You're talking as if it was common knowledge and Man Utd fans would know that. But no, I didn't know that.
Paying £75m for a PL proven defender is less of a gamble than £40-£45m for a young / foreign defender.
It depends on the young/foreign defender's identity. Maguire is an inexperienced player at the highest level, we are talking about a player with 1 european game. Someone like De Ligt has for example been tested at a higher level. Also as far as I know it's not proven that PL players have a higher success rate than foreign players, in the PL.
I have to disagree. It's more important that we acquire someone that is proven in the PL than someone that has experience in the European level, especially the situation we are in.
It doesn't matter if you disagree or not. PL proven isn't a thing and it doesn't guarantee any sorts of success, Maguire is midtable proven in the PL, no one really knows if he can step up and play at a high level for a team that is basically every season fighting for european football, he is also not proven against the best players and teams in the world, that only happens when you play every year in European competitions.
Absolutely, can't believe we have not snapped him up.
Let's not forget that a lot of the good players and teams are in the PL, as proved last year the number of English sides involved in the latter stages of the competitions.
I've been thinking this for a while, Ake's a good player but nothing more than that. The way some go on about him you'd think he was England's answer to De Ligt.
Agreed. Ake is nowhere near being a regular for a top 6 team.
Are you sure you weren't watching Van Dijk?
You’re joking right? There’s probably quite little when it comes to heading, but they’re miles apart otherwise.
Yeah, after seeing Tuanzebe play for us a little and Villa, there is literally no point buying someone like Ake.
Totally agree.He is by far the best centre back around and ticks all the boxes we need in a centre back.Market has gone crazy in recent years and I dont understand the underrating here.If 75m is what is needed then 75m it is.
I think you need to go and read through for the first 15 or os pages of the Van Dijk to Liverpool thread. It wasn't only United fans either. There were people saying things like comparing him to Smalling is an insult to Chris Smalling. Not one or two cray people and not just on this site.
To be honest I don't have an opinion on the question, I simply acknowledge the fact that all transfer targets are a risk whether they are from the PL or outside of it and that there are no proofs of the fabled PL proven theory. Some players in the teams that you mentioned examplify it, Laporte was good from day one and is considered as one of the best in the league, Van Dijk performed from day one for Southampton, Lovren who was labelled as PL proven showed his limits at Liverpool he isn't a bad player but I still remember people talking about him like they did about Maguire. PL proven Mahrez hasn't matched foreign player Aubameyang.
Agree with you on the right wing situation. I think that will severely hamper us. Think we are going to go all out for Sancho next year but no guarantee we will get him, even if we do I think they will demand huge fee which will probably be equivalent if our whole budget.
What's your point by the way as as I'm totally aware of this, unless you responded to the wrong comment?
No not joking, he’s a good defender but don’t think he’s worth spending that sort of money on, may as well go with what we’ve got in my view.
I get that point of view, but you were saying don’t see the difference between him and Smalling. He brings so much more to a team than Smalling does.
Smalling....Jones plays in front of him if he's not injured, that's how bad Smalling is. Harry is significantly better than both and the problem is VVD fee as created a problem where people are comparing that fee then and not what VVD is worth now. If Liverpool were to sell him now, he cost 40m more than they paid for him or in principle the fee for Harry is about right in today's market.
Weird if that’s true, 70m straight up rejected because they were holding out for £10m add-ons. Would have thought they’d want a significant amount more.
That's the new 48h for them?
I don't think we would ever pay straight up. Ed must be thinking he's doing some kind of structured deals and tried to be smart, I don't know, maybe paying straight up has never been a possibility in his mind.
Can't keep comparing the two. Do you think VVD moves for the price he did if sold today?? No chance.
In fairness to Ed, he is the one who started the bonus payment idea back when we signed Martial.
Our Ed is a pioneer.
True, Him, Bissaka, Bruno, James not ideal summer but a grade B can be given to the power brokersThat's the new 48h for them?
Just get him, get Bruno, and we need to think on how we should be playing for the attack.
