Matthijs de Ligt / signs for Juventus, lowering their average age to 56

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Adnan

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Barca are a football club that handle their business so they can achieve one goal: be the best possible sporting club.

We are a business that has a football club with one goal: make as much of a return on investment as possible.

You cannot expect a for-profit business to compete with a charity.
Spot on..

Man City are the only club in England that is operating like Barca, Madrid etc.
 

Adnan

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We need PSV to produce some big talents because we seem to have a decent record of actually signing their big talents. RVN, Stam, Memphis and we would've signed Strootman had Fergie not retired according to reports. Had Robben in the bag until Kenyon's feck up.

Their next big talent is 17 year old Mohamed Ihatteren who is playing in the first team now. Maybe we can look at him in a few years.
 

Nirv

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Barca are a football club that handle their business so they can achieve one goal: be the best possible sporting club.

We are a business that has a football club with one goal: make as much of a return on investment as possible.

You cannot expect a for-profit business to compete with a charity.
This is so true.
We are probably the best club in the world in generating revenue outside of football, but at the same time severely lacking acumen in the wheeling and dealing of players.
While Ole seems nailed on to get the job, I’m really hoping we get a proper DoF in soon.
 

onemanarmy

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Man City are the only club in England that is operating like Barca, Madrid etc.
City has signed some duds in the past too, for a lot of money. They've done better last couple of seasons but it's only 3-4 years ago they signed Mangala, Jovetic, Negredo, Bony etc for massive amounts of money.
 

Adnan

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City has signed some duds in the past too, for a lot of money. They've done better last couple of seasons but it's only 3-4 years ago they signed Mangala, Jovetic, Negredo, Bony etc for massive amounts of money.
My point was, that City will keep spending because their aim is to be the best like Barca. They will leave no stone unturned in their quest to be the best. We can't operate like that due to our owners.
 

Red Comet

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Indeed. We've had 6 years out in the wilderness - we're obviously not going to be first in the waiting list for all the best talent in Europe.
It's not even all about being well run, Barca is simply a more attractive destination than us currently, there's no shame in admitting it.
Barca will always be more attractive than us for their footballing history. The city itself is also a major attraction as opposed to Manchester.
 

NoPace

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Wut. Dude’s an absolute unit. He is lacking for nothing. Including bulk. :drool:
He was clearly the strongest player on the field in the Ajax-Madrid game. Seems like the last worry you'd have?
 

hubbuh

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My point was, that City will keep spending because their aim is to be the best like Barca. They will leave no stone unturned in their quest to be the best. We can't operate like that due to our owners.
As has been said ad infinitum, rather our current model than become City-on-steroids under the Saudi boys.
 

Ish

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As has been said ad infinitum, rather our current model than become City-on-steroids under the Saudi boys.
I think his point, tbf, was to be more like Barca/Madrid in terms of spending revenue on football matters and not owners’ RoI.

Though we have spent quite a lot and our wages, iirc, is second highest in Europe? We’ve just spent poorly. That’s city or psg creative accounting aside, of course :lol:
 

KingMinger22

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As has been said ad infinitum, rather our current model than become City-on-steroids under the Saudi boys.
You mean letting our staidum and youth setup decline while City pumped hundreds of millions into theirs?

That before we talk about the first team squads.
 

sam147

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Sign him up he is already better than every CB we have. Lindelof and De Ligt would be a solid pairing. Lindelof can play the Daley Blind role as a LCB next to him. De Ligt is a unit and very good on the ball, like Sule for Bayern. De Ligt will be a better player. Add a RB, DM, RW and a back up LB and we have a solid team ready to challenge. Both Rojo and Jones should leave, leaving us with Lindelof, De Ligt, Bailly and Smalling.
 

hubbuh

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You mean letting our staidum and youth setup decline while City pumped hundreds of millions into theirs?

That before we talk about the first team squads.
City have invested consistently more for slightly longer, but it’s a bit of a fecking stretch to complain we’ve underspent on the squad in recent years with reference to City. It doesn’t need stating that the problem has been how we’ve invested rather than the size of the investment. Our hit rate in the transfer market has been incredibly hit and miss, despite the fortune spent. It’s where we’ve fallen behind; a clear and coherent plan to build towards and maintain a winning team identity. Despite the turbelunce and money spent, two of our best performers and big game winners in this period cost us nothing, in Rashford and Lingard.

I'm not even sure what to say in regards to complaints over the youth system. It’s no secret it’s been revamped, the benefits of which will be seen years down the line. In the mean time we’ve been churning out acamedy products every couple of years, we had 8 in the squad against PSG!

Won’t argue with Old Trafford, regulars who know far more about it than me have complained work is long overdue.
 

onemanarmy

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My point was, that City will keep spending because their aim is to be the best like Barca. They will leave no stone unturned in their quest to be the best. We can't operate like that due to our owners.
We've spend an insane amount of money. We've just spend it on the wrong players. Sachez, Di Maria, Schneiderlin, Rojo, Darmian, Schweinsteiger, Mkhitaryan, Depay. That's about 250 million in transfers, without wages.
 

Jib

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He's a bit overrated but he's the perfect CB for clubs like Barcelona or Guardiola's City .

But for us, he isn't worth the fuss.

I want Koulibaly ;)
 

GaryLifo

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If Madrid or Barca come calling then we won't get him anyway.

We can rival City though if we need to. Pep or money? ;)
 

Adnan

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We've spend an insane amount of money. We've just spend it on the wrong players. Sachez, Di Maria, Schneiderlin, Rojo, Darmian, Schweinsteiger, Mkhitaryan, Depay. That's about 250 million in transfers, without wages.
The point is, Barca and the likes of Madrid are always in for the best players, young or experienced. It's been like that ever since I can remember. We might have spent alot in the the last few years but that was due to not spending anything in the "No value in the market" days and hence our squad became unbalanced and weak.
 

KingMinger22

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The point is, Barca and the likes of Madrid are always in for the best players, young or experienced. It's been like that ever since I can remember. We might have spent alot in the the last few years but that was due to not spending anything in the "No value in the market" days and hence our squad became unbalanced and weak.
This.

Watch Real revamp their squad in one summer in the way we have needed to in ten years.
 

Patrick08

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Don't get that logic.
De ligt plays on the right sided of cb area right? We have a more pressing need for a left sided one though and a leader at the moment.

But id be happy if we get either, koulibaly is more suited though.
 

Red4Life_#7

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Eh? Or he simply wanted to join whoever more. He's not a piece of meat, he's got the biggest say.
Goes without saying...

I meant the one who signs him tried the hardest and offered the most money. quick e.g. Ramsay, with Arsenal/Man Utd.
 

NoPace

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This.

Watch Real revamp their squad in one summer in the way we have needed to in ten years.
I agree but they've just signed Eder, so hopefully we can spend the budget on De Ligt and Sancho and then literally any RB (and it is RB, we really should be able to find a decent if unfashionable one like Arsenal did at LB with Monreal for like 8M at age 26) and we'll have had a smart summer for once.
 

GwilDor

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I think that reason i’m wanting De Ligt so much is his leadership qualities. I mean he captained Ajax at 18 years of age. In february he was captain against RM in the CL last 32. I think true leadership is something we desperately need in our team, especially at the back. Of the presumng back 5 he’d walk into i don’t se neither De Gea, Shaw, Lindelöf or Dalot as particular stoic leaders.
Our team captain is Valencia for petes sake...
 
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I thought Zidane had a good relation with Ramos, no?
He does. But like Kroos, Marcelo, Isco and Bale. He is a saleable asset that can help raise funds for a one window rebuild.
Anyways I feel De Ligt will go to Barcelona, don't see any other club that he will want to go to
perhaps. But I have doubts about that still. In interviews he has not seemed to carry the attachment to Barca, De Jong clearly had
 

Johnny Love

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I have the same feeling I had with De Jong, something tells he will end up at Barca. I can't see them keeping Coutinho, he just doesn't fit. They will sell Countinho and Lenglet and will go after De Ligt almost certain.
 

sam147

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Barca looked to be in total decline with an ageing squad. They signed Malcolm, Dembele, Lenglet. They found a gem in Arthur. They have a squad better in every position apart from LCM yet they have already confirmed De Jong signing before the windows started. They will sign Jovic and De Ligt. Someone needs to tell Woodward to get his head out of his backside. Even Madrid have a signing confirmed before the window. De Ligt will be the best defender in the world within a few years, all most all people on the Caf know this and want United to sign him. Yet Woodward with his over saturated team of pointless scouts will end up signing Alderweireld. De Ligt is young but he is more of a leader then Lindelof and would instantly be our best defender.
 

KingMinger22

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I do envy the way Barca are just splashing mega cash and signing the best young prospects.

We should go for this guy. It will take mega money. We may lose out to another team but at least try.

And we fecking better get Sancho.
 

antohan

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Barca are a football club that handle their business so they can achieve one goal: be the best possible sporting club.

We are a business that has a football club with one goal: make as much of a return on investment as possible.

You cannot expect a for-profit business to compete with a charity.
I get your point but that's pretty much the opposite to reality. For profit businesses are far more effective at delivering than charities.
 

NWRed

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I get your point but that's pretty much the opposite to reality. For profit businesses are far more effective at delivering than charities.
Statements like this, said with such authority but with no evidence or context really bother me. For-profit businesses may be more effective than charities at delivering a profit (except the one's that don't and go bust), but that's not saying much considering a charity has no interest in delivering a profit. This argument usually boils down to for-profit businesses being more efficient, however most charities have only one aim, to deliver the best outcomes possible with the funds available. I don't see how that inevitably leads to a less efficient use of resources.
 

KingMinger22

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I get your point but that's pretty much the opposite to reality. For profit businesses are far more effective at delivering than charities.
Barca and Real look betterrun than us in every department.

That includes their commercial department, in which they smash us on revenues. Their kit deals, for example, are much higher than ours.

It's largely because they have had outstanding teams by gobbling up the world's elite players for the last decade during the rise of social media and explosion in popularity of football globally.

Meanwhile, we were penny pinching to service our leveraged debt buyout.
 

Cassidy

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I get your point but that's pretty much the opposite to reality. For profit businesses are far more effective at delivering than charities.
Not sure this has ever been proven, effective at delivering what exactly? Delivering profits? The yes, they are for profit at the end of the day. However if the objective is not profit then where is the proof of this?
 

Catt

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I have the same feeling I had with De Jong, something tells he will end up at Barca. I can't see them keeping Coutinho, he just doesn't fit. They will sell Countinho and Lenglet and will go after De Ligt almost certain.
They have to sell first? I can't see them getting that much for Couthinho and I'm not sure there's much interest.
 
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