Because I don't believe Joel Glazer will sanction a €50m fee which will likely have to be paid in one lump sum due to the release clause. And i'm also not sure if we're as interested as being made out to be when other areas in the team are far more important to upgrade with a limited budget.
I completely agree with this. I'm more surprised how people don't want to spend 50m on keeper but willingly to spend 50m on CB when we have Varane as our CB and DDG as our keeper. What we need to replace Maguire with is a younger CB that can be rotated with Varane when Varane needs rest or injured. Someone who can be understudy of Varane who doesn't cost much. Who? I'm not sure but, there is an interesting name that I can think of if Ratcliffe wins the take over. Todibo, He's playing for Nice means we might be able to do a business that suits our budget like signing him on loan for one season then buy him the next window.
Regardless of the outcome of the takeover, investing in the squad is essential to keep the asset value, both for the Glazers and the potential new owner. So of course we will be able to spend regardless. The question is more how big the budget is gonna be with new owner/Glazer.
Kim is only 26, so is a means of strengthening massively in CB long-term, which is more important than you're suggesting, given the drop off after Varane/Martinez. If you can pick up such quality at a reasonable price you have to grab it when you can.
Varane is a sicknote. Lindelof is jekyll and hyde and Maguire is not good enough. Our second pair CBs is a left back and Lindelof. Its quite clear that we need cover in that position. Yes we also need a new GK but we definitely still need to upgrade the CB area. Its also easier to find a cut price long-term GK than a cut price long-term CB. So I imagine the club sees it as a rare opportunity to land a long-term reliable CB for a price below his true market value.
I think Todibo is potentially a excellent candidate at 23 years old. He's not as good aerially compared to Kim but he's potentially excellent with and without the ball in ground duels. Would also potentially be cheaper overall in both transfer fee and wages and would allow us to pay the transfer fee in instalments, which would help if we have a £100m transfer budget.
His surname is actually Kim and first name Min-jae
Is his first name just a posh way of saying "minge"?His surname is actually Kim and first name Min-jae
Kim Min-jae's release clause can be paid in instalments too, ever heard of a bank? Napoli get the full fee (as with all release clauses) but United could just use a bank to pay it and then pay the bank in instalments.
Buying him for more than what someone like Todibo will be cost will be daft. Because the current team has a goalkeeper who is lacking on the ball, a RB who is lacking on the ball and a midfield that is lacking on the ball. And also we need a striker.
If the choice was between a 26-years old outstanding CB from Serie A, a 23-years old solid player from France and a young, talent from Eredivisie with height problems, I'd definitely take the first option.
I'd take the choice which enhances the technical ability and tactical flexibility of the team over aerial ability. And we still have Varane as a first choice for another season.
Great news for adidas. United only get 10%
Personally I want to call him Kim Tae Kwan Do but I don't know how much it will stick ?
I'd honestly be fine with any of the above 3 options. Esp depending on the price. If we can get any of them for not too much more than what we get for Maguire...at the end of the day, any of them will be excellent additions to the squad
I tend to agree but it’s obvious now Harry Maguire will be sold and they must have a seller already, probably West Ham, Spurs Newcastle or Villa they all have money and would probably spend £35/40m on Maguire, whatever we think of the player he will be rated by other teams and he’s a huge upgrade on E Dier, T Mings, etc.
KMJ is fast enough to play emergency RB and technically he is not below Todibo.
You know how it is with K pop, you don’t buy the individual but part of the collective package. If we play the CL final against Haaland and the Kim Min Jae project send the football player, we’re fine, but if they send the singer and keyboard player, we’re fecked.
It's not about having a emergency RB who is fast but rather having a fullback who can comfortably invert infield and play in midfield next to Casemiro in possession. That's how Brighton comfortably beat Arsenal yesterday by playing Caicedo at RB and he was taking up positions in midfield in possession which created both a numerical and qualitative superiority due to Caicedo being far superior on the ball in comparison to the options Arteta had in the same positions. Saka disappeared in the game due to the control Brighton exerted in the first phase and the Brighton attackers thrived due to the platform/structure behind them.
the commentators could have some interesting moments if he battles with Chris Wood.
Don't know where this idea that KMJ isn't a technical defender has come from. KMJ's great on the ball. He and Martinez would suit ETH's style of play perfectly, much better than Varane actually.
I never said he wasn't good on the ball but with the way the discussion evolved, the choice between enhancing the technical and tactical needs over aerial and physical ability takes precedence for me in a ten Hag team.
Antonio Silva has big potential but is still very young. He's someone that I feel we could target in a years time and technically he's outstanding.
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They do say though to build a winning team it always starts of at the back. Defence wins you titles, attack wins you games. Varane is always injured and martinez has got a massive injury that we don’t know how he’ll come back from. The standard after these 2 is bad. We do need this guy. I agree that there are other priorities though, Striker and keeper being a main one.
But KMJ does solve our technical and tactical needs. Todibo's not a bad option either, but he's still a step behind KMJ. You keep saying aerial and physical ability but KMJ is great at pretty much everything, not just aerially.
I agree about the importance of a defence. Our defensive balance amongst the squad is......imperfect, but for me it's good enough to carry us to our goal of challenging for major trophies.
On the flip side, high quality players rarely come available for release clauses this reasonable. On the open market he'd be 50% more at minimum, and we no doubt need a top class CB. Is it a priority? Of course not. But there's something to be said for buying quality for good prices when we generally never do. At least it's good business.
