goin4glory
New Member
Might need the fans to make noise about this so the club pulls the fecking finger out before Bayern/Barca sign him.
Not having a direct dig at you per se.Out - Pogba £120m
In - De Ligt £60m, De Jong £60m
There's absolutely no way we would've sold him for anything like 15 or 20m back then, that's just unfair on Woodward.Not having a direct dig at you per se.
But this ridiculousness is why we are in this mess at the moment. 60M for De Ligt? What kind of nonsense is this? Really just have a think about it. It was obvious two years ago that after the final that we shouldn't have left the stadium without signing him up. Now people expect Woodward to just come out and make a signing like this? It is too late. It should have been done two years ago when he would have cost 1/4 of that and would have been hailed as an absolute gem of a signing.
Buying these kinds of players and throwing mountains of cash at them before they've done anything is why we're in this mess in the first place. Look at the Martial signing as a test case, front loading all of this money into his contract that now we've backed our way into a corner after two years of not even looking like he cares and we have to just bin him because we can't drop his salary by 30k which would reflect the level of development that he's at.
(Again, sorry about the rant. Not trying to directly throw that dig at you, more highlight the farcical nature of the scenario and that a CEO with the strategies that we've seen from Woodward wouldn't ever go near a signing like this for the right reasons.)
He was 17 at the time, there is no way Woodward would have gone anywhere near the signing was my point. That was the time to get him, there is no point waiting a few years and throwing money at these players like this. This strategy is why we are where we are now.There's absolutely no way we would've sold him for anything like 15 or 20m back then, that's just unfair on Woodward.
Sadly this at the moment.He would be an incredible player for us, but I cant think any reason why he would join us. Clearly all top clubs are interested in him so unless he is a United fan he will surely join Barca, Madrid, City, Bayern or Juve.
The point i was trying to make is that he wouldn't have been considerably less expensive back then. Maybe you could've gotten him for 40m but even that's iffy considering what we got for Sanchez.He was 17 at the time, there is no way Woodward would have gone anywhere near the signing was my point. That was the time to get him, there is no point waiting a few years and throwing money at these players like this. This strategy is why we are where we are now.
60M for De Ligt would be a catch in todays market. He will go for more and rightly so. I made this point in the Koulibaly thread; this might be a cashflow issue but its so not a cost issue. Even if he flops (which he wont) his value in todays crazy market will not be much less. If he performs his value will increase. Look at Pogba who hasnt really performed for us and he will go for maybe 150M if we sell him nxt summer.Not having a direct dig at you per se.
But this ridiculousness is why we are in this mess at the moment. 60M for De Ligt? What kind of nonsense is this? Really just have a think about it. It was obvious two years ago that after the final that we shouldn't have left the stadium without signing him up. Now people expect Woodward to just come out and make a signing like this? It is too late. It should have been done two years ago when he would have cost 1/4 of that and would have been hailed as an absolute gem of a signing.
Buying these kinds of players and throwing mountains of cash at them before they've done anything is why we're in this mess in the first place. Look at the Martial signing as a test case, front loading all of this money into his contract that now we've backed our way into a corner after two years of not even looking like he cares and we have to just bin him because we can't drop his salary by 30k which would reflect the level of development that he's at.
(Again, sorry about the rant. Not trying to directly throw that dig at you, more highlight the farcical nature of the scenario and that a CEO with the strategies that we've seen from Woodward wouldn't ever go near a signing like this for the right reasons.)
I haven't taken offence. I completely agree with you. We're really not shrewd in the transfer market at all.Not having a direct dig at you per se.
But this ridiculousness is why we are in this mess at the moment. 60M for De Ligt? What kind of nonsense is this? Really just have a think about it. It was obvious two years ago that after the final that we shouldn't have left the stadium without signing him up. Now people expect Woodward to just come out and make a signing like this? It is too late. It should have been done two years ago when he would have cost 1/4 of that and would have been hailed as an absolute gem of a signing.
Buying these kinds of players and throwing mountains of cash at them before they've done anything is why we're in this mess in the first place. Look at the Martial signing as a test case, front loading all of this money into his contract that now we've backed our way into a corner after two years of not even looking like he cares and we have to just bin him because we can't drop his salary by 30k which would reflect the level of development that he's at.
(Again, sorry about the rant. Not trying to directly throw that dig at you, more highlight the farcical nature of the scenario and that a CEO with the strategies that we've seen from Woodward wouldn't ever go near a signing like this for the right reasons.)
But he is. Have you seen them play together in the Dutch team?Ok he's already better than Van Dijk now? Calm down mate.
wow, just wow no one is doubting boy's potential but he's nowhre near VVD's level now, established world class CB for one of the best teams in the world who tend to play attacking football and overlook defense and despite that having the best defense in the league. What has de ligt achieved so far? Being good in the shite dutch league?Liverpool waited for Van Dijk to prove himself at PL level, and already forgot what they paid for him. De Ligt is already better, has more years in him, and has not reached his ceiling yet.
Come on now, world class CB with a list of achievements? This isn't Stam we are talking about. VVD has won precisely nothing of note and still has a lot to prove at Liverpool, hes still making some pretty basic errors at times. De Ligt is not all that far away from him despite being half a career behind.wow, just wow no one is doubting boy's potential but he's nowhre near VVD's level now, established world class CB for one of the best teams in the world who tend to play attacking football and overlook defense and despite that having the best defense in the league. What has de ligt achieved so far? Being good in the shite dutch league?
Oh yea? Please list all these errors Van Dijk is making then. VVD is playing in the EPL and De Ligt is playing in Eredivisie that's a big gulf in quality there. He could end up being better than VVD all the signs are there but he's not better than him now imoCome on now, world class CB with a list of achievements? This isn't Stam we are talking about. VVD has won precisely nothing of note and still has a lot to prove at Liverpool, hes still making some pretty basic errors at times. De Ligt is not all that far away from him despite being half a career behind.
Van Dijk was a year older and fumbling around at Groningen at this stage. De Ligt is captain of Ajax, pocketing forwards like Lewandowski in the CL and already a first choice national team option.Oh yea? Please list all these errors Van Dijk is making then. VVD is playing in the EPL and De Ligt is playing in Eredivisie that's a big gulf in quality there. He could end up being better than VVD all the signs are there but he's not better than him now imo
And Ronaldo, and Lacazette...and Giroud (he'll be less proud of that one).Van Dijk was a year older and fumbling around at Groningen at this stage. De Ligt is captain of Ajax, pocketing forwards like Lewandowski in the CL and already a first choice national team option.
His quality is blatant.
Umtiti and Lenglet are left centerbacks, whereas De Ligt is predominantly a right centerback — so he'll be more of a successor to Piqué, who will turn 32 pretty soon and is edging towards the twilight of his career. Barcelona didn't have a sound succession plan for the likes of Xavi or Alves, not necessarily in terms of quality because it would be close to impossible but wrt. characteristics, and it caused some systemic issues (like the change in playing style to accommodate Rakitić by putting more of a focus on Messi-Suárez-Neymar). Piqué didn't quite reach the heights of Xavi or Alves as a player but was central to Barcelona's build-up play and organisation from the back for close to a decade, and is a very important piece in the overall setup still, so it makes sense to target an elite talent who offer a good passing skillset and understanding of the game on top of top-notch defensive wherewithal for his age. Plus, Barcelona is an obvious link for the best Ajax players given their history with Cruyff and converging ideologies (including how young players are educated, both mentally and physically), and that would presumably smoothen the transition.why do people keep saying Barcelona? they have umtiti and lenglet no?
Yes his quality is blatant but i don't think he's as good as VVD is now, if he continues his progress he will be better than him. And when you play for one of the top top teams the pressure is increased massively , any mistake scrutinised and talked about for longer let's see how he handles that before we say he's better than VVD.Van Dijk was a year older and fumbling around at Groningen at this stage. De Ligt is captain of Ajax, pocketing forwards like Lewandowski in the CL and already a first choice national team option.
His quality is blatant.
Van Dijk was a year older and fumbling around at Groningen at this stage. De Ligt is captain of Ajax, pocketing forwards like Lewandowski in the CL and already a first choice national team option.
His quality is blatant.
He made "the" mistake that cost Holland the world cup in his international debut at 17 and just came out the other end a better player.Yes his quality is blatant but i don't think he's as good as VVD is now, if he continues his progress he will be better than him. And when you play for one of the top top teams the pressure is increased massively , any mistake scrutinised and talked about for longer let's see how he handles that before we say he's better than VVD.
He looks a great talent... The only reservation I'd have is that it's abundantly clear that our central defenders need an experienced leader to guide them; and a 19 year old coming from the Dutch league isn't going to command the respect of the squad to be that leader. Our centre backs at the moment constantly look like Evans did when Vidic or Ferdinand weren't partnering him... Completely lost.
If we were looking to completely revamp our central defence then he'd probably be the best signing we could make... However our budget wouldn't allow for a Pep style £250m splurge.
Kluivert had the natural world class talent, but not the mentality or ability to deal with the success and spotlights. For Van Nistelrooij it was more the other way around, his drive and mentality made him. De Ligt's mentality has never been questioned, he's Ajax's captain at that young age for a reason. And he's obviously very talented aswell.Patrick Kluivert scored the winning goal against AC Milan in 95 . Van Nistelrooy ( born on the same day as Kluivert ) were still playing in de sec dutch league in 98 .
Yes and we were in the market for one. If only we had someone in the club who had better control of purchasing.Was obvious 2 years ago he was a class act
Kluivert was a good player, but he wasn't world class - if anything his early career elevated his status.Kluivert had the natural world class talent, but not the mentality or ability to deal with the success and spotlights. For Van Nistelrooij it was more the other way around, his drive and mentality made him. De Ligt's mentality has never been questioned, he's Ajax's captain at that young age for a reason. And he's obviously very talented aswell.