Working on multiple transfers at a time

[LawCharltonBest]

(Apologies and do delete if this isn't worthy of a separate thread)

Statement - It's refreshing to see us finally working on several transfers at once (both in and out, too). And becoming wiser in the transfer market will be a huge step in making United a force again.

Question - What has been the logic in recent years of just working on one transfer at a time? These weren't stupid people doing it, football novices maybe, but I cannot see any logic in it whatsoever from any point of view. Except maybe that it was easier for them personally to only focus on one thing at a time. But they'd have surely known it would hold the club back?

 

[Annihilate Now!]

(Apologies and do delete if this isn't worthy of a separate thread)

Statement - It's refreshing to see us finally working on several transfers at once (both in and out, too). And becoming wiser in the transfer market will be a huge step in making United a force again.

Question - What has been the logic in recent years of just working on one transfer at a time? These weren't stupid people doing it, football novices maybe, but I cannot see any logic in it whatsoever from any point of view. Except maybe that it was easier for them personally to only focus on one thing at a time. But they'd have surely known it would hold the club back?

Not too sure about that to be honest.

 

[SirAF]

What a time to be alive

 

[Solius]

(Apologies and do delete if this isn't worthy of a separate thread)

Statement - It's refreshing to see us finally working on several transfers at once (both in and out, too). And becoming wiser in the transfer market will be a huge step in making United a force again.

Question - What has been the logic in recent years of just working on one transfer at a time? These weren't stupid people doing it, football novices maybe, but I cannot see any logic in it whatsoever from any point of view. Except maybe that it was easier for them personally to only focus on one thing at a time. But they'd have surely known it would hold the club back?

Possibly lack of manpower/connections? That or they felt they wanted to do it that way to avoid spreading themselves thin. Seemed like they wanted to be totally sure what they were spending on one player before going for the next.

 

[deef]

(Apologies and do delete if this isn't worthy of a separate thread)

Statement - It's refreshing to see us finally working on several transfers at once (both in and out, too). And becoming wiser in the transfer market will be a huge step in making United a force again.

Question - What has been the logic in recent years of just working on one transfer at a time? These weren't stupid people doing it, football novices maybe, but I cannot see any logic in it whatsoever from any point of view. Except maybe that it was easier for them personally to only focus on one thing at a time. But they'd have surely known it would hold the club back?

One can only speculate, but being new to the job (most of them) probably didn't help. Also, some people have problems delegating tasks, which almost always results in delays in decision-making, especially if they are inexperienced (don't know if it is the case here).

It's nice to see some progress in this area

 

[Ish]

What a time to be alive

 

[Tincanalley]

The other side of that coin is too many cooks, two wall builders working from opposite sides of a field. There is an aspect of 4 dimensional chess about all this… new team, polyphony, and spending limits. I’m waiting for the spreadsheet prediction that shows how we can afford Zirkzee, Kadioglu, De Ligt, Branthwaite and Ugarte…

 

[LawCharltonBest]

Not too sure about that to be honest.

Well what I mean is, they were still people with some history of football transfer negotiations and negotiations in other sectors. It's not as if some billionaire's egotistical kid bought the club and decided he was going to do everything himself despite never working a day in his life. The people there should have still known the implications for operating as they were

Possibly lack of manpower/connections? That or they felt they wanted to do it that way to avoid spreading themselves thin. Seemed like they wanted to be totally sure what they were spending on one player before going for the next.

That's a good way of putting it. Would like to think they knew it wasn't the best way to operate in the transfer market though. It was either Andy Mitten or someone else from The Athletic who explained a couple of years ago the players we missed out on by operating that way and it's extremely frustrating. The next time these level of players come up, thinking that we will be more proactive in signing them gives me hope.

 

[Martial]

It was reported that Joel Glazer wanted to sign off and agree to every part of the transfer negotiation before it could continue, and it took a while to get his response due to the time difference and his other priorities.

 

[deef]

The other side of that coin is too many cooks, two wall builders working from opposite sides of a field. There is an aspect of 4 dimensional chess about all this… new team, polyphony, and spending limits. I’m waiting for the spreadsheet prediction that shows how we can afford Zirkzee, Kadioglu, De Ligt, Branthwaite and Ugarte…

Do a Chelsea ... somehow its seems to work

 

[Adnan]

It was reported that Joel Glazer wanted to sign off and agree to every part of the transfer negotiation before it could continue, and it took a while to get his response due to the time difference and his other priorities.

Pretty much.

It was reported numerous times about how things were slow due to how the process had to go through the board of directors before requiring sign off from all 6 Glazer siblings. We still haven't signed anyone yet, but the hope is that with Ratcliffe in charge of the football side it provide the football personnel at the club the resources to move quickly and efficiently on transfer targets.

 

[Rozay]

(Apologies and do delete if this isn't worthy of a separate thread)

Statement - It's refreshing to see us finally working on several transfers at once (both in and out, too). And becoming wiser in the transfer market will be a huge step in making United a force again.

Question - What has been the logic in recent years of just working on one transfer at a time? These weren't stupid people doing it, football novices maybe, but I cannot see any logic in it whatsoever from any point of view. Except maybe that it was easier for them personally to only focus on one thing at a time. But they'd have surely known it would hold the club back?

To answer the question at the end, it is simply not true and one of many internet fables fans have created to anger themselves about.

 

[LawCharltonBest]

To answer the question at the end, it is simply not true and one of many internet fables fans have created to anger themselves about.

It was reported a while back by the Athletic and the like that the club would only work on one transfer at a time. Or negotiate with 2-3 players in one position, knowing they'd only sign 1. So one position at a time if you prefer.

+ @Insanity

 

[Insanity]

(Apologies and do delete if this isn't worthy of a separate thread)

Statement - It's refreshing to see us finally working on several transfers at once (both in and out, too). And becoming wiser in the transfer market will be a huge step in making United a force again.

Question - What has been the logic in recent years of just working on one transfer at a time? These weren't stupid people doing it, football novices maybe, but I cannot see any logic in it whatsoever from any point of view. Except maybe that it was easier for them personally to only focus on one thing at a time. But they'd have surely known it would hold the club back?

We never worked on multiple transfers before the in the last XI years? Doesn't sound right to me. I clearly remember a summer, the Falcao summer, when dingbats here labelled Woody as Superman.

Then there was a summer when the positivity gurus told that we have signed the best player from each of France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

People have short memories.

 

[Rozay]

We never worked on multiple transfers before the in the last XI years? Doesn't sound right to me. I clearly remember a summer, the Falcao summer, when dingbats here labelled Woody as Superman.

Then there was a summer when the positivity gurus told that we have signed the best player from each of France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

People have short memories.

We signed Schweinsteiger and Schneiderlein in one day for heaven’s sake. Interneters will always moan.

Of course there will be budgetary considerations, and naturally, teams (and that is ‘teams’, not ‘Manchester United’) would need to manage their budget against their targets, meaning that they may wish to prioritise their outlay in certain areas/players. This is of course perfectly logical and normal.

We worked on Morata and Lukaku deals at the same time. For all the players we do sign, there are always reports of talks having taken place with several others that we don’t, at the same time. Pogba’s signing took months to complete, with him only signing on the day of the community shield. In all the time talks were ongoing, we had managed to sign Zlatan, Mkhitaryian and I think Bailly, unless I’m getting my summers mixed up with him, if so then it would have been Lindelof I imagine.

 

[McFred]

Is there nothing to be said for a Murtough madness?

 

[Pughnichi]

It’s crazy really. A previous transfer of player X just wouldn’t take up all hours of the day. There would be delays from all parties with considerations of wages, fee, instalments etc

Surely in the down time from one deal they should have been working on an other. But it seems that one deal was enough

it’s refreshing to even hear all the transfer plans…even if 50% is hearsay. Sure this will be a very active window both incoming and outgoing.

 

[Mainoonited]

The other side of that coin is too many cooks, two wall builders working from opposite sides of a field. There is an aspect of 4 dimensional chess about all this… new team, polyphony, and spending limits. I’m waiting for the spreadsheet prediction that shows how we can afford Zirkzee, Kadioglu, De Ligt, Branthwaite and Ugarte…

and Toney, we need to get Toney too.

 

[Lash]

Possibly lack of manpower/connections? That or they felt they wanted to do it that way to avoid spreading themselves thin. Seemed like they wanted to be totally sure what they were spending on one player before going for the next.

This is what a lot of people hinted at in articles. We just didn't have the phonebook across Europe and a reason Murtogh did his European tour not that long ago. With Berrada, Ashworth and Blanc (INEOS guys in general), we've expanded that massively and probably multiple people can initiate these conversations and get the whispers of availability much earlier.

 

[Adnan]

We signed Schweinsteiger and Schneiderlein in one day for heaven’s sake. Interneters will always moan.

Of course there will be budgetary considerations, and naturally, teams (and that is ‘teams’, not ‘Manchester United’) would need to manage their budget against their targets, meaning that they may wish to prioritise their outlay in certain areas/players. This is of course perfectly logical and normal.

We worked on Morata and Lukaku deals at the same time. For all the players we do sign, there are always reports of talks having taken place with several others that we don’t, at the same time. Pogba’s signing took months to complete, with him only signing on the day of the community shield. In all the time talks were ongoing, we had managed to sign Zlatan, Mkhitaryian and I think Bailly, unless I’m getting my summers mixed up with him, if so then it would have been Lindelof I imagine.

Agreed.

I think the paranoia comes from from the media. And right now the date is July 9th, and we haven't signed a single player yet. Like I've said before, it's not about how quickly you sign players but rather who you sign before the window. closes imo.

 

[DavelinaJolie]

There's a lot out there at the moment but I'm taking it with a pinch of salt because it's not like we're not usually at the centre of a billion transfer rumours.

Outgoings are going to be pretty important too, and it's good to see progress is being made with Donny and Greenwood on their way out.

 

[AltiUn]

I think the Glazers are as wank as the next person but we definitely worked on multiple deals at a time, it may just not have felt like it due to how ponderously slow every deal was.

 

[Insanity]

We signed Schweinsteiger and Schneiderlein in one day for heaven’s sake. Interneters will always moan.

Of course there will be budgetary considerations, and naturally, teams (and that is ‘teams’, not ‘Manchester United’) would need to manage their budget against their targets, meaning that they may wish to prioritise their outlay in certain areas/players. This is of course perfectly logical and normal.

We worked on Morata and Lukaku deals at the same time. For all the players we do sign, there are always reports of talks having taken place with several others that we don’t, at the same time. Pogba’s signing took months to complete, with him only signing on the day of the community shield. In all the time talks were ongoing, we had managed to sign Zlatan, Mkhitaryian and I think Bailly, unless I’m getting my summers mixed up with him, if so then it would have been Lindelof I imagine.

You are right on the Schweinderlin one. I recall that summer too now.

And yes, it was Bailly that we signed. That was the summer we got Zlatan, Mkhi, Bailly & Pogba. In the next one we got Lukaku, Lindelof and Matic.

We got Shaw, Di Maria, Herrera, Falcao, Blind, Rojo and Valdes a couple of summers before that under VG.

The last two summer we dropped upwards of 400m combined.

Our issue these last XI years has been the fees and wages we paid for the players we got rather than not having big summers. We have been spending money and getting a lot of numbers in. The proof is always in the pudding in how the players bought adjust to team and catapults it's level. That's where we have been failing

 

[Rozay]

Agreed.

I think the paranoia comes from from the media. And right now the date is July 9th, and we haven't signed a single player yet. Like I've said before, it's not about how quickly you sign players but rather who you sign before the window. closes imo.

Indeed, this is another thing I’ve challenged on here many times. When a window opens, what is clear is the closing date of the window, and that deals need to be done within that timeframe. We seem to have a habit of imposing or demanding our own deadlines within that and then accusing the club or incompetence.

Judging by comments over the years, a good portion of posters would probably close the window already now. Not sure why you need 3 whole months when ‘any competent club should have signings ready by 1st July’ which I’ve read. There is a lot of nuance to the window. Opportunities arise later in the window. Clubs are waiting to see if others fold and lower fees as the window draws to a close. A club should use the full extent of the window to their advantage, rather than be directed by fan or media pressure to have all deals done in time for pre-season.

Desire Doue, I suspect, could have a market later in the window. I think all the big clubs have looked at him, but don’t have him as a priority transfer and want to do primary deals. It could take a few sales to being the likes of us, Bayern or Arsenal to that table for example. I suspect all three clubs wouldn’t mind him staying put for another year, but movement from one club may bring the others forward, similarly to us with Rooney following a Newcastle move. Real Madrid have made offers for Kylian Mbappé on or close to deadline day on two occasions for a reason in recent years. Not all business is obligated to be done quickly. It’s a game of bluff between many clubs too.

Who knows what Ivan Toney’s price would be on 29th August, for example, after Brentford realise nobody flew out of the blocks with a 60m offer and get real or face losing for nothing?

 

[Vault Dweller]

What a time to be alive

We muppets are FEASTING, bro

 

[Theo88]

1 fax machine.

Is this really true? i get that we had this impression but when we landed casemiro it felt like we were working on at least 2 transfers at the same time. might be remembering this wrong from my end .

 

[Igor Drefljak]

I hope we don’t get to confused and start sending the wrong fees to clubs!

 

[Adnan]

Indeed, this is another thing I’ve challenged on here many times. When a window opens, what is clear is the closing date of the window, and that deals need to be done within that timeframe. We seem to have a habit of imposing or demanding our own deadlines within that and then accusing the club or incompetence.

Judging by comments over the years, a good portion of posters would probably close the window already now. Not sure why you need 3 whole months when ‘any competent club should have signings ready by 1st July’ which I’ve read. There is a lot of nuance to the window. Opportunities arise later in the window. Clubs are waiting to see if others fold and lower fees as the window draws to a close. A club should use the full extent of the window to their advantage, rather than be directed by fan or media pressure to have all deals done in time for pre-season.

Desire Doue, I suspect, could have a market later in the window. I think all the big clubs have looked at him, but don’t have him as a priority transfer and want to do primary deals. It could take a few sales to being the likes of us, Bayern or Arsenal to that table for example. I suspect all three clubs wouldn’t mind him staying put for another year, but movement from one club may bring the others forward, similarly to us with Rooney following a Newcastle move. Real Madrid have made offers for Kylian Mbappé on or close to deadline day on two occasions for a reason in recent years. Not all business is obligated to be done quickly. It’s a game of bluff between many clubs too.

Who knows what Ivan Toney’s price would be on 29th August, for example, after Brentford realise nobody flew out of the blocks with a 60m offer and get real or face losing for nothing?

Completely agree.

 

[Tincanalley]

It’s a myth but it’s a comforting myth, like myths are supposed to be

 

[BeforeKeanetherewasRobson]

(Apologies and do delete if this isn't worthy of a separate thread)

Statement - It's refreshing to see us finally working on several transfers at once (both in and out, too). And becoming wiser in the transfer market will be a huge step in making United a force again.

Question - What has been the logic in recent years of just working on one transfer at a time? These weren't stupid people doing it, football novices maybe, but I cannot see any logic in it whatsoever from any point of view. Except maybe that it was easier for them personally to only focus on one thing at a time. But they'd have surely known it would hold the club back?

Previous negotiators and owners driving were morons (at football tfr dealings).

Ratcliffe (from a business sense) and Berrada/Ashworth (from a business and football sense) aren’t.

Having experienced, designated people makes all the difference. They’ll have sat down and worked out targets, priorities and budgets depending on no sales, x sales, y sales…. like a proper business does.

 

[Fox outside the box]

(Apologies and do delete if this isn't worthy of a separate thread)

Statement - It's refreshing to see us finally working on several transfers at once (both in and out, too). And becoming wiser in the transfer market will be a huge step in making United a force again.

Question - What has been the logic in recent years of just working on one transfer at a time? These weren't stupid people doing it, football novices maybe, but I cannot see any logic in it whatsoever from any point of view. Except maybe that it was easier for them personally to only focus on one thing at a time. But they'd have surely known it would hold the club back?

Difficult one to answer and on here you'll likely only get the least charitable take on it that's possible.

It's very easy to simply assume they are complete morons but I doubt it's as straight forward as that. Ok the absence of actual information though it's just the easiest thing for your average layman to run with.

Doesn't help that a lot of this is done with the benefit of hindsight and things that seemed like a good idea hit didn't pan out are not flipped into straight up terrible ideas.

I remember a lot of the chatter and narratives around transfers etc and people seem to want to pretend that we shouldn't have signed certain players or made certain decisions but generally this is said with the benefit of hindsight and actually, they were happy with buying those players at the time.

I heard Howson3bempanong the Ronaldo, Sancho and Varane signings that summer. Asking who on earth sanctioned that etc

Seek to recall a vast majority of people felt they were gold signing. It's easy now to sort back and say Sancho was a bad boy and they were clueless for doing it but at the time, were they really? I felt it was a great signing and made a lot of sense. Varane was a slight risk but a winner who would help lift the squad, same with Ronaldo.

 

[SirAF]

We muppets are FEASTING, bro

Edit: I hate that the "drool" is gone...

 

[Vault Dweller]

Edit: I hate that the "drool" is gone...

Me too

 

[Lyng]

It's wonderful to see. As much as I am extremely critical of Ineos handling of the womens team, I am very impressed with the way they are going about building structure and changing the way we do business.
It seems much more sustainable and with a clear with a clear view for the long term.

 

[Ish]

Edit: I hate that the "drool" is gone...

Yeah, gotta agree there, sadly

 

[Scottynaldinho]

Not only ins and outs of the players but we've also made drastic changes to the top management in the same time. The fax machine must be overwhelmed.

 

[golden_blunder]

It’s all noise until we start closing deals

 

[Scandi Red]

We a feckboy now.

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

It’s all noise until we start closing deals

Not really. Pretty public that we've been bidding for players and agreeing terms etc. with individuals. Quite different from taking weeks on end to "prepare" a bid each time.

 

[tenpoless]

Its crazy how one person can multitask if they want, let alone an organization with hundreds of employees in it. A groundbreaking method that. Its what Steve Jobs used to do when he was building Microsoft, thats why they now have the largest search engine in the world.