I don't know, I think it's a massive feck up not having signed Godìn personally but Alderweireld and Koulibaly are both better than Maguire IMO. Bonucci too. Plus there's others with potential around. Unfortunately I don't have a hotline to all the agents around the world so I can't say who's interested surprisingly enough. But yeah, I wouldn't even put Maguire top 20 in the world so I'm sure one of the guys above him could be open to a move in the right circumstances.
Harry Maguire | Signed
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Bailly doesn't have what it takes between the ears to be a centre-back at this level, and putting so much faith in Tuanzebe before Ole has properly evaluated him in pre-season training and on tour is just silly.
Napoli signed Kostas Manolas for £32 Million . That is a steal in this market. But also means that Koulibaly could be leaving because of this
Not worth 70m, but unfortunately this is a very inflated market.
We went for de ligt and pulled out if reports are to be believed. Maybe we made the offer but he rejected it as not being convinced about the club and players we have. Vvd was a good player but not world class, same as laporte. Laporte still isn't world class either, we went for Bailly and he was as good as laporte in the Spanish league at that time but it didn't transfer over with him. Rojo has been at the club for quite a few years ready and with lindelof he has time to come good. Last season he was probably the best central defender we had.
Jesus where to start with this post.
Godin - 33
Bonucci - 32
Both are over the hill and would possibly be a stop gap for maybe a year. And we have no idea how they would perform, imo they would be a huge risk.
Koulibaly - would cost more than £130m and still there is no guarantee that Napoli would sell. Recently signed a contract extension so would be really difficult to get.
Alderwereld - Would be a good option, but why can't we have him AND Maguire?
So, other than Alderweld, what exactly are the alternatives?
Most of your suggestions are complete non starters for us:
I’m sure I read Godin signed a 3 year deal with Inter? He’s 33 - that’s not the sort of offer we can either compete with or would want to offer in the first place.
Koulibaly has been priced out of a move as he fee would likely be what, £120m? Coming from the Italian league is a risk.
Bonucci is not leaving Italy.
Alderweireld - you can make a case for. However, I would suggest we are not that interested having had our fingers burned with expensive older players in the recent past. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s asking for insane wages due to his release clause. As we have seen with Sanchez, wages for one player can have big ramifications across the squad.
We went for Godin in the past and he intimated he wanted to come then decided to stay with atletico and then to sign for inter. Toby hasn't been bought by anyone considering the low fee attached, not sure why but did we not go in for him at one point last season or season before and get turned down by him? Koulibaly would cost 100m and I'm not convinced he's worth that much or he would cope with the transition to the Premier league. Bonucci would be after one last pay day and we have enough of those types of players at the club already. Maguire might not tick all the boxes to make him world class but he's better than any defender we have currently and has the leadership qualities to Marshall the defence.
You think VVD is world class now?
He's definitely one of the best defenders in the Premier league. Until he repeats it for a few more seasons at the same level then no not yet.
See this morning City willing to match our 70M for Maguire and Leicester apparently not wanting to sell for anything under 90M. That's that in the bin then.
As I was advised yesterday, Chris Smalling is the best in the air in the league so at least we have him to fall back on for 12 months, title incoming haha
As I was advised yesterday, Chris Smalling is the best in the air in the league so at least we have him to fall back on for 12 months, title incoming haha
Listen I'm not a scout, all I know is that for the kind of money Leicester want we could get a world class defender.
I think when Wenger said a few years ago that players running down their contracts to get a move is the only way a transfer would happen is spot on.
If a player wants a move after signing a 5 year contract then more fool them. Clubs in the PL don't need the money nowadays with all the money they get each year from the TV deals etc.
Maguire for £90m is not going to happen, its far too much money.! If he wants the move he should be putting pressure on Leicester to get it done. Maybe he is already behind the scenes. Who knows?
If the figure of £90m is non negotiable we are wasting our time. Move on..
If a player wants a move after signing a 5 year contract then more fool them. Clubs in the PL don't need the money nowadays with all the money they get each year from the TV deals etc.
Maguire for £90m is not going to happen, its far too much money.! If he wants the move he should be putting pressure on Leicester to get it done. Maybe he is already behind the scenes. Who knows?
If the figure of £90m is non negotiable we are wasting our time. Move on..
Yes you've mentioned that but theres no world class defenders available, I'm not asking you to scout them or tap up the agents to see if they want to come to united. Youkeep saying for that kind of money we could get someone world class and then mention players that have already rejected us and others that are over the hill and others that would cost at least 30m more than maguire.
Godin is not what we need imo. His style of play isn't what we need he's just a dogged old school CB. I personally am glad we didn't get him . I'd love to see the 20 CB in the world so much better than Maguire. He may not be a VVD or a Varane but he's one of the players on the next level . We need someone who can win Ariel duels and is comfortable on the ball. Yeah I agree it might not be ideal and I know the money being quoted is mental but that's modern football
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There's none available
I'm not sure who advised you on that cause it's simply not true
Is that the best you could do.. No one available? Everyone is available for a price.
Maguire for £90m is a joke whereas there are CB's in Europe who will be available for much less than that. Tah, Dias, to name a few.
He definitely one of the best centre backs in the world, especially in his age group.
The reply was to world class defenders available and the 2 you mentioned don't fit that category.
Nope - Albiol phased out.
Go back and bid €70 million and throw in Jones this time around. If they reject that they can feck off.
I’d prefer Toby or Nathan Ake here anyway.
I’d prefer Toby or Nathan Ake here anyway.
It's more a case of people not rating Maguire than having a ready made alternative in mind. And people have suggested CBs from other leagues (Tah, Romagnoli etc I don't just mean Koulibaly), unfortunately most of us don't watch much football outside of PL and CL so they don't get much discussion.
The best reason for signing Maguire is the fact that we are useless at crosses - whereas Maguire probably is the best in the P.L at defending crosses.
He is not my dream signing, but that is a strong argument for him.
He is not my dream signing, but that is a strong argument for him.
Over 30 doesn't mean over the hill. All we need is a leader with a bit of bravery about them who can organise our other feckwits a bit. Godìn, Chiellini and Bonucci are still amongst the best in the world so for us to be turning our noses up at them in favour of playing Phil Jones or whoever would be mental. We could even sign an experienced one and an up and comer if it would keep you happy. And it would still be cheaper than signing Maguire.
The problem is that everyone knows we've bid 70m on Maguire, so barring pre-existing release clauses that's what people are going to ask us for a first team ready central defender.
We've set the benchmark now, why would anyone sell cheaper to us.
Getting a bit too hung up on pricetag. Payments are usually complex. He will improve us significantly if he comes.
What annoys me is the stories that Harry is happy to stay at Leicester. Really! If its true and he would rather stay than join City or United he is a complete idiot. If its not true and behind the scenes he is saying I want out then the deal will be much easier and cheaper. He should be handing in a transfer request and throwing some toys around by now.
It's more the fact he knows the transfer "might" not happen, so he doesn't want to shoot himself in the foot.
The latest report from the BBC is that he wants the move and is disappointed that Leicester are trying to price us out of it so by all accounts that's just not true.
But everyone saying ‘get someone else’ needs to come with these alternative world class defender they’re talking about and think we can get. Maguire ticks a lot of boxes including the fact we know for certain he can handle the demands of the PL. Only other two possibilities we’ve been linked with who can do the same are Diop and Alderweireld all have their own drawbacks and possibly more than Maguire. His is obviously his shortage of pace. Once you start looking outside all these other defenders have more cons than pros than Maguire including, like Maguire, their valuations. We’re not in a position where we can take risks anymore and buy players for the future. We need someone who can come in and take control of our defence from day one.
Yeah which one? You’re sure sounding like you know a defender or two who are world class and are willing to come.
So Maguire is now a world class defender? He'll need to be at the price Leicester want for him. Not really. Critics aren't asking for the club to sign world class defenders when none are available. People demand club don't pay world-class defender prices for 2nd rate defenders. Better to buy prospects, who have world class potential than buy a players, for silly money, who haven't.
It's not just Maguire. It's Lukaku, Fred, Sanchez, Di Maria, ... It's not like critics don't have a point.
Maguire isn’t a world class defender that’s the point, there are other good players out there. They might not be the finished article but neither is Maguire, a lot of Leicester fans will tell you Evans is a better defender.
Also don’t buy this idea that Maguire is somehow a low risk, if he costs 70-90m he’s a huge risk. If he isn’t a success there isn’t another 70-90m to go and buy another CB. A lot of the alternatives Utd fans turn their noses up are similar level as Diop was before West Ham and Maguire was two years ago and the fees those two would cost now do not reflect either their ability or level of improvement.
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When will people understand that reality is not FIFA? Koulibaly does not want to join us. On the other hand, Maguire does... This makes it a bit 'easier' to do a deal. And if we were to chase Koulibaly now, we would be battling with two issues; how to convince him to join us in our current state and how to deal with De Laurentis who is known to be a cnut. Good luck with that!
This whole ‘add extra 20million and get player X’ needs to stop. Pronto. It doesn’t work like that. There are so many variables in a transfer.
You think we haven’t made contact with De Ligt etc. It’s clear they don’t want to come here.
You think we haven’t made contact with De Ligt etc. It’s clear they don’t want to come here.
Your right, I like Milenkovic and he is worth a try.
It's like he's running through custard.
Yes but again bonucci and Godin have turned united down yet we should try and get them again? Waste time on players that won't come unless we offer ridiculous wages and destroy our wage structure further. We have up and coming defender in axel so need an experienced leader. Maguire fits the profile of what we need and won't be pressing for a move to barca and real in 2 seasons.
Bonnuci 32
Chiellini 34
Godin 33
Have their best years behind them, we have tried signing world class players in the past and that didn't work. Not saying I wouldn't want one of them in the team but would rather have maguire who still has something to prove and one for a few years to help build a team with rather than having to go through the saga each season after signing quick fix players nearing the end of their careers.
Yeah I'm guilty on that front, I mainly watch Premier league football only so don't see these other players enough to talk them up. I do watch Irish league football every week but don't think United would be interested in them.
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