06 Aug 2018 07:34:00
The owners and Woodward had the list months ago, so why have they sat on it, leaving the important signings until the last few days, it's a massive risk. The club seems rudderless, directionless, leaderless. How true who knows, but it was reported that the only time Woodward spoke to Mourinho during the 17 days of the tour was the hurried conversation in the tunnel. How is that a sign of Woodward leading the club?
It feels like Woodward and the owners are easing the manager out, hoping he resigns so they don't have to pay him off. The cost to the club is turmoil. If the manager goes, Woodward must be returned to the role he can do, signing corporate sponsors. It wouldn't surprise me if this weeks big announcement is a new sponsor.
Pre season doesn't always lead to what happens in the season but what on Earth is the club trying to achieve? To me it seems scrape into the top four is about it. The next few days will need to be spectacular but even if it is we have to bed those players in, which says a lot about planning by the board, the owners and Woodward.
06 Aug 2018 07:59:59
Maybe the club's content to sell?
06 Aug 2018 08:00:29
I would say we need to take this with a little context. Let's, for example, say we are buying Toby. Spurs are notorious for doing business late in the window. Why on earth would they allow him to join us early so it strengthens us which he most certainly will as he’s the best centre half in the league. They’ll leave it until the last possible moment and get the best possible price from us.
We can’t buy Pogba replacements until Barcelona buy him - they are in no rush as their deadline is not Thursday. WE need to sell before we can buy. Again Barcelona in a good negotiating position for this particular deal as they will know the player wants out too.
It’s all a game of chess and these deals can be complex and time consuming like any large transaction. Have faith Red Man and strap in as they nect few days are going to be crazy.
06 Aug 2018 08:22:04
Many other teams in far less need than us are getting their business done!
We have turned into a shambles. I bet just like Kovacic, players are very reluctant to sign for this Utd - a player that barely gets a kick for Madrid and 5 years ago would have been begging to sign - if he is saying we are beneath his standards then that is all we should be looking at, because who is Kovacic.
Before this window who had seen more than a couple of games with Fred or Dalot? They aren't exactly ADM, Falcao, Schweinsteiger - all three of them will have regret joining and players talk a lot.
I said it years ago, if we keep ruining players and playing negative football then it is going to make signing them even harder than it used to be. Mercenaries will be attracted and players with no other option, but if any other top team is interested in them then they are going to prefer going elsewhere.
We have been getting worse with our erratic transfer dealings, the tagline of 'boring' being associated with Utd is not helping matters. We are probably going to break a world record to sign a one trick pony CB in Maguire who will be effective but is not an elite player. Then maybe we will get a Barcelona cast off, by selling Pogba if we are lucky.
Shame.
06 Aug 2018 08:42:44
RedMan, it is frustrating watching the club doing its business these days. I fully agree if Woodward was going to save money doing it his way, but he won't. He's shown he's absolute rubbish at player negotiations. So take Toby on/ off transfer, levy wants £60m, we value him at a lot less around £45m, I'm not arguing with that, but what will end up paying for him? Bet £60m at least. Levy would've sold at that two months ago. Same goes for McGuire, Leicester are valuing him around the £75m mark, we're arguing the toss, and will not get him any cheaper.
Woodward gets the sponsorhip deals because any person with a business degree can achieve that. This is Manchester United, a brand that everyone loves, getting companies to sign sponsorship deals, is not all that difficult when your name is Manchester United. So Woodward is not some sort of genius, in fact, the opposite is true.
I've gone on about the owners and Woodward for some time, and the green and yellow scarfs might have to come out to stop this continuous on field demise of our club. Doing nothing is not an option.
06 Aug 2018 09:00:11
Red man, have you tried negotiating with Levy? Alderweireld was our number one target at CB, and there is still a good chance we get him.
Levy though is one of the hardest people to negotiate with. By all accounts at the start of the window he wouldn't consider anything less than 75m for Toby, a player who turns 30 soon and will be available next summer for 25m at most.
D
Should the club just pay the extra 50m for one season effectively?
Ed Woodward has made a rod for his own back, saying things like the club can afford anyone publicly. And massively overpaying on all of the players he has signed. The club now has a reputation for paying more than anyone else.
This has made it so much harder for the club to negotiate deals. If we are expected to pay 20m too much for every signing then if we were to bring in 4 players like Jose wants then that's potentially 80m wasted by over paying on players.
The club needs to try and make a stand and change this reputation for the long term viability of signing players.
Then factor in the world cup effectively writing off three weeks of the transfer window, then it closing two weeks earlier then it has made it a hard window to work in.
Spurs haven't signed a single player, Chelsea and City have only signed one each. Liverpool have had a very good window, but one of the players they brought in was agreed the year before, they have paid a nearly double the record fee for a goalkeeper on their new keeper. So the scratch a little deeper and it's not as impressive as first thought. Arsenal have signed several players, none of which I would be particularly happy with if we signed them.
So it's been a tricky window for all clubs.
06 Aug 2018 09:00:52
Red Man, do you honestly believe the only time Mourinho and Woodward have spoken is that rushed convo in the tunnel? Or could it be that was the only time they were seen on camera and some lazy journo’s are spinning a little tale for their own purpose.
Jose has already said he gave the board a list of 5 players he fancies. 3 have been signed, allbeit not who us, the fans would’ve probably wanted and we are reportedly working on deals for 2 more.
I can’t get my head around the sheer panic surrounding our club. Spurs have signed no one, City have signed one player in Mahrez, Arsenal have signed a handful who, if Jose would’ve signed we’d all be saying are not good enough. Chelsea have one notable signing in Jorginho. Liverpool have had a very good window, so hats off to them but relax and see what the board have up their sleeve for the coming days.
06 Aug 2018 09:38:41
Great post shaps.
Woodward made errors at the start of his reign by boasting about money.
He now is trying to curtail, 'penny pinching' some call it. I say it's united trying not to constantly over pay for players.
I would look at recent signings such as lindelof, Bailly, matic etc. I think he has done a lot better than his first few years in the job.
06 Aug 2018 09:58:18
Its still poor though. A club of uniteds standing and reputation should be doing better. Again we look like the guy at 2am lurching around hitting on anything looking vaguely promising. Half of that is probably the media spinning nothing rumours but we look directionless. He's had that list since at least May. And what's he delivered? A guy most of us have barely seen and he dragged that out. A young fullback no one knew and a third keeper that probably wasn't even on the list.
Content to sell? We've sold blind. Still struggling to get shot of the rest.
06 Aug 2018 10:07:31
Mort
Predictive text . Content to sell should read don't want to sell.
Maybe spurs don't want to sell allders or Leicester don't want to sell Maguire?
Love how you don't want dalot or grant so they prob weren't on Jose list .
Get rid of the rest? You mean man United players that u claim to support.
06 Aug 2018 10:08:49
Mort
Did the ed not say city wanted Fred?
Did city not also want Sanchez?
It's not all bad.
06 Aug 2018 10:45:40
Did I say I didn't want dalot? Again twisting peoples words to suit your facile arguments. I'm actually looking forward to see what the lad brings.
As I've said many times ill back them on the pitch when their in our shirt but that doesn't mean we can't admit that some just aren't good enough.
06 Aug 2018 11:52:34
Mort
So what does it matter that we have bought a young fullback no one knew?
07 Aug 2018 11:37:23
We don’t really know for sure what’s going on behind the scenes but I can guarantee you transfers have been and are being worked on, I very much doubt they’ve had the last 5 weeks twiddling their thumbs. That nonsense story about Jose and Ed not talking for 17 days is fabricated, unless they have access to their phone records, it’s weak click-bait. Don’t fall for it.
We fans complain when we overpay. The club seem to be taking more of a stance on it. However Liverpool are now doing the over spending but they are getting deals done. So it’s a lose lose situation.
I’m sure we will see someone arrive this week and a couple leave.