Carlos Baleba

I like Wharton, he is very reminiscent of Carrick. My worry is that if we’re after a partner for Mainoo, he’s not ideal. Just don’t think we’d have enough legs in there.
I honestly think comparisons between him and Carrick are a bit lazy. They are not that alike at all imo.
 
I honestly think comparisons between him and Carrick are a bit lazy. They are not that alike at all imo.
He’s tall, a bit slow, graceful, passing type.

Remember, Michael Carrick wasn’t always a super experienced, incredible reader of the game, dictating the game from the base if United’s midfield. He was once a slightly gangly midfielder getting relegated with West Ham. He was 25 when he joined us and took a season to properly establish himself.

Carrick at 22 looked a lot like Wharton.
 
Avoid.

You can't perform as poor as he has for Brighton this season and still expect the big money move.
I think it’s really this simple. We can’t bungle this, not at the price points I’m hearing.
 
I can accept the idea that not getting a move last summer played with his head a bit. Van Dyke is a good example of a player whose form tanked after a move went south, and he upped it again after he eventually went to Liverpool. So it can happen.

The problem is that VVD had several seasons of solid form in first team football behind him, so a 6 month downturn in form didn't really mean much. Baleba doesn't. I don't think anyone can have much confidence that this is just a blip and that he'll be back to his old form soon. Feels like a roll of the dice. For the £50-60M range, I could get behind a deal. But given that the numbers being talked about last year were £100M+, a price like that just doesn’t seem plausible.
 
He’s tall, a bit slow, graceful, passing type.

Remember, Michael Carrick wasn’t always a super experienced, incredible reader of the game, dictating the game from the base if United’s midfield. He was once a slightly gangly midfielder getting relegated with West Ham. He was 25 when he joined us and took a season to properly establish himself.

Carrick at 22 looked a lot like Wharton.
Carrick was always very strong positionally, and he always dictated play. Obviously he got better as he got older, but they were always strong. Wharton hasn't shown either particularly well.
 
True, but he was never worth £100m based on last years form either

Also true. He's a good punt at 50-60m, nothing more - or if there is, it has to be based on very ambitious clauses. I also don't think there will be loads of teams in for him.
 
This could've been written about Carrick in June 2006.
Could be. But not every player turned out to be a Carrick. There are very few players that will give you something extra above what 90-95% of other players can give you. With Wharton I don't see anything extra.
 
Wharton hasn't been £75m good, he's escaped criticism while being in a very poor performing midfield.

This is the problem for me, people see Wharton look decent every now and then and clamour for him but when he gets to United and his every move is scrutinised, things will change.

He seems to be very loose with his passing and having him and Bruno in a trio would likely lead to a lot of overly ambitious turnovers of possession. I am happy for Bruno to do it, but I want a deep lying player to be sharp and accurate at all ranges, similar to the actual Michael Carrick (who Wharton gets compared to).
 
Over the last 6 games, he has barely played 100 minutes.

Seems a big risk to go after this guy, unless he’s cheap.
 
When SAF signed Carrick that summer as the only major acquisition, not everyone could imagine how it could be the right decision to complete that three-year rebuild process. He is not an athlete beast to destroy. I am looking forward to see which players to be brought in this summer. It might surprise people?
 
When SAF signed Carrick that summer as the only major acquisition, not everyone could imagine how it could be the right decision to complete that three-year rebuild process. He is not an athlete beast to destroy. I am looking forward to see which players to be brought in this summer. It might surprise people?
It wasn’t just that it was Carrick as the only incoming, it was one in, one out - and on the other side of the equation was Ruud van Nistelrooy.

I for one thought it was madness.
 
It wasn’t just that it was Carrick as the only incoming, it was one in, one out - and on the other side of the equation was Ruud van Nistelrooy.

I for one thought it was madness.
I didn’t worry about RVN at that time because Saha had been so good. Well, unfortunately, injuries ruined his career to contribute more to us. I still remember that first outing of Carrick, we drew Jose’s Chelsea at old Trafford. Carrick was named man of match. I thought it might work then!
 
He’s tall, a bit slow, graceful, passing type.

Remember, Michael Carrick wasn’t always a super experienced, incredible reader of the game, dictating the game from the base if United’s midfield. He was once a slightly gangly midfielder getting relegated with West Ham. He was 25 when he joined us and took a season to properly establish himself.

Carrick at 22 looked a lot like Wharton.

He isnt though

Wharton can go past a player and more like Scholes or Bruno he's actually trying to create goalscoring oppertunities regularly. He isnt just spreading play. He has the joint most assists from through balls this season with Bruno both with 3.

Yeah he's taller. Thats it.
 
He isnt though

Wharton can go past a player and more like Scholes or Bruno he's actually trying to create goalscoring oppertunities regularly. He isnt just spreading play. He has the joint most assists from through balls this season with Bruno both with 3.

Yeah he's taller. Thats it.
“Martinez is 175 cm, Messi is 170 cm

Martinez is 5'7, Messi is 5'5”

Are you going on about height again? I wouldn’t, doesn’t seem your forte…
 
“Martinez is 175 cm, Messi is 170 cm

Martinez is 5'7, Messi is 5'5”

Are you going on about height again? I wouldn’t, doesn’t seem your forte…

I linked the websites I used that gave that data. I dont care if it was right or not I have no stakes in those sites. However plenty of them gave the same data I provided

Are you disagreeing that Wharton is taller than Bruno and Scholes?
 
Wish Utd would get away from their obsession with this guy, so if they want Tonali get Wharton instead who would compliment him much better