Joško Gvardiol | signs for Peps CB collection

[Bastian]

He's certainly caught the eye of every top club looking for a central defender during this World Cup and he's been linked away from RB Leipzig since the summer.

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Not that the above tweet is reliable when we're looking under the sofa cushions for money for a striker. But muppets have to muppet.

 

[TheNewEra]

With Ronaldo gone, and hopefully selling the likes of Maguire, AWB, VDB hopefully United can get a player like him, a top striker, another midfielder and a RB as cover.

Gvardiol is one of those that can play right now but has 10-13 years at the top level ahead of him worth every penny.

There needs to be long term planning to someone who plays Eriksens role to a higher level, a world class striker and the squad should start to shape.

If the likes of Gvardiol comes in does that mean United shift to a back 3 when Varane, Licha and Gvardiol would be fit?

I obviously doubt the credibility of the source but players like him are definitely worth it as a long term investment.

 

[Jev]

We don't need a new CB, and certainly not one in that price range when we have a settled starting duo.

 

[phelans shorts]

This just wouldn’t make sense now we have Martinez in that role. If we need another centre back it’s somebody who’ll be able to step in for Varane in the coming years

 

[acid_fuji]

We don't need a new CB, and certainly not one in that price range when we have a settled starting duo.

The case is that we don’t have settled staring duo. Varane when fit is amazing but it’s not always available. I’d love to see Gvardiol here. We might then just sell Varane.

 

[Remember the geese]

We don't need a new CB, and certainly not one in that price range when we have a settled starting duo.

I think we do. Varane is quality, but picks up too many niggling little injuries. Lindelof and Maguire aren't really good enough to be the guy who steps in. We either sign a top centre back and manage Varane's minutes, or sign a young high potential centre back who can fill in when Varane is injured. We can sell one of Lindelof or Maguire and keep the other as fourth choice.

 

[sullydnl]

We're obviously not buying him in January.

In the summer, if Maguire leaves, then we'll need a new centre-back. But even at that point a right-footed centre-back makes more sense.

Gvardiol looks class but you can't sign every class player.

 

[Judas]

As much as I’d love another quality defender, would be bonkers to spend that right now with all the other issues.

 

[CM]

Don't believe that we're in for him, and certainly not at that price.

Ten Hag is too much of a details nerd to go big on a second left footed CB like that. I also don't believe we've got that money to be chucking around after going big on a striker, which will be top priority.

 

[led_scholes]

I d like him here but I don't see it with that price. We need a GK, a striker and a cm before.

 

[Bojan Djordjic]

I think we do. Varane is quality, but picks up too many niggling little injuries. Lindelof and Maguire aren't really good enough to be the guy who steps in. We either sign a top centre back and manage Varane's minutes, or sign a young high potential centre back who can fill in when Varane is injured. We can sell one of Lindelof or Maguire and keep the other as fourth choice.

He's a left centre back and a LWB. Our best player is our LCB. It wouldn't make any sense to splash the amount of money it would take to buy Gvardiol only to shove him or our best player into an unfamiliar role at RCB. Lets just buy a RCB who isn't hyped to the max following a good showing at a WC.

 

[Adam-Utd]

I don't believe this at all tbh. Plays in the same position as our new expensive CB.

Great player but you can't sign them all.

 

[Andre Kagawa]

I only want him if he continues playing with that mask

 

[CallyRed]

I only want him if he continues playing with that mask

We could get it included in the contract.

 

[TheRedHearted]

We don't need a new CB, and certainly not one in that price range when we have a settled starting duo.

With varane always being out we are a Martinez injury away from starting who? Maguire and Lindelof.

 

[Vidyoyo]

He's been a gem but I have no idea why we'd be in the market for another CB with the 3 world class ones we have already. That money should be spent on some reinforcements for LB/RB

 

[phelans shorts]

With varane always being out we are a Martinez injury away from starting who? Maguire and Lindelof.

Are you legitimately advocating spending 100 million on a bench warmer

 

[bosnian_red]

He's class but he's not a player who we will go for at any point. We have Lisandro Martinez, they play the exact same position, and there's only 4 years between them. That's it to the story.

 

[bosnian_red]

With varane always being out we are a Martinez injury away from starting who? Maguire and Lindelof.

You don't spend 100m on a CB to be a "what if injuries" scenario. In summer 2024/25 I could see us spending 100m on a RCB, if we don't sign someone cheaper earlier who can develop to take over from Varane in a couple of years. But... we won't spend big on a CB until Varane needs a replacement, and we won't sign a LCB to be a starter as that is Martinez.

 

[Bluelion7]

We are due to meet with all parties to try and finalize numbers the day after the World Cup ends.

With his performance in the World Cup I not only expect other interested parties, I expect every marquee name in the book to be attached to him to raise the price up even if they aren’t interested.

 

[CM]

We are due to meet with all parties to try and finalize numbers the day after the World Cup ends.

With his performance in the World Cup I not only expect other interested parties, I expect every marquee name in the book to be attached to him to raise the price up even if they aren’t interested.

Because the one position Chelsea didn't spend enough money on in the summer was the defence

 

[Sassy Colin]

Yeah, we're not spending €95M on a CB.

 

[TsuWave]

The case is that we don’t have settled staring duo. Varane when fit is amazing but it’s not always available. I’d love to see Gvardiol here. We might then just sell Varane.

Sell our best CB and one of the most experienced players in the squad? What?

Varane is only 29 too. United can easily get another 3 or 4 years out of him at his top level

 

[Cathy Ferguson]

Yeah, we're not spending €95M on a CB.

Nope, we can't afford to have 3 world class CBs and 0 world class strikers.

 

[Erik the Red]

N'Dicka on a free would be a more realistic left centre back cover for Martinez, but rumours today in FourFourTwo that he is going to Arsenal. Anyone know what tier they would be?

 

[TheReligion]

We are due to meet with all parties to try and finalize numbers the day after the World Cup ends.

With his performance in the World Cup I not only expect other interested parties, I expect every marquee name in the book to be attached to him to raise the price up even if they aren’t interested.

Let’s hope it’s more successful than the meeting with Endrick.. De Ligt… Kounde etc

 

[Jev]

With varane always being out we are a Martinez injury away from starting who? Maguire and Lindelof.

Perfectly decent as third and fourth choice. One of them just started and played well for one of the best teams at the World Cup. We have bigger issues. We have better depth in central defence than almost everywhere else on the pitch, save for maybe left-back and left-wing.

 

[NoLogo]

I know he is highly rated but every time I have seen him play for Leipzig he had an abysmal game. Granted I haven't seen him too often. He has certainly left a much better impression during this WC but in an overall very defensive side.

 

[TheReligion]

Would I replace Martinez or Varane? No.

 

[balaks]

Undoubtedly a very talented player

 

[dinostar77]

We were told about him when ragnick was at utd and he advised the club, that he was an absolute must buy. Obviously we ignored him.

 

[Sassy Colin]

The case is that we don’t have settled staring duo. Varane when fit is amazing but it’s not always available. I’d love to see Gvardiol here. We might then just sell Varane.

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

He's been a gem but I have no idea why we'd be in the market for another CB with the 3 world class ones we have already. That money should be spent on some reinforcements for LB/RB

Who the feck is this phantom 3rd world class CB we have?

 

[Sarni]

With varane always being out we are a Martinez injury away from starting who? Maguire and Lindelof.

What if Gvardiol gets injured though? We might need to bring Timber, Skrinar and de Ligt as well, just to be safe.

 

[Adisa]

It's bullshit.

 

[Bluelion7]

Because the one position Chelsea didn't spend enough money on in the summer was the defence

We started this deal in Summer. KK was to make Tuchel happy, and then after Tuchel we reevaluated Chalobah, who deserved that extension. Long term I think we want Gvardiol/Colwill at LCB and Fofana/Chalobah at RCB. In the near term he can be an elite starter in a 3 or 4 man backline while we are transitioning tactically.

It costs what it costs. It’s not going to stop them from bidding on Jude or going after any of their other targets, so it doesn’t really matter.

For whatever it’s worth though, if Silva retired and we offloaded Koulibaliy and ended up with the above mentioned 4 man interior defense, then it would have cost us around 168m. Your equivalent 4 man of Harry, Lisandro, Lindelof and Varane (assuming that’s who you kept) would have cost you over 200.. so ….

 

[Remember the geese]

He's a left centre back and a LWB. Our best player is our LCB. It wouldn't make any sense to splash the amount of money it would take to buy Gvardiol only to shove him or our best player into an unfamiliar role at RCB. Lets just buy a RCB who isn't hyped to the max following a good showing at a WC.

I agree that Martinez is quality and I assume that we wouldn't target another left footed centre half. I think that Gvardiol is the real deal though and it's going to be very annoying when he signs for someone else.

 

[TheReligion]

We started this deal in Summer. KK was to make Tuchel happy, and then after Tuchel we reevaluated Chalobah, who deserved that extension. Long term I think we want Gvardiol/Colwill at LCB and Fofana/Chalobah at RCB. In the near term he can be an elite starter in a 3 or 4 man backline while we are transitioning tactically.

It costs what it costs. It’s not going to stop them from bidding on Jude or going after any of their other targets, so it doesn’t really matter.

For whatever it’s worth though, if Silva retired and we offloaded Koulibaliy and ended up with the above mentioned 4 man interior defense, then it would have cost us around 168m. Your equivalent 4 man of Harry, Lisandro, Lindelof and Varane (assuming that’s who you kept) would have cost you over 200.. so ….

You’ve been using Essein’s calculator it seems

 

[Sammy McIlroys fan club]

He looks class, has had a great tournament. Whether United can get him without new owners is a different matter.

 

[CM]

We started this deal in Summer. KK was to make Tuchel happy, and then after Tuchel we reevaluated Chalobah, who deserved that extension. Long term I think we want Gvardiol/Colwill at LCB and Fofana/Chalobah at RCB. In the near term he can be an elite starter in a 3 or 4 man backline while we are transitioning tactically.

It costs what it costs. It’s not going to stop them from bidding on Jude or going after any of their other targets, so it doesn’t really matter.

For whatever it’s worth though, if Silva retired and we offloaded Koulibaliy and ended up with the above mentioned 4 man interior defense, then it would have cost us around 168m. Your equivalent 4 man of Harry, Lisandro, Lindelof and Varane (assuming that’s who you kept) would have cost you over 200.. so ….

In terms of squad composition, I just think spending that amount of money on defenders is completely wild, especially when you're playing 3 or 5 (however you prefer to frame it) at the back. I'd be surprised if Chelsea really were seriously in for Gvardiol. Even the teams with limited resources are capable of organising a defence, it's why some managers have made a career on being 'fire fighters' at certain clubs.

Not sure on those numbers either. Even if you do sell and take a hit on Koulibaly, it doesn't mean that outlay from the summer just disappears? Else we could say the same for Maguire if he leaves. I'm also including the wing-backs as defenders here, although plenty of Chelsea fans swore blind Cucurella was the LCB option in the summer to justify the outlay there. Cucurella and Chilwell add at least another £100m into the amount of money spent on the Chelsea defence.

Personally I would think that money's much better served elsewhere for Chelsea, as your attack hasn't looked fluent to me for quite a while.