01 Jun 2017 20:59:13
Hi Guys,
Just thought I'd share my observations on our summer targets.
I'm working on the basis of what I think we need during this transfer window.
It's been evident to me that over the past couple of seasons it's been our inability to score goals which has been our biggest problem. In fact this has been a worrying trend since Fergi retired in 2013. In LGV's final season in charge we only scored 49 league goals, last season under Jose we performed marginally better but still only managed a disappointing 54 league goals. To put that into perspective when we last won the league in 2013 we scored 86 league goals.
I think we're adequately covered defensively. This will probably need addressing at some point in the future but at the moment we need to concentrate on improving our league position and reestablishing ourselves in the top 4. I would target the following players this window.
Kane - £100m - proven premiership goal scorer. It would be hard to prise him away from Spurs but a World record offer would be hard for them to turn down. They don't pay the wages of the top clubs and will need to finance their new stadium. I think a deal could be done if the money was right.
Greizman - £86m - From what I've read this deal could still be done if we are willing to meet his release clause. Regarded as on of the best players in the world. He has a proven goal scoring record and can play a variety of positions including main striker, No 10 and out wide. This versatility would give us plenty of attacking options.
Fabinho - £45m - I believe we have an interest in the player although there may be strong competition from other clubs. It is my understanding that a deal could be done if we pushed hard enough. I would use him predominately as a defensive midfielder, this would allow Herrera to be pushed further forward alongside Pogba and he can also provide cover at right back when needed.
Total outlay £231m a massive spend but all three players are still young and could serve the Club well for several years. It sounds like fantasy football but from what I've read all three players are getable. Money talks. With a big initial outlay the squad would only need tweaking in future windows. A CB to partner Bailly, a left back if Shaw continues to disappoint and maybe a left winger as I'm not convinced by either Rashford or Martial in that position. Those positions could all be addressed over the next few Windows if needed.
In my opinion these three players would allow us to transition seamlessly between Jose's preferred formations of 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 depending on the opposition.
01 Jun 2017 21:17:28
I don't think Levy would sell Kane to us for £100m. No chance IMO. And LB needs addressing.
01 Jun 2017 21:18:07
Danny. I would love to buy these players but we also need a CB two full backs and a winger. So around £350m spend but we can recoup some by selling darmian smalling Jones Shaw and Rooney.
01 Jun 2017 21:43:44
Stand - I think your probably right but a serious bid might just set the cat amongst the pigeons?
Schmid - I agree other positions also need addressing but I'm not sure it's feasible to do it all in this window. I think Bailly has forged decent partnerships with Smalling, Rojo and Jones this season. I'm not even sure of Jose's preferred CB pairing when everybody is fit. Rojo has improved immeasurably and maybe he deserves a chance to forge a partnership with Bailly with decent cover provided by Jones and Smalling. Whilst I understand their not everybody's cup of tea both are solid international defenders in my opinion. Ultimately we may need another CB I'm just not sure it would be a priority for me in this window. Likewise at left back I think Blind is a vastly underrated player and is a solid LB option and I think Shaw deserves another season to see if he can recapture the form that made us sign him in the first place. I think sometimes it's about working with what you've got rather than trying to buy a whole new team. I agree that a LB will probably be required but I think we've got good options in the squad and they deserve another season to see what they can do. For me the priority this window has got to be to get more goals into the squad and a replacement for Carrick.
01 Jun 2017 21:58:59
Danny i couldn't agree more on the 3 targets mate.
However you can't expect kane to do what he has done with spurs with no width whuires over lapping full backs.
01 Jun 2017 22:18:55
My Micky Mouse treble in keeping with our season 😂 -
Morata
Perisic
Matuidi
Tongue in cheek obviously and players we've been linked with. We might even have some spare cash for a new LB and CB!
Fair point Ken but I still think he'd score goals. I'd love to add a left winger in there but I'm not sure who I like and wanted to try and make a point that I don't think we need massive changes just a few very good players in the right positions. It takes time to build a winning team the rest could be done over the next few Windows.
01 Jun 2017 23:07:30
I'd be happy with the three above Danny - although another centre half and full back wouldn't go amiss either. Lindelof seems nailed on, and maybe another left back.
01 Jun 2017 23:54:04
Harry Kane £100 million * face palm* wow just wow. Can think of another 20 strikers straight away I'd rather sign. Get a grip people, Harry Kane is average against good teams and is just another rich mans Dean Ashton.
{Ed007's Note - Her that used to play Tracy Barlow? She gave me a knockback back in the day... where is she now eh? At least I'm (swear) famous on here!!!!! Grrrrr
01 Jun 2017 21:30:55
"The release clause is of no relevance outside of Iberia. If a Spanish or Portuguese club were to match it the offer needs to be put to the player. "
Eds comment on griezmann release clause .
Not so sure it's just a case of united just bidding x amount of cash.
02 Jun 2017 02:27:50
Supasub - Harry Kane has scored over 20 league goals in each of his last three seasons finishing as the league's top scorer in the last two seasons and he's still only 23. I'm not sure what more you want?
I challenge you to name these 20 strikers you'd rather have and let me know where they've been hiding? They must be some players and I can't imagine what they'd cost?
Dean Ashton never scored more that 10 league goals in any season he played in the Premier League. I get it was tongue in cheek but clearly a pretty poor comparison. I'm not sure why I've even bitten on this one!
It's hard to imagine any player being worth over £100m but that's the reality we're now living. that's what it would take to try and prise him away from Spurs and even that might not be enough as some have already suggested.
Jred - Fair point it looks like I might have misinterpreted the release clause. I'm sure I've read that Ed 2 has said a deal could still be done if Utd were prepared to pay big money. If the release clause has no relevance to Utd then Greizman would probably cost upwards of £100m as well, If we were realistic about signing him of course.
02 Jun 2017 07:37:46
Lacazette, aguero, Suarez, belotti, Gabriel Jesus, lewandowski, Dzeko, Cavani, Mbappe, aubameyang, Dybala, Costa, Silva, Firminio, icardi, Rashford, dembele, lukaku, merteens, higuain. There you go 20 off the top of my head I'd rather have than Harry Kane and 1 already plays for us, I can go on. You can lay out the goals stuff all you want but I know what I see. Stats can be very misleading. I would love to know how many he has banged in, in the CL, Europa league and competitive England games combined against games played. Will tell you a different picture.
{Ed001's Note - why are people so keen on Aubameyang? This is a guy who missed an important Champions League match for Dortmund because he buggered off to Milan to go partying!}
02 Jun 2017 08:17:04
Sorted, had to name 20 from the top of my head this morning. Next task?
02 Jun 2017 08:17:42
I had to name 20 off the top of my head this morning ed.
{Ed001's Note - I saw but just wondered why you would prefer him to Kane, when Kane is at least trustworthy? Kane is a quality goalscorer who can also create chances. Works hard, not just on the pitch where people can see him either, but on the training pitch he puts in the extra work other players do not to improve his game. That is why he has made himself first choice, when a few years ago he was barely good enough for lower league teams. He does not rely on pace either, unlike Aubameyang, who will only have a few more years at the top level, while Kane should have no issues playing on into his 30s.}
02 Jun 2017 09:01:17
A lot of those are not better than Kane.
02 Jun 2017 10:03:46
The op says £100 million on Kane ed. Last summer it was £50 million which I thought was insane. I just don't get it. £30-£35 million yes but he can't do it yet against good teams in Europe or good international teams (competetive games) .
{Ed001's Note - how do you know he can't?}
02 Jun 2017 11:28:45
Balague on Sky Sports reporting that Greizmann has a 100 million Euro clause in his contract, The Guardian Newspaper and other sports website's reporting similar. If they are to be believed if Utd meet this figure then Atletico are powerless to stop the move.
I'm not sure why the media are suddenly reporting that we've cooled our interest in him and we're now prioritising a No 9 since Zlatan's injury. His injury was weeks ago so this isn't new information. Interesting articles in the MEN basically saying we need both and highlighting that Greizmann's goal output over the last few seasons has been very impressive making him even a viable option upfront.
It will be hard job to replace Zlatan's goals but even with him in the team we only came 6th and goal scoring was a problem all season. We need another No 9 and Greizmann. In fact as Jose usually only employs one striker we still have Rashford and Martial. If we sign another No 9 that will surely limit their game time.
I'd rather sign Greizmann and let Rashford and Martial compete for the lone striker role if it's a case of one or the other? A new No. 9 will only replace Zlatan's goals and that's if they have a good season and hit the ground running. I'm not convinced Rashford and Martial will contribute enough goals from wide positions so it will leave us in a similar position.
Surely Greizmann must be the priority, he has a proven goal scoring record at the highest level, he can play in a variety of attacking positions and will support the development of Rashford and Martial.
Anyway I've had my say I think the priority this window should be to add goals to the team and find a replacement for Carrick. I can't wait to see how we line up in August!
02 Jun 2017 13:09:26
Because he hasn't so far ed. I said he hasn't done it yet imo. That's not to say he can't just not done it yet so I don't see why he suddenly would deliver consistently at the highest level and already be parted with circa £100 million.
{Ed001's Note - he played just 3 games in the CL this season and scored 2 goals, I would say that was a pretty good sign. To suggest he has not done it consistently at the highest level is just bollox. He has barely played at the highest level to do anything consistently, but 2 goals in 3 games is good going. I am not sure what more you would want from him? Or are you going to talk about his England record playing for a crap country with no service and no support at a level that is nowhere near the highest, as international football is like walking football in comparison to the club game these days.}
02 Jun 2017 14:25:36
Just my opinion ed. I haven't gone any further on England. Your just putting a thought of mine which I haven't put. I've not stated anything as fact or put words into anyone's post. I will leave it there as my own opinion and maybe in future refrain from giving it. I'm clearly in the minority by myself and won't swim uptide and told that I'm talking bollox.
{Ed001's Note - well you are in this case. You are talking about a young lad and saying he hasn't done it consistently. How on earth can someone do it consistently with no chances? If you had left it at saying you don't think he can do, that would be fine, but you are saying he hasn't, which is not an opinion, that is a statement.}