Wot, no transfers?

[Smores]

I actually can't believe that this thread has stayed alive for pretty much the entire window.
I thought we might get one signing, when the thread was created, though once we made it through the WC and Jose looked miserable (I understood that he was told that the club were not funding a title bid)...which is when I got disheartened.
I didn't believe for 1 second the excuse of "it's the WC which is holding up transfers".
Top 4 is our target and if Jose gets 4th, Woodward will be ecstatic and tell our owners that we spent very little in the transfer window, while still getting into the CL. The Glazers will be ecstatic.
If all of the above comes to pass, then we'll have to hope that in future Jose (like SAF before him) can win the league on a relatively low budget.

I doubt Jose will stay if he doesn't think the board are aiming for the title, he'll leave at end of the season and i wouldn't blame him. We'd need to promise significant funds going into next summer or Jan

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

No. We are not in for him at all. His agent is using us to smoke out a buyer.

This

 

[el3mel]

I actually can't believe that this thread has stayed alive for pretty much the entire window.
I thought we might get one signing, when the thread was created, though once we made it through the WC and Jose looked miserable (I understood that he was told that the club were not funding a title bid)...which is when I got disheartened.
I didn't believe for 1 second the excuse of "it's the WC which is holding up transfers".
Top 4 is our target and if Jose gets 4th, Woodward will be ecstatic and tell our owners that we spent very little in the transfer window, while still getting into the CL. The Glazers will be ecstatic.
If all of the above comes to pass, then we'll have to hope that in future Jose (like SAF before him) can win the league on a relatively low budget.

Tbf, even the most pessimistic fan didn't predict the window to end like this for us.

 

[Sassy Colin]

I think this should go here:

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[VanGaalEra]

Tomorrow is going to be mad.

EDIT: Need to get as much work done today as possible because tomorrow will be F5 day.

 

[Adisa]

I've given up.

 

[wolvored]

The ideal manager for the Glazers would be Jose Mourinho with no ambition: Mourinho is more or less capable of managing us to a top four finish in his sleep. However, he wants to win the title. His pride would be severely bruised if he couldn't get one over on Guardiola again. Plus, even if Pep wasn't around, for the sake of his ego he wouldn't want to leave Man Utd without winning the Premier League.

The Glazers want a manager who will finish fourth and not make too much fuss about pushing on. If you're in a 'battle' for fourth your games will get televised just as much as if you're trying to win the title, and the prize money from winning the title ain't that much bigger. From the Glazers' perspective is it worth £100m to £200m more of the club's money, much of which they could pocket themselves, just to finish a few places higher?

The squad we have is competitive enough to finish fourth, especially with Mourinho. Ergo the Glazers won't sanction anymore big spending. People are ignoring the fact we had to drop out of the top four for them to let the club spend some of its money on the team. That was the equivalent to those sides who are in the drop zone going bonkers in January to try and avoid it. All they want is top four.

Eventually Mourinho will get sick of it, as will any top manager who actually wants to win things. However, in the end I'm sure the Glazers will get a guy who is just grateful for the privilege of managing at United and can keep us top four and they'll just stick with that person.

The hole in that analysis is that they would still have to spend anything around £70 - £150 million a season (at todays prices and will only rise) to finish 4th. You cant just aim for 4th and spend £20-30 million a season when there are 5 other teams after top 4 and above every year as well. With the Wanderers having an intent to break into the top 4 and having City money to back them up it could easily turn into a top 7 teams all trying to finish top 4 in seasons to come. Other clubs could get sugar daddies as well. We need an ambitious manager who can build a team with youth as well as dabble in the transfer market for players that have some long/medium term playing life in them as well. We need another Fergie or his ilk. Will we find that manager? Thats another question

Edit
If we dont start winning the league or champions league as well,decent to top players wont want to come, the foreign fans will support whoever is winning things, the sponsers will start swapping to other teams as well, the shirt makers and shirt advertisers will be significantly lower, and obviously the glazers revenue will drop off. They need to keep Utd trying to win the big 2 and cannot afford to only spend a 'pittance' every season

 

[#07]

The hole in that analysis is that they would still have to spend anything around £70 - £150 million a season (at todays prices and will only rise) to finish 4th. You cant just aim for 4th and spend £20-30 million a season when there are 5 other teams after top 4 and above every year as well. With the Wanderers having an intent to break into the top 4 and having City money to back them up it could easily turn into a top 7 teams all trying to finish top 4 in seasons to come. Other clubs could get sugar daddies as well. We need an ambitious manager who can build a team with youth as well as dabble in the transfer market for players that have some long/medium term playing life in them as well. We need another Fergie or his ilk. Will we find that manager? Thats another question

Do you think the Glazers understand that? Especially after Fergie's genius basically let them do that year after year. Fergie was getting away with signing players Obertans and making Cleverleys into title winners. That's what the Glazers want.

They are not football people, they don't understand it and they don't care for it. They just want money. Now we're back in the top four they've turned the taps off. Its obvious that we've got a sell to buy policy.

 

[JoaquinJoaquin]

I've given up.

Actually laughable how much of a shambles we are ran like. At least we got a new sponsor today

 

[wolvored]

Do you think the Glazers understand that? Especially after Fergie's genius basically let them do that year after year. Fergie was getting away with signing players Obertans and making Cleverleys into title winners. That's what the Glazers want.

They are not football people, they don't understand it and they don't care for it. They just want money. Now we're back in the top four they've turned the taps off. Its obvious that we've got a sell to buy policy.

They could do it under Fergie as we were winning titles. They wont be able to afford not to long term. I have added an edit to my original post.

 

[balaks]

Hey it could be worse guys - you could be like me and putting all my hopes and dreams on us signing Jack Grealish (who I don't rate) because it doesn't look like we are getting anybody else. Be thankful..

 

[Sassy Colin]

Actually laughable how much of a shambles we are ran like. At least we got a new sponsor today

Are Spurs a shambles too? How about Chelsea and City, they have done less business than us, are they both shambles too?

 

[stevoc]

Hey it could be worse guys - you could be like me and putting all my hopes and dreams on us signing Jack Grealish (who I don't rate) because it doesn't look like we are getting anybody else. Be thankful..

Cheers mate that has made me feel a bit better about Uniteds window.

 

[VeevaVee]

Are Spurs a shambles too? How about Chelsea and City, they have done less business than us, are they both shambles too?

Their squads are in better shape than ours

 

[balaks]

Their squads are in better shape than ours

You think? Our squad is very thin outside of our first 11 - Utd have a much better squad overall.

 

[J-Stander]

Are Spurs a shambles too? How about Chelsea and City, they have done less business than us, are they both shambles too?

I dunno what you’re even arguing against. It has been a literal shambles.

 

[Sassy Colin]

Their squads are in better shape than ours

Not really, apart from Shitty.

 

[mitchmouse]

You think? Our squad is very thin outside of our first 11 - Utd have a much better squad overall.

we have numbers but I'm not sure we have enough quality. At times last season, I felt we were a bit lucky that other sides played poorly (Chelsea and Arsenal particularly). It's this that has me worried for the coming season.But what really surprises me is that we haven't off-loaded anyone

 

[wolvored]

Are Spurs a shambles too? How about Chelsea and City, they have done less business than us, are they both shambles too?

City and Chelsea won the league the last 2 years so its a big fat NO for them 2

 

[El Zoido]

Did we blow our summer transfer budget on Sanchez in January? This is very strange. We might get a last minute deal for Alderweireld but otherwise I think we’re done. We need to start lining up deals well in advance. With City and Liverpool you know they’ve already wrapped deals up in the middle of the season and they’re just waiting for the window to open to make them official. With us, it’s like we don’t even think about who we want to sign until two weeks in to the window.

 

[Rauður Djöfull]

I am not very optimistic about us doing any buisness today or tomorrow but I do have the day off tomorrow so was wondering were to follow deadline day?

Here on the board only, or is skysports still worth it? Any reccomendations?

 

[Massive Spanner]

I wouldn't mind us just keeping what we have, getting top 4 and going all out next sumner possibly under a new manager who gels with Pogba and Martial, and who adds key reinforcements the management believe in.

I like this idea.

I also sort of dislike it cause, well, we're probably going to be as dire to watch this season as ever, but then I don't think with 2 or 3 new players it would be any different under Jose regardless of that so I'm not fussed. I'm hoping the club have some sort of plan here and are biding their time under Jose while waiting for the right manager to be become available. And hey, we might still be surprised by Jose (unlikely) this season.

 

[oz insomniac]

Did we blow our summer transfer budget on Sanchez in January? This is very strange. We might get a last minute deal for Alderweireld but otherwise I think we’re done. We need to start lining up deals well in advance. With City and Liverpool you know they’ve already wrapped deals up in the middle of the season and they’re just waiting for the window to open to make them official. With us, it’s like we don’t even think about who we want to sign until two weeks in to the window.

Would suggest the person responsible for completing transfers was far more interested in sponsorships or being seen at Wimbledon or gala events, that part of his job description interfered with his real interest.

Until someone in Woodys role is a football head and not a financial guru mainly responsible to the balance sheet and the Glazers wealth , it will go on.

 

[JoaquinJoaquin]

Are Spurs a shambles too? How about Chelsea and City, they have done less business than us, are they both shambles too?

City are miles ahead of us and only needed 1 more player, which they got. Not sure what is happening at Spurs but as the trademark 'Biggest club in the world' shouldn't we be aspiring to be on a much higher level then Tottenham Hotspur?

Also, Spurs and Chelsea's best players aren't at odds with the manager and wanting to leave like ours are.

 

[Zoo]

We have signed this lad called Chivas Regal.

 

[Sassy Colin]

City and Chelsea won the league the last 2 years so its a big fat NO for them 2

Sorry, where did Chelsea come last season?

If any team needs to strengthen, it's them, although it kind of depends whether Hazard could be arsed or not this year.

 

[MrPooni]

City are miles ahead of us and only needed 1 more player, which they got. Not sure what is happening at Spurs but as the trademark 'Biggest club in the world' shouldn't we be aspiring to be on a much higher level then Tottenham Hotspur?

They got one of their targets in Mahrez after losing out on Sanchez to us but have failed to get their main target in Jorginho who opted to join Chelsea after City kept dithering on the money ala Sanchez. Fred was considered an alternative for that position but signed for us instead. Yeah, City are miles ahead of us in terms of their starting squad but this idea that they're way ahead of us in how they conduct their transfer business is rubbish.

Also, Spurs and Chelsea's best players aren't at odds with the manager and wanting to leave like ours are.

Courtois didn't turn up to training for two days to push through a transfer and has forced Chelsea into dropping £73 million on a relatively untested keeper a few weeks after they thought Alisson was too expensive, Hazard wants to leave but no bid materialised and Willian had a small tiff with Sarri which was only just sorted out. They're also stuck with the likes of Drinkwater and Barkley who they dropped a silly amount of money on and are nowhere near the required level.

Did we blow our summer transfer budget on Sanchez in January? This is very strange. We might get a last minute deal for Alderweireld but otherwise I think we’re done. We need to start lining up deals well in advance. With City and Liverpool you know they’ve already wrapped deals up in the middle of the season and they’re just waiting for the window to open to make them official. With us, it’s like we don’t even think about who we want to sign until two weeks in to the window.

Like their amazing Sanchez, Fred and Jorginho deals, yeah? That's not say I'm proud of how we've conducted our business this window but let's not peddle bollocks like this just so we can pity ourselves a little more.

 

[JoaquinJoaquin]

They got one of their targets in Mahrez after losing out on Sanchez to us but have failed to get their main target in Jorginho who opted to join Chelsea after City kept dithering on the money ala Sanchez. Fred was considered an alternative for that position but signed for us instead. Yeah, City are miles ahead of us in terms of their starting squad but this idea that they're way ahead of us in how they manage their transfers is rubbish.

Courtois didn't turn up to training for two days to push through a transfer and has forced Chelsea into dropping £73 million on a relatively untested keeper a few weeks after they thought Alisson was too expensive, Hazard wants to leave but no bid materialised and Willian had a small tiff with Sarri which was only just sorted out. They're also stuck with the likes of Drinkwater and Barkley who they dropped a silly amount of money on and are nowhere near the required level.
Like their amazing Sanchez, Fred and Jorginho deals, yeah? That's not say I'm proud of how we've conducted our business this window but let's not peddle bollocks like this just so we can pity ourselves a little more.

City will win the league and have a good chance at winning the CL. Anyone they sign at this point is a luxury squad player anyways. Jorginho or Fred would of been tweaks to an already fanstastic squad. Jorginho knew he wouldn't be an automatic starter, whereas at Chelsea he would be. I don't think City will lose any sleep over him not signing anyways.

Alot of what you are saying about Chelsea players is gossip and hearsay. Hazard hasn't agitated for a move at all. He said Real Madrid was his dream club, but has worked hard back at Chelsea and has got his head down. He has done this for 3 years. Willian is happy at the club and has said as much. He hasn't looked for a way out when he could of easily had one with us. Drinkwater and Barkley are squad players who are happy so not sure why you brought those 2 up. Courtois is the only one who wants out, but that's because his family still live in Madrid so that was always going to happen at some point anyways.

 

[MrPooni]

City will win the league and have a good chance at winning the CL. Anyone they sign at this point is a luxury squad player anyways. Jorginho or Fred would of been tweaks to an already fanstastic squad. Jorginho knew he wouldn't be an automatic starter, whereas at Chelsea he would be. I don't think City will lose any sleep over him not signing anyways.

Alot of what you are saying about Chelsea players is gossip and hearsay. Hazard hasn't agitated for a move at all. He said Real Madrid was his dream club, but has worked hard back at Chelsea and has got his head down. He has done this for 3 years. Willian is happy at the club and has said as much. He hasn't looked for a way out when he could of easily had one with us. Drinkwater and Barkley are squad players who are happy so not sure why you brought those 2 up.

Wait, so when there are reports for players agitating for a move at Chelsea with actual quotes (Hazard) and missing training sessions (Courtois and Willian) everything is hearsay but when it happens at United (Pogba reports without any substance beyond a silly Barcelona bid) and Martial (who will be staying) it's noteworthy? Okay mate. In regards to why I brought up Drinkwater and Barkley, I'm using them to highlight some of the poor business Chelsea have conducted over the past year – unless you think they were good value signings and not simply the club desperately trying to hit their homegrown player quota due to questionable transfer management?

 

[Ronaldo's Love Child]

I think we HAVE to assume that we will sign at least 1 player before deadline based solely on Mourinho's press conference when he said he wanted 2 transfers but expects he will get only 1.

If we fail to sign anyone else then that is either a massive failure on Woodward's part or a massive withdrawal of support for Mourinho. If our new mentality is to hover within the top 4 positions every season then Mourinho won't last another season-his pride won't allow him to lead a club along Arsenal's lines.

 

[JoaquinJoaquin]

Wait, so when there are reports for players agitating for a move at Chelsea with actual quotes (Hazard) and missing training sessions (Courtois and Willian) everything is hearsay but when it happens at United (Pogba reports without any substance beyond a silly Barcelona bid) and Martial (who will be staying) it's noteworthy? Okay mate. In regards to why I brought up Drinkwater and Barkley, I'm using them to highlight some of the poor business Chelsea have conducted over the past year – unless you think they were good value signings?

Hazard says every year Madrid is his dream club, but it never effects his performance or happiness at Chelsea. Chelsea fans are even used to that by now, and chances are he probably will never go to Madrid now. I said Courtois was unhappy, but his stay in England was never going to last anyways as his family didn't want to move. Willian had an issue with his Visa \ Passport which hasn't been a problem as soon as he came back. He has since done an interview staying he wants to stay.

Now when you look at our situation, Martial clearly wants to leave. His performances in the US were a disgrace and if he performs like that during the season it's pointless having him. Pogba situation may be overblown, but he has clearly had a falling out with Mourinho and Mino wouldn't be pimping him around Europe without Pogba's blessing. I'd be shocked if he is still here by the end of next Summer.

FWIW - Barkley is a good squad player. Drinkwater was only signed for the English quota anyways. I don't particularly rate him though, no.

 

[VeevaVee]

You think? Our squad is very thin outside of our first 11 - Utd have a much better squad overall.

I'd say so. We can't even fill 11 positions properly and you have 6 players that could walk into our team. We do have better depth though, yeah.

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

I'm half expecting to turn on SSN tomorrow night to see Jose being interviewed whilst hanging out of a car window outside Carrington, loose jawed, chewing gum and telling reporters with a wink that we may have a chance with Scott Dann - "Scotty is a good boy, there's still an hour and a half left so we'll see"

 

[MrPooni]

Hazard says every year Madrid is his dream club, but it never effects his performance or happiness at Chelsea. Chelsea fans are even used to that by now, and chances are he probably will never go to Madrid now. I said Courtois was unhappy, but his stay in England was never going to last anyways as his family didn't want to move. Willian had an issue with his Visa \ Passport which hasn't been a problem as soon as he came back. He has since done an interview staying he wants to stay.

Now when you look at our situation, Martial clearly wants to leave. His performances in the US were a disgrace and if he performs like that during the season it's pointless having him. Pogba situation may be overblown, but he has clearly had a falling out with Mourinho and Mino wouldn't be pimping him around Europe without Pogba's blessing. I'd be shocked if he is still here by the end of next Summer.

FWIW - Barkley is a good squad player. Drinkwater was only signed for the English quota anyways. I don't particularly rate him though, no.

Pogba's clearly had a falling out with Mourinho? He's given several interviews since last season in the vein of this one with Canal Plus where he said:

“I do not have a problem with Mourinho. I do not think he has one either.

“He’s the coach, he’s going to make choices and I, as a player, I accept him. That is all."

So if you can take Willians word for it why can't you take Pogbas? Or are you suggesting Jose's fallen out with him over the two or three days he's been back in England? Because personally I can't see any evidence of that anywhere. With that in mind, your only point seems to be we're doing shite in comparison to Spurs and Chelsea in the transfer market because Martial is unhappy that we signed Sanchez which is a bit of an overstatement if you ask me.

 

[Sassy Colin]

There's a thread in the General for sensible people like you @MrPooni

 

[Smores]

City are miles ahead of us and only needed 1 more player, which they got. Not sure what is happening at Spurs but as the trademark 'Biggest club in the world' shouldn't we be aspiring to be on a much higher level then Tottenham Hotspur?

Also, Spurs and Chelsea's best players aren't at odds with the manager and wanting to leave like ours are.

That last bit is bizzare considering they've a number of players wanting to leave, two of which we're trying to purchase

 

[JoaquinJoaquin]

Pogba's clearly had a falling out with Mourinho? He's given several interviews since last season in the vein of this one with Canal Plus where he said:


So if you can take Willians word for it why can't you take Pogbas? Or are you suggesting Jose's fallen out with him over the two or three days he's been back in England? Because personally I can't see any evidence of that anywhere. With that in mind, your only point seems to be we're doing shite in comparison to Spurs and Chelsea in the transfer market because Martial is unhappy that we signed Sanchez which is a bit of an overstatement if you ask me.

If you don't believe Pogba and Mourinho have fallen out, then you really are naive aren't you? Jesus christ.

 

[JoaquinJoaquin]

That last bit is bizzare considering they've a number of players wanting to leave, two of which we're trying to purchase

Spurs have 1, Toby. Who was frozen out a bit last season anyways. Rose and Dembele have been rumoured to go, but not heard anything to say they particularly want that to happen.

Chelsea have 1 to, Courtois. Willian wants to stay, and Hazard wants to stay (unless his dream club Madrid come in for him, which is applicable for most players in the world).

So I don't think it's bizzarre at all.

 

[MrPooni]

If you don't believe Pogba and Mourinho have fallen out, then you really are naive aren't you? Jesus christ.

I think Pogba wasn't happy about being dropped last season and Mourinho wasn't happy with his consistency levels which are both pretty normal things to happen at any football club, especially one the size of Manchester United. Is that tantamount to "a falling out" on the level the tabloids are suggesting? Not for me but each to his own.

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

Hey it could be worse guys - you could be like me and putting all my hopes and dreams on us signing Jack Grealish (who I don't rate) because it doesn't look like we are getting anybody else. Be thankful..

Didn't you vote to end the window early too?

Absolute madness, Spurs do all their transfer business at the very last minute anyway and that's when there's normally another 3 weeks of the window to go. You were always going to struggle hugely with such a short transfer window.