Facundo Medina: RC Lens 21 Year Old Argentinan Defender

Ekeke

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So when I first read this link I was wondering why we werent going for Bade at Lens instead. I didnt realize that Medina had played just this past season in Argentina and had only just signed for them. I made a post last year about how there was value in the Argentine league compared to Brazil and a lot of other leagues. And to be honest I completely forgot the name Medina. The young CB who was doing well last season was Hector Martinez and other than that I can't say I had kept up to date with the league, unlike the previous season where I had watched a bunch of matches and Lisandro Martinez who went to Ajax had stood out for me at CB.

So by whoscored's ratings Medina did well in argentina and Lens signed him and he's played just 11 matches for them. I'd imagine he'd have been cheaper if we signed him directly from Talleres, but I guess he counts as taking a chance on a cheaper player from the Argentine league since his last full season was there. So if it happens it happens and I'll be interested to see how he does.
 

Ekeke

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Cannavaro was on the short side no? :nervous:
And Ayala

And Medina would presumably replace Rojo as a left footed option in a back 3 where there are 2 other players to help in the air. Granted 1 of them is probably Lindelof... But Maguire could certainly help

5'11 isnt too short anyway
 

Albin Johansson

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Tone-loc - funky cold medina...

Has there ever been a more straightforward use for chant song?
 

Inigo Montoya

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And Ayala

And Medina would presumably replace Rojo as a left footed option in a back 3 where there are 2 other players to help in the air. Granted 1 of them is probably Lindelof... But Maguire could certainly help

5'11 isnt too short anyway
Gary Nev is the same and SAF said he was an outstanding CB
 

Bojan Djordjic

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5'9 or something like that. So yeah not really too much of a worry if he's good enough.
Yeah, so once he's as good as one of the greatest central defenders in recent history, we should be fine. It's like when people point to Messi to justify buying the likes of Dan James.
 

SAFMUTD

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Have we learned nothing from the Heinze and Rojo transfers? who was the last good argentinian central defender? Besides Mascherano I can't think of one.
 

Infordin

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Have we learned nothing from the Heinze and Rojo transfers? who was the last good argentinian central defender? Besides Mascherano I can't think of one.
Who cares about his nationality? You can judge him as an individual player.

Not buying Medina because Rojo was shite is kind of like not buying Grealish because Lingard is shite. They are both English after all.
 

Adnan

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Who cares about his nationality? You can judge him as an individual player.

Not buying Medina because Rojo was shite is kind of like not buying Grealish because Lingard is shite. They are both English after all.
Agreed.

We should always be in for the best players regardless of nationality. It's a very narrow minded way of thinking to dismiss potential new recruits because others from the same geographical location didn't work out. The two players mentioned by the poster in question, Rojo and Heinze were different positionally with Rojo never being considered good enough to play at a big club by regular observers of the player at SCP who were surprised United wanted him. Heinze on the other hand was a success and it only soured with him due to how he left the club. He eventually left for Real Madrid.
 

elmo

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And Ayala

And Medina would presumably replace Rojo as a left footed option in a back 3 where there are 2 other players to help in the air. Granted 1 of them is probably Lindelof... But Maguire could certainly help

5'11 isnt too short anyway
Puyol wasn't that tall either.

Our problem with set pieces isn't getting to them, it's the fact that our players leave people wide open all the time.
 

dev1l

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No, if I remember correctly he said that if he was an inch or 2 taller he’d be an outstanding centre back. Hence he played the majority of his career as a fullback
Fergie also said that Neville's father was 6ft2 and he would have a word with the milkman :)
 

Bondi77

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Maybe he has great leaping ability,
Tim Cahill is not a big man but the goals he used to score with his melon were numerous
 

golden_blunder

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I must admit I like my centrebacks big. Heading is a big part of life for a defender in the PL. usually the taller ones are better at it.
 

Aouer-United

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Please do not buy him, trust me. He is not the first quality martial for a team who want to challenge for the title.
 

Judas

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I think quite obviously its the position in the team where height is most important, along with keeper, although being a bit shorter as a keeper can be alright.
 

Adnan

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It seems like we're looking for a LCB that will be a back up rather than come straight into the first 11. Apart from Pau Torres, the rest like Badiashile and Medina seem like squad options for now.
 

NoPace

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And Ayala

And Medina would presumably replace Rojo as a left footed option in a back 3 where there are 2 other players to help in the air. Granted 1 of them is probably Lindelof... But Maguire could certainly help

5'11 isnt too short anyway
Shaw has done very well at LCB overall in a 3 man backline, if we buy this guy it should be because we think he can be the left-footed CB we want to start in a pairing or at least backup Maguire, if we're really backing the Tuanzebe, Lindelof and Bailly group to produce one absolute feck off great CB.
 

Ekeke

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Shaw has done very well at LCB overall in a 3 man backline, if we buy this guy it should be because we think he can be the left-footed CB we want to start in a pairing or at least backup Maguire, if we're really backing the Tuanzebe, Lindelof and Bailly group to produce one absolute feck off great CB.
How do you know that?

Dont you think that we would have signed him in the summer for next to nothing if we'd decided he was our defensive savior and not just a left footed player to replace Rojo who we've been trying to get rid of and now his contract is finally up?

He was bought for £4.2 million before playing in 11 matches for Lens in France and now suddenly we think he's a top CB? Dont be silly. He'd be here for tactical options and cover
 

NoPace

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How do you know that?

Dont you think that we would have signed him in the summer for next to nothing if we'd decided he was our defensive savior and not just a left footed player to replace Rojo who we've been trying to get rid of and now his contract is finally up?

He was bought for £4.2 million before playing in 11 matches for Lens in France and now suddenly we think he's a top CB? Dont be silly. He'd be here for tactical options and cover
Then I'm not sure I see the case for buying say a 20M rated CB whose primary role here is as left-footed CB to back up Maguire, though perhaps I'm being harsh on Tuanzebe. I like Bailly and Lindelof but as backups not starters. So yeah, the level of player you're suggesting seems like someone we should look at after buying a CB (and DM and another RB), though I suppose if we think he's available for 20M and worth 30 or more it's not completely ridiculous. But yeah, seems like a 2016 style buy, not where we should be looking now with the squad in the better state that it's in.
 

Ekeke

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Then I'm not sure I see the case for buying say a 20M rated CB whose primary role here is as left-footed CB to back up Maguire, though perhaps I'm being harsh on Tuanzebe. I like Bailly and Lindelof but as backups not starters. So yeah, the level of player you're suggesting seems like someone we should look at after buying a CB (and DM and another RB), though I suppose if we think he's available for 20M and worth 30 or more it's not completely ridiculous. But yeah, seems like a 2016 style buy, not where we should be looking now with the squad in the better state that it's in.
I dont think its important either, but we've had Rojo as an extra left footed CB for many years since he first came in and wasnt deemed good enough to be first choice. So we seem to think its a player we should have in the squad, just not Rojo himself as he's been out of favour for a long time. Perhaps we'd see the player and tactic used more often if we had a new player we thought could do the job well.

And dare I say it because in 2 weeks things could look very different, but right now we're top of the league so if Ole wants a presumably cheap CB to replace Rojo I dont see the harm. If he ends up being expensive something has gone severely wrong
 

Adnan

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La Voix du Nord is a outlet which is based in Lille and covers the Northen French clubs including RC Lens. They're reporting something about a English club being interested in signing Medina if I'm not mistaken and some on Twitter have said the club is Man Utd but the article is behind a pay wall.
 

Adnan

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La Voix du Nord is a very reliable source for Northern French teams if I'm not mistaken so our interest seems to be genuine if they're reporting on it. But they do say that Lens aren't willing to sell in January and United could ready a offer of €12m for the player and loan him to Lens for 6 months.

 

Adnan

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They can keep Medina, I'd rather we take Bade.
It wouldn't make sense signing Bade because it would hamper his development due to a lack of minutes and he would likely cost a fair bit more than Medina.

I've never seen Medina play but he seems a cheap option as the LCB option that Solskjaer is looking for to come in and be a squad player. Which would then allow us to also sign a more established CB which Ole is reported to want and allow him to play a more expansive game imo.
 

Ekeke

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If we signed Bade it would be to play, if we signed Medina it would be to take over Rojo's role as a tactical option of a left footed CB. 12 million euros sounds reasonable enough for Medina if true, despite being available for a lot less a short time ago... I expect if we wanted Bade it would be twice as much as whatever Medina costs
 

SAFMUTD

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Who cares about his nationality? You can judge him as an individual player.

Not buying Medina because Rojo was shite is kind of like not buying Grealish because Lingard is shite. They are both English after all.
Its just a nationality thing, like let's say you just don't buy English keepers, historically they're not good enough.

Of course there's the odd exception but most won't make it, anyone it was a joke mate take it easy haha.
 

jesskan60

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Not enough time in Europe, let see in 18 months.
He's been decent in a back 3 until his injury.
What we need is a CB who can displace Bailly or Lindelöf, not a prospect from Argentina.