Manchester United banter 90101

 

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03 Jan 2022 12:48:54
When was the last time Utd signed a real unexpected bargain, a player under the radar no-one had ever heard of for a modest fee? Is being forced to pay double a player's worth simply the plight of any top club when the selling club knows they're flush?
Or is it more about scouting? How are dozens of scouts suggesting the likes of AWB and Sancho, who frankly anyone down the pub could do, while pretty much everyone else picks up bargains season after season? When's the last time we had a Cucurella or a Dennis?
Just food for thought. I prefer the idea of a few low-key signings who fit a plan rather than forking out on a big name personally.

Agree0 Disagree0

03 Jan 2022 13:23:13
Varane was unexpected and a bargain.
Evra and Vidic before that.

03 Jan 2022 13:25:23
I would argue that Evra and Vidic were low-key purchases, started off badly then became regulars.

03 Jan 2022 13:44:18
I'd say only Vidic was largely unheard of at the time of his signing and an absolute steal, given what he went on to achieve with us.

03 Jan 2022 14:13:19
Spenno, I think there are two main things that limit our ability to pick up an unheralded bargain signing.

The first is our name and status as a club. A mid-table club in a European league might be prepared to accept 15m from another mid-table side in what is considered a better league. But will they accept 15m from a UCL side with ambitions to win the league? Of course not. It also doesn't help when you're CEO is shouting about how rich we are at every opportunity. That means we will always pay 20-50% more for the same player as any "smaller" side.

How many times have we seen a player linked to United for 35m only for him to sign for someone else for 20m.

The second and probably more prominent point is that simply the step up from those lesser known, lower standard leagues to the top of the EPL for a side with the global appeal of Manchester United requires players to make a massive jump.

The media scrutiny, the tougher games and against sides that always see your team as a scalp, make that step up huge.

We have often seen us sign players like Djemba-Djemba, Kleberson, Bellion, Bebe, Chicharito, etc in these cheaper deals. But more often than not those players struggle to step up and adapt under the glare of playing at Old Trafford with over a billion views around the world.

We do make those sort of signings, it's just rarer for them to pay off due to the sheer level they need to step up and the pressure that comes with playing for United.

Playing for Manchester United is the equivalent of being a director at a fortune 500 company. Hiring the work placement intern for that role will rarely pay off. Simply put they need to work their way up to that position.

Very few players have the skill and the required mentality to go from 0-100mph playing for Manchester United.

They need to finish their apprenticeship first, hone their skills, develop their mentality, then test that at various levels before going to the top.

03 Jan 2022 14:34:06
I think poor old Bebe's fate was sealed when Fergie declared him potentially the best player in the world.

03 Jan 2022 20:47:11
I think the last of those signings was Javier Hernandez in 2010. A player not many had heard about before the WC. Wasn't world-class but I thought he was an excellent signing and served his purpose as an impact sub.

I suppose only Bruno stands out as a bang for buck signing followed by Sergio Romero who was an excellent stand-in for De Gea.





 

 

 
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