Importance of the January 2020 Transfer Window

The Irish Connection

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If we don’t buy that’s one thing but there are players that could be brought in on short term loans to give the squad a boost; Can, James & Cavani for example. Maybe even Rabiot. There’s no excuse for not getting players in at least on loan
Exactly, and you also have players like Eriksen etc. who for the right price can be bought due to their contract or a club being lower down the leagues.
It’s shameful the way transfers are handled at the club but fans are too divided to do anything about it.
Apparently Grealish has a buy out clause?
 

Utdstar01

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We aren't getting anybody in. May as well resign yourselves to it. The club have the perfect PR puppet in Ole. Mid table club for the foreseeable future.
 

Amerifan

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Because you can do the groundwork and complete the transfer in the four months from September to December. It just goes through on the 1st. Liverpool did it just last week with Minamino and Dortmund with Haaland.
Yea. If we were going to buy we should have already bought. Still time to sell, though.
 

manuchamp88

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We aren't getting anybody in. May as well resign yourselves to it. The club have the perfect PR puppet in Ole. Mid table club for the foreseeable future.
So we gonna just sit here and let it happen or are we all gonna something about it??
 

Son

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We badly need a dm who can sit in front of the 2cb. Only Matic can do this, and he is not good enough.

We also need a creative number number 10, but I think we should prioritize a striker before that. If we missed out on Haaland why not go for our second choice which was moussa dembele?
I personally believe we need a playmaker and attack midfielder. If our team presses together I don’t understand why we need a sitting midfielder when Wan Bissaka is a defensive fullback and Fred / McTomminay are capable of sitting and driving forward if needed.

We need 4 new midfielders. 2 x CAM’s and 2 x playmakers. I’d argue Levitt in the future can be one of those and Pogba if he stays should take up the attack midfield slot.

In reality Pogba will leave. I’d go for Maddison, Kroos and Havertz personally... A top playmaker would add so much to our side if one of Fred / McT can protect him right. We need a senior player to lead the side too.

We also need to spend big on Sancho or an Odegaard type player on the right and we’d be one of the best around creatively. James coming on for some games and Toni Kroos knocking a long ball to him to chase would be a stupidly effective plan B.

With the Glazers though let’s face it I’m probably just dreaming. Technical football is not on their agenda for us.
 

freeurmind

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The fact that we didnt have a loan or cheap buy set up to be completed january 1 says all you need to know about thus club. Need an attacker and a central midfielder. Starting to think noone at the club gives a feck about getting CL football next season.
 

Ikon

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First week of January almost gone and unsurprisingly we have done feck all
Absolutely Zero planning.
Juventus, Dortmund & Liverpool have already signed decent players this window, which proves that good business can be done.
Clearly they had been working towards the January window for months, whereas we have been doing what?
Waiting until the first week in January to finally have a meeting about what we might need to do in January...?!?!
 

Ralph1386

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Absolutely Zero planning.
Juventus, Dortmund & Liverpool have already signed decent players this window, which proves that good business can be done.
Clearly they had been working towards the January window for months, whereas we have been doing what?
Waiting until the first week in January to finally have a meeting about what we might need to do in January...?!?!
You’re right and it’s a shame really.

I think our only plan was Haaland. When that went out the window it was obvious there never was a plan B snd now Ole snd Woodie are scrambling for something.
 

Paul778

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Absolutely Zero planning.
Juventus, Dortmund & Liverpool have already signed decent players this window, which proves that good business can be done.
Clearly they had been working towards the January window for months, whereas we have been doing what?
Waiting until the first week in January to finally have a meeting about what we might need to do in January...?!?!
It drives me absolutely crazy each and every year. United are a huge club. Transfers are critical to the clubs ongoing success and yet every six months it feels like the transfer window takes us by surprise.

We haven't got a snowballs of reaching the top four without at least midfield signings, and these are effectively just replacements for Fellani and Hererra who were never replaced. If we don't make top four, our recruitment options will be hampered for another summer so absolutely crucial right now.

I refuse to believe there is noone available in the whole of world football who wouldn't be a better option than Matic, Perrera and Lingard.
 

DomesticTadpole

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Why does he have this idea that a kid from Newcastle would get Manchester United or is he going to move him in with the Carrick's. Some of the best players we had came from abroad. SAF taught them how to love United, but I also suppose constantly winning and having the best manager in the world had something to do with it. If we were wallowing in midtable for years they might have been out of here. Success breeds love.
 

golden_blunder

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Why does he have this idea that a kid from Newcastle would get Manchester United or is he going to move him in with the Carrick's. Some of the best players we had came from abroad. SAF taught them how to love United, but I also suppose constantly winning and having the best manager in the world had something to do with it. If we were wallowing in midtable for years they might have been out of here. Success breeds love.
Cantona was the catalyst but before that, fergie bought a British spine
 

DomesticTadpole

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Cantona was the catalyst but before that, fergie bought a British spine
I know, but he also shifted out some of the British spine who were there because they were drinkers. Bruce and Pallister were great, Irwin became a legend, Parker was a good RB. Ince was good for us, Keane became a great. They were all pretty established where they were, not kids who might be good, but might not.
 

romufc

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Absolutely Zero planning.
Juventus, Dortmund & Liverpool have already signed decent players this window, which proves that good business can be done.
Clearly they had been working towards the January window for months, whereas we have been doing what?
Waiting until the first week in January to finally have a meeting about what we might need to do in January...?!?!
This club is probably the worst in the league when it comes to transfers. How Ed Woodward can justify that the club have good footballing people working for the club is beyond me.

They keep using the same excuse every window, yet other teams make brilliant signings. It is almost as if if we say there is no value in the marker for long enough, the fans will believe it.

This is totally unacceptable and as long as they get 75k fans at OT every other week they do not care.

The problem is they are trying to get fans to accept this is a business not a football club.
 

golden_blunder

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I know, but he also shifted out some of the British spine who were there because they were drinkers. Bruce and Pallister were great, Irwin became a legend, Parker was a good RB. Ince was good for us, Keane became a great. They were all pretty established where they were, not kids who might be good, but might not.
I’d argue that Pallister, Ince and Keane were educated punts. But that’s what fergie was good at, taking older experienced heads like Anderson, Bruce and mixing them with young lads like Sharpe, Keane and giving chances to his first group of ‘fergie fledglings’.
Sadly, because of fergie expectations are much higher now and the world of football is less patient so managers have to hit the ground running. I don’t think Ole will get much longer to turn his vision into reality. In one way that saddens me but in another I’m thinking we need quality now, so do whatever it takes
 

Judas

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The way people in the sport talk about our approach to transfers and dealings with players/clubs/agents, it does to me from the outside look like there's just so many fundamental flaws with how we do transfer business.
 

Volumiza

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This club is probably the worst in the league when it comes to transfers. How Ed Woodward can justify that the club have good footballing people working for the club is beyond me.

They keep using the same excuse every window, yet other teams make brilliant signings. It is almost as if if we say there is no value in the marker for long enough, the fans will believe it.

This is totally unacceptable and as long as they get 75k fans at OT every other week they do not care.

The problem is they are trying to get fans to accept this is a business not a football club.
This, couldn't have put it better myself really, you only have to look at what other teams are doing to see that we are very badly managed in terms of transfers, long term planning, team and squad development. It has been an absolute disaster for over half a decade now. Our transfer process has been dreadful.
 

romufc

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This, couldn't have put it better myself really, you only have to look at what other teams are doing to see that we are very badly managed in terms of transfers, long term planning, team and squad development. It has been an absolute disaster for over half a decade now. Our transfer process has been dreadful.
It is actually pretty dreadful from top up. Every window we are linked with about 100 players. We do not do our homework on players, end up panic buying and spending over the odds on over the hill players.

In the last few years, there should have been data and correct scouting for:

Fred
Matic
Sanchez
Bailly

Then we also end up trying to buy players such as Eriksen, Bale, Fabregas knowing full well there is not a chance we get them because of who they are playing for.

Liverpool bought Salah, Mane, Alisson, VVD, Fabinho all without any competition because they put all the work in getting them before actually putting a bid in. Hardly do you see them putting 4/5 bids in before they get accepted.

City bought Laporte, Ederson, Mendy, Rodri, Sane, KDB, Mahrez all without competition.

We seem to put like 10 bids for AWB, 4/5 for Maguire, and even £15m James was back and forth.

Surely, you would do all the background work with player and agent and ask one question to the agent, what fee do you think will secure the deal?
 

Bestofthebest

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SAF always said there was no value in January window but then went and proved this was not correct by signing players like Evra, Vidic, Stam and Ronaldo in the winter. Correct me if any of these players were not signed in winter. However, SAF was trying to improve on a very good side so was looking at very good players or very promising players. At present we could do with taking a bit of a risk on players with reasonable experience at a lower cost because they are likely to be better than some of those getting into the team at present. If we are not aware of anyone filling this criteria we might as well sack the whole scouting team. As others have pointed out already some teams, who have organised themselves, have got off the mark already.
 

mark_a

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Despite the protracted nature of the last window (i.e. we seemingly made not negotiating a lower price take ages!) I'd say I'd be happy with us getting the right man/men even if it takes us a bit longer. You can't argue with Maguire, Wan Bissaka and James signings, though we could have done with 1 or 2 others.

I'm hoping that the days of signings like Matic and Sanchez are gone. That was under Mourhino. I reckon he had a strong say in those. Sanchez was a mystery as he was hot and cold at Arsenal, Matic makes more sense in a world where he's already worked with the manager (Mourinho) and is likely a short term solution. Much too short term!

If Pogba is to go, we need to be spending that money well and getting things sorted.
 

Mark Pawelek

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Press are talking about Vidal from Barca for £17m. He's 32 now, went through some injuries up to the end of 2018; but fit since then. I was a little worried because I thought his form had slipped with injuries and age but he's excelled in his last 2 games. 45 minutes subbed on against Espanyol (away draw 2-2; rated 7.65), and 90 minutes against Deportivo Alaves (Home 4-1 win; rated 8.08). I get the impression Ole only wants top players, winners and leaders; which Vidal always was. It has a whiff of Schweinsteiger; but Vidal has been injury free for a whole year. Good transition player while Garner, Levitt, Galbraith, Helm, Puigmal, McCann, or Mejbri learn the mens' game. Hopefully an excellent character to model themselves on and learn from.
 
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MrSingh2002

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You'd think Man United have only one scout.

A scout that sources players from the Daily Mail sports section.

We're supposed to have a worldwide world class scouting network.....
 

C'est Moi Cantona

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I know the score when it comes to United atm, but surely even we can't leave Ole with this midfield, we needed two midfielders in the summer, and now we are two more down, the poor guy would stand no chance.

Pierara and Matic make me miss Fellaini, so we basically have Fred as our only real functioning midfielder.
 

The Stain

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Really? I've seen very little evidence of this.
Well, in the end it comes down to the manager to decide and then for the higher ups to approve. We don't know if they go for the scouts suggestions or based on their own opinions. We all know we are a mess in this regard.
 

manuchamp88

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Complaining online is as useful as protesting on the streets.

Quite frankly - there is no hope. Call me a pessimist. Supporters cannot change a thing. Sponsors can.
Depends on how far supporters take it. If there were riots in the stadium (which I'm not condoning), mass walkouts etc., I think they would take notice or at least the sponsors would.
 

dev1l

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.I might be wrong but it looks likely that we will be signing no one on January but disposing of players - Young and Lingard?

They play in areas were we are stocked - Right and left back - we have AWB, Dalot, Shaw, Williams and possibly Liard.
No 10 -we have Perrera, Mata and maybe Gomes.

I have no info , just muppeteering
 

NinjaZombie

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I don't consider myself a pessimist, so let's be realistic. Woodward has no fecking clue. This window will be a bust.

I've given up on us getting to where we were as long as the guy is in charge.
 

MetoTTT

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The thread title alone proves the job wasn't done in the summer and there's no plan and vision for the future unfortunately. How a january transfer window could be so vital for a well ran big club?