04 Sep 2013 03:53:39
Ed044, I missed your ( or another Ed's ) reply about why we weren't able to bring Herrera in and I've used the notorious search button but didn't find it ( the reply, not the button )

According to Bleacher Report, we seemed to think the buy out clause was too high while the player was interested in the move and was willing to take a pay cut. Then comes the 3 imposters who are supposed to be lawyers working in a firm which has handled some of the selling club's business. Apparently they arrived in Athletic's offices pretending to be sent by manchester united. The law firm that employed them has yet to release a statement over the details which are expected to be made public soon.

But it doesn't seem too reliable and some inside information would be much apprecitated {Ed044's Note - This is from another Editor but I would trust it to be correct: Putting aside all of this flak and interference related to any "imposters" at the Spanish FA, the efforts made by Manchester United to purchase Ander Herrera were over before Ballague implied that these "imposters" extirpated the transaction. The simple truth is that once the price being asked and the costs to be eventually paid were clear to the club, they could see it was well beyond the value the club placed on the player. At that point the club stepped back. So it was the cost and not the distraction of any "imposters" that scuppered the deal.}

1.) 04 Sep 2013
Mick, it's a simple case of MU not valuing the player at £30.5m, so not paying it. Athletic did not want to negotiate at all. It was £30.5m or nothing. It's like Chelsea not agreeing to pay Cavani's asking price or City not agreeing to pay Hazard's asking price. The only difference is we really needed a central midfielder of his caliber. I think we should have paid the amount, but on another note would him being MU's biggest ever signing put him under too much pressure at the club? No excuse, but it may have done.

2.) 04 Sep 2013
I get what you're saying Sydney! I'm sure United will now monitor him from now till Jan, and potentially come back in for him. It was all a bit quick and maybe that's why they didn't pay the clause because they felt they hadn't scouted him enough etc. however with a bit more time, maybe they will then feel he is worth the buy out clause. I was a bit gutted we missed out on him, but hopefully we go and get him in Jan.

3.) 04 Sep 2013
I see Herrera has said United never once said they would meet the buy out clause the 3 "Imposters" were 3 Spanish sport lawyers that do this type of thing for a living, they were sent by United with no mandate to meet the buy out only haggle some more.

So in conclusion "The Equaliser" is an clown

4.) 04 Sep 2013
@Sydney,
Do you think next season could be quite a clear out at MU? Its a good bet that Evra, Rio and Giggs won't be playing for MUFC next season. And if there is no improvement from Nani, Valencia, Young, Ando, Lindegaard and Cleaverly I think 3-4 out of those could be on the move. So we are possibly looking at 6-7 departures from our first team squad next season.

5.) 04 Sep 2013
Elvis, MU value him at €30m, Bilbao wanted the full €36m and would not enter negotiations. MU will not pay €36m in January if they didn't pay it this summer. Unless Bilbao lower the price he will stay a Bilbao player. Bilbao will not lower the price and MU will not pay it. I see this being the end of Herrera to MU.

6.) 04 Sep 2013
PR, there was no serious interest in our players this summer. There were a handful of players that were for sale this summer or shall we say available at a price, but no interest. I think MU value them too highly personally. I do not see Cleverley leaving MU anytime soon. We have a shortage of midfielders and he is a very good squad player.

7.) 04 Sep 2013
What people.are saying is true we don't want to pay.what they asking, but reading between lines in what his personal statement said he never once said he dint not want to move and said that was flattered tha one of biggest clibs in world should want him I see it as he might want the move but not want to rock the boat, so only way I can see us.getting him.is if.he hands in a transfer in jan help push a deal thought, much like the wig did with ecerton

8.) 04 Sep 2013
Sometimes I think everyone is so set against Cleverley, and it drives me nuts reading sooo many people saying he's not good enough, glad to see I'm not the only one who sees his value as a squad member.

He defends reasonably, and is pretty good at keeping possesion and controling the tempo of the game. What he doesn't do all that well is open up tough defences, which is unfortunately what we need, as mone of our central midfielders do.

As for Herrera, I really hope we do go back for him, as I don't understand not paying about £30m for the exact kind of player we need,, then paying only a few million less for a player who doesn't offer the penetration and flair we need.

Unfortunately,, I suspect Barca may resume their interest and we've missed our chance.

9.) 05 Sep 2013
Thanks Ed, I do hope we go for him in January. If we need a player, we should be in for him. 36 million is not absurd for a young potentially world class midfielder that Barca viewed as good enough to replace Fabregas