29 Dec 2016 05:30:39
With the Ed mentioning that a replacement for Carrick is a priority for the summer who do you think united should be looking at? The likes of Modric, kroos and busquets coming to OT are pretty slim, so was wondering who would be a realistic option. Or do u think mourinho will resort to a proper DM - the likes of khedira, matic and makelele . could this be why we are looking at bakoyoko from Monaco?
Also, if wilshere can remain injury free do you think he can be moulded into a carrick type player? He is not as two footed but has the touch, awareness and range of passing.
29 Dec 2016 07:14:10
I use to like Wilshere but I think he has lost his way. Injuries aside I'm not sure his head is in a great place.
29 Dec 2016 07:25:42
Verratti.
29 Dec 2016 08:38:15
From our current crop, maybe blind. As a potential transfer, I would want a long term replacement and not a quick fix. Other than the obvious options usually mentioned;
Manuel Locatelli (personal favorite)
Julian Weigl (although with the Bastian treatment, may make him reluctant)
Ruben Neves (Should grow into a top player)
Leon Goretzka.
29 Dec 2016 09:15:35
Mbd, l think we would need someone who can fit straight into the starting 11 with carrick being phased out next year. I like weigl but haven't seen much of the others to be honest as I don't follow a lot of European football.
Verratti is a good shout but I think he may be bound elsewhere.
29 Dec 2016 09:22:08
Javi Martinez.
29 Dec 2016 09:30:02
Pjanic, Ruben Neves, Wilshere, Drinkwater or Rakitic.
We do already have Basti!
29 Dec 2016 09:47:17
The Carrick replacement is a key one, actually it's the Keane replacement as well, a position we needed to address for a long time.
I don't know why people mention Modric, he is 31.
My initial thoughts were towards Veratti, however I recall watching a German game about 12 months ago and being impressed with a young upright tall lad called Weigl. Now I understand he is under contract at Dortmund until 2021 yet City and Barcelona are supposedly interested. One to watch.
Javi Martinez is a good call, always liked him but I think he is now 28 and wonder what impact that knee injury had on him?
Fosu Mensah has potential in that position for me but needs to take the step up and show what he has. He is at the age when he needs to have the right attitude mentally so I wouldn't discount him just yet but if he or his youth comrades isn't right in training then it will cost us a few quid to buy the right one. I would explore the Weigl position.
29 Dec 2016 09:53:04
Maybe he's already there. Sean Goss, He's 21 now so must be looking to push on. Similar to Carrick, good range of passing. Expect Carrick to extend for another year so phase him in.
29 Dec 2016 10:02:38
Junction
I heard good reports of Goss, I think he had a year out injured which put him back but it's a big step to the first team mentally as well as physically and many who have shown great promise don't make it. I hope he or TFM makes it.
29 Dec 2016 10:52:57
The Carrick replacement is an interesting one. I think the type of player we go for will depend on how Jose intends to have us play.
Carrick was Keanes replacement and yet they are very different players.
Pogba is our best midfielder and the player with the most potential in our midfield. Herrera has been great so far this season.
If we are to continue with a three man midfield with these two then we will need a deep lying playmaker type player over a destroyer type player. Both Herrera and Pogba need freedom, they are No.8's box to box midfielders who will help out defensively and offensively. Therefore what they need is a positionally sound midfielder who can anchor the midfield who has vision and passing ability. Blind could do this job, other options could be Wiegl or Geis.
If Mourinho wants to play with a true No.10 in something closer to 4231 type of set up. Then we will need someone far more defensive to balance out the cover lost by deploying a true No.10. Someone who can cover a lot of ground, put in plenty of tackles and interceptions. The issue playing this way restricts Pogba by either restricting his freedom to get forward by playing him as one of the deeper two midfielders or by forcing him too far forward taking away his ability to run from midfield with the ball. So personally I wouldn't want to try and sign this kind of player. Out of our current crop the player best suited to this kind of roles is TFM. Other options from outside of the club could be William Carvalho or Bakoyoko. But considering TFM is young and has huge potential for the times we need this kind of player is makes more sense to use him rather than buy someone who is just going to be forcing other players into positions that won't get the best out of them.
So for me one of Wiegl or Geis look like the best options out there atm.
29 Dec 2016 11:03:27
i don't think someone young can be a good option in that position as playing in that position requires a lot of experience. That is why, even though i am a big fan of Herrera, i believe we did not do so well with him in that position.
Weigl may be an exception as he has been doing very well in that role for the last 12 months. Drinkwater is an interesting one and one I think mourinho will be ale to get the best from regularly. He is not completely like carrick nor is he a full DM, so could fit in well.
29 Dec 2016 11:55:41
Ideally verrati, but not going to happen. Javier martinez would be good and if not get Fosu Mensah in there for game time if he gets the opportunity though.
29 Dec 2016 12:58:02
I hope after next year that it's TFM. He has just agreed a new long term deal and I hope that was with the idea of playing him in his best position.
We can of course pay big and go for another replacement. I just really hope that we promote from within and go with TFM. He seems to have all the credentials needed for that position. Here's hoping that next year he can make that step up.
29 Dec 2016 14:00:01
The issue with replacing Carrick with TFM is that to replace him, they need to have similar attributes to be successful in that position (TFM ticks most boxes) . Hoever, Carricks age/ experience is part of what makes him one of UTD's greats and that only comes with game time.
So do we bring in an already great player in Veratti (for example) or do we take a bigger risk on TFM knowing that he has BAGS of potential to become one?
29 Dec 2016 14:47:14
Thiago motta from PSG.
29 Dec 2016 17:45:09
Could be right evans, Jose will probably go for experience. But does he buy somebody who is 30+ or someone in their 20s with experience. Therefore possibly hindering TFM.
29 Dec 2016 17:47:40
oriel Romeu.
30 Dec 2016 04:14:52
Kessie of Atalanta.
30 Dec 2016 11:24:04
I'd still love us to sign Krychowiak I really rate him and can play a similar way to Carrick. As a passing midfielder possibly Jorginho of Napoli?
An outside shout for a holding midfielder is Luiz Gustavo. Again not the same kind of player as Carrick but is very good at what he does. Also pretty physically imposing which is a characteristic of a Mourinho team.