16 May 2024 22:45:18
Shaw injured again. time to cut the cord and get a reliable lb moving forward.
17 May 2024 04:50:49
I see Davies of Bayern is perhaps not the flavour for Real Madrid.
Contract up next year.
Just maybe.
Bundle him up with Kimmich, contract also up next year.
That's the LB and RB solved in once purchase.
17 May 2024 08:37:58
Any obtainable players who are equally effective at both LB/ RB?
17 May 2024 09:16:11
Davies will end up at RM. I'd love him at Utd but I can't see it ever happening.
17 May 2024 09:53:57
More chance of seeing Steve davis playing for united. Snooker loopy.
Kimmich on 400k pw is 28 and has not played rb for 5 years i'd steer well clear. Super player in midfield but I think the costs at his age are prohibitive imo.
17 May 2024 10:54:42
It's becoming a joke now, he is a complete waste of time.
Get shut, get some money in for him and replace him.
Yes he's a decent player when he's fit, the problem is that he is never fit.
17 May 2024 12:04:34
Pretty sure Bayern want £60-80m for Kimmich and he’s on 400k/ week. Davies will head to Real i'm sure, they’ve been chasing him for a while now.
17 May 2024 12:33:05
Kimmich was very uncomfortable at right back for Bayern in the champions league. Def better in midfield.
17 May 2024 12:36:45
No more players on 300k plus per week. Build a squad who are hungry and can develop together. don't want to see these types of signings where someone near the end of their careers want one last pay day at the too level on the way to usa or saudi.
17 May 2024 13:06:07
Frimpong at RB would be awesome. Young, energetic and a breath of fresh air. Not sure if players are going to forego CL to come to Utd but if they want to come to the Prem then who knows.
17 May 2024 14:07:29
I read that Real were cooling interest in Davies, might be tosh.
Yes see you point on Kimmich for RB, Frimpong a much better shout.
{Ed002's Note - Real Madrid would like him to run down his contract and take him next year. Bayern Munich want a new contract - if that doesno't happen they will speak to anoth interested side.}
17 May 2024 20:08:33
Thanks Ed for clarification. So wasn't too far off the mark, as he might be available, albeit as a potential stop gap before a move to RM. If course United need to have an interest in him, if he becomes available.
{Ed002's Note - Nothing to do with Manchester United}
18 May 2024 08:05:06
Must be nice to be RM, being able to tell players to run down their contracts so they don't have to pay for them.
18 May 2024 11:29:09
For me LB is the most difficult position to get right this summer.
When fit Shaw is more than good enough to be first choice and is amongst the best LB's in the league.
Yet he's only fit half the time and at 28 that isn't likely to improve.
On the face of it we need to sign a top LB who can challenge and maybe even push Shaw out of the team fit or not. Personally I really like Rayan Aït-Nouri.
But with Malacia still in the squad (albeit injured for the past 12 months) and with the super talented Harry Amass maybe not that far away from fighting for a place in the squad. It seems potentially foolish to spend a large chunk of our summer budget for a player in a a position where we could end up with three fit and able LB's plus a youth player pushing for starts next season.
Likewise, not addressing the position would be reckless given what has happened this season. We could be left with no LB's at all for a large part of next season.
Ideally we need to move on one of Malacia or Shaw and sign a suitable replacement. That way we have one injury prone LB and one who'll likely be fit, along with a kid pushing for a place in the squad. Yet the reality is that we absolutely will not find a buyer for either Shaw or Malacia this summer. No one will take on Shaw's wages, especially given his injury record. Likewise I can't see anyone signing Malacia without him kicking a ball in 12 months.
Which leaves us in this really tricky position where we both need a new LB but at the same time its not a priority and we can't afford to spend much on this position.
Maybe the solution could be sending Malacia on loan somewhere to get regular game time and rebuild his fitness and match sharpness, while we sign a player on loan to compete with Shaw.
Obviously that will raise a few eyebrows on here given Reguilon's time here this season.
It would need to be the right kind of LB signing, maybe a top player who hasn't fitted at a club or someone whose still a great player but their club are looking to move on.
If Real Madrid sign Alphonso Davies for example then maybe we could get Ferland Mendy on loan with either an option or obligation to buy. Real Madrid would have Davies as first choice, recently signed Fran Garcia as a young back up and have Alaba who can play there in a pinch.
Meaning they will probably look to offload Mendy, ideally I'd imagine they'll want a fee and a permanent move. Yet if no one is prepared to pay an acceptable fee then maybe a loan with an obligation to buy might work for them.
While for us it'd give us a top class LB without having to spend on them. It also gives us a year to assess Shaw and Malacia and maybe find a buyer for them if they can get fit and play regularly.
It's not the ideal solution, but it might be the best solution available given the circumstances.
If not Mendy then maybe someone else at a similar level.
18 May 2024 20:07:45
Shaw
Williams
Amass
Malacia
Martinez
Dalot
Any more in the squad that can play LB?
I'm not so sure it is that critical to buy a new one, perhaps we just need to dangle the carrot in front of the 3 youngsters and see who comes out on top.
Save LB for next season when the likes of Nuno Mendes of PSG or Ratan Ait-Nouri of Wolves will have a year left on their contracts.
By that point we may not need a LB, as Malacia might be fit again and say Amass is a year older, although I wouldn't let age be a factor.