's not viable for a 30 year old with dodgy ankles. CB may be a good option to look for a home grown player.
 
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We might not replace Maguire. If the sale doesn't go through before the summer or at all it will be the usual 3-5 incoming. Even if it does it may be a chaotic summer with lots of staff changes so things may not change that much this summer window. I'm expecting a first choice ball playing GK, a CF and a CM as an upgrade on Eriksen (an alternative 8 to FDJ) to be the priorities. Then it will probably be a first choice / back up right back.

After that we would have to decide if we have any money left (if the Glazers stay or to comply with FFP) to look at a left or right footed CB to replace Maguire or another CF to replace Weghorst/Martial. Personally I would rather prioritize a back up DM for Casemiro as we look awful without him.
 
jurrien timber can cover cb and rb enabling us to recover more money with sale of Maguire and one of Dalot/AWB
 
We haven’t had a CB coming from our youth team in a while, who is ready to become our 4th choice CB? How is Willy Kambwala progressing?

Personally we need to sell both Maguire & Lindelof and buy a relatively young CB that is ready to step into the team immediately and rotate with Varane.
 
We shouldn't be buying a 3rd choice, we should be buying someone good enough to get into the starting XI on his own merit

Liverpool had VVD, Matip and Gomes when they went big and signed Konate
City had Stones and Laporte when they went and signed Dias
 
Someone like Malacia but as a cb (a tall one would be good, but the reading of the game is the most important)
 
Todibo and Kim, either of them and we have a brilliant backup RCB imo
 
Not keen on Timber as we’d have no height with him and martinez
Varane must stay as number one
Dont agree with a promising youngster as the best ones need too play every week to develop
not keen on Lindelof as he’s just not a leader
we need someone spikey, basically a CB version of Dalot
Maybe that lad at Everton if they go down
 
andersj said:
I agree. And that could be Timber. Funny to see the «too short argument»-again. Ten Hag did not hesitate to play Martinez/Timber in Ajax, and I doubt he would in the future either. Could also be an option at RB (if we decide to sell AWB).

Would leave us with 7 players for eight positions. Two left backs where one can cover CB, four CBs where one can cover RB and one RB. I think it would be sufficient.
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His Ajax team dominated posession far more though than United currently do which helped protect the back line from pressure. Personally had no qualms about signing Licha as he was quite strong in the air prior to united. Timber on the other hand is far weaker in the air and a worse passer out from defence. Don't see why we wouldn't go for a ball player who is not a total liability in the air.
 
We don't need to buy another center back. Good teams with strength in depth bring young players through easier because they train with - and learn from - the best. We will have 3 good center backs plus Shaw and then we should be providing opportunities to the youngsters.
 
charlenefan said:
We shouldn't be buying a 3rd choice, we should be buying someone good enough to get into the starting XI on his own merit

Liverpool had VVD, Matip and Gomes when they went big and signed Konate
City had Stones and Laporte when they went and signed Dias
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It's why I've been begging for Ndicka. That kind of profile is perfect. Young, athletic promising CB with all of the traits you hope for. Can rotate in as the cover and isn't someone you have to compensate for.
 
GMoore23 said:
Of course we'll need to replace him.
A top club like United needs 2 players for every position.
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I think Shaw is our second choice left centre back though. If Lindelof covers Varane then thats four CB's. McTominay plays there for Scotland as well. I dont see another CB being a priority this summer.
 
MyOnlySolskjaer said:
It's not a priority to replace him. You're pretty much asking here - who can fill an empty seat on a bench and play 3 minutes at the end of every game?
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Thats how i feel about it. Backup centre back for Lindelof, who's as good a back up as you could hope to get, is a lot more attractive long term if he gets plenty of games.
 
footballbite said:
1.I don't think Timber would be a good idea now - even though you can maybe get away with having one CB like Martinez on the smaller side in the PL, if you ended up with games where you had to play Martinez and Timber next to each other you'll start to struggle, especially with defending set-pieces.
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I don't have a strong take on it, but my sense is it's probably worth the few goals to have stifling control of games via possession and I'm even more confident that's how Ten Hag feels, but we'd need to spend a lot I think to get a top new keeper to make it worth it (so a confident passer and sweeper for a higher line at times) and be better in the air, so I think if you're buying Timber, even if it's to backup Varane and Dalot (if Wan-Bissaka goes, he looks quite useful at the moment and it's possible Dalot has enough offensive potential to make it an effective pairing, they are only 23 and 25 so they might improve, as Dalot is young enough and Wan-Bissaka still raw on the ball in many respects and has taken to Ten Hag ball well the last few months).

But yeah, ideally you'd get someone taller who can also pass it, this would actually be the perfect time for another Pique type signing, a 17 or 18 year old close to be ready to debut. 442 included the following in the top 50: Antonio Silva (Benfica, cost a fortune), Scalvini (Atalanta, the same) and Arnau Martinez (Girona so gettable, apparently playing RB but not short short at 5'11 and seen as a CB ultimately).

footballbite said:
Dumfries is very attacking even for a RB. He is not a CB.
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Yeah, I'm not a fan. He's great in the air and works hard, but ultimately limited. There's definitely a role for him on a top teams but, I just don't think it's us, and as you say it would be replacing Wan-Bissaka.

footballbite said:
I think Fredricson is pretty highly rated; he's an England youth international and has trained with the first team before under ten Hag. Not sure if that means he's actually good enough though and even if he has the ability he's probably a couple of years away still.
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Yeah, sounds more like a Lindelof replacement if everything goes well, in say the summer of 2025 when he's 20.


footballbite said:
I don't get all the calls for a left-footed CB when Shaw is around. If anything I'd rather sign a more promising LB to cover for Shaw for whenever he has to fill-in at LCB, given how excellent he's been there.
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footballbite said:
I think Fredricson is pretty highly rated; he's an England youth international and has trained with the first team before under ten Hag. Not sure if that means he's actually good enough though and even if he has the ability he's probably a couple of years away still.
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Think we can get a cheap, young CB as 4th choice. 30-35m should be good for a backup, and on much lower wages than Maguire is. Also someone who fits the profile that ETH wants.
 
I don't feel the need to replace him is as it great as it once was. We still have Lindelof and Shaw has really impressed when played there as well
 
I’ll reiterate what’s already been said. Buying a 4th choice CB should not be a priority and I don’t think it will be.
 
MyOnlySolskjaer said:
I think we have much more pressing issues, buying a CB feels like a luxury. Wouldn’t be against it if we get Striker, CM and GK sorted first.

LB:
Shaw
Malacia

CB:
Varane
Martinez
Lindelof
(Shaw)

RB:
Dalot
Wan-Bissaka
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I agree that we should not be spending big on a CB upgrade, but I do worry for how stacked we actually are in that position. Varane does get injured from time to time. Malacia has had some real howlers. Shaw has had good CB cameos but he is best going forward on the left. So we have Lindelof, and behind him we dont have a realistic option right now. A player like Teden Mengi could take steps ahead of next season, perhaps he will fancy himself a squad role, but he might be sent on loan again.

So while Maguire seem surplus to requirements, especially considering his squad status, his role is definitely needed if we want to go deep in the competitions
 
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Tom Cato said:
I agree that we should not be spending big on a CB upgrade, but I do worry for how stacked we actually are in that position. Varane does get injured from time to time. Malacia has had some real howlers. Shaw has had good CB cameos but he is best going forward on the left. So we have Lindelof, and behind him we dont have a realistic option right now. A player like Teden Mengi could take steps ahead of next season, perhaps he will fancy himself a squad role, but he might be sent on loan again.

So while Maguire seem surplus to requirements, especially considering his squad status, his role is definitely needed if we want to go deep in the competitions
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As things stand right now, I don't think Mengi or Fish are in any realistic position to be a squad player next season.
 
Shaw is our first choice LB.

We need reserve LCB so we don't have to move Shaw there as we lose a lot going forward when he's not at LB.

As to who that should be or who should come in at RCB when Lindelof aslo fecks off I don't know.
 
Withnail said:
Shaw is our first choice LB.

We need reserve LCB so we don't have to move Shaw there as we lose a lot going forward when he's not at LB.

As to who that should be or who should come in at RCB when Lindelof aslo fecks off I don't know.
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Agreed, we shouldn't just let Maguire leave without getting in a proper replacement. Ultimately, Maguire isn't an important player for us so there is no need to spend huge sums on a replacement. Ideally a young CB who can cover both at LCB and RCB and be a potential challenge to Varane or Martinez in the next few years.
 
Newstyle said:
I’ll reiterate what’s already been said. Buying a 4th choice CB should not be a priority and I don’t think it will be.
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It's not a priority but it almost certainly will be in the next tranche of purchases after striker, keeper and midfielder. Varane is injury prone and is approaching thirty with a lot of miles on the clock so his injury profile is unlikely to improve. We need a succession plan rather and we should probably look to sell Lindelof and buy someone with high potential for competing for that spot in the future like Antonio Silva or Zeno Debast.
 
Newstyle said:
I’ll reiterate what’s already been said. Buying a 4th choice CB should not be a priority and I don’t think it will be.
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Yes and no. A striker, a primetime 8 and a backup 6 are obviously bigger needs. But if Maguire leaves, and he should, then I think we're too thin at the back if we don't replace him. Given that Shaw excels at CB (and Dalot can play both sides), it doesn't necessarily need to be a CB though. It could also be a FB, or someone versatile enough to play either at CB or one of the FB positions. Or even CB and CM. Possibly someone who brings something we don't have. But we can't just go with 7 defenders, that's courting disaster. I suppose there's also the possibility that Williams might re-emerge, or Laird making the jump.
 
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