Is signing nobody a possibility?

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

It seems like we are after Sancho & a left footed centre back, but knowing what we are like with dragging out every transfer into a saga & given the Glazers unwillingness to spend big, could you see a possibility where we simply don’t sign anyone this window?

Ole has said himself Bruno was signed with this windows kitty. Obviously I hope I’m wrong but nothing would surprise me with this board.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

We’re in the middle of a global economic crisis, anything is possible.
Club can’t even sell season tickets, no idea what’s currently happening with TV money.

 

[Von Mistelroum]

Very much so. I think nobody or just a squad player or two is the most likely scenario.

 

[ShinjiNinja26]

It’s always a possibility under these owners. It’s a bit early to start panicking just yet but it’s a bit worrying we haven’t seriously been linked with anyone other than Sancho which is a deal that isn’t looking like it’s going to happen at this stage.

 

[Pav1878]

if we have little money to spend we shouldbt even be considering someone like Sancho, and instead concentrating on lower priced quality additions, like Thiago!

It's such a no brainer, that it makes my brain hurt just thinking about us wasting time on a transfer that is unlikely to happen.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

if we have little money to spend we shouldbt even be considering someone like Sancho, and instead concentrating on lower priced quality additions, like Thiago!

It's such a no brainer, that it makes my brain hurt just thinking about us wasting time on a transfer that is unlikely to happen.

It’s not a no brainer if Thiago doesn’t want to come to United and has already agreed to go elsewhere.

 

[padzilla]

I am not convinced Woodward's goal isn't just to get in the CL each season and he thinks it's job done and won't invest properly again until that is in risk next season.

 

[bsCallout]

if we have little money to spend we shouldbt even be considering someone like Sancho, and instead concentrating on lower priced quality additions, like Thiago!

It's such a no brainer, that it makes my brain hurt just thinking about us wasting time on a transfer that is unlikely to happen.

It’s not a no brainer if Thiago doesn’t want to come to United and has already agreed to go elsewhere.

Getting Thiago is not a no brainer. We have four players in that position. Four players all vying to start. So you'd then bring in an old player to disrupt that? No thanks. I'd like Thiago over two of our options but that is irrelevant based on where our squad is at. We have a lot more important positions to focus on.

And this is why we thankfully have professionals making the decisions, even if fans don't like the result.

 

[bsCallout]

Yes.

 

[matys]

I'm sure we will bring in 1 to 3 players, what I'm not sure is whether these players will be from the top of Ole's wishlist. I'm afraid if failed to sign main targets we might settle for a few James' and Dalots just to add depth to the squad.

But still plenty of time and for now I stay optimistic

 

[arthurka]

It's more than a chance I think it's almost certain. We might buy some youth player but it's pretty clear we are going into another window with no or little preparation. This club is being run by idiots.

 

[dev1l]

I think transfer business will pick up from 1st September onwards. Many players/agents etc still on holidays

 

[Cloud7]

I want to say no, but it definitely seems like a possibility at this point. Hope not though.

 

[matys]

Do we have anyone coming back after a long injury so they claim he's like a new signing?

 

[Forevergiggs1]

We have to spend. Its that simple. Pool and City have a lot better squad depth than us and I can see Chelsea splashing the cash this summer so if we don't we're going to struggle to get CL football next season. Hopefully the CL money for qualifying this season will be put to good use and we bring in at least a couple of strong reinforcements. Although I very much doubt Sancho will be among them. If Sanchez is recalled then we know we're in for a long hard summer.

 

[bosnian_red]

I think transfer business will pick up from 1st September onwards. Many players/agents etc still on holidays

Transfer business for other teams are well under way. We're one of the only teams to not have done anything.

 

[CG1010]

In that case I see us getting right back out of top 4 next season, and many important players getting disgruntled. Given that we have so many gaps in our squad, the argument that there were no good options ain't likely to hold water. Its 'no value in transfer market' all over again and we don't have Fergie as a manager anymore. Even Glazers won't be that stupid... right?

 

[TheForgottenOne]

I think transfer business will pick up from 1st September onwards. Many players/agents etc still on holidays

If you have an agent that goes on holiday during the time the transfer market is open, you should fire him on the spot. It is just ridiculous to think that no business is done due to agent holidays.....

 

[Clique]

<Written assuming if we're interested in a player, the media has already come out with it>

I honestly wouldn't mind waiting another year for Sancho, if we think we'll get a better price for him. Our playing XI should be good enough for us to progress further. I know Sancho would improve our XI, but we should be able to trash 17 out of the 20 teams with what we have right now.

Which brings me to the point of squad quality. Someone pointed out that we can't have superstars sitting in the bench and while I agree, SAF managed this insanely well by picking up talents from the league from teams (10 - 20). We did have our routine pick-up from Tottenham for a while, but more often than not - we picked up players from bottom of the league than top. There are multiple advantages (least of which being that the player knows the league)

So why then aren't we in the market for someone like Sarr or Jamal Lewis or Max Aarons or Buendia or Allan Saint-Maxim.

Sure they aren't world beaters, they won't improve our first XI. But they've shown more in the League or atleast shown more potential playing in the league than almost any one in our bench.

We still seem to be going for the shiniest toy in the store and that might not be an ideal strategy.

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

We have to spend. Its that simple. Pool and City have a lot better squad depth than us and I can see Chelsea splashing the cash this summer so if we don't we're going to struggle to get CL football next season. Hopefully the CL money for qualifying this season will be put to good use and we bring in at least a couple of strong reinforcements. Although I very much doubt Sancho will be among them. If Sanchez is recalled then we know we're in for a long hard summer.

Sanchez has gone to Inter permanently.

Partey is available for around 40-50m, I would get him over David Brooks which would be a similar price. Maybe get that young lad from Monaco too? And Smalling returning from loan too. Obviously not a great window but better than signing nobody or Brooks who is coming off a big injury and isn't going to make a big impact to the first team.

That would leave us with Maguire, Lindelof, Smalling and Badoshille as our CB options, with Bailly, Tuanzebe and Jones presumably occupying our treatment table, and Partey, Fred and Matic fighting it out for the DM role. Might be good enough to get 4th, assuming Liverpool, City and Chelsea get top 3.

 

[Cassidy]

If you have an agent that goes on holiday during the time the transfer market is open, you should fire him on the spot. It is just ridiculous to think that no business is done due to agent holidays.....

Done and finalised are two different things. E.g Schniederlin went on holiday before being signed as did Pogba.

 

[Ronaldo's Mum Eh?]

I think transfer business will pick up from 1st September onwards. Many players/agents etc still on holidays

I don't think it has anything to do with agents or players being on holidays. If an agent can't do his job on holidays then that agent should be fired. That job is really an on-call job.

 

[charlenefan]

Does seem like a repeat of summer 2018 under Mourinho when the board failed to build on his strong league finish

 

[Hawks2008]

Of course not, without cash flow we would be cutting too much into the Glazer's dividends by spending money.

 

[United58]

Do we have anyone coming back after a long injury so they claim he's like a new signing?

Do we have anyone not coming back from injury?

 

[FreakyJim]

I think we were banking on selling Pogba this summer to fund Sancho and other transfers but it all went to shite because of this covid-19 crap.

 

[sparx99]

We have to spend. Its that simple. Pool and City have a lot better squad depth than us and I can see Chelsea splashing the cash this summer so if we don't we're going to struggle to get CL football next season. Hopefully the CL money for qualifying this season will be put to good use and we bring in at least a couple of strong reinforcements. Although I very much doubt Sancho will be among them. If Sanchez is recalled then we know we're in for a long hard summer.

Sanchez has been sold to Inter permanently now.

 

[kps88]

Folks, there is more than a month to go for the end of the transfer window. When's the last time we went a window without signing anyone ffs? I guarantee you we will sign someone.

 

[peridigm]

Do we have anyone coming back after a long injury so they claim he's like a new signing?

Shaw and of course Phil Jones, eventually, for 1-2 matches, then he’ll be injured again.

 

[M Bison]

I actually think it wouldn’t be a disaster if we didn’t sign anyone. All businesses have got protect their cash as no one knows what’s around the corner so a large outlay seems a bit of a gamble.

Not signing anyone would leave us a bit short in attacking areas and we don’t have a wealth of up and coming u23’s who could step up, but in defence and midfield we’re well covered so I think Not signing anyone most definitely is a distinct possibility.

 

[Freak]

Anything's possible. But I think we will sign 2 maybe 3 players. It might be late in the window though, knowing how we do things.

 

[sparx99]

<Written assuming if we're interested in a player, the media has already come out with it>

I honestly wouldn't mind waiting another year for Sancho, if we think we'll get a better price for him. Our playing XI should be good enough for us to progress further. I know Sancho would improve our XI, but we should be able to trash 17 out of the 20 teams with what we have right now.

Which brings me to the point of squad quality. Someone pointed out that we can't have superstars sitting in the bench and while I agree, SAF managed this insanely well by picking up talents from the league from teams (10 - 20). We did have our routine pick-up from Tottenham for a while, but more often than not - we picked up players from bottom of the league than top. There are multiple advantages (least of which being that the player knows the league)

So why then aren't we in the market for someone like Sarr or Jamal Lewis or Max Aarons or Buendia or Allan Saint-Maxim.

Sure they aren't world beaters, they won't improve our first XI. But they've shown more in the League or atleast shown more potential playing in the league than almost any one in our bench.

We still seem to be going for the shiniest toy in the store and that might not be an ideal strategy.

Didnt we only sign Carrick and Berbatov from Spurs? I can’t think of anyone else.

We tended to spread transfers around depending on who had the best players. Yorke and Young from Aston Villa. Rio and Smith from Leeds. Cole from Newcastle. Rooney from Everton. There was never really a pattern other than getting the best players from the 2nd tier teams.

Nowadays that means paying Leicester £80m from Maguire and Crystal Palace £50m for AWB. If we wanted to continue down that path then Grealish is probably the obvious transfer.

 

[Wonder Pigeon]

I think this thread has popped up every summer on this site since 2006.

 

[FrankDrebin]

Maguire returning from his cell in Greece would be like a new signing.

 

[MattofManchester]

Maguire returning from his cell in Greece would be like a new signing.

Rojo making an appearance will be like half a signing.

 

[Sandikan]

Transfer business for other teams are well under way. We're one of the only teams to not have done anything.

I'd argue that Chelsea aside, no-one in the top 8 has made any even remotely game changing a signing.

 

[Cassidy]

I'd argue that Chelsea aside, no-one in the top 8 has made any even remotely game changing a signing.

Doesnt have to be game changing they are getting things done. Arsenal and City have got deals done and are close to doing more

 

[Dante]

If Woodward can't complete this signing, make Pogba the CEO.

 

[Eplel]

No, realistically and traditionally we'll make a last minute desperate signing, my money is on Jimenez for like 40 mil

 

[Sandikan]

Doesnt have to be game changing they are getting things done. Arsenal and City have got deals done and are close to doing more

Buying players is easy. Buying the right player a lot harder.