04 Jun 2020 12:24:00
Lots of talk about Jadon Sancho joining which seemed a done deal pre CV. Given the inevitable financial reset though do we think our transfer targets will move? For example, Kai Havertz, Ricky Jade-Jones and Jude Bellingham could be purchased for significantly less than Sancho alone.

Sancho remains the standout buy which instantly improves the first team for me.

And obviously in an ideal world I'd have all 4!

I suspect Sancho will be the prioritised signing for 2021. Less sure whether he may be joined by anyone else.

Appreciate if Jones, Lingard, Pereira, Rojos, Smalling, Sanchez are off the books permanently then we will be adding further recruits.

1.) 04 Jun 2020
04 Jun 2020 12:39:51
Seemed a done deal before C.V.

Where did you get this info from?

2.) 04 Jun 2020
04 Jun 2020 12:53:52
Havertz will cost a lot, looks a good players as well.

3.) 04 Jun 2020
04 Jun 2020 14:24:50
Reading everything everyone is saying and reading a little between the lines this is my take on the Sancho situation.

Sancho would prefer to move elsewhere (Chelsea), but Chelsea aren't prepared to pay the total cost (apparently the agent wants a huge fee) . So unless there is some movement on that a move to Chelsea seems dead in the water.

Sancho would consider a move to United, but that is dependent on the club securing UCL football for next season. United have Sancho as their top target, he is young, English, marketable and hugely talented. He also fits a need in the first team and would allow the club to possibly have a Sancho, Greenwood, Rashford front line which would be hugely marketable. The club feel that they have a very good chance to sign him this summer, especially with C.V. hitting many other side's finances. However, they expect some movement from Dortmund/ his agent to bring the cost of the overall package down.

Dortmund are aware that next summer Sancho will only have a year left on his contact, and are hopeful of securing him to a new deal, possibly with a cause or a gentlemans agreement to allow him to leave next summer for a fixed price. However, due to C.V. reducing the number of suitors Dortmund feel that they could get just as much if not more for him next summer, even with just a year left on his contact, as they feel that if 2 or 3 sides really show an interest they might have a bidding war. This summer United pretty much have a free run, but next year Real Madrid, Chelsea, Man City, PSG and even Bayern Munich might be prepared to throw their hat into the ring. All Dortmund need is for one or two of these sides to rival United to start a bidding war.

So Dortmund are very relaxed,
they will either get the asking price met this summer by United,
They will secure him to a new deal and get the amount they want next summer and have a great player for another year,
Or they will have a bidding war next summer and possibly get more for him next summer than this, and have him in the team for another season.

Dortmund will not blink first, the only way for United to get him this summer is to pay what Dortmund want. They might be able to get the agent to drop their demands to bring the cost down, but that's it. Which as a side note they might have more chance of agents dropping fees this summer with agents likely to earn less due to lower activity this summer.

The club seem confident which hopefully means they are prepared to pay the asking price to get the deal done, rather than the club believing they can "bully" Dortmund down.

{Ed002's Note - Generally this is correct, but his "agent" is still pushing for a deal with Chelsea. Unless Manchester United stop being so stupid with letting Pogba move on, getting a replacement, getting the wages of Sanchez off the books and sorting out moves for other players there will not be the money to afford Sancho. I would not rule out Real Madrid making an offer for Sancho this summer - and that would be another option that would suit the player.}

4.) 04 Jun 2020
04 Jun 2020 16:04:14
Ed would it be enough for Utd to loan Sanchez again next season like they have this year and have a team take some of his wages? Not ideal at all but takes so of his wages off the books. Cheers.

{Ed002's Note - Manchester United need to be moving players on completely and not paying part of the wages. If Inter cannot replace Icardi, Martinez and Gagliardini with the players they desire theu might be open to keeping Sanchez on loan but obviously will not be paying him €500 per week.}

5.) 04 Jun 2020
04 Jun 2020 16:14:06
Multiple sources suggesting Sancho as United’s top target with BeyondThePitch quoting they thought this was a done deal pre C.V. My point is will we have the money for only Sancho or look to cheaper alternatives? I suspect we will have a smaller budget and it will be taken up in it’s entirety by Sancho.

I appreciate the Champions League comment. Though always baffles me why players only go to UCL qualified clubs when it’s only guaranteed the following season. That said, as it stands given City’s 2yr ban we are in a UCL spot are we not? A strong finish to the season given the upturn in form post Fernandes arrival and Rashford and Pogba back from long term injury is more than possible. Hence could get 4th. We have a second bite of the cherry if we can’t qualify for UCL automatically via Europa League also.

Perhaps if Real or Chelsea makes a move for him we will find out where he really wishes to play.

Clearly he’s a talented lad and will improve whichever team he joins. I hope it’s us.

{Ed002's Note - He wishes to play at Chelsea or Real Madrid. There was never any "done deal" - they are teasing you. Manchester United are not currently in a Champions League position.}

6.) 04 Jun 2020
04 Jun 2020 16:47:11
With this Name of Chelsea. i see Eden Hazard Situation all over. He was to choose between us and Chelsea. his preference was London, but chelsea manage to qualify and nicked him under our Noses. it looks simple, miss on UCL and we could miss on Sancho. With remaining 9 games, we need all 9 wins. nothing less. Not even Draw is desired.

7.) 04 Jun 2020
04 Jun 2020 16:46:00
@Ed002

Thanks for the info.

Although I don't understand how United would be able to move Sanchez or Pogba on even if they tried.

I don't see any club that will be willing to offer Sanchez anywhere close to what he earns at United. Its going to be virtually impossible to move him on. A loan with part of his salary off the books is the best we will get realistically. Unless Sanchez is willing to take a massive pay cut to move permanently (why would he? ) . We are going to continue to suffer from this massive mistake of the past.

With Pogba, I understand that we should let him go. But I don't see any club that will make an offer for what he is worth. Players in exchange + some cash is what will be on offer but looking at the players that you have mentioned that Juventus for eg. will be willing to offer (Rabiot, a complete whiny diva and Costa, a player in his 30s) why would United take any of them? When they're not really interested in them?

For any player + cash deal to happen the players need to make some sense for United and address needs in our squad which I don't think these players do. Juventus are just looking to get rid of unwanted players and United shouldn't take players who we don't really want.

I don't see Real Madrid coming in for Pogba either.

I understand your position on how we should move players on and that could be possible with Smalling and maybe Rojo but we are stuck with Pogba and Sanchez and I see why United won't take a players + cash deal on Pogba when we aren't even interested in any of those players.

8.) 04 Jun 2020
04 Jun 2020 16:49:30
Hi ed of the players the club need to move on I have :

Jones
Smalling
Rojo
Sanchez (anything we can get! )
Pogba (swap with juve maybe bernadeschi and pjanic? )

As definitely should be leaving with also looking to move on the below

Lingard
Pereira
Shaw (1 more season? )
Bailly (1 more season? )
Matic (extended 1 more season)
Mata?
Romero (depends on Henderson)

Is the above roughly correct? Is there any interest in these players? What would be the options with sanchez? Allow him to move for free? Pay up his contract?

Seems the club need to sort out pogba and Sanchez asap and stop messing around.

{Ed002's Note - The club are not going to press Matic, Shaw, Bailly or Matic to leave. I would think Diogo Dalot, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, Angel Gomes and perhaps Deji Sotona to the list.}

9.) 04 Jun 2020
04 Jun 2020 17:12:22
Thanks Ed002. Is the suggestion City’s 2 year ban won’t be upheld? Or banning City doesn’t equate to 5th qualifying automatically for Champions League, ie England may lose a UCL spot?

The CAS appeal starts next week I believe so we should know soon enough.

Finishing 3rd / 4th should be United’s target regardless. Whether we get there is another matter! A lot to play for.

{Ed002's Note - It will depend whether or not Manchester City make a request to have their "punishment" delayed until the case is answered. So they are making their case next week but there is no telling when the answer will come - certainly within six or eight weeks. Obviously there is a very good chance it will simply be thrown out as it should be.}

10.) 04 Jun 2020
04 Jun 2020 18:23:42
Thanks Ed002. I appreciate this will become a legal wrangle with City throwing the best lawyers money can buy at it. And not unheard of for legal proceedings to take a considerable amount of time I know from my own dealings with the High Court. As it’s UEFA’s ban though they’ll make the determination if City are in or not from their first possible inclusion in the 2021 UCL, ie they’ll decide to ‘run the risk’ of City’s exclusion not being upheld and if that were held UEFA could be sued for loss of income / damages. So if City look to prolong legal proceedings in the hope they’re in essence allowed to remain in UCL but potentially kicked out later it could very much work against them. UEFA show weakness and hold their own processes up for further scrutiny if they do anything but hold the line and maintain the ban.

As you say, hopefully the appeal is kicked out.

UEFA will disintegrate I think if City do not serve a ban.

I’m well aware there may still be a middle ground of 12 month ban and potentially higher fine but that has to be the minimum sanction for UEFA and FFP to have any credibility.

{Ed002's Note - You have this horribly wrong. The case will be heard next week. The answer may not come for weeks afterwards. Manchester City may make a request to delay any punishment until the answer arrives. Kicked out "later" would not be part way through. UEFA until now have always agreed such requests except when they punished Chelsea for another matter - and they very much regret that now. I think you also perhaps don't understand the matter.}

11.) 04 Jun 2020
04 Jun 2020 19:10:17
Thanks Ed. Appreciate I don’t have all the info re this so just applying my own experience in legal matters to this (procurement law) . Rightly or wrongly!

I understand UEFA can in essence defer any punishment until such time as the CAS appeal outcome is known. That’s a ‘safer’ option. They’re not backing down necessarily but just awaiting the outcome from an independent view. UEFA may be completely correct to impose the ban but may have done something incorrect procedurally which may give cause to legal challenge for example. No doubt City will suggest any evidence against them was obtained illegally/ should be inadmissible also.

I’m aware City may request any punishment is deferred but that’s not to say UEFA would or should grant it.

All United can do is finish 4th or higher. As I think Shappy said we cannot be relying on court proceedings against someone else ruling favourably for us just to be in the Champions League next season. We should get there on merit.

{Ed002's Note - There is nothing incorrect procedurally.}

12.) 04 Jun 2020
04 Jun 2020 20:50:55
Ed thought utd are only one of a few clubs who have the resources to spend this summer?

{Ed002's Note - You cannot keep adding players to the squad. Players have to be sold.}

13.) 04 Jun 2020
04 Jun 2020 20:57:22
Yeah I know that, you said the money isn't there to afford sanchez without sales I thought that wasn't the case. But fully agree that if sancho comes ffp will mean players need to move especially with wages etc.

14.) 04 Jun 2020
04 Jun 2020 22:35:17
At the end of the day we can only name a 25 man squad. This year we have Smalling, Henderson, Rojo and Sanchez out on loan who would have to be named in the 25 if they weren't loaned out.

So we already have 29 players for a 25 man squad. We often struggle to move players on due to high wages, that might be exasperated due to C.V.

So in reality we need to sell/ move on at least 5 players just to create 1 space in the 25 man squad.

Plus having money to buy players is one thing, having the ability to expand the wage bill is quite another. We already have the second highest wage bill in world football. Adding players on large wages without getting people off the wage bill might not be possible.

Getting Sanchez and Pogba off the wage bill and out of the squad need to be a priority. Maybe agreeing to pay Sanchez a years wages to cancel his contact.