David Brooks

[lenny_1248]

Great alternative to Grealish. Always wanted him.
But if he's alternative to Sancho, then we are fecked.

 

[Kostov]

They have pretty similar stats when you look at both of their PL seasons and it's basically a toss up in opinion over who is more talented, it's close.

I think that Brooks suits you more than Grealish though in terms of style. He's played for a side that wanted to be attacking and with pacy forwards so tended to play a lot of through balls which suits Uniteds front three. Grealish suits a side that's a bit more pragmatic.

You mean Brooks's last season and Grealish this season? Yes the stats are not that far off, but Grealish offers more in terms of dribbling and ball carrying which is a very rare skill. I also like Brooks but feel Grealish would have much bigger impact since I feel he won't be overwhelmed by the occasion unlike Brooks.

 

[Cassidy]

Good signing as a squad option. Has a lot of quality

 

[Ekeke]

He honestly wasnt that good after returning from his injury for the last couple of games of the season. Which of course you might expect from someone out so long, but the point is theres no guarantees he'll be back to his best. Also he's extremely light weight. But he is a clever passer and can score a goal

 

[pocco]

I said in the other Brooks thread that he'd be my favoured alternative to Sancho. He's not as good as Sancho but he's a good player in his own right and is the type of player who you'd want in our rotation instead of the likes of Lingard.

We still could have done with Sancho though, whilst Brooks is a good talent, Sancho is a special talent that would have elevated us massively.

 

[BenitoSTARR]

I think a lot of people have in mind Ake's price. I also don't see us being interested at 40. Perhaps 20 plus bonuses.

The way I see it they’ve been relegated and he’s coming off the back of 11 months out.

Ake played the full season and is entering his peak years.

This is the kind of signing you make for £20m not £40m otherwise you may as well spend a bit more on a more guaranteed success.

Were Brooks a United player, I bet we wouldn't be able to sell him for even £10m

I actually agree with you on this. If we were selling someone off the back of an injury we’d be lucky to get £10m but remember we pay higher wages and would be selling to a smaller club.

 

[Adnan]

He honestly wasnt that good after returning from his injury for the last couple of games of the season. Which of course you might expect from someone out so long, but the point is theres no guarantees he'll be back to his best. Also he's extremely light weight. But he is a clever passer and can score a goal

Bournemouth rushed him back into action for obvious reasons, but he didn't have match sharpness hence a drop in performance. Which is understandable after being out for 11 months.

 

[andersj]

You mean Brooks's last season and Grealish this season? Yes the stats are not that far off, but Grealish offers more in terms of dribbling and ball carrying which is a very rare skill. I also like Brooks but feel Grealish would have much bigger impact since I feel he won't be overwhelmed by the occasion unlike Brooks.

Brooks is also a lot better off the ball and great at pressing (unlike Grealish).

Not sure whats the basis of saying he will be overwhelmed..

 

[Hoboman]

He drifts to center too much and looks much better there than at the right wing.

Didn't show enough workrate and seemed to slow down after injury. Though possibly he wasn't fit enough and will regain his sharpness.

Funnily enough he reminds me of Mata a lot. Technically sound, good passer with goalscoring abilities, but too lightweight and lacks trickery and extra bit of pace to dribble past his opponents.

Though he would be decent squad option for reasonable fee and if he could stay fit.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Brooks is invisible for too often. He actually reminds me of Lingard. He's also coming off a massive injury. I'd guess he's be cheapish but it would be a massive come down of a signing.

 

[Kostov]

Brooks is also a lot better off the ball and great at pressing (unlike Grealish).

Not sure whats the basis of saying he will be overwhelmed..

Maybe overwhelmed is a bit much, but I definitely think Grealish would adapt faster, coming from a big club like Aston Villa and being captain from young age. Off the ball and pressing is something we need to work as a team, individuals and what they play in other teams imo mean very little in a new set up. Whoever we bring in has to work in the idea of the coach.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

Wouldn't be against this transfer if the price was decent. However with Ake going for 41m there's no way Brooks goes for anything less than 30 to 35m. It's a lot of money for a bench player when we are cash strapped as it is.

I like the player but think we could do more with the money personally.
Unless he's near the end of his contract and going cheap I think we should look elsewhere. Van De Beek is being touted to go for 35 to 40m Euros to Barca. That shows there is value in the market for ready made quality.

 

[UpWithRivers]

We would have both Wales wingers who together have the combined talent of Gigg's right toe. Still I like Brooks. Yeah get Sarr, Grealish etc. But its down to price. If Brooks is 20/30and Sarr 50 and Grealish 70 then Brooks is the only one we can afford. Even if we dont get Sancho the money would be best spent elsewhere. And you have to look at him as a squad option with a view of getting a first choice RW next season - if Sancho falls through.

 

[Andersons Dietician]

20 mil no more. Would be a good squad player but I just don’t think he’d have it in him to be a first team player for United. We do need to improve the quality in the squad overall, so if the price is right sign him up.

 

[arnie_ni]

That injury has to be a worry but he’s a good player - improves the squad but not first 11

Equally, if not more important imo.

Our first 11 is good, our squad isn't. We need 2/3 starters but we need probably 5/6 in total

 

[Trex]

Brooks is a player I like,was as good as maddison in 18/19,didn't get as much hype because he represents Wales and not England, would be a good signing for the right price, hopely we'll land 3 players to this group

 

[Lash]

Initially one of the first player I would try to sign. But his injury is a huge concern. Talk about him losing pace is not good. Not sure I understand why he would lose pace. But ankle and knees injury is a hazzle. An ankle injury, for a player like him, is awful. Was not that the injury that «ruined» Wilshere?

He wouldn't loose pace, but he probably would be slower as he's not played at capacity for so long, he'd just have to build back up again. Depending on the surgery you may not even be able to put weight on it for a long time and the rehabilitation would be extremely slow, which isn't conducive to keeping muscle mass. The only issue for us would be if the surgery was a success or was just a band aid.

 

[pascell]

The way you improve your depth is adding first XI quality players and let them fight it out for the starting spot. Even though I'm a big fan of Brooks, he wouldn't improve the first XI straight away but could in the future.

This is why a summer of Sancho, Grealish and a top CB would've taken us a step in the right direction and would've been a dream windown. But thats all it is, a dream, realistically we don't have £150-200m to spend this summer.

 

[Litch]

Thought we were improving the squad.....which means if someone comes into the starting 11, there's not a huge drop off. The 'one for the future', he might but Ole won't unless we get proven quality and not cause they look it in another team's jersey.....

 

[Judas]

As a squad option, he's better than bringing in Andreas/Lingard/Mata. For the right price I'd be all for it.

 

[Bondi77]

Geez, that music is shite!

 

[Ekeke]

The way you improve your depth is adding first XI quality players and let them fight it out for the starting spot. Even though I'm a big fan of Brooks, he wouldn't improve the first XI straight away but could in the future.

This is why a summer of Sancho, Grealish and a top CB would've taken us a step in the right direction and would've been a dream windown. But thats all it is, a dream, realistically we don't have £150-200m to spend this summer.

Exactly. Our most ambitious window was probably Nani and Anderson - two young players playing in portugal, Tevez on loan - proven for 1 season with West Ham and Hargreaves who was for some reason considered a superstar and lots of posters here were talking about him being an upgrade to Carrick.

Sancho would be like 3.5x Hargreaves alone. Grealish would be like Tevez, but not on loan and instead a permanent transfer which is much bigger.

 

[Ekeke]

As a squad option, he's better than bringing in Andreas/Lingard/Mata. For the right price I'd be all for it.

Very true. If we could buy him with money we get from Andreas and Lingard leaving it would make sense

 

[Flying_Heckfish]

I thought Sancho was the upgrade for Lingard/Mata? In that we'd have option to choose 3 from MMMS with one as sub?

Not sure where Brooks fits into a squad that also includes Sancho (& James). Sounds like he is the replacement for Sancho. And if so, thats totally unacceptable.

Not really. I think Greenwood has the tools the play up front, too, so we could see him get more time there once Ighalo goes. We've got too many "not good enough" players on the bench right now.

AMC - Bruno, New AMC/Brooks possibly
AML - Rashford, James
AMR - Sancho, Greenwood, Brooks
ST - Martial, Ighalo, Greenwoord

 

[Negative Red]

I thought the idea was to improve the squad, I'm not sure Brooks does that. We are trying to close the gap on Liverpool and City. I'm sure both teams will be quaking in their boots with the signing of Brooks.

 

[dev1l]

I agree with this, he s more of. Grealish alternative rather than a Sancho alternative

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[Web of Bissaka]

The "good" thing about his performances since the return from injury is his price should be lowered. We can get him for less than his actual value when he's in good form.

Get him!
Long term Mata's replacement - a very good squad player, playmaker type.

 

[E-mal]

Dwight McNeil from Burnley is a better player, I kid you not and far younger I suppose.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

I thought the idea was to improve the squad, I'm not sure Brooks does that. We are trying to close the gap on Liverpool and City. I'm sure both teams will be quaking in their boots with the signing of Brooks.

Because our squad depth is poor, so that's the idea..

 

[kafta]

Brooks as a Grealish replacement makes sense. He would be an improvement on our current bench options for those positions. Could be a decent move if the price is right.

 

[Mark Pawelek]

After missing an entire year due to injury, Brooks should be considered Championship level. In comparison, promoted WBA are about to finalize the signing of Matheus Pereira, aged 24, for €10m after a good season on loan from Sporting Lisbon after he got 8 goals plus 16 assists for them in the Championship.

That's the kind of deal we should be looking at for Brooks. 1 year loan with an option to buy for €10m if his appearances for us trigger the buy clause.

 

[Ace of Spades]

A good player, but his injury situation is a worry. If he is a cheap punt, then fine but anything more than 15m and I would stay clear.

He is one of the good players that could be got for cheap from the relegated clubs.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

I thought the idea was to improve the squad, I'm not sure Brooks does that. We are trying to close the gap on Liverpool and City. I'm sure both teams will be quaking in their boots with the signing of Brooks.

That’s probably what opposing fans said when Liverpool signed Robertson.

Maybe we should just continue to buy expensive overhyped players for £50m on massive wages. Worked really well post Fergie.

 

[Jev]

All of this is still coming from Sport Witness? Hardly the most reliable source, is it?

 

[roonster09]

I thought the idea was to improve the squad, I'm not sure Brooks does that. We are trying to close the gap on Liverpool and City. I'm sure both teams will be quaking in their boots with the signing of Brooks.

Who cares who is quaking in their boots, we have to make sensible decisions that will improve our squad. We need first team improvements and also squad improvements.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

That’s probably what opposing fans said when Liverpool signed Robertson.

Maybe we should just continue to buy expensive overhyped players for £50m on massive wages. Worked really well post Fergie.

Leave Fred out of this.

 

[Judas]

All of this is still coming from Sport Witness? Hardly the most reliable source, is it?

I'm thinking this too, they're not known for breaking stories are they?

 

[fps]

As a statement signing, the statement would be "We're happy to compete for top 4 each year and keep things ticking over."

 

[Adisa]

People acting like he's going to cost £10m. They sold Ake for £41m ffs!

 

[Ekeke]

Dwight McNeil from Burnley is a better player, I kid you not and far younger I suppose.

He's good too and im surprised we arent linked with him as well. I figured we would be this summer. But he plays on the left as a normal winger while Brooks plays on the right coming inside and has also been used centrally