Potential Matic Replacements

Ekeke

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I'm sure Liverpool feel bad that they didn't adopt a similar mindset, then. Same as Leicester, they made a nice £60m profit selling their own relegation dud to us this summer.
I wasnt aware Leicester were in the relegation places last season.

Liverpool signed a young player, what does that have to do with 26 year old Doucoure who isnt one of Watford's best players this season?
 

beingshe7don

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This is gonna be such BS this summer after Liverpool win the league without adding anyone and will possibly bolster their squad with the savings from last summer. Sigh... terrible times to be a United fan.
 

Johan07

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This is gonna be such BS this summer after Liverpool win the league without adding anyone and will possibly bolster their squad with the savings from last summer. Sigh... terrible times to be a United fan.
As much as I agree with this disgusting vision of the future, Liverpool has their issues as well. Mane, Salah and Firmino are severely underpaid and Real and Barca will come knocking next summer. They need to upgrade their midfield as well and they dont have the financials to do it. Hopefully they manage to feck stuff up as usual this season in the league and they will have serious issues in the nxt summer window.
 

Jibbs

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Emre Can, will be a perfect replacement and attainable at around 30 m.
 

dev1l

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Emre Can, will be a perfect replacement and attainable at around 30 m.
On paper yes. I m a bit wary of players that run down their contracts. They seem to be more concerned about money over anything else.
 

Yagami

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AZ Alkmaar's 21 year old midfielder Teun Koopmeiners.
I knew it'd be him. I found him very impressive against us, too.

After the game in the post match thread, I asked if any of the resident Dutch league viewers/fans rated him, and @KirkDuyt replied saying he was rated relatively highly.

I'm looking forward to seeing him at Old Trafford.
 

Adnan

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I knew it'd be him. I found him very impressive against us, too.

After the game in the post match thread, I asked if any of the resident Dutch league viewers/fans rated him, and @KirkDuyt replied saying he was rated relatively highly.

I'm looking forward to seeing him at Old Trafford.
Definitely one to keep a eye on and would most likely be available for a very reasonable sum. He played for the Dutch u21s yesterday and played well in a 4-2 win against Portugal.
 

Champagne Football

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Rakitic for a season or two, with Garner gradually replacing him.

2 experienced Croatians in January is exactly what we need. Mandzukic and Rakitic
 

jamesjimmybyrondean

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Julian Weigl, with McTominay in the Herrera role.
Is he any good? We need to go back to 4-3-3 and put Mcctominay in that Herrera role while Pogba goes back to his free role from last season. One major weakness will be the DM. We will need a deep lying playmaker.. Someone that can control game like a Carrick. Very few of them out there... Neves Weigl Roca? Who else
 

Invictus

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Florentino Luis has impressive stats.
Either of these lads, or Lisandro Martínez (who can also deputize in defense if need be) — and I'd be a happy chappy! :drool:


Has quickly emerged as a reasonably press-resistant passing outlet who can also carry the ball at Ajax while adapting to the midfield role under Ten Hag, and his committed all-action style could make him a real fan favorite. One of the best defenders in the Primera División at Defensa y Justicia as well...
 

Ekeke

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Either of these lads, or Lisandro Martínez (who can also deputize in defense if need be) — and I'd be a happy chappy! :drool:


Has quickly emerged as a reasonably press-resistant passing outlet who can also carry the ball at Ajax while adapting to the midfield role under Ten Hag, and his committed all-action style could make him a real fan favorite. One of the best defenders in the Primera División at Defensa y Justicia as well...
I only saw him before Ajax, but I'm not surprised that he's doing well. Looked a quality ball playing CB in Argentina
 

Yagami

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Bruno Guimarães
Being from Brazil, do you catch much of Gremio?

Their CM Matheus Henrique has been likened to Barca's Arthur who they bought from Gremio themselves. From what I've seen on YouTube, he doesn't look as impressive as Arthur did at Gremio but I know YouTube isn't the best place to judge a player. :D
 

PyroMan

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Julian Weigl, with McTominay in the Herrera role.
Came in here to propose his name and quite glad some else has the same idea as me!

Weigl looked a brilliant prospect a couple of seasons ago and there were strong rumours about Klopp and Guardiola fancying him. Been off the boil a bit since then, but I believe that's more to do with the managerial changes at Dortmund rather than Weigl himself. Can't think of a Dortmund player who has been consistent over the last few years apart from Reus.

Speaking about him, though he's quite injury-prone, we can possibly get 2-3 seasons out of him. He'll get 12-15 goals even with his injuries, which will be a really good return.
 

Mainoldo

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Weigl still play football? He’s been crap for over 12 months now.

Thomas Delaney.. if we are looking at Dortmund Midfielders.
 
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Invictus

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I only saw him before Ajax, but I'm not surprised that he's doing well. Looked a quality ball playing CB in Argentina
Aye, what really stands out is that he can distribute/recycle to a reasonably good degree (#7 in passing progressions in the Primera División and the most passes of any defender) and dribble with the ball (#3 in carrying progressions in the Primera División). Peak Matić (not the old cumbersome version) had that quality, too — which made him more than just a basic destroyer or passer from the deep...more of a considerable box-to-box threat with line-breaking abilities, and frequently created mismatches in the heart of the pitch when the opposition wasn't paying attention to him (especially if they were playing with a lackadaisical #10 who couldn't/wouldn't press with intent or track his runs).

When you consider Martínez's versatility/adaptability on top of those ball carrying and passing and line-splitting qualities in transitions: as you said a quality centerback for his age (might not have a long-term future there in an environment like the Premier League because he's not the tallest at 5'10", unless he's LCB in a back-3), brought in as potential backup for Tagliafico at leftback, and now performing at a solid level as a midfielder — he becomes an obvious target for United because we need help in at least two of those positions. Definitely hope we're monitoring him because he's receiving good education at Ajax, will become a more compact player who's more aware of space and organisation, and fits the modern press-resistant style...slightly hot-headed at times, but that youthful aggression can be channeled in a positive direction.

Their other centerback/defensive midfielder hybrid, Edson Álvarez (signed from Mexico and compared with Márquez) is quite interesting, too — no one could hope to fill the void created by De Jong's departure because he was unique with his unmatched instinct for deep progressions and carrying the ball up the pitch in effortless fashion as the team's steering wheel, but Overmars and Veldmate have done quite well with these signings for just €23 million.
 

settembrini

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Weigl getting 12-15 goals... maybe by the time he retires... he's a laughably bad attacker and tbh pretty poor as a defensive midfielder nowadays.

I don't think a Matic replacement is even on the cards for us anyway. We should sell him in January and buy a right winger. That will allow us to use Pereira in midfield where he can actually be a bit useful.
 

ayushreddevil9

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Matic is probably going to get a Mata type deal. We ain't getting rid of him that easily.
 

He'sRaldo

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Is he any good? We need to go back to 4-3-3 and put Mcctominay in that Herrera role while Pogba goes back to his free role from last season. One major weakness will be the DM. We will need a deep lying playmaker.. Someone that can control game like a Carrick. Very few of them out there... Neves Weigl Roca? Who else
Yep, he can be very good under the right circumstances. A very good distributor from deep and has the ability to orchestrate, which can free up the players further forward. I'm sure he'll be a big help to Pogba, as he can find him between the lines regularly, so he (Pogba) won't have to come deep as often.


Admittedly not as excellent defensively as a Kante-like player, but as a big club we usually will dominate possession so I reckon he'll be more useful than such a player. McTominay as a box-to-box can provide defensive cover from further up the pitch with tenacious pressing; additionally, if we actually play a smart pressing plan then he'll be very good defensively as he has good anticipation like Carrick.


If we do plan on switching to such a good tactical manager sometime soon, it would be smart to target these types of players who would work well under him. We shouldn't wait till we get a new manager to start building a very good team.
 

FrankDrebin

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Either of these lads, or Lisandro Martínez (who can also deputize in defense if need be) — and I'd be a happy chappy! :drool:


Has quickly emerged as a reasonably press-resistant passing outlet who can also carry the ball at Ajax while adapting to the midfield role under Ten Hag, and his committed all-action style could make him a real fan favorite. One of the best defenders in the Primera División at Defensa y Justicia as well...
Good to watch a potential star player where you know United will have literally no interest in signing.
 

ZAKU-RED

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For the posters suggesting Rakitic, I'm not sure he would fair well in the EPL at this stage.

He's slowing down(Not that he was ever the fastest player out there) and he's not really as mobile as he originally was. He's not great at dealing with the press with the ball at his feet and isn't very agile either.

Perhaps in a very well drilled system, he could still be of use in some aspects but I think he would just end up being another Matic for you guys. A player that was once top level but has since slowed down quite a bit.
 

RUCK4444

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Weigl getting 12-15 goals... maybe by the time he retires... he's a laughably bad attacker and tbh pretty poor as a defensive midfielder nowadays.

I don't think a Matic replacement is even on the cards for us anyway. We should sell him in January and buy a right winger. That will allow us to use Pereira in midfield where he can actually be a bit useful.
I’m sorry but it’s pretty clear Pereira is nowhere near good enough to start for United.

He’s not just bang average he’s a liability, he had promise at one time but this season has shown clear as day he’s not nearly good enough.

We definitely need another CDM. Fred, Pereira are a liability, Matic is past it.

If we don’t address the position then Pogba will be played deep for the rest of his time here which is a double dose of shite because he’s not particularly good there and we lose out on what he is good at up the other end of the pitch.
 

thepolice123

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Ndidi from Leicester.

Weigl used to be highly rated but has fallen off the radar. He is a big gamble and we could easily end up with another Sahin/Jorginho situation.
 

settembrini

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I’m sorry but it’s pretty clear Pereira is nowhere near good enough to start for United.

He’s not just bang average he’s a liability, he had promise at one time but this season has shown clear as day he’s not nearly good enough.

We definitely need another CDM. Fred, Pereira are a liability, Matic is past it.

If we don’t address the position then Pogba will be played deep for the rest of his time here which is a double dose of shite because he’s not particularly good there and we lose out on what he is good at up the other end of the pitch.
If we are talking about my ideal United team then no I definitely wouldn't have Pereira as a starter.

However right now I think he can be most useful to us is in centre midfield and I would be okay with him having squad player status there. He can at least move around the pitch and he tries to play the ball forward which is two things we don't get from Matic. I agree he has sucked this season, but he's playing as a right winger!

Personally I would ditch Matic asap and just use Pereira in his role as cover in midfield until the end of the season and then look at having a big overhaul in the summer.
 

Charles Miller

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Being from Brazil, do you catch much of Gremio?

Their CM Matheus Henrique has been likened to Barca's Arthur who they bought from Gremio themselves. From what I've seen on YouTube, he doesn't look as impressive as Arthur did at Gremio but I know YouTube isn't the best place to judge a player. :D
They are sumilar but Arthur is more talented Matheus Herique is better in defense, and i think he is very good, but not special imo.
 

Charles Miller

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my workmate from Curitiba, fan of Atletico talking to me about him for whole this year. But he is more of a box to box than anchorman.It looks like chelsea already offered 30 mil. Last player he was really admiring was Renan Lodi, now in Atletico
Brazilian coaches are very defensive these days. Many players that are box 2 box in Brazil, in general can play as DM when they go to Europe. Even some brazilian full backs become DMs in Europe.