What do we still need? Aka The never ending story

L1nk

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If City do get Halaand, do we go for Kane?
No. Why is there such an insane push for Kane on this forum? We blow most of our budget on Kane and then what? A quick fix solution that fixes nothing and we end up with a worse squad than this season after some of our players leave it's utter madness. It's like people have learned nothing over multiple years since Sir Alex left
 

golden_blunder

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I just checked his injury record. He has goes into a 2nd page for injuries. He might not have been injured at the time, but his past injury record should have been a warning. It's is something that he is now fit and cannot get a game. I actually think he could get a game, the state of that defence, but our luck he would get injured. Can he play RB?
He had smaller niggling injuries, again no reason why we wouldn’t renew. Good age, fit and healthy, could cover several roles. It’s unfortunate for him that he picked up that career threatening injury then.

I agree, I think talent wise he could get a game. Unfortunately I don’t think his fitness would hold up for the quick speed at which the games are coming. Desperately needs regular football, so I’d like to see him get a free to enable him to try and rebuild his career elsewhere
 

Murder on Zidanes Floor

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No. Why is there such an insane push for Kane on this forum? We blow most of our budget on Kane and then what? A quick fix solution that fixes nothing and we end up with a worse squad than this season after some of our players leave it's utter madness. It's like people have learned nothing over multiple years since Sir Alex left
Isn't his contract almost over? Like it'll have two years to run and we could get him for £70m

Also, it was just a question, no one is obsessed, just if City get Haaland, we might have an easier run at the best striker in the league.
 

Corridor of Uncertainty

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No. Why is there such an insane push for Kane on this forum? We blow most of our budget on Kane and then what? A quick fix solution that fixes nothing and we end up with a worse squad than this season after some of our players leave it's utter madness. It's like people have learned nothing over multiple years since Sir Alex left
Shiny new toy. It's like putting a tiled roof on a pop up tent.

I'd rather we build and improve the defence and midfield before we spunk more than half our budget on Kane.
 

UpWithRivers

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No. Why is there such an insane push for Kane on this forum? We blow most of our budget on Kane and then what? A quick fix solution that fixes nothing and we end up with a worse squad than this season after some of our players leave it's utter madness. It's like people have learned nothing over multiple years since Sir Alex left
I agree with the spunking loads of cash on one player seems nuts but strikers are different. Getting a top top striker is friggin hard. See Chelsea, see Man City, see us. When's the last time we had a good really top striker. Lukaku! :-) And yes it makes a huge difference. Kane has been carrying Tottenham for years why not us. People think we can just get Schick or Issak and all is well are deluded. We could end up paying 50 mill this year for a striker that doesnt work then 50 next year for another striker that doesnt work. Kane is a prem proven top goalscorer and can almost guarantee 20 plus goals. Who else will do that and how much will they cost.
 

Andrew7582

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Isn't his contract almost over? Like it'll have two years to run and we could get him for £70m

Also, it was just a question, no one is obsessed, just if City get Haaland, we might have an easier run at the best striker in the league.
With two years left they'll still want maximum value, £70 million would be the 1 year left price.
 

L1nk

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I agree with the spunking loads of cash on one player seems nuts but strikers are different. Getting a top top striker is friggin hard. See Chelsea, see Man City, see us. When's the last time we had a good really top striker. Lukaku! :-) And yes it makes a huge difference. Kane has been carrying Tottenham for years why not us. People think we can just get Schick or Issak and all is well are deluded. We could end up paying 50 mill this year for a striker that doesnt work then 50 next year for another striker that doesnt work. Kane is a prem proven top goalscorer and can almost guarantee 20 plus goals. Who else will do that and how much will they cost.
Right but the problem is are the Glazers likely to fund a massive rebuild that we need? If we spend a good chunk of our budget on Kane what then do we do for the gaping holes in our midfield because we have no DM and Pogba is leaving, our Fullbacks need an upgrade, our centre of defense needs reinforcements, likely we'll need an attacking player other than a striker as well. To say lets spunk a big portion of our budget on a world class striker indicates to me that you think aside from a striker we have a world class squad that doesn't need many reinforcements, when it couldn't be further from the truth
 

Beans

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We need players that are tops with the ball at their feet, at controlling short passes. We’re just not good enough on the ball to move fast enough, everyone needs an extra touch. Top teams don’t look like that.
 

diarm

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Contracts up in the summer:
Pogba
Lingard
Grant
Mata
Chong
Cavani
Greenwood*

Contracts up next summer:
Dalot
Laird
Tuanzebe
Mengi
Matic
Fred
Ronaldo

Players actively looking to leave:
Henderson
Bailly
Jones
Williams
Pereira
Van de Beek
Martial

Committed players who aren't good enough:
Wan-Bissaka
Maguire
Telles

Committed players with something to offer:
De Gea
Heaton
Varane
Lindelof
Shaw
McTominay
Bruno
Sancho
Rashford (dangerously close to the previous list and rumoured to be among the list before that)

Young players coming through:
Garner
Mejbri
Elanga
Shoretire
Amad
Pellistri

That is the extent of our squad at the moment. 7 players we're likely to lose for nothing this summer, plus another 7 who have a year left - very few, if any of whom are truly worth offering new deals to, so we'll likely lose most of them for nothing next year as well.

Then we have 7 players who no longer want to be at the club, and who aren't really offering us anything in terms of getting back to where we need to be. We have another 3 or 4 who are happy enough to be here - but only because they're so bloody useless they know they'd never be able to steal the living they have anywhere else.

That leaves us with 8 or 9 long term committed players who are good enough to be in a squad challenging for anything significant, perhaps 4 of whom are good enough to start, plus a handful of young talents breaking through.

Its criminally negligent that this is what we are left with after the money spent over the last decade. We're lightyears away from being where we need to be.
 

UpWithRivers

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Right but the problem is are the Glazers likely to fund a massive rebuild that we need? If we spend a good chunk of our budget on Kane what then do we do for the gaping holes in our midfield because we have no DM and Pogba is leaving, our Fullbacks need an upgrade, our centre of defense needs reinforcements, likely we'll need an attacking player other than a striker as well. To say lets spunk a big portion of our budget on a world class striker indicates to me that you think aside from a striker we have a world class squad that doesn't need many reinforcements, when it couldn't be further from the truth
No it means its much easier to find budget options in other areas. We could get Kane + Any of the free transfers Mazraoui /Kessie/Kamara etc. Or even cheap players if we could sell and stretch our budget to 150 - Ruiz, Tielmans, Schlotterbeck etc.
 

UpWithRivers

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Contracts up in the summer:
Pogba
Lingard
Grant
Mata
Chong
Cavani
Greenwood*

Contracts up next summer:
Dalot
Laird
Tuanzebe
Mengi
Matic
Fred
Ronaldo

Players actively looking to leave:
Henderson
Bailly
Jones
Williams
Pereira
Van de Beek
Martial

Committed players who aren't good enough:
Wan-Bissaka
Maguire
Telles

Committed players with something to offer:
De Gea
Heaton
Varane
Lindelof
Shaw
McTominay
Bruno
Sancho
Rashford (dangerously close to the previous list and rumoured to be among the list before that)

Young players coming through:
Garner
Mejbri
Elanga
Shoretire
Amad
Pellistri

That is the extent of our squad at the moment. 7 players we're likely to lose for nothing this summer, plus another 7 who have a year left - very few, if any of whom are truly worth offering new deals to, so we'll likely lose most of them for nothing next year as well.

Then we have 7 players who no longer want to be at the club, and who aren't really offering us anything in terms of getting back to where we need to be. We have another 3 or 4 who are happy enough to be here - but only because they're so bloody useless they know they'd never be able to steal the living they have anywhere else.

That leaves us with 8 or 9 long term committed players who are good enough to be in a squad challenging for anything significant, perhaps 4 of whom are good enough to start, plus a handful of young talents breaking through.

Its criminally negligent that this is what we are left with after the money spent over the last decade. We're lightyears away from being where we need to be.
Its even worse than that

Committed players with something to offer:
De Gea (Not good enough as a modern keeper in a high press system because he is bottom of stats at everything bar shot stopping)
Heaton
Varane (Class player but will he kick on or just be another sick note?)
Lindelof (Good player but is he good enough for a title winning side? Bench player)
Shaw (Been waiting 8 years for his consistency to kick in. He's up and down more times than a meth addict. Bench player)
McTominay (good enough for bench only)
Bruno (Jury is out if he can fit a team that likes to keep hold of the ball. Would Pep/Klopp have him? I doubt it)
Sancho
Rashford (dangerously close to the previous list and rumoured to be among the list before that)
 

MattofManchester

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Honestly, maybe we should pray Leeds go down, then go after Phillips and Raphinha.

Will fix two of our issues at a budget price, I imagine.

Phillips is not the best, but realistically he's not the worst, and an upgrade on what we have.

Would allow us to invest more funds into a central midfielder and striker.
 

SAF is the GOAT

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Honestly, maybe we should pray Leeds go down, then go after Phillips and Raphinha.

Will fix two of our issues at a budget price, I imagine.

Phillips is not the best, but realistically he's not the worst, and an upgrade on what we have.

Would allow us to invest more funds into a central midfielder and striker.
I don't think the white scum will sell Raphinha on cheap. Also, his contract is until 2024
 

AFC NimbleThumb

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Sigh, again. He wasn’t injured when he resigned, he was still a good age and in the England squad. Why wouldn’t we offer a new contract?
People need to put more respect on Jones’ name. He hasn’t intentionally been injured & came back after god knows how long to play better than our £80mil captain has all season. The contract was terrible in hindsight, nothing more.
 

Lay

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I have zero hope of any signing being a success at the club. Doesn’t matter who we sign, they’ll have their talent sucked up space jam style.
 

LuckyScout78

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New edit and adding : Reason = Manuel Locatelli

For the nr.6 spot.

Sorry i forgot you Locatelli. I saw him just joined Juventus on loan with option to buy. So i thought he was a unrealistic transfer target. But after thinking about again. That United did bought Pobga for world record price back time. And the boy himself. In some how. End up in United dressing room with a picture of United legend Wayne Rooney jersey. Hopefully someday Locatelli will come and bring more time in United dressing room in the near future. As a United player.

Manuel Locatelli is totally complete as CM player. And when i rate complete = no need for player report. Locatelli is what United need to build a strong enough team to win premier league again.


So my last 2 for nr.6 earlier were Tchouaméni & Rice. But i think i will edit it too Tchouaméni & Locatelli.

And it will be Tchouaméni < Locatelli. Locatelli is more explosive in the first metres. More agility. Beside his really and top ball skills. The boy has the tackling and dirty sides part of the game.

This video tell more than words and descriptions :




future United potential 4411:

Raphinha - Bellingham - Locatelli - Sancho/Garnacho + Bruno + Rashford

or potential 433 line for managers who prefer it:

Raphinha - Bellingham - Locatelli (Balanace and dictate cm player) - Bruno - Sancho + Rashford


I think i have come to the last and final decision. On RW, CM nr6 and cm nr.8


New players:


RW = Raphinha = this summer
nr.8 = Jude Bellingham this summer
nr.6 = Locatelli = summer 2023 or as ASAP.

3 big puzzles, reasons, factors and ingredients to achieve the ultimate goal = winning premier league or ch.league


https://images.app.goo.gl/gDVGxHdRKxSbLDLQ9

Check his combination football around 57 seconds into the video. Pleasure to watch.

MV only at 35 mill Euro it is crazy = His actually MV is up there with Rice = 70 mill euro

https://www.transfermarkt.com/manuel-locatelli/profil/spieler/265088

Hopefully next time with your name on that shirt Locatelli with nr.6. Hope your path lead to it boy. Would be big pleasure to watch you on that shirt. What United need. A maestro. The brain of the team and architecture.
 
Last edited:

jesperjaap

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I agree with the spunking loads of cash on one player seems nuts but strikers are different. Getting a top top striker is friggin hard. See Chelsea, see Man City, see us. When's the last time we had a good really top striker. Lukaku! :-) And yes it makes a huge difference. Kane has been carrying Tottenham for years why not us. People think we can just get Schick or Issak and all is well are deluded. We could end up paying 50 mill this year for a striker that doesnt work then 50 next year for another striker that doesnt work. Kane is a prem proven top goalscorer and can almost guarantee 20 plus goals. Who else will do that and how much will they cost.
Agree Schick doesnt solve our problems, be a great second choice, Isaak looks talented but not convinced. But on the same token Kane probably costs £70-80m even now with his contract under Levy. No doubting he is world class and playing well....but that fee on a 29year old, nearly all our budget......arent we in a similar situation as you say anyway in two years. Kane would be fat better than the other two but barely another signing this summer with him going?

I mean Fofana, Rice, Bellingham, Kane would be great, but dont think we can make a huge signing in any area, and a 29year old maybe the worst one for us for the next five years.

There is a number of QUALITY free signings this summer, hugel talented youngsters breakign through the vast majority of which wont top £40m, we really need to be clever.....granted, very very few of these types are strikers...but...Giouri :)
 

jamesjimmybyrondean

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Agree Schick doesnt solve our problems, be a great second choice, Isaak looks talented but not convinced. But on the same token Kane probably costs £70-80m even now with his contract under Levy. No doubting he is world class and playing well....but that fee on a 29year old, nearly all our budget......arent we in a similar situation as you say anyway in two years. Kane would be fat better than the other two but barely another signing this summer with him going?

I mean Fofana, Rice, Bellingham, Kane would be great, but dont think we can make a huge signing in any area, and a 29year old maybe the worst one for us for the next five years.

There is a number of QUALITY free signings this summer, hugel talented youngsters breakign through the vast majority of which wont top £40m, we really need to be clever.....granted, very very few of these types are strikers...but...Giouri :)
He is quality. Of all the strikers I've watched on YouTube for us to get, he looks the best and most ready. Also watched him against Psg and looked really dangerous. Can he play as a lone striker though?
 

jesperjaap

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He is quality. Of all the strikers I've watched on YouTube for us to get, he looks the best and most ready. Also watched him against Psg and looked really dangerous. Can he play as a lone striker though?
Well at youth for France all be it four years ago when he caught my eye in a tournament, yes and his finishing was fantastic. He seems at Nice to have played on the left or in a front two and seems to drift to the channels. He is isnt a hold the ball up type of player, but he technique and touch I think is excellent....but Greenwood wasnt either and he would have been a fantastic striker for us I think sadly. Personally think he is good enough to go anywhere, but maybe biased as always liked him since that tournament and followed him so want him to do well in his career. Always been my favourite youngster under the radar, finally getting the attention his talent deserves.
 

reddevilz007

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Before we sign any players, we need a new manager.

becauss signing players who dont fit the manager’s system of play will get us nowhere.
 

DomesticTadpole

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football come first and commercial come 2nd ?
Yes. Our owners are not rich enough to run a club this size, which is why they bought with a loan, therefore saddling us with debt and have to find every piddling type of sponsorship deal out there to bring money in so they can get their dividend. It is those deals and the TV deal that is financing the club, not the owners and certainly not what is happening on the field.
 

Swordsman

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Yes. Our owners are not rich enough to run a club this size, which is why they bought with a loan, therefore saddling us with debt and have to find every piddling type of sponsorship deal out there to bring money in so they can get their dividend. It is those deals and the TV deal that is financing the club, not the owners and certainly not what is happening on the field.
I always wondered Was there no other billionaire interested in united at that time ?
 

Loon

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I think it’s a tear-down. I really do. Hopefully the manager will come and gut the side as Ferguson and Ron Atkinson did and start building a new United.

it’s going to take a long time and it’s going to take a manager with vision.

Piece of piss, innit?
 

Swordsman

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I think it’s a tear-down. I really do. Hopefully the manager will come and gut the side as Ferguson and Ron Atkinson did and start building a new United.

it’s going to take a long time and it’s going to take a manager with vision.

Piece of piss, innit?
problem is does the manager have the power to do so without the board interfering ?
 

jackal&hyde

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I can see an expensive striker and a couple of midfielders and promoting Hanibal, Garner and maybe Laird. A lot of players will go and with no CL football we will look to streamline the squad. It will be a very disappointing summer for those that think we will get 5, 6 players in.
 

croadyman

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I can see an expensive striker and a couple of midfielders and promoting Hanibal, Garner and maybe Laird. A lot of players will go and with no CL football we will look to streamline the squad. It will be a very disappointing summer for those that think we will get 5, 6 players in.
Need some investment in the right side too whether it's attacking RB/RW
 

jesperjaap

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Honestly looking at our side before any summer departures. I think we only have 3 genuine first eleven players for a trophy winning side in this squad. Maybe two or three others can be carried but our squad is huge our first eleven is way way off
 

jesperjaap

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Before we sign any players, we need a new manager.

becauss signing players who dont fit the manager’s system of play will get us nowhere.
A good point but I think its actually deeper than that. Think our targets could vary quite a fair bit dependant on who takes over just on the players they like personally individually both inside our club and at other clubs
 

reddevilz007

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We have to find a bargain like Luis Diaz is for Liverpool.
Liverpool keeps finding these forwards for reasonable fees.