£75.15m before performance related add-ons
Cavani
Telles
Van De Beek
Diallo
Pellistri
Bit of optimism perhaps?
Cavani
Telles
Van De Beek
Diallo
Pellistri
Bit of optimism perhaps?
5 for the price of one Lukaku - could this be our most shrewd window post Fergie?
- Thread starter Classical Mechanic
- Start date
Yet we haven’t actually plugged any leaking gaps. No DM, no CB and no RW
Happy that we didn't go down the route of spending big money on over hyped players, but we needed to sort out a number of positions and these players aren't going to do that.
Question marks over if they are good enough to get in the first 11
Question marks over if they are good enough to get in the first 11
We've made our budget go a long way, especially if the 2 young lads turn up decent.
I'm actually really optimistic about the signings we've made relative to the fees we've paid. But the lack of proper first-team signings to improve us in positions that badly needed improving casts a negative shadow over the transfer window.
I don't think you could ever call it a shrewd window when we failed to address the glaring weaknesses in our squad. That doesn't mean the signings won't turn out well, though.
I don't think you could ever call it a shrewd window when we failed to address the glaring weaknesses in our squad. That doesn't mean the signings won't turn out well, though.
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There's a lot of potential there. We could be a position where we look back at this window a lot more positively than we do right now.
The reverse is it doesn't really pan out well for any of them, and it looks an even bigger what were we thinking than it currently does in some ways.
It's an intriguing set of transfers, no one knows for sure how it's going to go.
The reverse is it doesn't really pan out well for any of them, and it looks an even bigger what were we thinking than it currently does in some ways.
It's an intriguing set of transfers, no one knows for sure how it's going to go.
Telles and Cavani combination is going to be tasty. Telles can even be a good wing back.
Van De Beek is a very good replacement for either Pogba or Bruno.
It is a bit too early for both our RW but am really excited to see cameos.
Our team is still the 3rd best team on paper.
Yeah definitely some positives with the youngsters coming in. Cavani may well be a good signing even if it's just to help coach our young strikers.
We didn't get the starting RW, DM or CB we wanted but let's see what January brings.
I feel Allan was a missed opportunity for us, not sure who else we can go for in that mould.
Always exciting to get young rated players in, like we did with CR and Rooney in the past.
I don't think Ole will be here to reap the benefits of all our good youth players though.
We didn't get the starting RW, DM or CB we wanted but let's see what January brings.
I feel Allan was a missed opportunity for us, not sure who else we can go for in that mould.
Always exciting to get young rated players in, like we did with CR and Rooney in the past.
I don't think Ole will be here to reap the benefits of all our good youth players though.
3 first team players and 2 rated prospects(from what I assume) is a great window on paper. However, they weren't in positions we were desperate for and the context and manner in which they were acquired left a lot to be desired. Whether diallo and pellistri come good we wont know for 3 or 4 seasons, and will be a sign of how good our scouting department is, its not something you give credit for now but if/when they pay off.
LvG's first transfer window looked good on paper and look at how that turne dout. Although Blind might not have been utilised correctly and Herrera was OK, overall that window was overshadowed by ADM being a wuss.
Willy Kambwala or Charlie McNeil could turn out to be the best business of them all.
But I'm actually happy we didn't pay a fortune for a winger who is not better than Rashford. Sancho would have been nice, but Liverpool have shown that you can pay 30 million instead of 100 million for a winger, and end up with someone just as good, if not better, than a 100 million guy.
Cavani was a must have. We needed a powerful experienced striker with an aerial threat.
De Beek will end Pogba's Utd career soon.
Telles will be a big upgrade on Shaw.
Then we have Mengi and Tuanzebe to hopefully displace Lindelof eventually this season.
But I'm actually happy we didn't pay a fortune for a winger who is not better than Rashford. Sancho would have been nice, but Liverpool have shown that you can pay 30 million instead of 100 million for a winger, and end up with someone just as good, if not better, than a 100 million guy.
Cavani was a must have. We needed a powerful experienced striker with an aerial threat.
De Beek will end Pogba's Utd career soon.
Telles will be a big upgrade on Shaw.
Then we have Mengi and Tuanzebe to hopefully displace Lindelof eventually this season.
Only time will tell.
Having said that I prefer less expensive signings with upside potential
(Problem is the impatience of a section of the fans who after a couple of bad performances will start slagging them off - like the shite-experts over here)
I think that is the best description I've seen. I've gone back and forth on how I feel about them but I'm feeling more positive today about the window.
Except for the two right wingers?
They paid closer to 40mil for Salah and Mane.
That was 2016 and 2017. The price of players has gone up dramatically since then. They didnt fall this summer either but I suspect by the time next summer comes around they will.
I predict that a lot of people will judge this window based on how Cavani does as he is the biggest and most polarizing name. Though I did read posts from people saying that even if he is a big success they will consider him a failure 
It looks like we are willing to let this season be a write off, and are investing for 1-2 years down the line. If we bring in a proper CB and defensive midfielder in January or next summer (maybe selling Pogba to finance this?), this group could challenge. We have some very good young players that will be hitting high performance levels in the next few years imo, and they will have matured together.
Personally this is one of my favourite transfer windows so far. Both chelsea and City skirted Sancho due to valuation. Cavani is a proper no.9, Amad Traore and Facundo are both in the mould of Greenwood as they're not afraid to receive the ball even in tight spots and they're very good dribblers and rarely lose the ball. (United struggles against spanish teams as not many of our players are good on the ball).
I said it a million times since the start there is no way I could see the Glazers allow anything close to 100m pounds get spent on one player. they're not stupid and can see where 80m (Maguire) and 50m (AWB) went.
And the most important point United fans seem to miss is we will never build a squad capable of really challenging the ikes of Bayern by spending 100m on Sancho. Good player but he's a winger not midfielder and his impact with England team is still quite limited. We're already well stocked with wingers.
I said it a million times since the start there is no way I could see the Glazers allow anything close to 100m pounds get spent on one player. they're not stupid and can see where 80m (Maguire) and 50m (AWB) went.
And the most important point United fans seem to miss is we will never build a squad capable of really challenging the ikes of Bayern by spending 100m on Sancho. Good player but he's a winger not midfielder and his impact with England team is still quite limited. We're already well stocked with wingers.
Positive outlook: It's not the worst piece of business we have ever conducted, assuming they settle and manage to have a positive impact on the club.
Negative outlook: I've heard but good things about Diallo & Pellistri, the only trouble is I cannot recall the last time we brought young, foreign, super talent to the club and they lived up to expectations. Incluing Martial who is still at the 'potential to become world-class stage'.
Last year's starting eleven wasn't bad. We just needed real depth which we've gone a way to solving.
The unknown factor is the defence falling off a cliff compared to last season
The unknown factor is the defence falling off a cliff compared to last season
Some might argue it's one of the worst transfer windows, lots of deals to be done, 2 young unproven wingers, aged attacker, the other 2 might work out
I thought one of the criticisms of Pellistri is that he too often gives the ball away though?
One one end the point you make is true but the concern for me is it seems a very unbalanced window FOR ME. Two young unknown 18 year old right wingers, a past his prime striker, Van De Beek who very much talented , not sure how or where he will fit in and a left wing back. I feel we have added bodies but not strengthened the squad per se. We still have dud like Jone, Rojo and even Lingard (who can still somewhat contribute) lurking. Only time can tell if it was a good window or a trash one like it looks on paper.
Problem is we needed 2-3 players who would strengthen the first XI right now. We haven't come anywhere close to doing that. Arguably Telles is the only that does that but the jury is still out on whether he manages to make the LB position his own.
Signing prospects like Diallo and Pellistri should be in addition to strengthening the first XI, not as a direct replacement. In football you need to have both short term and long term thoughts in your head at the same time. We're somehow always doing one or the other.
This window seems like a 'tanking' of the 20/21 season. While teams around us have strengthened their starting XIs and probably leapfrogged us in the short term, we're hoping our investment works out in the longer run. Problem is we're taking a massive gamble because each season without CL is disastrous from both an economical and a sporting perspective. The likes of Camavinga, Sancho, Haaland will probably be leaving within the next 12-18 months and without CL there is no chance of picking up players of that calibre. We needed to stamp our authority this summer and take the next step but just like any other season after finishing in the top 4 under Woodward, we failed to do so.
Signing prospects like Diallo and Pellistri should be in addition to strengthening the first XI, not as a direct replacement. In football you need to have both short term and long term thoughts in your head at the same time. We're somehow always doing one or the other.
This window seems like a 'tanking' of the 20/21 season. While teams around us have strengthened their starting XIs and probably leapfrogged us in the short term, we're hoping our investment works out in the longer run. Problem is we're taking a massive gamble because each season without CL is disastrous from both an economical and a sporting perspective. The likes of Camavinga, Sancho, Haaland will probably be leaving within the next 12-18 months and without CL there is no chance of picking up players of that calibre. We needed to stamp our authority this summer and take the next step but just like any other season after finishing in the top 4 under Woodward, we failed to do so.
The squad needed expanding, how anyone can look at our bench at the weekend and feel enthused by Mata and Lingard coming off the bench to change the game is beyond me.
Should have told Borussia to do one a month ago and be in a better position than we were yesterday though.
Should have told Borussia to do one a month ago and be in a better position than we were yesterday though.
It's crazy that football club like United who supposed to be challenging on multiple fronts doesn't have a reliable CB with genuine pace.
Agreed although Sancho is very good. I just dont think he is worth the kind of money Dortmund were looking for.
I for one am. Extremely excited about donny and particularly Diallo /Traore. Think we got a future star before he made a move to a club like Lyon or Dortmund that always snatch these players up and flip them.
Im very happy with those two. Cavani is a good addition as he's clearly street better than igahlo. I just can't get the bad taste of no sancho /established right winger out my mouth
Im very happy with those two. Cavani is a good addition as he's clearly street better than igahlo. I just can't get the bad taste of no sancho /established right winger out my mouth
I think Donny, Telles will be good signings for us. Cavani, I am unsure at the moment, adds experience and leadership which is always good to have.
The two wingers, we have seen high praise for them, why spend £100m on a player when we can buy a 18 year old and develop him ?
I see the logic in that too, still think we should have signed a CDM.
The two wingers, we have seen high praise for them, why spend £100m on a player when we can buy a 18 year old and develop him ?
I see the logic in that too, still think we should have signed a CDM.
I suppose one man's 'shrewd' is another man's 'let's throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks'. I'm all for being optimistic, and I do think we'll luck into a gem somewhere amongst the five players we've signed, but our transfer policy just seems so scattershot not even considering the players who we weren't actually able to move on this window.
I'm hugely optimistic. Chuffed with the signings for so many different reasons.
This could be the sort of window we've been praising other teams for.
It's on the coaching now though.
Henderson
Telles
VdB
Cavani
They all help ALOT!
The change in mentality alone.
Let's hope one of the young lads has a Ronaldo like rise in Manchester.
This could be the sort of window we've been praising other teams for.
It's on the coaching now though.
Henderson
Telles
VdB
Cavani
They all help ALOT!
The change in mentality alone.
Let's hope one of the young lads has a Ronaldo like rise in Manchester.
X2.
Its always a recipe for disaster when non-footballers over-ride the managers needs. It also shows a lack of respect for a man who did wonders last season to get us to 3rd position and three semi-finals.
Solskjaer deserves better treatment from the heirachy. Hopefully, they'll address the CB position in January.
Before the season, the consensus was we needed, in this order:
Starting RW - Sancho?
Starting CB - Upamecano?
Starting DM - Ndidi, Partey, Rice?
Starting LB - Reguilon, Telles, Tagliafico?
Backup AM - Grealish, VdB?
Backup ST - Cavani?
We’ve sorted some concerns, but they weren’t the most pressing ones whatsoever, and no one can deny that. It’s not shrewd.
Starting RW - Sancho?
Starting CB - Upamecano?
Starting DM - Ndidi, Partey, Rice?
Starting LB - Reguilon, Telles, Tagliafico?
Backup AM - Grealish, VdB?
Backup ST - Cavani?
We’ve sorted some concerns, but they weren’t the most pressing ones whatsoever, and no one can deny that. It’s not shrewd.
Apart from signing Cavani last minute, it would appear to be the kind of strategy many of us were calling out for after sacking Mourinho.
The fact that January is unusually close to the end of this transfer window should probably also be taken into account.
The fact that January is unusually close to the end of this transfer window should probably also be taken into account.
No. Replaced Lukaku who scored 38 goals last year in Italy with Cavani who scored 7 goals last year in a much easier league.
Time will tell how good this window is but I suspect many of us will be shocked to the core if it turns out to be classed as shrewd business in hindsight
This window reflected what we used to be so good at. Hoovering up some unheard of gems to develop, while trying to get a last minute big-name signing through the door for a decent price.
If someone had said would you like Cavani, De Beek, Telles and a handful of unheard of super talents by the end of the window, you'd have snapped their hand off.
We're still suffering the damage that Jose and Van Gaal did to the club through wreckless panic spending, but we're definitely on the right track now.
If someone had said would you like Cavani, De Beek, Telles and a handful of unheard of super talents by the end of the window, you'd have snapped their hand off.
We're still suffering the damage that Jose and Van Gaal did to the club through wreckless panic spending, but we're definitely on the right track now.
I am pretty happy with our business. No doubt that I really wanted us to sign Sancho though.
The young ones might be good in the future. I have no idea about them so got to hope.
Cavani might be past it, but might perform like old Zlatan did for us if he gets going.
Telles I like and hope he replaces Shaw.
DVB might be the wrong type for our needs in midfield sadly.
I miss the right winger to be really happy. Might test Rashford there and play Martial on the left wing and Cavani up front.
Cavani might be past it, but might perform like old Zlatan did for us if he gets going.
Telles I like and hope he replaces Shaw.
DVB might be the wrong type for our needs in midfield sadly.
I miss the right winger to be really happy. Might test Rashford there and play Martial on the left wing and Cavani up front.
Telles will be the best immediate impact. I don't think many realize how good an attacking full back he is.