22 Aug 2020 17:06:23
So today's rumour is that we are interested in James Rodriguez from Real Madrid. Available for as little as 22m but we would need to match his "huge" wages of 140k per week.

I have no idea if that information is accurate. However, if it is I'd take a gamble of a hugely talented player, who if the Glazers are reading has a huge following in South America, for a 7m more than we paid for Dan James.

We have been linked with Jack Grealish for 70-80m and wages of 200-220k per week. Again, I have no idea how accurate those figures are.

But if someone said James Rodriguez for 22m on 140k per week.

OR

Jack Grealish for 80m on 200k per week.

I'd 100% be signing the Colombian.


1.) 22 Aug 2020
22 Aug 2020 17:21:02
Absolutely!


2.) 22 Aug 2020
22 Aug 2020 17:38:40
Definetely Shappy. He would be a very astute signing. Seems to a stigma on players who don't make it at the top clubs. He could be a very good addition to our squad.


3.) 22 Aug 2020
22 Aug 2020 18:07:58
I think united need to be careful when buying players surplus to requirements from clubs like real madrid, barcelona and bayern munich.

There are questions of whether these players actually want to play for the club and are of sufficient quality anymore.

Not saying the grealish deal is any better but it doesn't have to be an either or on james vs grealish. The answer can be neither.


4.) 22 Aug 2020
22 Aug 2020 18:33:57
James Rodriguez?

Have we now moved away from the Ole cultural reboot buying young hungry players then?

I seem to recall one of the Eds saying one of the main reasons Madrid bought James was because of his marketability in a South America.

It’s not the fee or the wages but if he couldn’t make it elsewhere why would he make it in the PL?


5.) 22 Aug 2020
22 Aug 2020 18:41:57
Regardless oc the completely made up figures I would stay clear of james. didn't really work out for him at madrid or Munich imo.
Not quick enough to play in our front 3 could only really be cover for bruno.
29 years old, with no EPL experience and I'm not sure he would be looking to sit on our bench more often than not.


6.) 22 Aug 2020
22 Aug 2020 18:47:38
For that money to be essentially back up to Bruno/ Pogba/ Greenwood, I couldn’t think of anyone better. Would end up starting 30 games a season and on the bench for 20 in all likelihood and the drop off in quality would be minimal from the first XI in my opinion, far less so than with Grealish/ Brookes and for less cost! GET IT DONE!


7.) 22 Aug 2020
22 Aug 2020 19:24:37
James Rodriguez isn't the player I'd choose, personally I prefer to go for younger hungrier up and coming players.

Yet for the money quoted would you rather have James Rodriguez either on the bench or starting a game or Jessie Lingard, or Juan Mata or Andreas Pereira?

Rodriguez offers more than any of them and at least two of them are currently being paid more than the supposed 140k per week James Rodriguez would cost.

Like I said personally I'd prefer someone like Dani Olmo, or Christopher Nkunku, or James Maddison, or Todd Cantwell, or Johnathan David, or Moussa Diaby, or Houssem Aouar, or Donny van de Beek.

Someone young and talented. Yet, we have many young and talented players in our squad. For a squad/ back up role we could do with someone who isn't learning their craft and needs minutes to improve. Maybe someone with a bit of experience, who's been there, done that and got the t-shirt. Maybe not every signing we make has to be between the ages of 18-24, maybe with the youngest squad in the EPL maybe what we are missing is a little experience when key players are missing.


Like I said, not my first choice, not even my second, but not necessarily a bad choice.


8.) 22 Aug 2020
22 Aug 2020 20:51:04
I can't be the only one who doesn't see the clamour for James. I have literally never watched a game where he has been much more than average. Scores the occasional screamer, and very much a highlight reel player in my opinion - a case of style over substance.

I'm not against signing experienced players, but they need to be the right players and I don't think James is.


9.) 22 Aug 2020
22 Aug 2020 21:05:00
Gifting ageing players big long term contracts is a recipe for disaster.

He might be worth a gamble on loan or a rolling one year contract but otherwise we should steer well clear in my opinion. His form hasn't been anywhere near good enough to warrant signing him on a long term deal and as he ages it's unlikely to improve. A move like this would reek of desperation and a return to the flawed transfer strategy of the past. I'd include Douglas Costa in that bracket and we must resist the temptation to get lured into these types of deals.


10.) 22 Aug 2020
22 Aug 2020 21:37:36
I don't see it. He may be cheap, but he just isn't that good. Frankly, I think Mata offers more as a backup to Bruno despite his age, and if you want cheap Mata is even cheaper ;)

Wouldn't touch James with a bargepole.


11.) 22 Aug 2020
22 Aug 2020 22:01:34
For me, Mata still has a lot to offer as long as we don’t play him on the right. The question is, why we would he not now leave and play some football as his career comes to an end. For me, Mata is Juanderful. Always been a big fan. Player for me that would have ripped up Serie A.


12.) 23 Aug 2020
23 Aug 2020 01:39:06
Plus if we sign James and he plays when James is playing then it just gets confusing so a no from from me to James.


13.) 23 Aug 2020
23 Aug 2020 01:44:45
He's cheap for a reason.


14.) 23 Aug 2020
23 Aug 2020 04:41:10
Stevie, he's cheap because Real Madrid have financial issues they need to sort and need to raise money this window. He isn't part of Zidane's plans and they gain nothing from loaning him out again.


15.) 23 Aug 2020
23 Aug 2020 07:23:46
Shappy
Your just blinded by a fancy name.


16.) 23 Aug 2020
23 Aug 2020 09:02:03
James, Ousamane Dembele, Douglas Costa, all players not wanted at their clubs which are big clubs so why would we be interested, no ta from me on these players, go get Jadon Sancho or let Greenwood have it all season and go buy a CB which we need.


17.) 23 Aug 2020
23 Aug 2020 09:33:16
Hardly jred, I have said there are many others I'd prefer including the "fancy" names Maddison and Cantwell 😂.


18.) 23 Aug 2020
23 Aug 2020 09:55:28
Shaps not in your op,


19.) 23 Aug 2020
23 Aug 2020 10:22:01
I agree with you shappy. I think he is a better player and a better professional to boot.


20.) 23 Aug 2020
23 Aug 2020 10:55:47
James Rodriguez should not be signed by United, for one thing he is very slow. Basically he would be a replacement for Mata on the subs bench.


21.) 23 Aug 2020
23 Aug 2020 11:37:47
Keep Mata.


22.) 23 Aug 2020
23 Aug 2020 14:06:29
Red man, I agree to that too. But if you had a straight choice between him and grealish, who would you rather?

Now Rodriguez will probably come relatively cheap and would only be an alternative to the starters. But he is a good player and is extremely professional.


23.) 23 Aug 2020
23 Aug 2020 16:15:04
James has the odd moment, a key pass etc, i don't think he is good player and clearly not for Premier because of pace. For a squad role i would prefer someone "lesser" as Shappy says, Brooks, Buendia etc. Although ideally i would take 3 starters and not a squad player, go and take 3 starters promote a couple and that's 5 good players in addition to an already good squad. Only if you are at top and your first eleven doesn seem than can improve dramatically (like Liverpools) only then you must targer good squad players.


24.) 24 Aug 2020
24 Aug 2020 13:02:56
Herrera - one of the positions we urgently need to add depth is CAM, who are we going to sign there if we target only starters?

It's not as simple as only signing starters or squad players, we need a mix of both.

Angelred - why sign James at all? If Grealish is too expensive, Mata is as good as James, and a great professional with real character. He's even cheaper than James too!


25.) 24 Aug 2020
24 Aug 2020 23:05:26
Thorne i have explained this mate. Its not as important as our coach makes it to seems. Making the team stronger overall with attacking full backs, a right winger and a better holding who can provide good passes, possesion and creativity from deeper 6 (remember the pass of Tiago on Bayerns goal) then we will have creativity from all over the place. Ole wants depth in CAM position, i disagree that this is urging, i simply believe he is wrong. Its wrong to put all eggs of creativity in one or two baskets (AM with Bruno and CM with Pogba) . Is Bayern waiting their attacking midfieder to only provide the creativity? What about Liverpool? Why we can't take a lesson from them?


26.) 25 Aug 2020
25 Aug 2020 08:43:42
I think his wage, as most European papers tend to do, is reported after tax. Now if my knowledge of British taxes is up to date, high earners pay in the high forties in taxes, hence his salary would then be around 270k/ week, more than Martial and Rashford.