Lukaku and Sanchez - cut our losses? Poll now added

Should we cut our losses on Sanchez and Lukaku in the summer?


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Bastian

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If this is some sacrilege because there are already threads on Lukaku, then just merge.

This is not knee-jerk as Sanchez just scored and Lukaku bagged a couple assists. They'll no doubt be useful for the rest of the season.

But can we really keep those two players as squad players? An over the hill Sanchez being the highest paid player in the team, which clearly affects other contract negotiations and a striker who doesn't suit our game in the slightest, likely earning more than everyone bar Pogba and Sanchez.

The best thing about how Ole has lined up the team is the attacking quartet of Martial, Rashford, Lingard and Pogba. Pace, movement, energy. If we'd cut our losses with Lukaku and Sanchez in the summer we'd be able to add players that are more suitable. A dynamic young striker to compete/be backup to Rashford and what we've been waiting for for years, a right winger.

A lot of posters here are saying we should offer Mata a new deal because he's quality - which he is - but we won't be improving the overall quality of the squad if we retain everyone, and we won't address the imbalance. We cannot have 30 first team players on mega wages.

I've seen enough from Sanchez to think there is no way he merits being the best paid player at the club, he's nowhere close to what any of us expected and it's pretty much the same for Lukaku, though he might be easier to shift.

Hope they do well till the rest of the season both for the team and to up their market value.

edit: Mods, if this thread is not merged, can we have a poll please?
 

charlenefan

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Feck no, our strength in depth in the forward areas is phenomenal right now so why weaken ourselves?
 

MyOnlySolskjaer

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No chance either is willing to be a bench player next season. Ole can probably motivate them until the end of this one though.

May have to look at some stackers in the summer.
 

Bastian

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No chance either is willing to be a bench player next season. Ole can probably motivate them until the end of this one though.

May have to look at some stackers in the summer.
I hope you're right. Though I think the club would have to take the initiative, at least with Sanchez. Who else is going to give him that wage? And with Lukaku, I doubt a better team will come looking for him. I think we'd need to actively look to sell them and almost 99.9% take a loss as we don't have the Chelsea negotiating team...
 

MikeUpNorth

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I'm not sure we could get rid of Sanchez even if we wanted to, given the wages he is supposed to be on.

Lukaku is a good option to have in the squad and can compete for a starting position with our other forwards.
 

Fosu-Mens

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No chance either is willing to be a bench player next season. Ole can probably motivate them until the end of this one though.

May have to look at some stackers in the summer.
Both are willing to be benchplayers next season given that the only places they would receive the same wages is in China or some middle east oil state. Clubs in China will be able to afford both the wages they are on, but not be able to pay the transfer fee for Lukaku(50% taxation if i'm not mistaken) and the club seems to be reluctant to sell any player at a loss.
 

bosnian_red

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I think it'll be hard to keep both happy in squad player roles tbh. It always depends on the stages of their careers, and maybe we'll hold on next season but I don't see Lukaku and Sanchez being happy with squad player roles.
 

Sylar

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The thing is if they are all kept, they will all get plenty of minutes each. I'd say add a rw and we will be grand.
 

Chairman Woodie

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I've no issue with Sanchez or Lukaku.

Sanchez hasn't had the opportunity to prove himself under Solskjaer yet.

Although Lukaku is no longer a guaranteed starter since Mourinho was sacked. He has done well under Solskjaer, scoring goals and providing assists.

If either player wants a regular starting place then he'll need to fight for his position like any other United player. Otherwise find a new club.
 

AshRK

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Yes sell our squad depth and become like spurs. Imagine if social media would have been active during the treble season. They would have said let us cut our loses by selling yorke or sheringham. If we are to win top trophies we need strength in the bench.
 

Devil may care

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I'd imagine one would be happy to stay as a back-up but both are strikers, not wingers, Sanchez doesn't have the legs to play wide anymore, if Juve or Real offer big money for Lukaku I'd take it as Sanchez will be hard to shift as his wages are insane and anyone with eyes can see he's declined.
 

Camilo

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I'm not advocating weakening the team, quite the opposite.
I have no idea who we could bring in to replace Sanchez and Lukaku that would bring half the quality. Effectively you have to look at replacing Rashford and Martial if you want to strengthen the team, making them both squad players. I don't see the point.
 

Neo_Mufc

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We need to get them both firing and have them competing for spots a like what City do with each of their players. A bad spell and you know your spot is up.
 

Dave89

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If we can afford them and the staff are happy with their attitude then I'm not too bothered.
 

Dumbat12

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Lukaku is not a top quality striker for me. He can do a job, but we need someone better if we want to challenge for anything. Sanchez, meh, he's unsellable given his contract. Aside from that, he has an opportunity to prove himself under Ole and he has done decently for now.
 

el3mel

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I think yeah we need to chip both out by the end of the season and get a sub striker and right winger. No hard feeling but we will look balanced that way.
 

VeevaVee

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Lukaku is a pointless player for us to have in my opinion. His good side isn't good enough. We can get better and should, for whatever it is we now deem to need (someone to challenge Rashford? Backup for him? A big name striker? Just get the RW sorted? Don't know).

I'm just not sure about Sanchez.
 

Woziak

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I've no issue with Sanchez or Lukaku.

Sanchez hasn't had the opportunity to prove himself under Solskjaer yet.

Although Lukaku is no longer a guaranteed starter since Mourinho was sacked. He has done well under Solskjaer, scoring goals and providing assists.

If either player wants a regular starting place then he'll need to fight for his position like any other United player. Otherwise find a new club.
Very sensible reply, the squad needs more pressing replacements, we need a world class Centre Back, A top quality right back and two left footed players, one Utility player to play Left back and Left Centre Back and the other an out and out left footed speed merchant as a winger, it's clear the following do not have futures at United, Mateo Darmian, Marcus Rojo, Marouane Feilani and as much as I hate to say it Juan Mata. We probably will not get more than £20M for all 4 but we will free up £500k per week in wages. I love Juan Mata but at 31 his legs are going for the frantic pace of the premier league.

Sanchez now a sub but Lukaku looks much better from the right where if he regains his pace since he's still only 25 he will be a handful and offers real options to the squad plus I think he genuinely gets on with the Manager and the squad, now if Madrid, Juventus or PSG offer £150M then that's another question altogether.

We simply can not change 6 or 7 players in the summer but 4 is possible and even Phil Jones under Ole and Mike Phelan may offer something as a right back option or a centre defensive midfield player but he should no longer play centre back against any top side.
 

AndyMUFC

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They could be starting every game in a few weeks. Things can change very quickly in football.
 

RedDevil@84

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I don't think they will always be on bench. As weeks pass by, I think they ll play more and Rashford/Martial will not play the same amount of games. I think it will be too early to say Rashford will be in the same form every week. It might happen, but there will be weeks where he can't perform in same way.
And we would not be playing with lightning speed every game. We would have a different strategy in some weeks and I think everyone will start getting chances.
So I don't think they ll be on bench forever.
 

haram

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Rashford and Martial’s form could very easily dip. People are getting ahead of themselves.
 

staniswin

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We can't even get rid of Fellaini let alone Sanchez whose wage 3x and just as old. It's hard to see him not staying here till his contract run out. Lukaku might invite some buyers but we will have to sell him in discount.
 

ivaldo

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What a bizarre time to post this.
 

Ekeke

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If they play well it'll keep Rashford and Martial on form for fear of losing their spot. So we're probably good for a bit longer after the season
 

sunama

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I must say that when we took off Sanchez and Lukaku and brought on Martial and Rashford, I had a big smile on my face.
I pitied the AFC defence for what they were about to be exposed to.

I think that we should keep both Lukaku and Sanchez. Lukaku can be used as an alternative option (Rashford being our No.1). Sanchez - the jury's out on him. I need to see him play more, under Ole.
Lukaku and Sanchez give us depth in our attack, which all top teams should have.
 

Bastian

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Yes sell our squad depth and become like spurs. Imagine if social media would have been active during the treble season. They would have said let us cut our loses by selling yorke or sheringham. If we are to win top trophies we need strength in the bench.
Yorke was superb for us and Sheringham wasn't earning twice or triple what other squad players were earning.

I have no idea who we could bring in to replace Sanchez and Lukaku that would bring half the quality. Effectively you have to look at replacing Rashford and Martial if you want to strengthen the team, making them both squad players. I don't see the point.
My take on it is aside from their big names they haven't really brought quality and do not really fit into a fast attacking game. I think Lukaku could be a far more effective player for a side that plays completely different football. With Sanchez I think he's got quality, but nothing to justify his wages. And his wages aren't just "if the club is happy to pay it..." isolated issue, because it affects every other contract negotiation at the club.

@ivaldo Is it worse than posting after they have a nightmare game? According to your estimate, when is it suitable to post something that I've thought is the case for quite a few months now?
 

VeevaVee

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@ivaldo Is it worse than posting after they have a nightmare game? According to your estimate, when is it suitable to post something that I've thought is the case for quite a few months now?
Quite often anything seems to either be kneejerk or a stupid time to post it, even if one game doesn't change an opinion formed over several months. Standard caf
 

ivaldo

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@ivaldo Is it worse than posting after they have a nightmare game? According to your estimate, when is it suitable to post something that I've thought is the case for quite a few months now?
You don't post it after either scenario. Both instances you are at an emotional extreme. If this was posted Wednesday at mid afternoon then it would seem measured, but a few hours after an emphatic win? Nah, there's emotion attached. Someone has triggered this line of thought within you, and it's almost certainly tonights game.
 

manunited1919

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I don’t know why Ole is trying to slot Sanchez into the left wing, I think he doesn’t have the pace anymore to play there. Mourinho made the same mistake and Sanchez had maybe the worst six months performance of his career, until he was dropped. I would really like to see Sanchez playing through the middle, sort of Lingard’s position today. Even though his feet are not as fast as Lingard, his football brain is much quicker and his experience will help us create more and break down defenses.
 

Bastian

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Quite often anything seems to either be kneejerk or a stupid time to post it, even if one game doesn't change an opinion formed over several months. Standard caf
Thank you!

You don't post it after either scenario. Both instances you are at an emotional extreme. If this was posted Wednesday at mid afternoon then it would seem measured, but a few hours after an emphatic win? Nah, there's emotion attached. Someone has triggered this line of thought within you, and it's almost certainly tonights game.
Do I pay at the front desk, or do I make the cheque out to Jordan Peterson's pseudo-psychology appreciation society? :wenger:
 

MikeKing

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Our strength in depth is frighteningly good. We shouldn’t get rid.
That is the thing. We don't need to sell. However, we should definitely be open or even be calmly looking to sell them for a fair price.
 

Guoan

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Both are willing to be benchplayers next season given that the only places they would receive the same wages is in China or some middle east oil state. Clubs in China will be able to afford both the wages they are on, but not be able to pay the transfer fee for Lukaku(50% taxation if i'm not mistaken) and the club seems to be reluctant to sell any player at a loss.
The Chinese club has to pay the same amount to the Chinese FA.

Marko Arnautović would have cost his potential suitor £90m. (£45m to WHU, £45m to the CFA)
 
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amolbhatia50k

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I know everybody is euphoric but it isn't as clear cut at would seem in this moment.

Lukaku - For me, it's an interesting case because he's not got the quality nor kind of skillset, to be a starting number 9 at a top team, yet any team would love having somebody with his end product in their squad. To summarise, he's an excllent squad option. However, the feeling I get is that he wouldn't be happy with that role. Which makes this a dilemma whether for him or for us.

Sanchez - The more complicated one. He's over the hill well past his best. He still has some of that calmness and class in the final third but outside of that he is now bang average. There's no case that can be made for him starting on the left (or the right ImO) ahead of younger legs that can challenge the defensive and athletic abilities of opponents. Sanchez is a forward now and not a particularly physical one. Can we really afford to play absurd wages to somebody who is a nice rotational option?

So yeah, both cased are debateable for me. While in our interest,the more dangerous players the merrier. Our squad depth in attack is absolutely fantastic with players like this as backup. But whether they would accept that, or we are willing to bear their cost, is questionable.
 

Fosu-Mens

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The Chinese club has to pay the same amount to the Chinese FA.

Marko Arnautović would have cost his potential suitor £90m. (£45m to WHU, £45m to the CFA)
Was not sure about that, assumed it was the same tax as in some european countries... Thank for the clarification.
With the 100% transfer "tax" it is even worse then. We will not get alot for Sanchez.