Sancho is «one of a kind». If he is available and you can get him, you get him. To Man Utd it makes sense too as we are desperate for a RW (used to be anyway). But should we just leave it at that (if we are able to get him and that is a big if)?
I think you could make a good argument that we should. Our squad and first team is starting to look very good. Our midfield is as good as any. Both in terms of quality and depth. The same applies to our attack. If we manage to get Sancho we have not had more talent and potential since 2004. Our defence looks decent. Quite good. Not the same level as our midfield or our attack.
If we want to challenge, the defence is where we will have to improve. But looking at the thread regarding what defender to bring in it looks like the market for a central defender is quite difficult. There is few options available and we are probably competing with Chelsea and Man City. At a minimum. I know quite a few thinks little of Lindelof, but our defence is doing good with him in it. If we are going to improve significantly on it we probably need a RvP/van Dijk-type of signing.
Last summer, when we decided not to sign a RW we probably did because we wanted to wait for Sancho. A similar approach for a central defender could make sense. Maybe even more so considering we are in an decent state. Even if we do now know who we are waiting for.
I know there is a couple of really promising young defenders getting a lot of attention in here. But there is question marks on most of them and a few of them are still very inexperienced. In one year time, we will know more. Maybe the competition will be less too.
There is also a second argument. With the squad we have now, we should be able to raise or expectations of OGS. Meaning that if we fail to improve significantly next year, coming close to Man City/Liverpool, we might have to replace him. A new manager might want to put his mark on the team with a couple of signings.
All that being said, I would make an exception to Thiago if he is available this summer. First, I think he is world class and a midfielder in the mould of Paul Scholes. And I really miss Scholes. He would add something that we do not have and also depth making us less fragile to injuries on Pogba/Fernandes. In terms of quality he would have been a RvP-type of signing. Second, it felt as if he really wanted to come here a few years ago. If that is still the case, you do not turn down a player like that. Any manager would love to have him.
I think you could make a good argument that we should. Our squad and first team is starting to look very good. Our midfield is as good as any. Both in terms of quality and depth. The same applies to our attack. If we manage to get Sancho we have not had more talent and potential since 2004. Our defence looks decent. Quite good. Not the same level as our midfield or our attack.
If we want to challenge, the defence is where we will have to improve. But looking at the thread regarding what defender to bring in it looks like the market for a central defender is quite difficult. There is few options available and we are probably competing with Chelsea and Man City. At a minimum. I know quite a few thinks little of Lindelof, but our defence is doing good with him in it. If we are going to improve significantly on it we probably need a RvP/van Dijk-type of signing.
Last summer, when we decided not to sign a RW we probably did because we wanted to wait for Sancho. A similar approach for a central defender could make sense. Maybe even more so considering we are in an decent state. Even if we do now know who we are waiting for.
I know there is a couple of really promising young defenders getting a lot of attention in here. But there is question marks on most of them and a few of them are still very inexperienced. In one year time, we will know more. Maybe the competition will be less too.
There is also a second argument. With the squad we have now, we should be able to raise or expectations of OGS. Meaning that if we fail to improve significantly next year, coming close to Man City/Liverpool, we might have to replace him. A new manager might want to put his mark on the team with a couple of signings.
All that being said, I would make an exception to Thiago if he is available this summer. First, I think he is world class and a midfielder in the mould of Paul Scholes. And I really miss Scholes. He would add something that we do not have and also depth making us less fragile to injuries on Pogba/Fernandes. In terms of quality he would have been a RvP-type of signing. Second, it felt as if he really wanted to come here a few years ago. If that is still the case, you do not turn down a player like that. Any manager would love to have him.
