11 May 2024 01:41:53
Big spendy question.
All 3 below will probably cost more than their current worth, but all 3 bring potential.
Would you sign -
Jarrad Branthwaite?
Joao Neves?
Michael Olise?
Pick just one player and explain your reason for the player and his position being priority.
I'll start.
For me it is Neves all day.
Ten Hag has learnt the hard way that, in a midfield 3, two more attack-minded players won't work in the PL unless you have an extraordinary defensive player like Rodri or Rice sat behind an absolute genius like De Bruyne or Odegaard at No8.
My personal opinion is that the engine room of midfield is now the most important area on the pitch, for those players are the primary links between defensive and attacking phases in possession-based, high-pressing, modern football.
The only downside with the idea of Neves alongside Mainoo is height, but they are both incredibly gifted technical players with deceptive strength who could potentially create one of the greatest double pivot pairings ever seen in football - I am that confident about the potential of both players.
£104m is certainly steep though, there's no getting away from that.
11 May 2024 06:38:18
I still like Frenkie De Jong, and with Barcelona's problems and his wages increasing, there could be something there. There is also talk on interest in Mason Greenwood. Possibly some 30m and greenwood would be enough to get Frenkie.
I do not think our squad is as bad, but the managers tactics have been horrendous. I have never seen such an open midfield. We could easily get 6-9 points more by now if the manager was better.
11 May 2024 08:22:35
We’ll be fleeced on Branthwaite and Neves for sure. Olise has a realistic buy out clause of the low end of £50-55m. All improve the team. CF also. Where to begin?!
In terms of impact, I thoroughly agree with backpass that a player controlling the midfield was what ten Hag wanted initially so would love de Jong, but that’s gone quiet and there haven’t been too many rumours about the position. In his interview he stresses that de Jong and Casemiro could have played together, suggesting Cas wasn’t just an alternative.
Torn on Neves. That is a serious wedge of cash when we need so much work. We’re talking Rice cash, but then look at the impact he has had on Arsenal. But he’s the finished article, Neves is still very raw.
11 May 2024 08:37:22
I don't think any of them would want come.
Neves is neat and tidy on the ball but I think he's similar to mainoo same with de Jong. United need a holding midfielder to cover the ground and add some protection to who ever is playing in the back 2. That would allow dalot and hopefully a new left back to get forward.
Who that midfielder is I don't know but someone like kamara from villa would be the profile of player they should be looking at.
11 May 2024 09:18:57
I agree with Tom. I think Mainoo may have changed the type of midfielder we need. I personally would go for an athletic, combative CM to go in with Mainoo and Fernandes/ Mount. I think there are some French boys out there or someone like Douglas Luiz, although he’s unlikely with champions league most likely. A quick CB to partner Martinez and Olise on the right would be a strong starting 11 IMO. Unfortunately that is all dependent on everyone being and staying fit. I can’t see more than 4 signings if I’m honest and think we need to make a point in this window for future windows which may mean missing out of some players.
11 May 2024 09:48:08
We aren’t an attractive proposition at the moment. “It’s Manchester United” is no longer a strong enough pull. Other clubs have caught up and overtaken us. We have to buy smart, targeting players with potential who aren’t at the stage of their career where they have to be playing in the CL every season. But they want to get there. Players who are aligned with the journey the club is about to embark on. The next two or three seasons should be about development. We need to be looking at players between 20-24 who will be approaching their peak a few years from now. Adding 2 or 3 superstars will be repeating the same mistakes we’ve made over the past 10 years.
I have no faith in a scouting network that deemed Maguire, AWB and Fred as competent enough footballers to suit the Manchester United way of playing. But it’s time for them to earn their money. We likely can’t sign Frenkie de Jong, so where is the next Frenkie de Jong?
11 May 2024 10:28:15
Of those three it would be Branthwaite despite him being the least talented of the three players.
My reasoning is that he plays in the position of highest need, he is rarely injured, and while not having the same talent as the other two is still a top prospect and potentially the best young English CB.
I'd have Olise as the second choice by a hair. Phenomenal player, and supposedly has a reasonable buyout/ release clause this summer at around 50m, which if true based on talent alone makes him a bit of a bargain in the current market. He also plays a position of need, and would be a creative forward that we are missing. However, his injuries really are a concern. Lots of people complaining about the signing of Mount last summer and his lack of game time, but in reality he has been injured too often to get a run of games and demand a starting role (whatever that might be) .
João Neves is probably the most talented one, or at least the one with the highest ceiling. He also plays in a position of real need. Yet his cost (likely north of the 100m they got for Enzo Fernandez) and the fact that we would then have two 19 year olds with limited experience looking to play every week in the heart of our midfield. That just doesn't sound like a good idea. We have seen how Chelsea have struggled when they have lacked experience in key areas (defence and midfield) despite those players being significantly more experienced than both Neves and Mainoo. It feels like we would be spending 100m and stunting the development of one of our brightest young players. I think we need to sign a defensive midfielder who is 22-25 years old and has 3-4 years experience in senior football. Someone ready to step into more of a leadership role and who can take the strain while Mainoo develops alongside them. Not someone who has just as much developing to do.
11 May 2024 10:52:33
Shappy I think DM is more urgent than CB personally.
In that we have zero DMs (Cas cannot play at the level any more) . We have plenty of CBs, and I cannot see us having the same injuries next season as this. It would be beyond unlucky to have to field 32 different back 4 combinations again. Not impossible, but extremely unlikely.
Therefore I think we are crying out for a DM, and have been since before the McFred era.
11 May 2024 11:18:23
27 year old Ndidi from Leicester with loads pf PL experience would be a good squad addition - 12 months or thereabouts left on his contract -hardworking, steady player - would show Amrabat how its done in the PL.
{Ed077's Note - Ndidi is going to be a free agent in the summer (next month)
11 May 2024 11:27:34
Wazza
I agree a DM is a must but we will also need to replace Varane as it looks increasingly likely he will be leaving, we need to get both right as well we need to get a strong spine to the team something we have been lacking for a long time.
We need a winger that will run at defenders and cause problems and also need a striker.
Branthwaite/ Silva CB
Palhinha/ Neves DM
Olise/ Mitoma for winger
For striker I am really not sure.
11 May 2024 11:46:21
Is Joao Gomes a realistic target for DM? He's been filling in for Casemiro's at international level after all. Maybe we could steal Neto and Alt-Nouri while we were there :D.
11 May 2024 12:09:25
Reaper, I've not seen Mitoma on the right before where we're definitely going to sell one if not two players. I love watching Mitoma but we seem well placed on the left as it stands?
11 May 2024 12:12:29
Ndidi and Adaraybyio are no braines. Free agents and improve the squad. Must be one or two other freebies that improve the squad leaving funds for key areas? ( only about 9 key areas?)
11 May 2024 12:19:12
spenno
Would play Mitoma on the left and Garnacho on the right, Rashford needs to sort himself out to warrant a place in the side for me and that is if he is still here next season.
11 May 2024 13:17:53
Garnacho should play on the left, it's his preferred and best position.
11 May 2024 13:51:41
Wazza, I don't think there is much between CB and CDM to be honest, both are the priority positions.
For me though what just tips CB over CDM is that beyond Martinez we have no CB's who are good enough. He has had injury issues and it cannot be guaranteed that he'll be available for the whole of next season.
While we have no one to play CDM, you can set a team up to play with just one CDM or even none with the right tactical set up.
While it's impossible to realistically set a team up without at least two special-ists CB's.
At best we have one whose half fit and cannot be relied upon. For those reasons I have CB a shade ahead of CDM.
Given that Evans and Varane will leave this summer, while both Lindelof and Maguire could also leave. I think we need a bare minimum of two CB's this summer, ideally 3 given Martinez's injuries.
While signing 2 CDM's would be ideal this summer, we could make do with signing just the one. So from a pure numbers perspective CB also has to be ahead of CDM.
11 May 2024 15:57:25
The honest question should be would any of those players be willing to join us? Looking at most signings post fergie whose improved with us? Are there any players but bruno that's career has gone on a upwards trajectory since signing? 10 years of terrible decisions is why i personally don't see us as an attractive choice for players.
12 May 2024 00:31:42
Is Bowen a potential target?