Assuming Herrea and Pogba are gone...
We will have
McT
Fred
Matic
Pereira
Garner
2 more imo. But we may just get one.
Rice and ?
We will have
McT
Fred
Matic
Pereira
Garner
2 more imo. But we may just get one.
Rice and ?
Midfield Next Season
- Thread starter Red Dreams
- Start date
Brandt, from what people have said about him.
Garner
McTominay
Gomes
Greenwood
Rashford
Martial
I’m okay with finishing 12th just to see this front six playing week in week out.
McTominay
Gomes
Greenwood
Rashford
Martial
I’m okay with finishing 12th just to see this front six playing week in week out.
Sell Matic as well
Auoar
Rabiot
Fernandes
Midfield sorted and made a profit as well.
Auoar
Rabiot
Fernandes
Midfield sorted and made a profit as well.
I do think we should buy Rice. Unless who knows what the board are going to do.?
Rice - Matic - Fred. That's the sort of midfield that'll challenge for the league.
On second thought it's the exact sort of midfield you'd see starting for West Ham.
What I love about all this is our midfield departures will mask our need for genuine top quality wide forwards for about 5 seasons in a row now.
On second thought it's the exact sort of midfield you'd see starting for West Ham.
What I love about all this is our midfield departures will mask our need for genuine top quality wide forwards for about 5 seasons in a row now.
Except pogba, none of our current player whould play as first choice midfielder in top club, we need 3 first tim quality but must be worth ton of buck.
For me, we should go for Rice , Van De Beek, and a creative mf, my dream would be eriksen, but bruno fernandes should be fine
For me, we should go for Rice , Van De Beek, and a creative mf, my dream would be eriksen, but bruno fernandes should be fine
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Pea
If we sell Pogba, it will completely solidify my belief that our rebuilding job is so total that we might as well sell De Gea (who will be miserable here for the next few years) and spend the 200M they bring in and the 200M or whatever we have already to spend entirely on young players.
Spend the entire 400M on Sancho, 1 of Felix, Havertz or Aouar, Neves, Wan-Bissaka and a young CB like Rice (if he's good to move and we rate him there) or one of the Leipzig young guys or whoever we think is the best non De-Light CB under 23 in the world (tough to see us getting him over Bayern or Barca) and play the young guys.
We might not get top 4 next year, but at least we'd have a future. If we sign Meunier and Idrissa Gueye and a couple guys in their mid 20s we're only doing a Liverpool in the 90s or whatever. We need long-term quality more than a quick fix.
Ericson and Milinković-Savić
Two names I have heard a lot of.
Two names I have heard a lot of.
Man, this thread is dispiriting because if Pogba stays and keeps improving, we would need only 1-2 signings and better organisation to bring the midfield to a close-to-elite level. (╯°□°）╯
Anyhow, United should have a substantial “warchest” if Pogba joins Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain or Juventus, so target the best talents, like Havertz and Barella. The former has Ballack-esque potential with a hint of Özil in terms of technique, and could be a good replacement for Pogba over the long haul...
https://www.footballwhispers.com/blog/football-whispers-20-to-watch-in-2019-kai-havertz
And the latter could be a decisive balancer in United's midfield — first player to arrive for second balls, tactically mature, good technique and passing/dribbling ability, has leadership potential, quite versatile — worst case scenario, where he inexplicably fails to live up to his potential, Barella becomes a crucial squad player (like Ander was supposed to be if we had reinforced properly in recent seasons). Next summer, target a holding midfielder or deep-lying playmaker (unless the club is convinced that Garner is Carrick II), and you should be good to go.
Though in an ideal world, we would sign three central midfielders this summer following Pogba and Herrera's hypothetical departure (considering an additional player was needed even with them in the fold), and van de Beek could be a sound option as the third — in De Ligt/De Jong's shadow at Ajax, but he's a noteworthy player in his own right and can play in a number of roles/positions — which speaks to his adaptability.
Anyhow, United should have a substantial “warchest” if Pogba joins Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain or Juventus, so target the best talents, like Havertz and Barella. The former has Ballack-esque potential with a hint of Özil in terms of technique, and could be a good replacement for Pogba over the long haul...
https://www.footballwhispers.com/blog/football-whispers-20-to-watch-in-2019-kai-havertz
And the latter could be a decisive balancer in United's midfield — first player to arrive for second balls, tactically mature, good technique and passing/dribbling ability, has leadership potential, quite versatile — worst case scenario, where he inexplicably fails to live up to his potential, Barella becomes a crucial squad player (like Ander was supposed to be if we had reinforced properly in recent seasons). Next summer, target a holding midfielder or deep-lying playmaker (unless the club is convinced that Garner is Carrick II), and you should be good to go.
Though in an ideal world, we would sign three central midfielders this summer following Pogba and Herrera's hypothetical departure (considering an additional player was needed even with them in the fold), and van de Beek could be a sound option as the third — in De Ligt/De Jong's shadow at Ajax, but he's a noteworthy player in his own right and can play in a number of roles/positions — which speaks to his adaptability.
Why are you assuming they are gone?
Looking at that midfield and we are SERIOUSLY fecked if Pogba goes...
Keep hearing we should sign Neves from Wolves, That's great an all. But he's just another DMF to add to Matic, Herrera & McTominay.
We need some creative spark in there badly if we do in fact lose Pogba.
Too much talk of Pogba wanting to go to Real.
Even if he stays, it would only be for one year.
We would struggle to get to Top 4 this season. No certainly we will get Top 4 next season either.
This tickled meHerrera and Pogba are the only 2 we currently have who are good enough to start for a club like United on a regular basis anyway. So if we lose them, we need 2 new starting caliber midfielders because the others are all squad players at best.
I agree.
I would love to have Van De Beek, Eriksen and Saul Niguez in our midfield however the latter two are quite impossible dream hence I would want Tonali (he can play as a playmaking no 6 and a playmaking no 8 just like Van De Beek) and Lemina.
O'Connor - Alderweireld - Ferro - Shaw.
Lemina - Van De Beek - Tonali/Eriksen;
Ounas - João Felix - Chiesa.
Bench : Rashford, Greenwood, MCTominay, Dalot, Romero, Lindelof, Martial. (Fred and Smalling inclusive)
That's the dream.
O'Connor - Alderweireld - Ferro - Shaw.
Lemina - Van De Beek - Tonali/Eriksen;
Ounas - João Felix - Chiesa.
Bench : Rashford, Greenwood, MCTominay, Dalot, Romero, Lindelof, Martial. (Fred and Smalling inclusive)
That's the dream.
I made a rice pilaf once but it didn't take that long.
Just that his name has been mentioned often.
Even if we go for a bigger name, we will also get an up and coming player even it is not Rice.
Matic is finished here.
And if he isn't our top 4 ambitions might as well be.
And if he isn't our top 4 ambitions might as well be.
I genuinely think Fred would thrive at Liverpool.
Unfortunately it doesn’t matter who we buy until we get the mentality right at the club. Right now we’d make Messi look ordinary playing for us.
I wouldn't bother with a midfield to be honest. We haven't had any luck with them for ages. Time to be at the forefront of tactical innovation. Go five defenders and five forwards, and just chip it forwards at every opportunity. This is absolutely definitely not long ball football. It's new, and innovative.
Rather see that than feel my heart tighten everytime Matic is closed down as he takes 14 touches and 30 seconds to control and release a ten yard ground pass - anyone who watches us when he plays will know exactly what i mean
The Caf have and it’s hilarious.
Van de Beek, Milinkovic-savic, maybe even Rakitic if he wants to leave barcelona. Rabiot is also available and a good option. Ziyech as a number 10 or on the rw position.
Hope we dont go for Rice, but for a player who can actually play football in the sense of setting up attacks etc..
Hope we dont go for Rice, but for a player who can actually play football in the sense of setting up attacks etc..
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Ideally, we need three midfielders, but assuming the both go, I'd replace them with Neves and Fernandes.
Neves
Fernandes
Fred
McTominay
Matic
Pereira
Garner
Still be a very unbalanced midfield, though.
Neves
Fernandes
Fred
McTominay
Matic
Pereira
Garner
Still be a very unbalanced midfield, though.
Do you know if they can play in a midfield of 2?Ideally, we need three midfielders, but assuming the both go, I'd replace them with Neves and Fernandes.
Neves
Fernandes
Fred
McTominay
Matic
Pereira
Garner
Still be a very unbalanced midfield, though.
I wouldn't play them in a two.
It would be
Fernandes Neves Fred
If we're buying a double pivot, then I'd get N'Dombele instead of Fernandes.
If we sell Pogba, I was thinking on Eriksen as his replacement... and Fernandes to replace Herrera. That's why I wanted to know if Bruno can play in a midfield of 2.
Gonna be Scott - Fred - Matic if Pogba leaves unless a miracle happens and we sign another great 50m signing like Fred. 
I've never seen him in a two, but it's not to say he can't play there. Having said that, I don't think it's time to experiment. We need specialist. If we want to replace Herrera, then we should purchase a proper box to box combative midfielder. Fernandes doesn't fit that profile.
Eriksen would be a fantastic replacement for Pogba, but I very much doubt Spurs will sell to us. That, and in our current state, would Eriksen want to come?
In regards to potential Pogba replacements as the left centre midfielder, we should be looking at:
Fernandes
Coutinho
Isco
Rabiot
Draxler
Brandt
If Pogba leaves I dont think theres the slightest chance Eriksen wants to join us. Why would he leave Spurs, a better team than us currently, with us selling our best player this season? Well maybe if we give him Sanchez wages...
So my replacement for Pogba would be Maddison, who I'd sign regardless of whether Pogba stays or goes. An English player who wouldnt need such massive wages and probably wont cause as many problems in terms of being inconsistent and not working hard enough for the team.
So my replacement for Pogba would be Maddison, who I'd sign regardless of whether Pogba stays or goes. An English player who wouldnt need such massive wages and probably wont cause as many problems in terms of being inconsistent and not working hard enough for the team.
I really like Maddison, even from his time at Norwich.
7 goals 6 assists in his first season in the premier league is not bad at all, and could only see it improving if he were to move to a better team.
Tops the list in the league with created chances and is 6th in Europe, averaging 2.8 per game.
Get a proper DMF as we are losing Matic's legs. A playmaker like Eriksen will be good enough.
would put up James Ward-Prowse for consideration.
This was suggested by @Moriarty
I took notice. Cracker of a goal against us and he repeated next match.
This was suggested by @Moriarty
I took notice. Cracker of a goal against us and he repeated next match.
Havertz (19 y.o.) -- interesting talent.
Rabiot (24 y.o.) -- he's free and quality.
Rabiot (24 y.o.) -- he's free and quality.
Get the two from Lyon, N'Dombele and Aouar. They are both ready for the next step up and have looked quality in the CL and domestically. Granted, it would be difficult to prise them both away from Lyon but we have done business with them lately in Depay and Rafael so there may be a good connection there if that counts for anything.
Keep Herrera at all costs for the big games and cover. Him-Pogba-N'Dombele in the key games would be a brilliant midfield and would be able to dominate. Keep McTominay, he's done well at times this season and as a 5th choice, he would be content to sit on the bench most weeks and come in when neccessary. Sell Matic, he's too immobile and ponderous in possession now. It would be against most of what us want as a transfer strategy to get rid of Fred after one underwhelming season, bought young for a decent price with potential to improve having come highly rated.
I can see Pereira moving on, he hasn't nailed down a position in his career so far, playing LW, RM, AM, #6 and as an #8. I think the best option for him and United would be to move on.
Keep Herrera at all costs for the big games and cover. Him-Pogba-N'Dombele in the key games would be a brilliant midfield and would be able to dominate. Keep McTominay, he's done well at times this season and as a 5th choice, he would be content to sit on the bench most weeks and come in when neccessary. Sell Matic, he's too immobile and ponderous in possession now. It would be against most of what us want as a transfer strategy to get rid of Fred after one underwhelming season, bought young for a decent price with potential to improve having come highly rated.
I can see Pereira moving on, he hasn't nailed down a position in his career so far, playing LW, RM, AM, #6 and as an #8. I think the best option for him and United would be to move on.