Christian Eriksen | Signs for Inter

[2 man midfield]

It's not about just being attainable, it's about being the right midfielder. Looks as though he doesn't think there are any out there worth spunking huge amounts of money on. We've bought enough players who don't fit, I'd prefer not to bring another in. Who'd you think we should be after?

Yeah that’s what I meant: the right midfielder as well as attainable. I don’t believe for a second that Ole and our several coaches, our dozens of scouts who have had since March at least, have not identifed anyone who could improve our midfield. I mean, when Andreas Pereira and Fred are starters you don’t exactly have to cast your net very far.

Let’s say for arguments sake they couldn’t think of anybody, and they went into June knowing they weren’t going to sign a centre mid. Surely then you just offer Herrera the 200k he was asking? You don’t just let him leave and not replace him.

As for your last question, I thought we should’ve been in for Tielemans. Bruno Fernandes is an obvious one. Partey has a 40m release clause. Longstaff at least would’ve been a decent punt. McGinn from Villa looks promising. That’s just 5 names off the top of my head who were apparently open to joining us.

I’m not talking about Verratti and Koke here either, these are players who with the exception of Partey would be taking a big step up in coming here, and all available for a reasonable fee. I’m not asking us to break the bank, but our midfield is clearly not good enough and needed someone, even if it was just a punt. It’s just baffling to me that he would rather risk his job hoping Fred and Pereira stumble into some form.

 

[fps]

Let’s say for arguments sake they couldn’t think of anybody, and they went into June knowing they weren’t going to sign a centre mid. Surely then you just offer Herrera the 200k he was asking? You don’t just let him leave and not replace him.

Herrera was not worth that money, and is no great loss. The fact that he's gone means there will be more opportunities for young players, and that's not the worst thing in the world. Clearly there's an expectation Fred will improve as well - he was as much to blame as anyone for missing top 4 last season, but he was at least playing in a vaguely cohesive fashion by the end of last season, having not appeared at all in the first half of the season.

 

[patty123]

Could well be that Dybala asked for much higher wages because he didnt want Europa league. And all 3 would go for between £60-70m IMO. I'm assuming it would be dumb for anyone to publically go for Dybala at this point if they didnt speak with him previously to get an idea on wage demands/interest. So if Spurs are confident they can agree terms with him with the lure of Pochettino and champions league, then they would bid for him (like what happened). They can only bid for him if they're confident they're getting around the same amount of money in (Eriksen to United), while I doubt we would spend much more unless we knew we had around the same amount of money coming in (Lukaku to Juve). Its not that crazy to be honest...

Now having time to digest and think about it, yeah maybe you're right in saying its not that crazy when reading the reasons as to why. As to be honest, just thought, he blanked us for money or so say the rags, and then to thinking what a tight fisted sod Daniel son has being for yrs at spurs.

When you think he had to be persuaded to give Arry that 200 a week, as well as the extra cause of the ground, already signing a player for decent money for them, maybe the rumours of Daniel holding back last season in the window in order to spend big this summer prior to moving back to WHL were true.

 

[Vidyoyo]

I could be way off here, but that looks like a bit of Google translate there, literally translating "how are you doing?" which I imagine doesn't work in Scandinavian languages like that.

Yes but 'How are you?' is the same in Danish and Norwegian, right?. I know they're not pronounced the same way.

 

[2 man midfield]

Herrera was not worth that money, and is no great loss. The fact that he's gone means there will be more opportunities for young players, and that's not the worst thing in the world. Clearly there's an expectation Fred will improve as well - he was as much to blame as anyone for missing top 4 last season, but he was at least playing in a vaguely cohesive fashion by the end of last season, having not appeared at all in the first half of the season.

I’d agree it’s a sensible decision to let him walk - as long as we improved on him, otherwise what’s the point? You’re just going backwards to save a few quid.

Fred might come good, but I didn’t really see anything to suggest he would. Certainly nothing that would make me go “hold off on signing that new midfielder, I think we’ve got a player here”.

I’m all for young players coming through by the way, (I didn’t want Dybala or Eriksen because I want us to play Gomes) but who is threatening to burst into the first team in Herrera’s position? Genuine question.

 

[devilish]

Herrera was not worth that money, and is no great loss. The fact that he's gone means there will be more opportunities for young players, and that's not the worst thing in the world. Clearly there's an expectation Fred will improve as well - he was as much to blame as anyone for missing top 4 last season, but he was at least playing in a vaguely cohesive fashion by the end of last season, having not appeared at all in the first half of the season.

He’s a huge loss since we didn't replaced him and all other current options are nowhere as good as him

 

[ottosec]

Hmm, another player that is not interested in joining United. De Ligt, Dybala, Eriksen all having little to no interest in joining, speaks volumes about where we are right now.

 

[Litch]

Brilliant post. And the only thing i would add to it is that I think the top players will only come here now for stupid wages at present after seeing what sanchez got.

I cant criticise Dybala - wants to stay at Juve, they try to push him out and he turns to us and asks for a crazy wage. I think we’d all do the same at work. If you didn't want to work somewhere, but thought they might pay you a stupid wage to do so, the only motivating factor would be money. Probably the same for other top talents. At the moment they wont get to play CL, and are unlikely to win anything domestically looking at City and Liverpool.

Whether we like it or not, the brand is shrinking. The likes of Sancho and De Ligt etc were 11/12 last time we won a title. 6 more years and no top young players will even remember us being anything other than a mediocre team trying to get top 4. How will we attract talent then?

Sometimes I can't believe what I read from so called Utd Fans. The last 6 years doesn't define us as a football club. Have you seen the Utd tours during the last 6 years? We're the stadiums empty when we played? Do you think they only turned up cause we sponsor expensive kitchens or support us cause we make money?

During our most successful time as a club and maybe only second to Barca in Europe, we still had players that didn't want to sign for us. We have always signed the best English talent and this window we have shown that again. Sometimes you have to go backwards to go forwards, Liverpool and City have waited decades to have success in the prem, a decade on and City still can't even make the CL final, Spurs continue to punch above their weight and Arsenal like us are still searching for an identity after their long term manager left the club.

I'm fortunate to travel, and in the remotest parts of the world, you'll see a kid wearing an old Utd shirt. You sign for this club and a lad in every continent will have your surname on his shirt. Don't tell me the brand is shrinking or players don't want to sign for it.

 

[Ban]

Yes, of course we wanted them but didn't want them at the same time.

and that bold only deserves .......

Once again what an idiotic comment, is this normal for you or is today a special day?

I think it's too hot for him to think straight. I hope so.

 

[Crashoutcassius]

Again a good decision not to take a player that wanted a move to Madrid. We need to sign the next eriksens that are out to prove themselves. Still will be a great signing for Madrid if they can get 50m together.

 

[Joe297]

Liverpool and City have waited decades to have success in the prem.

Liverpool had success in the prem? Tell me more?

 

[POF]

Hmm, another player that is not interested in joining United. De Ligt, Dybala, Eriksen all having little to no interest in joining, speaks volumes about where we are right now.

What really speaks volumes is that United are actively chasing players in the last days of the window that have no interest in joining them.

How naive and lacking in connections do you need to be to be in that position. Any player the club is chasing at this late stage should have an agreed contract ready to go. It is absolute amateur hour.

As for briefing the press that they've "withdrawn" because the player wants to go somewhere else. Well, that doesn't make the club look foolish at all!

 

[fps]

He’s a huge loss since we didn't replaced him and all other current options are nowhere as good as him

He's certainly a loss in the sense that no-one else is there instead of him. But if we'd given him that contract, as a player I personally didn't think was good enough, and he would very soon have been another 30+ player we couldn't shift on an enormous contract.

 

[Litch]

Hmm, another player that is not interested in joining United. De Ligt, Dybala, Eriksen all having little to no interest in joining, speaks volumes about where we are right now.

Yep all world superstars (?) not wanting to sign for one of the biggest teams in the world. Makes perfect sense. Two of them apparently aren't wanted by their clubs and the other as barely kicked a ball in world football. I think if they don't want to play for us, it's more a reflection on them than on us. I think the other thing that's often forgotten is some players don't want the pressure or profile that comes with playing for Utd. It's the only club in this country who's demise sells paper and people's clicks. The transfer window interest doesn't look the same if we aren't linked to someone. Even MOTD puts us on at the end so people keep watching!!!!

 

[sullydnl]

Yep all world superstars (?) not wanting to sign for one of the biggest teams in the world. Makes perfect sense. Two of them apparently aren't wanted by their clubs and the other as barely kicked a ball in world football. I think if they don't want to play for us, it's more a reflection on them than on us. I think the other thing that's often forgotten is some players don't want the pressure or profile that comes with playing for Utd. It's the only club in this country who's demise sells paper and people's clicks. The transfer window interest doesn't look the same if we aren't linked to someone. Even MOTD puts us on at the end so people keep watching!!!!

It really isn't more of a reflection on them than us.

We're a club who, over the last few years, has consistently failed and/or struggled to get CL football. For a top level player that should be a big worry. Especially as any hopes of that changing that they can possibly perceive depend not on any structural changes solving the underlying problems at the club but rather the hope that a less-than-outstandingly qualified manager can make the club work under pretty much the same conditions that saw three other managers fail.

Aside from money and reputation, we're not offering a lot competitively for players who want to be competing for and winning trophies. Players with potential moves to other CL clubs would be right to be sceptical about joining us.

 

[devilish]

He's certainly a loss in the sense that no-one else is there instead of him. But if we'd given him that contract, as a player I personally didn't think was good enough, and he would very soon have been another 30+ player we couldn't shift on an enormous contract.

The club had 2 choices here.

a- Allocate a huge amount of money to replace him
b- they give him the salary he wanted. Then get rid of the deadwood to compensate for that. We could have easily done that by letting non players like Jones and Mata to walk on free.

Instead Herrera left and there's no adequate replacement for him. Which means that our midfield consist off 1 WC player who wants to leave, a has been who'll be 1 year old and a pack of very overrated players.

 

[Litch]

He's certainly a loss in the sense that no-one else is there instead of him. But if we'd given him that contract, as a player I personally didn't think was good enough, and he would very soon have been another 30+ player we couldn't shift on an enormous contract.

I agree. People have been talking about needing two midfielders even when he was here. When he was here, wasn't like our position as a club was any different and whilst he was a great squad player and pro, we can't moan about not being able to move players on with big contracts to then offer him 250k a week.

 

[mitchmouse]

and now this is over too (well according to TalkShite and The Sun). This could be a record-breaking window for us - more failures than ever before

 

[hobbers]

Has to be expected with Ole at the helm. This was one of the main downsides of hiring someone like him with no track record.

Mourinho and LVG were draws to big name players. Ole is even less of a draw than Moyes. That's just reality.

 

[Red_toad]

Hmm, another player that is not interested in joining United. De Ligt, Dybala, Eriksen all having little to no interest in joining, speaks volumes about where we are right now.

Geological location cannot be changed. I know I’m far happier in Australia than I could ever be in Manchester. Players want sunshine just like anyone else. Dybala was willing to join, other 2 want Southern Europe, so kinda out of Woodward’s hands.

 

[Jezpeza]

Sometimes I can't believe what I read from so called Utd Fans. The last 6 years doesn't define us as a football club. Have you seen the Utd tours during the last 6 years? We're the stadiums empty when we played? Do you think they only turned up cause we sponsor expensive kitchens or support us cause we make money?

During our most successful time as a club and maybe only second to Barca in Europe, we still had players that didn't want to sign for us. We have always signed the best English talent and this window we have shown that again. Sometimes you have to go backwards to go forwards, Liverpool and City have waited decades to have success in the prem, a decade on and City still can't even make the CL final, Spurs continue to punch above their weight and Arsenal like us are still searching for an identity after their long term manager left the club.

I'm fortunate to travel, and in the remotest parts of the world, you'll see a kid wearing an old Utd shirt. You sign for this club and a lad in every continent will have your surname on his shirt. Don't tell me the brand is shrinking or players don't want to sign for it.

Its not a post about english talent, its about talent in general and attracting it. There was a time where every player wanted to play for us, Barca or Real. We aren't OP anymore. We cant think we will always be huge, and say it Doesn't matter how things go on the pitch at all does it?

Man City and Liverpool continue to boss it the kids will start to wear their shirts instead. Sky will show more of their games. The academy players in far off places will view other clubs as a pinnacle.

The last 6 years dont define us but id be interested to see where we are if we have another similar 6. History means nothing really, Forest, Derby and Leeds testify to that. Im not saying we will be relegated btw, just no one will really care we were once really good. The fans turned up because we were recently a top club playing top football. The kitchens sponsor us because we have a lot of exposure. Remember the markets always fall before the prices, in our case less exposure will equal less money offered for marketing.

Dybala wouldn't join unless for crazy money, De Ligt went to Juve for less than we paid for Maguire, dont tell me we weren't interested, Eriksen isnt interested, Pogba wants out, De Gea stalled on contract until the money got crazy, Herrera walked away. That is the brand shrinking.

 

[TRUERED89]

Yes. A fee could be agreed with Spurs, but player doesnt want to come. Prefers to move to Spain which is fair enough

We're in serious trouble, our midfield is a shambles! I don't see much happening by tomorrow 5pm either!!

 

[fps]

Has to be expected with Ole at the helm. This was one of the main downsides of hiring someone like him with no track record.

Mourinho and LVG were draws to big name players. Ole is even less of a draw than Moyes. That's just reality.

The big name players Mourinho and LVG signed were, or still continue to be, bad signings for the club. The players Ole has brought in are much more the kind of players I would like to see at United.

 

[tomaldinho1]

What really speaks volumes is that United are actively chasing players in the last days of the window that have no interest in joining them.

How naive and lacking in connections do you need to be to be in that position. Any player the club is chasing at this late stage should have an agreed contract ready to go. It is absolute amateur hour.

As for briefing the press that they've "withdrawn" because the player wants to go somewhere else. Well, that doesn't make the club look foolish at all!

Is this the first transfer window you've followed or something, it's like this every year?

How much of it is true is very debatable because it's all about sensationalism during the last few days but that's why we follow it. If you remove the sensationalism it's highly likely United are pushing their luck with Eriksen (I doubt he has been a target but they might have heard he was open to a move), Spurs are pushing their luck with Dybala (they know Juve want him sold but will have to be super creative on the salary side) and Barca are pushing Coutinho out to all buyers in a desperate attempt to shift him following Griezmann's arrival.

When all is said and done PSG will swoop in and sign Dybala, Eriksen will stay at Spurs and Coutinho will end up somewhere random like Inter on loan. Spare a thought for poor Lukaku who's now been forgotten in Belgium.

 

[Devil may care]

If we only want players that are desperate to come here then right now we'll be looking at scraping the barrel, we've fallen a long way as an attractive proposition, with a novice manager and an incompetent board along with a poor team.

 

[Litch]

It really isn't more of a reflection on them than us.

We're a club who, over the last few years, has consistently failed and/or struggled to get CL football. For a top level player that should be a big worry. Especially as any hopes of that changing that they can possibly perceive depend not on any structural changes solving the underlying problems at the club but rather the hope that a less-than-outstandingly qualified manager can make the club work under pretty much the same conditions that saw three other managers fail.

Aside from money and reputation, we're not offering a lot competitively for players who want to be competing for and winning trophies. Players with potential moves to other CL clubs would be right to be sceptical about joining us.

So as a Utd fan you think players who aren't even wanted by their own club than one of the biggest clubs in the world? Six seasons defines us a club? Was Klopp and Pep ready made or did Dortmund and Barca take a chance too? It's amazing how not wining football matches creates problems that evening when winning we're still there anyway. Sadly the only recurring theme on here is fans that struggle to understand that no team dominants their respective sport and those who and their fans have waited two decades to win stuff. Liverpool are still waiting to win the Prem and Spurs too. Juve, Milan, Bayern, Barca, Ajax aren't dominating CL as they did at some point.

No one has the monopoly or god given right to win all of the time and neither do we.

 

[Litch]

Has to be expected with Ole at the helm. This was one of the main downsides of hiring someone like him with no track record.

Mourinho and LVG were draws to big name players. Ole is even less of a draw than Moyes. That's just reality.

So you'd sooner a player sign because of the manager and not the club? What happens if they sack the manager?

 

[Litch]

If we only want players that are desperate to come here then right now we'll be looking at scraping the barrel, we've fallen a long way as an attractive proposition, with a novice manager and an incompetent board along with a poor team.

Why do you support Man Utd?

 

[ivaldo]

Yeah that’s what I meant: the right midfielder as well as attainable. I don’t believe for a second that Ole and our several coaches, our dozens of scouts who have had since March at least, have not identifed anyone who could improve our midfield. I mean, when Andreas Pereira and Fred are starters you don’t exactly have to cast your net very far.

Let’s say for arguments sake they couldn’t think of anybody, and they went into June knowing they weren’t going to sign a centre mid. Surely then you just offer Herrera the 200k he was asking? You don’t just let him leave and not replace him.

As for your last question, I thought we should’ve been in for Tielemans. Bruno Fernandes is an obvious one. Partey has a 40m release clause. Longstaff at least would’ve been a decent punt. McGinn from Villa looks promising. That’s just 5 names off the top of my head who were apparently open to joining us.

I’m not talking about Verratti and Koke here either, these are players who with the exception of Partey would be taking a big step up in coming here, and all available for a reasonable fee. I’m not asking us to break the bank, but our midfield is clearly not good enough and needed someone, even if it was just a punt. It’s just baffling to me that he would rather risk his job hoping Fred and Pereira stumble into some form.

When McGinn and Longstaff at £50m+ after less than a dozen games accounts for 50% of your targets, I think we can begin to understand why Ole wants to wait for the right players. If Ole wants to wait for the right players as opposed to that level of aforementioned players (not to say I wouldn't want Longstaff here) then I can understand. Fred, for example, would've been that kind of player prior to us signing him, and now you're using him as an example of the players we need to upgrade on.

 

[Cypriot]

Why do you support Man Utd?

Very stupid can of worms to open. He's a supporter, the potential transfer targets are not, and the points he made about us being attractive to the best players is correct - as is the point about our board.

 

[balaks]

Why do you support Man Utd?

That is a very odd thing to ask.

 

[Devil may care]

Why do you support Man Utd?

I've supported United for 32 years, it doesn't make me blind to the reality of the absolute mess we are in.

 

[Sp00ks11]

Crazy how much our own fans minimise the club like the last 6 year now defines it. It's like Stevie Wonder releasing an Album and saying why would you want to buy that, he's not done any decent stuff for 30 years, and they'd sooner buy that album from the winner of X factor. The tour always reminds me that fans outside this country appear to value it more than those in it. I've been fortunate to travel and I've been to remote parts of the world, it never fails to amaze me that I'll see a child wearing an old Utd shirt.

That counts for something with footballers especially one from that part of the world that has a massive Utd following.

So to those 8 or so people who quoted my previous question.. as you have seen it looks like Eriksen doesn't want to leave Spurs for United.

I don't enjoy United being shite I am just being realistic when it comes to our signings. I keep on saying it in almost every unrealistic transfer thread this summer (De Light, Dybala, Eriksen)

WE CAN NO LONGER SHOP FOR THE TOP PLAYERS.

That's not a dig it is just a fact. We currently have in my opinion just 2 players who the world's elite clubs would take De Gea and Pogba, one openly wants out and the other will not sign a new contract.

A couple more summers of decent recruitment like this one and I believe we will be back up there challenging.

 

[elnorte]

I've supported United for 32 years, it doesn't make me blind to the reality of the absolute mess we are in.

I know. Plenty of others seem to almost savour being willingly blind.

 

[Gambit]

Just a reminder. We have hardly ever shoped for the best players.

 

[Devil may care]

I know. Plenty of others seem to almost savour being willingly blind.

I don't know how any United fan can look at the midfield and forwards we have and think there's no problems, people talk about scraping 4th, we might not scrape 6th.

 

[Devil may care]

Just a reminder. We have hardly ever shoped for the best players.

We got away with it because we were managed by God, the two teams we are competing with now are buying the best, Pep always has the best wherever he goes, and we no longer have Fergie to counter that, regular managers need top players if you want to compete for the top trophies.

 

[POF]

Is this the first transfer window you've followed or something, it's like this every year?

How much of it is true is very debatable because it's all about sensationalism during the last few days but that's why we follow it. If you remove the sensationalism it's highly likely United are pushing their luck with Eriksen (I doubt he has been a target but they might have heard he was open to a move), Spurs are pushing their luck with Dybala (they know Juve want him sold but will have to be super creative on the salary side) and Barca are pushing Coutinho out to all buyers in a desperate attempt to shift him following Griezmann's arrival.

When all is said and done PSG will swoop in and sign Dybala, Eriksen will stay at Spurs and Coutinho will end up somewhere random like Inter on loan. Spare a thought for poor Lukaku who's now been forgotten in Belgium.

You mean this isn't the first one? There have been previous transfer windows? I am stunned.

Are you suggesting that United have in fact not pursued Dybala and Eriksen over the last few days only to brief the press that they've withdrawn due to the players not wanting to join the club?

United are desperate for quality in midfield. If they are now "pushing their luck" pursuing non targets, that shows their management of this window in an even worse light.

It also shows some fantastic connections if they really did hear "he was open to a move" only to pull out because he was not open to a move.

 

[Litch]

Its not a post about english talent, its about talent in general and attracting it. There was a time where every player wanted to play for us, Barca or Real. We aren't OP anymore. We cant think we will always be huge, and say it Doesn't matter how things go on the pitch at all does it?

Man City and Liverpool continue to boss it the kids will start to wear their shirts instead. Sky will show more of their games. The academy players in far off places will view other clubs as a pinnacle.

The last 6 years dont define us but id be interested to see where we are if we have another similar 6. History means nothing really, Forest, Derby and Leeds testify to that. Im not saying we will be relegated btw, just no one will really care we were once really good. The fans turned up because we were recently a top club playing top football. The kitchens sponsor us because we have a lot of exposure. Remember the markets always fall before the prices, in our case less exposure will equal less money offered for marketing.

Dybala wouldn't join unless for crazy money, De Ligt went to Juve for less than we paid for Maguire, dont tell me we weren't interested, Eriksen isnt interested, Pogba wants out, De Gea stalled on contract until the money got crazy, Herrera walked away. That is the brand shrinking.

The best teams in the world always have the best talent from that country generally playing for them. There was never a time everyone wanted to play for us, people have selective memory about even players like Hazard and Bale didn't come here before going to Chelsea and Real.

History means nothing and no one really cares we were once good? Then fans turned up cause we were recently a top club playing top football. Welcome to the world of the modern Utd fan.

 

[Sp00ks11]

Sometimes I can't believe what I read from so called Utd Fans. The last 6 years doesn't define us as a football club. Have you seen the Utd tours during the last 6 years? We're the stadiums empty when we played? Do you think they only turned up cause we sponsor expensive kitchens or support us cause we make money?

During our most successful time as a club and maybe only second to Barca in Europe, we still had players that didn't want to sign for us. We have always signed the best English talent and this window we have shown that again. Sometimes you have to go backwards to go forwards, Liverpool and City have waited decades to have success in the prem, a decade on and City still can't even make the CL final, Spurs continue to punch above their weight and Arsenal like us are still searching for an identity after their long term manager left the club.

I'm fortunate to travel, and in the remotest parts of the world, you'll see a kid wearing an old Utd shirt. You sign for this club and a lad in every continent will have your surname on his shirt. Don't tell me the brand is shrinking or players don't want to sign for it.

It's all good being nostalgic or burying your head in the sand, but alot of the new generation player couldn't give a shit about history or past glory, or kids wearing a United shirt on the other side of the planet, (which you see as many Barca, Real and Liverpool shirts anyway, I also travel) As a player do you want to spend the best part of your career in a neverending United rebuild, or join City/Liverpool/PSG/Real/Barca/Juve and challenge for the top trophies season after season.