There would be a chance of it happening if Utd get into the Champions League - not a hope in hell if they dont.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Transfer Speculation
- Thread starter Classical Mechanic
- Start date
There would be a chance of it happening if Utd get into the Champions League - not a hope in hell if they dont.
We have 2 news on this page. One saying he's of to LA, the other that he's renewing. But everybody believes the 1st one 
Didn't stop Pogba from coming to United.
There are certainly some biases but it's not solely down to that. The thing about Ibra's signing was that we all knew that at 34 he was likely to be a stopgap solution. If he doesn't leave this summer, he'll go in the next. That's why the 1-year contract and why any extension is likely to be of the exact same duration.
So some people just want to bring that time forward and bring in a striker who (if he's a success) will be here for 5-6 years or more. So that we can start to build the team with his presence in mind. Also, the sooner he comes, the sooner he and his teammates will adapt to each other and the sooner we start to reap the benefits of a settled attack.
I don't think it's that illogical?
Just because one player comes doesn't mean they are all tripping up to come though does it? Pogba if you believe him said this was his home and he had unfinished business here. Griezmann has no ties here. Of course the wages we would have to offer him is a big help but not a guarantee like some on here think
I think we have enough positions to improve this summer as it is. Having to spend probably £50-60m on a Belotti, Lukkaku or Icardi will probably impact the other business we can do, would be better if we could delay buying a striker for a year
Yeah but Greizman is in the prime of his career and unlike Pogba can't afford to wait a year or two to see progress.
I have a good feeling about it.
It's not missing out on Europe that will stop big players coming. It's that it's going to look like that's just normal for us now, even when we spend fortunes....
Don't agree, personally. The only thing that perhaps can be seen as higher priority is a DM/CM to replace Carrick. Because we can't go on with only 2 CMs (Herrera, Pogba) of starting XI quality, since the recent departures in that area. Besides that, there's nothing more important than sorting out our attack, as it's been our one problematic area. And I'm sure we can sign 2 starting XI players (a CM/DM and a Striker) in the same summer.
Regardless of whether Shaw stays or goes, we can go on with Blind, Young & Darmian at LB for another season. Not ideal, but far from a disaster. We have 4 CBs all of which are 27 or younger and the defence has held up alright so far this season, so that's not urgent either.
A new main striker will potentially redefine the long-term positions (and importance) of Martial, Rashford, Mkhi & Mata. Which might be to their benefit too. The sooner the attacking unit of the team gels the better us.
The CL has never had anything to do with it. If we pay the big money, they will come.
Depends on the player surely?
It's not like the defense and the attack are just two pieces of a team that do not affect one another. We do have serious lack of quality in defense despite our relatively good form and I think most would agree with that. Not least in terms of leadership. It's not as if we are restricted to signing just 2 players this summer.
Do people think that Rooney leaving, Bastian leaving, Depay leaving and Schneiderlin (plus whoever else will leave) won't mean Jose will get to work proper in the summer? We need quite a few players and we need to address the mentality in the team, finding players who are more hungry and have more belief, besides talent.
Back on topic: If Zlatan is off, I'd suspect it's more that we've identified a striker that we can't afford to wait for for a year, as then he'll be gone.
If Zlatan stays (which is looking increasingly more likely) then I do not think a new main striker will be a priority for you this window - what you need is more creativity in attacking areas and other players - aside from the striker - to score more goals. It's the likes of Martial who are the problem by underperforming. You need 2 or 3 players (outside of your main striker) in your side who can score 10-15 league goals minimum per season imo. You just do not have that right now - although I think Rashford/Martial have the potential to do it.
It hasn't so much in the past. When we are willing to pay the fee and wages, we generally get the player since we pay more than the others. When you add in the fact that we're a massive club with a long history where most players grew up watching us rake in the trophies, its more so an aberration than the norm that we lose anyone because of the CL.
Has anyone considered that if Zlatan goes, Rooney may think he'll get enough games to stay... if that were to happen, we wouldn't really be saving any money.
If he goes, he goes with my thanks. Can't understand why anyone would think he hasn't been wonderful for our club, and without him, we wouldn't be competing to be in the Champions League.
Some people seem to think that we are a cork, waiting to float to the surface, except we're being held down by some kind of weight. So they try to figure out what the impedance is, rather than seeing that gravity will pull you down if you don't constantly propel yourself towards the top.
Honestly, if Ibrahimovic leaves Manchester United for LA, it's because he thinks his body is telling him something he doesn't want us to know.
If he goes, he goes with my thanks. Can't understand why anyone would think he hasn't been wonderful for our club, and without him, we wouldn't be competing to be in the Champions League.
Some people seem to think that we are a cork, waiting to float to the surface, except we're being held down by some kind of weight. So they try to figure out what the impedance is, rather than seeing that gravity will pull you down if you don't constantly propel yourself towards the top.
Honestly, if Ibrahimovic leaves Manchester United for LA, it's because he thinks his body is telling him something he doesn't want us to know.
I think Alexis Sanchez chose Arsenal over us mainly for UCL football, but he's the only one in the recent past I can remember rejecting us due to no UCL.
I just don't see how we will compete next season if all we do is replace Zlatan with another striker and buy another CM. Just replacing a striker who will probably end the season on 30+ goals isn't really going to help us score more
We need to sign players who will take some of the burden off the striker, like Griezmann for example
Don't think Blind, Young or Darmian are good enough for LB next season
And in the case of some, it may just also come down to location and geography.
According to Gerrard in his autobiography, Arsenal were Liverpool's only competitor for Sanchez and his girlfriend wanted to live in London (he was texting Sanchez trying to get him to come to Liverpool instead)
Rooney is off whether Zlatan stays or goes imo. If both leave, then that's about 480k/wk off the weekly wage books. When you factor in Bastian/Memphis/Morgan and the possible departures of De Gea, Carrick, and Young, that's all things said well over £1m/week in wages off the books and would allow us to massive rebuild the squad with a new group of players Jose wants to buy.
I think it's more the misconception with some fans that the above striker you describe could be found. There aren't a lot of players who can do what he does and, those that I think could slot in like Kane, Costa, Lewandowski (FYI not saying these guys are the same level but I think would be good choices) would rather stay where they are.
Looking at potential acquisitions the only one I think is realistic, although am unsure if Mou likes him, is Lukaku who will be so overpriced.
If he decides to go into semi retirement and live in sunny LA at his age then so be it. He's answered all his critics, he's come here at 35, he said he would deliver and he has. The guy is a footballing legend and it has been an honour to have him, even if it is for just one year.
If that's true, then surely we would be in the running to sign him from Arsenal this summer? He seems a tailor made Mourinho type winger.
Is that not a worry though? How often do you see such sweeping changes to a squad in one window be a success? It's a massive gamble to do it and is no guarantee of success. You would be better of making the changes gradually over 2/3 seasons rather than one massive window.
They would obviously be replaced. It may seem daunting to think all of them are leaving but far less so when you find out Ibra and Rooney may be getting replaced by the likes of Griezmann, Mbappe, Belotti etc. De Gea by Oblak, and we are also going after the likes of Kroos, Fabinho et al. At that point, worry turns into excitement.
I get the excitement however a word of warning. I remember us buying a ton of players after the Bale sale and it was incredibly exciting but in the cold light of day only one or two of those signings actually worked out.
I think the worry is that to make such incremental changes will produce incremental progression. I think Jose can assemble more or less his own squad and get it gelling sooner rather than later. It's not like 20 out 20 in. It's closer to adding 5-6 players and shipping out the same.
Yes, we would obviously have to buy players who will work out. I doubt Griezmann, Belotti, and their ilk would not work out for us.
That's over 10 players in the first team squad moving on our coming in though. That would massively change the club. Not saying it can't work but it is a gamble.
Every transfer is a gamble and to do many at once just makes it an even bigger gamble.
Four of the players (Schweinsteiger, Rooney, Schneiderlin, and Memphis) rarely played so they can't really be counted. Ashley Young and Carrick are now reduced to bit part players, so they can't really either imo.
But that's the whole point, isn't it? Even if he stays next year, he's gone the year after. You will have to change you main striker (#9) whether it's this summer or the next. That's not up for debate. So I don't see any advantage whatsoever in putting it off, personally.
The point is that a new #9 might be inferior to Zlatan (or not) but his arrival will undoubtedly have an effect on our other forwards whether positive or negative. They will work together as an attacking unit after all. If it's a positive effect (or they simply improve individually) and Martial/Mkhi/Mata/Rashford have good seasons next year, then that puts the signing of another Support Striker or inverted winger into context. What would be the point of signing Griezmann for £85m if the aforementioned 4 all chip in with 10 or so goals each as is expected of them?
My point is that these 4 are going to be here longer than Ibra. So might as well change Ibra first and then build around the new guy. If Martial or Mkhi still don't perform next season, then go on and get a Griezmann as support striker or #10 or whatever. Getting him now seems like doing things backwards for me.
NOTE: Remember, this sub-discussion started by me saying why I'd be happy to see Ibra go. Which is simply because, however good he's been for us, he's still only a very temporary solution due to both age and his character (likes to be main man, doesn't stick around too long). I'm happy that we signed him, he's been great, but we have plan the future without him and the sooner the better.
Chelsea 2004 and Inter 2009 had massive changes in one window. Both with Mourinho so he should be used to it
At Inter I think he bought like half of the treble winning team in one window. Milito, Eto'o, Pandev (January), Sneijder, Motta and Lucio
There is value to Ibra staying - a lot of goals, leadership, experience etc, as well as the ability to not have to buy two strikers (Griezmann only) and then reapportion the rest of our transfer money to a top midfielder, winger, and left back.
Then in the summer 2018 window, we go after a Belotti, Mbappe or similar. Being forced to go after two strikers in one summer would just erode our ability to get the necessary quality at the other positions and would probably also push Martial and Rashford out the door.
Then in the summer 2018 window, we go after a Belotti, Mbappe or similar. Being forced to go after two strikers in one summer would just erode our ability to get the necessary quality at the other positions and would probably also push Martial and Rashford out the door.
We shall see. In any case I wouldn't say there's no chance in hell of him joining like @balaks said.
Also he has ties, his brother is an United fan.
But the reason we are talking about Griezmann is because Martial, Rashford & Mkhi have not contributed enough (Mata's been good). If they had banged in 10 goals each, like they did last year for their respective clubs, we would not be talking about Griezmann even tho he is the better player arguably.
We would however still be talking about Ibra's replacement because he is 35.
To give the Martial/Mkhi/Mata triplet another chance next season behind a new #9 is not such a crazy idea surely? They might as a unit or individually improve enough that we don't need Griezmann.
I view Griezmann as a Rooney replacement. He is capable of contributing more goals in one season than Rooney has over the past two years, which will mitigate any lack of contribution by the likes of Martial or Rashford. He will also make the attack in the final third flow more seamlessly which will actually help others contribute more goals.
But Rooney doesn't even play at the moment. He is 5th in the list of forwards in terms of minutes played, the list goes like so...
Ibra,
Mata,
Rashford,
Martial,
Rooney,
Mkhi,
I would argue that the emergence of Rashford and the signings of Mkhi and Martial have actually replaced Rooney in terms of the positions he plays in. Though admittedly not adequately enough when compared to Rooney's "at-peak" goal scoring contribution to the team. So in fact what you are advocating is to replace one of our existing forwards because they have not contributed enough.
Now, I agree that they have not contributed enough. But in my personal opinion there's grounds to give them a chance one more year. Martial and Rashford are young and suffering 2nd season syndrome, Mkhi's new to the league and was out of the team for a long period anyway. All of those have shown us in glimpses that they could do it. If it's the same story next year with the forwards, then bring in Griezmann or another forward by all means.
Like I said, if Martial/Mata/Mkhi bang in 10+ goals each next season, then there won't be a need for a new support striker. I do acknowledge that Ibra has been our best striker and that I'm advocating for changing our best attacker while keeping the ones that have underperformed. But like I said, we will have to change Ibra anyway if not this year then the next, but if our other forwards step up then they might not need to be replaced at all.
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@Raoul and @Attila - seconded.
If any manager can go through such a big transition it is Mourinho. It may be a gamble, but so is not making a clear shift. I'd argue that Zlatan is needed more for his mentality than anything else. Trouble is when Jose identifies a striker he wants and if that striker will be going this summer we have a tricky situation so he may need to pounce. Also, even though we might be competing in the CL (at least Europa) next season, Jose isn't likely to have a huge squad. He likes to have a squad of what, 23 players max (which includes one or two youths and 3 goalies). We'll probably get rid of more players than we bring in, but those we bring in will likely be starting 11 material.