How many players do we need to sign this summer?

[UpWithRivers]

Depends on our ambitions. We should be good with top 4 with the squad we have. So need to sign =0.
If we want to challenge City or the Liverpool of last season Id say Haaland, Sancho, Ndidi and Koulibailly and keeping Pogba should put us in the fight.
So 4 - CB, DM, Striker and RW. But they need to be top drawer players.

 

[Kag]

Ole has signed Maguire, Wan Bissaka, VDB, Cavani, Bruno, Telles, Ighalo, James. About roughly £260m in a couple of years.

He's also inherited the apparent most expensive player in the world in Rashford and a super talent in Greenwood.

Maguire, Wan-Bissaka and Telles are good signings and I have no issue with them. I expect more from Van de Beek and Bruno has been fantastic. What’s your point?

As highlighted, the fact remains that we still haven’t spent enough money to bring in attacking players of the right quality. Which is why Bruno and James are the only attacking players we’ve actually bought.

Rashford and Greenwood are academy lads who are doing well. It’s just as bloody well, frankly.

We are still paying the price of the woeful squad building that took place (or didn’t, rather) under Mourinho. Ole has done well to use academy resources to plug gaps in attacking areas, as well as sanction our best signing post-Ferguson. Back him further to see this out and we will be rewarded. Don’t, and we won’t.

 

[Tallis]

Ole has signed Maguire, Wan Bissaka, VDB, Cavani, Bruno, Telles, Ighalo, James. About roughly £260m in a couple of years.

He's also inherited the apparent most expensive player in the world in Rashford and a super talent in Greenwood.

Yes, but he had to sell or let go the super talented and expensive Lukaku, Fellaini, Ashley Young, Hererra, Smalling, Valencia, Sanchez.

Any manager who signed Telles, Ighalo and James should be beating Chelsea who only spent 220mm in the summer.

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

We need five players. Our squad is in a good position (we’ve churned out the wankers and have way more balance) but it won’t be if we don’t finally get it over the line with some investment.

In four windows, Ole has been given Bruno and Cavani on loan. Oh, and Dan James. And Ighalo. These are Manchester United’s attacking purchases. That isn’t enough. We need a serious centre forward and a serious right winger. We need a midfielder who is better than McTominay, Fred and Matic at being a midfielder. Wan-Bissaka desperately needs some attacking cover. We also need a fit version of Bailly to partner Maguire at the back.

We are not getting any higher than second while we start the likes of Lindelof, Fred, McTominay, James and (on current form) Martial on a regular basis. None of them are bad, but we need more.

Back Ole properly or we’re up shit creek, as there is no fancy Dan coming in to turn these lads into title-winning footballers.

Ole has spend over £250m. This “he hasn’t been backed” is nonsense.

If we want to challenge for major honours the biggest signing need to make is a new manager.

 

[Kag]

Ole has spend over £250m. This “he hasn’t been backed” is nonsense.

We have signed two attacking players. One of them is Bruno and the other is Dan James. We can count Ighalo and Cavani if you like but it only serves to further my argument, frankly. 33 year old loan deals to replace idiots like Lukaku and Sanchez doesn’t cut it.

Tell me again that he has been backed and we have the players capable of winning titles? Get a grip, lad.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Our squad seems so thin right now.

We need to sign 6 players (A GK, A RB to compete with AWB, a CB, a DM, a RW and a CF)... so we'll probably sign 3, maybe 4. (My guess... a CB, a RB and a RW)

 

[pocco]

Maguire, Wan-Bissaka and Telles are good signings and I have no issue with them. I expect more from Van de Beek and Bruno has been fantastic. What’s your point?

As highlighted, the fact remains that we still haven’t spent enough money to bring in attacking players of the right quality. Which is why Bruno and James are the only attacking players we’ve actually bought.

Rashford and Greenwood are academy lads who are doing well. It’s just as bloody well, frankly.

We are still paying the price of the woeful squad building that took place (or didn’t, rather) under Mourinho. Ole has done well to use academy resources to plug gaps in attacking areas, as well as sanction our best signing post-Ferguson. Back him further to see this out and we will be rewarded. Don’t, and we won’t.

Well, like it or not, Rashford and Greenwood are factors. If they're believed to be good enough then we obviously won't plough money into their positions. Ole chose to keep Martial and sell Lukaku. This is all Ole's design. You can't just dismiss Cavani and VDB and say we've therefore not signed enough attacking players.

He's signed 4 attackers, inherited 2 great talents from the academy that contributed right away and he had £90m Paul Pogba and Lukaku at his disposal. He's also signed Diallo, who he thinks is nearly ready and Pellistri.

Total of 6 attackers signed, two great talents inherited, and two future talents brought in for £40-50m combined and £200m worth of attackers in Pogba, Martial and Lukaku. Yet he's not been backed?

Claiming the attack is now the problem is a new one.

 

[2 man midfield]

CB, RB, DM, CF

Could possibly change RB to RW depending on how well Amad beds in, but for god sake we need something on that right side.

 

[Jim Beam]

We need 4 (CB, DM, RW, CF). We can probably spend "big" on 2 of those. Would go after the quality available, so if we can get a quality signings in DM and CF I would go after them considering that you can argue for every one of those positions to be a priority.

 

[Kag]

Well, like it or not, Rashford and Greenwood are factors. If they're believed to be good enough then we obviously won't plough money into their positions. Ole chose to keep Martial and sell Lukaku. This is all Ole's design. You can't just dismiss Cavani and VDB and say we've therefore not signed enough attacking players.

He's signed 4 attackers, inherited 2 great talents from the academy that contributed right away and he had £90m Paul Pogba and Lukaku at his disposal. He's also signed Diallo, who he thinks is nearly ready and Pellistri.

Total of 6 attackers signed, two great talents inherited, and two future talents brought in for £40-50m combined and £150m worth of attackers in Pogba and Lukaku. Yet he's not been backed?

Claiming the attack is now the problem is a new one.

Our attack has been a problem since Ferguson retired. I’ve been banging this drum for years now and I’ve been right all along.

It’s wilful ignorance to suggest that signing Cavani on the last day of the transfer window was all part of the design. It wasn’t. You know it and I know it. Selling Lukaku was part of the plan, absolutely. An arsehole that never quite fit: good riddance.

I don’t know why you are so keen to highlight Pogba. Through no fault of the coaching staff, he has had injuries on and off for the best part of eighteen months. A fully fit Pogba improves the midfield significantly. He’ll probably leave, too, and therefore needs to be replaced.

 

[pocco]

Our attack has been a problem since Ferguson retired. I’ve been banging this drum for years now and I’ve been right all along.

It’s wilful ignorance to suggest that signing Cavani on the last day of the transfer window was all part of the design. It wasn’t. You know it and I know it.

I don’t know why you are so keen to highlight Pogba. Through no fault of the coaching staff, he has injuries on and off for the best part of eighteen months. A fully fit Pogba improves the midfield significantly. He’ll probably leave, too, and therefore needs to be replaced.

People can't claim Cavani has been a good signing then use him as an example we've not been backed. You can't rate Greenwood, Rashford, Bruno, VDB, James, Cavani, Pogba or perhaps Martial as many recently did, and then say our attack is the problem. Exactly how good does our attack need to be?

You say you've claimed our attack has been a problem 'for years now', yet this is an attack that Ole has built! It's not the one Jose had, it's not the one LVG had or Moyes. This wasn't an issue earlier in the season for most, so I'm going to object to it now being used as another excuse for Ole. If he can't get these lot performing then that is on him. RE Pogba, he sat on the bench a lot this season. He was an available option that Ole decided not to use. Again, his fault.

 

[CM]

People can't claim Cavani has been a good signing then use him as an example we've not been backed. You can't rate Greenwood, Rashford, Bruno, VDB, James, Cavani, Pogba or perhaps Martial as many recently did, and then say our attack is the problem. Exactly how good does our attack need to be?

You say you've claimed our attack has been a problem 'for years now', yet this is an attack that Ole has built! It's not the one Jose had, it's not the one LVG had or Moyes. This wasn't an issue earlier in the season for most, so I'm going to object to it now being used as another excuse for Ole. If he can't get these lot performing then that is on him. RE Pogba, he sat on the bench a lot this season. He was an available option that Ole decided not to use. Again, his fault.

It's a bit disingenuous to say this is an attack Solskjaer has built. Martial, Rashford and Greenwood were all already at the club when he arrived - Lukaku and Sanchez were two big names who he needed to shift.

His number one target last summer was Sancho and he didn't get him. Cavani has done reasonably well but I don't think anybody believes there was always a plan to sign him at the start of the window. His signing, along with the signings of Amad and Pellistri were a reaction to not being able to get the Sancho deal done.

He's also made it quite clear he wanted to get Haaland in. We'll see over the next 18 months how serious the club are about delivering what Solskjaer wants, but we certainly lack a couple of forwards if we want to seriously challenge.

 

[Giggsy13]

At most there will be one marquee signing, which is likely to be a CB. Anything on top of that will have to be funded by player sales. Like last summer, our transfer business will be underwhelming and leave many supporters disappointed.

 

[red_de_pologne]

At most there will be one marquee signing, which is likely to be a CB. Anything on top of that will have to be funded by player sales. Like last summer, our transfer business will be underwhelming and leave many supporters disappointed.

I'd add that any significant outgoing transfer will drag out until it is too late to find a sensible replacement.

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

We have signed two attacking players. One of them is Bruno and the other is Dan James. We can count Ighalo and Cavani if you like but it only serves to further my argument, frankly. 33 year old loan deals to replace idiots like Lukaku and Sanchez doesn’t cut it.

Tell me again that he has been backed and we have the players capable of winning titles? Get a grip, lad.

Since he took over we have spent £143m on defenders, £85m on midfielders & £55m on wingers. Wether you like what the money has bought us or not, you cannot say he hasn’t been backed. He has spent a lot of money.

We spent a combined £75m on Van de Beek, Diallo & Pellestri. Three players we don’t use. Perhaps that money could have been used on the forward that you are complaining he hasn’t had?

 

[RazorOz]

A significant outgoing doesn't help the club anyway. The most likely who would raise significant funds is Pogba, that just leaves another hole we then need to replace rather than giving us the money to fill the current gaps.

The problem with Grealish is Grealish wants to play from the left, like nearly all of our current attackers. It will leave us in the same problem as now with everyone wanting to play on the left, but someone having to be shoehorned on to the right.

 

[RedDevilzFox]

Move heaven and earth to get Haaland and call it a day, PP should go to fund Haaland.

Pogba should definitely leave unless he wants to extend his contract without any pay raise. Martial we should consider selling if we need to raise funds. My guess is we won't have much to spend without selling. Possibly VDB too, he seems like a systems player and our coach doesn't have one. We don't play like ajax and can't see that changing for VDB.

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

A significant outgoing doesn't help the club anyway. The most likely who would raise significant funds is Pogba, that just leaves another hole we then need to replace rather than giving us the money to fill the current gaps.

The problem with Grealish is Grealish wants to play from the left, like nearly all of our current attackers. It will leave us in the same problem as now with everyone wanting to play on the left, but someone having to be shoehorned on to the right.

This is United you’re talking about. We signed the best number 10 in the league in his prime in Juan Mata & shoehorned him on the right his entire United career. It wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if we went for Grealish & ended up putting him or Rashford on the right.

 

[bosnian_red]

Agree with this. Still wouldn't say no to Grealish but it's not a priority and unlikely IMO.

Not sure we'll get two starting CMs in one summer though. Think Matic has an extra year doesn't he? We might get one first teamer and a younger one, or even promote Garner or Mejbri as 5th choice with Matic 4th choice.

Also I can't see us signing a striker. I don't think we can get a Haaland or Mbappe, so we'll end up sticking with Cavani and Martial and waiting another year to see what's available. I may be overlooking someone of course, but I don't think we need to buy another good but not great striker, especially as we also have Greenwood who should perhaps play CF and would get a lot less games RW if we sign Sancho or whoever else for that spot.

Yeah realistically I only see Sancho, CB and Trippier this summer with the midfield revamped and striker situation addressed the summer after.

 

[bosnian_red]

Because I don't think the team you have put together would win us the league, not without a new manager. I think Ole needs players that can provide the ideas for him, like Bruno, and come up with the off the cuff moments. Rashford isn't that player and I don't think Sancho would be enough, so Sancho and Grealish. The rest looks reasonable, GK was just a maybe.

You're severely underrating Rashford. Hes exactly someone who does something out of nothing, he's a top class left winger who will score and assist loads over a season, and be more and more consistent with time. You need a balance of creativity and scoring, but you put Grealish and Sancho in and suddenly we're overly reliant on the striker for goals. Rashford is perfect as a left sided player, Bruno perfect as a 10 but we need a right sided Grealish, or just Sancho as he's one of the best creators in the world and a natural on the right. In addition to Bruno and Sancho on the right, the midfield duo needs to be more rounded. One way would be get a proper DM next to Pogba, but Pogbas likely leaving so then we'll have to replace that. Replacing Rashford would be incredibly counter productive and dumb, but also thankfully is never happening because he's our poster boy. He's going to remain a key player and automatic starter for the next 5+ years easy if he at least maintains his level from the last 2 years, so no point even talking about it.

 

[Skåre Willoch]

CF and DM.

 

[Lemon Moon]

I think it depends if we can keep hold of Pogba.
If he stays, at least 3, for now.

CB, ST & DM.

I'd like;
Pau Torres or Varane for CB,
DCL or Haaland for ST,
Ndidi or Rice for DM

& if Pogba does leave I'd like either Grealish or Maddison to replace him.

And yes, I'm in dream land!

 

[Litch]

Doesn't matter how good Ferrari's new car is this F1 season if they don't have a good driver and supporting staff. Of recent times, most players sign for us, then never replicate their previous clubs form. Evans looks better in a Leicester shirt and Harry looks worse in a Utd one....I suspect others might be in the same boat once they arrive here.

 

[Jezpeza]

For me we need 3. But We wont get them all in one window. All need to be starter quality. I think Greenwood should be moved inside as he's our best finisher and then we dont need to sign both a striker and a rw player.

if i were in charge i would say Sancho down the right side. We know his price is 85m this summer. Rice can hit the ground running at CDM in this league, and we can use Lingard as a makeweight, plus West Ham need to sell as are in bad position financially. and a Centre back with a good set of legs and fitness record to play next to Maguire. Kounde is 80 million i believe but there are others. Probably about 220m of players there. So wont be one window.

but we could offload dalot, lingard, chong, jones and both Pereiras for perhaps 20-30m. Romero/grabt/mata look set to leave as well. Defintely should sign two if we are ambitious. We dont need anymore squad players.

 

[Giggsy13]

I'd add that any significant outgoing transfer will drag out until it is too late to find a sensible replacement.

Yep, we’ve seen it all happen before. Lukaku dragged out till the end of the summer only for Ed to tell Ole that there is not enough time to find a replacement. We ultimately replaced Lukaku with Cavani on a free transfer.

It’s going to be the same story this summer and possibly even worse now than last year. Ole may be the first manager post-Fergie to have consecutive top 4 finishes but he won’t be rewarded with the transfer budget to take us to the next level.

 

[Giggsy13]

This is United you’re talking about. We signed the best number 10 in the league in his prime in Juan Mata & shoehorned him on the right his entire United career. It wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if we went for Grealish & ended up putting him or Rashford on the right.

We completely wasted Mata’s prime years. An absolute shame.

 

[Crustanoid]

Yep, we’ve seen it all happen before. Lukaku dragged out till the end of the summer only for Ed to tell Ole that there is not enough time to find a replacement. We ultimately replaced Lukaku with Cavani on a free transfer.

It’s going to be the same story this summer and possibly even worse now than last year. Ole may be the first manager post-Fergie to have consecutive top 4 finishes but he won’t be rewarded with the transfer budget to take us to the next level.

Yes, the fact that the incompetent Ed and the Glazer leeches are one big factor in the equation means that we / Ole are nailed on for disappointment in the Summer and ultimately won’t improve that much.

 

[48 hours]

I think we need an actual decent DM as a priority so we do not have to play Fred and McTominay together as a defensive screen.

 

[bosnian_red]

Best case scenario (slice of luck going our way), 3 to complete the side.
In (this player or this style/level):

• Sancho
• Varane
• Ndidi

Out:

• Romero
• Jones
• Pereira
• Lingard
• Mata
• Matic

Starting:

Cavani
Rashford Bruno Sancho
Pogba Ndidi
Shaw Maguire Varane Wan Bissaka
Henderson​

Backup:

Greenwood
Martial Van de Beek Amad
Fred McTominay
Telles Lindelof Bailly Dalot
De Gea​

Grant, Tuanzebe, Hannibal, James providing further depth for a 26 man squad.

I see 4 points of argument here (ignore the specific names of signings, that's more the style/type and level of player we need more than anything).

• Goalkeeper is de gea vs Henderson, Henderson has hope at being good enough long term but is a risk, De Gea is in decline so we know he's gotta be replaced eventually. Could be we need to replace both, could be we're set. Henderson deserves the chance.
• Right back depth, realistically we just sign Trippier for 10m or so and Dalot leaves, while the others go on loan.​
• CM, Pogba is realistically leaving so we need to replace him. We need a DM regardless and we then need a creative central midfielder than can fix our progression/build up issues. Chance at VdB developing into that, but thats a hard bet to make​
• Striker is the biggest one. Cavani is alright for now but aging and injury prone. Martial not good enough/barely a striker and I see him as part of depth long term with the left wing and emergency striker. Greenwood IMO has the potential and can be ready to take over as the starter in 22/23, so another season of rotating behind Cavani with Martial rotating as well. But the bet is that Greenwood makes it, which Id be really disappointed if he didn't because he's just that good of a prospect for me.​

So being objective, we need to sort out GK, RB depth, CB starter, DM starter, CM starter, RW and striker. Can be sorted out internally in at most 4 of those 7 positions, likely will need 5 of the 7 to be sorted out with signings though (goalkeeper and striker for me sorted out with Henderson/Greenwood).

 

[CasaStreets]

You are both right and wrong - our spending depends on Covid yes - but not on what has been, but what will be. If fans are allowed back into the stadium before next season, we will probably be allowed to spend fairly big again. But the uncertainty that there might be future lockdowns will influence it. So it probably depends on how sure the board is that there wont be lockdowns.

I don't think you know that and that it's not correct to assume it, the board has a responsibility to manage to certain financial outcomes.

If revenue is way down this year (and it is), it will almost certainly impact expenses even if the long-term outlook is more positive.

 

[Kag]

People can't claim Cavani has been a good signing then use him as an example we've not been backed. You can't rate Greenwood, Rashford, Bruno, VDB, James, Cavani, Pogba or perhaps Martial as many recently did, and then say our attack is the problem. Exactly how good does our attack need to be?

You say you've claimed our attack has been a problem 'for years now', yet this is an attack that Ole has built! It's not the one Jose had, it's not the one LVG had or Moyes. This wasn't an issue earlier in the season for most, so I'm going to object to it now being used as another excuse for Ole. If he can't get these lot performing then that is on him. RE Pogba, he sat on the bench a lot this season. He was an available option that Ole decided not to use. Again, his fault.

Cavani has been a good signing relative to expectations. He still isn’t the striker we wanted to bring in from the outset and you continue to be disingenuous when you suggest that this is the case. He was a last minute stop gap brought to the club in a panic.

I rate lots of those players. Good players, all of them. But I rate them roughly in relation to where we are now: second place, hard to beat and somewhat inconsistent. That sums most of them up.

The current make up of the squad isn’t capable of much more than this. This is because we are still starting players like Fred and McTominay in central midfield, and Lindelof at centre half. Martial is playing every week and not producing the goods in spite of backing from the manager. They are all good, solid players that we like because they display a positive attitude and do some good things. But that’s it. That’s their limit. If you can’t get that through your head then you’re to be a very angry fella, irrespective of who we have in charge. Not until we buy some better options to replace them as regulars. More Bruno’s needed.

 

[Jezpeza]

Cavani has been a good signing relative to expectations. He still isn’t the striker we wanted to bring in from the outset and you continue to be disingenuous when you suggest that this is the case. He was a last minute stop gap brought to the club in a panic.

I rate lots of those players. Good players, all of them. But I rate them roughly in relation to where we are now: second place, hard to beat and somewhat inconsistent. That sums most of them up.

The current make up of the squad isn’t capable of much more than this. This is because we are still starting players like Fred and McTominay in central midfield, and Lindelof at centre half. Martial is playing every week and not producing the goods in spite of backing from the manager. They are all good, solid players that we like because they display a positive attitude and do some good things. But that’s it. That’s their limit. If you can’t get that through your head then you’re to be a very angry fella, irrespective of who we have in charge. Not until we buy some better options to replace them as regulars. More Bruno’s needed.

pretty much yeah. Lindelof and mcfred and martial are great squad options and off the bench but we need better quality for the first 11 to make that extra ground

 

[Teja]

Haaland + Sancho and we're in business and yes, I do think that's realistic.

All the midfield creativity, pacy CB nonsense can easily be papered over with a proper striker that can get you 30+ goals a season. Alongside Bruno and Rashford who chip in with ~20, I think we'll be gold.

Pogba out: 50m.
Sancho + Haaland in: ~200m.

 

[Inter Yer Nan]

Two or three. I think we need a better, more consistent partner for Maguire. Also a right-winger, probably Sancho. Love to see us go all out for him and Haaland, but I get the sense Haaland will be staying this summer. For better balance in the midfield, if we keep Pogba then we would be well served going for a designated DM. I like Fred and McTominay but they don't fit that role, so you almost need to play both together and that hurts our creativity I feel.

 

[croadyman]

When have you ever known United sign 5 big money starting players in 1 window? The only one I can think of is 14-15. We’ll get 1 name signing & maybe 1 or 2 bench players.

Yeah that is the sad reality we will be faced with towards the end of the window, the cold hard facts is that players like Lindelof, Fred & McTominay should be bench options but hard to see that ever being the case as they are all in Ole's favourites club which he shouldn't have in the first place.

 

[croadyman]

Our squad seems so thin right now.

We need to sign 6 players (A GK, A RB to compete with AWB, a CB, a DM, a RW and a CF)... so we'll probably sign 3, maybe 4. (My guess... a CB, a RB and a RW)

Three looks optimistic in this COVID hit market and can certainly understand why you don't mention DM in that

 

[NoPace]

Same old, same old. 4 major needs:

1. One absolute star attacker who fits with Bruno and Rashford, so presumably a 9 or RW but I'd certainly be fine with Grealish if it's not Haaland or Sancho who are probably neater fits. Point is a 3rd star to join those 2 and then let 4 of Greenwood, Cavani, Martial, James and Diallo compete, so probably Martial gets sold as for me Greenwood will already as good a 9 by halfway through next season. The cheapest and easiest option here is probably Danny Ings, whose quality seems to increase annually and would probably chew his own arm off to come here. Griezmann is one to watch out for cuz it's going terribly for him at Barca, though he might be an awkward fit here and should just go to post-Odegaard Arsenal, Napoli or some team he can just play as a 2nd striker again every single week.

So in the formation below, just move Rashford right and Grealish to LW if it is Grealish, and if it's a 9 like Haaland then move Greenwood to RW.

2. A DM who can really pass, though it's not crazy to think Van De Beek can become a quality #8 by linking play and moving well. If Pogba doesn't leave, my guess is we ignore this position and just try to play one of Pogba or VDB more often with McTominay with Fred getting more minutes as McTominay's backup and all the minutes Matic now plays as a DM and left-footed in midfield. This is the toughest position to identity when I look around, though Neuhaus makes sense and Valverde might be gettable via a Pogba swap. Pjanic or Verratti wouldn't be crazy either if we're talking Pogba swaps. Fabian Ruiz looks a good passer in a double pivot, as does Kalvin Phillips (and he could play alone at times with McTominay further forward or just Bruno and Pogba/VDB in a 4-3-3). Camavinga, Sabitzer, Ruben Neves, Tielemans, Pellegrini, Locatelli, Ward-Prowse, McGinn (a gamble that he recovers his pre-injury form) Koopmeiners and Bissouma seem like names we're probably monitoring at least a bit as players who have played in a double pivot and are better going forwards than defensively, though only the last few of them seem like simple enough transfers.

3. A star CB. No question here, we don't have a #1. Maguire is a #2, good in the air. Lindelof is probably a slightly less high upside #2, our best CB centrally in a 3 man backline and good in exactly the kind of games I don't trust Maguire in (lots of thinking and quickness and pressing), so having a #1 and then them competing/rotating makes a ton of sense, with Bailly as #4 and Axel on loan for a full year of starting for a Prem Team (He'd have started over guys like Dan Burn at Brighton, pushed Fulham to use Aina at RWB instead of Bobby Reid, been a lifesaver for Sheffield with the still raw Ampadu getting knocked over every week)

4. A RWB who can really pass and create offensively for games we want a more attacking alternative to AWB or even a sub option with 30 minutes to go. Trippier has no resale value and will start declining soon but he does make a lot of sense if the price is right.


----------------------------------Cavani(Greenwood)-----------------------------------
Rashford(James)-------Bruno(VanDeBeek)-------------------RW(Diallo)
--------------McTominay(VanDeBeek)----------DM(Fred)------------
Shaw(Telles)-----LCB(Lindelof)-Maguire(Bailly)----------AWB(RightBack)
--------------------------------De Gea(Henderson)----------------------------

Updates from the last time I wrote this sort of thing:

1. McTominay nudges ahead of Fred for me in next year's depth chart.

2. Lindelof closer to a tie with Maguire.

3. Angrier at Martial, more sure Greenwood is a 9, he just looks so much more comfortable in the buildup linking play there.

 

[AgentSmith]

Yeah that is the sad reality we will be faced with towards the end of the window

The optimist in me recognises that trend but counters it with the point that it’s rare we’ve had a collection of players who look set to leave (Dalot, Lingard, Pereira, Pogba) would could actually generate a sizeable budget between them.

So if you combine their collective fees with the usual £80-100 million budget that probably is enough to fund 4 good quality transfers.

Add in the fact that one of those players is likely to be Sancho, who ticks all of Ed’s commercial boxes, and I’m pretty hopeful that we could also get 3 other players in addition.

The pessimist in me laughs at that idiotic optimistic safe in the knowledge that we’ll have a summer of ‘preparing bids’ as Ed frantically flies around Europe stalking the Dortmund CEOs because they won’t return his zoom calls.

 

[Giggsy13]

Haaland + Sancho and we're in business and yes, I do think that's realistic.

All the midfield creativity, pacy CB nonsense can easily be papered over with a proper striker that can get you 30+ goals a season. Alongside Bruno and Rashford who chip in with ~20, I think we'll be gold.

Pogba out: 50m.
Sancho + Haaland in: ~200m.

There is absolutely no way in hell that the glazers fund a £150 million summer spend on Haaland and Sancho. I think the latter ship has sailed with the signing of Diallo. Haaland will have his pick of the lot and sorry to say, a more ambitious oiled back club has the inside track and will blow us out of the water this summer to get him.

 

[croadyman]

The optimist in me recognises that trend but counters it with the point that it’s rare we’ve had a collection of players who look set to leave (Dalot, Lingard, Pereira, Pogba) would could actually generate a sizeable budget between them.

So if you combine their collective fees with the usual £80-100 million budget that probably is enough to fund 4 good quality transfers.

Add in the fact that one of those players is likely to be Sancho, who ticks all of Ed’s commercial boxes, and I’m pretty hopeful that we could also get 3 other players in addition.

The pessimist in me laughs at that idiotic optimistic safe in the knowledge that we’ll have a summer of ‘preparing bids’ as Ed frantically flies around Europe stalking the Dortmund CEOs because they won’t return his zoom calls.

Pogba is the one that will decide what kind of budget we are likely to get in the summer, mind you it's hard trusting this useless board when it comes to bringing in the right sort of player to replace him. Clearly we should be looking at signing a DM whatever happens with him because Fred & McTominay shouldn't be the answer there instead we need someone capable of doing the job on their own.