Disagree with the analogy. United’s biggest issue now is only targeting one player for positions. We either pay over the odds to appease the manager or we play this awful waiting game. Some fans say that’s a great idea but I don’t get this logic. We waited a season to get Sancho and saved ourselves some money but were left with Dan James as the only RW for a season. We then panic bought two young RW for about £35m anyway (it seems likely both won’t have a career at United). And with players coming in so late in the window they have missed pre-season training and any new tactics the manager is trying to implement. Just like Maguire and Cavani when we signed them.
The De Jong situation is exactly the same. Wasted the whole pre-season period chasing him and I still believe it’s not happening. It seems more likely we will wait rather than panic buy another option (because we don’t have a viable one). But this squad ‘transition’ process continues to be extended year after year. With the players that left in the summer we simply need 5/6 new faces in by now, and there were plenty of options available on free transfers which we missed out on.
The club sits on their hands and doesn’t take decisive action. Man City have walked away from the Cucurella deal because it’s too much money, the player even handed in a transfer request but the club walked away. I’m sure they will find a suitable option, because their scouts do a decent job. This idea that De Jong is the only player to resolve our midfield is wrong. He hasn’t even done well at Barcelona and if reports are true about salaries above £400k a week, we are repeating the same mistakes as before.
Both Fred and McTominay need replacing as starters. Half the league have a better CM pairing. There were plenty of players available if the club moved quicker. Chasing a lost cause for months has meant we have lost out.
I think the difference is, I'm still confident we'll get De Jong. You're not. So to you - waiting around seems like a reckless gamble.
It's just a matter of perspective. I consider it worth the gamble, being 90% sure of success. You consider it a bad gamble, as you're only 30% confident of success.
Neither of us have enough information to really know. But Ten Hag and Murtogh do, and we know which way they're betting (and ultimately Ten Hag knows his job is at stake in the long run - having approx. 6 transfers/two windows before pressure is placed on his job, every transfer counts)
Another way to look at it, there are other options at improving our midfield - but non are anywhere near De Jong's quality. Next year Neves, SMS, Rice are all within the last year of their contract, plus Dortmund will be looking to cash in on Bellingham. Plenty more viable optons. If we wanted any of those now - we're talking £70m-£150m
Ultimately, it's Ten Hag's first window and you've got to give him some faith.
