Matthijs De Ligt

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Red the Bear

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We paid crazy money for Hernandez, too. So I would not rule it out. There also seems to be a strategic shift in our transfer dealings with Salihamidzic at the top.
Interesting, I too felt like some of your recent actions differd with the established norm but this would be too much i thought .

You lot could certainly wield a lot of power in the transfer market whether it would to your benefit is another matter.
 

Daslogisch

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I’d imagine we’d have to get rid of a fair few players to afford this transfer. Also, do you drop maguire? Varane?

de ligt isn’t anywhere near close to being the player he should be. A lot of hype but he hasn’t produced much in Italy.
De Ligt is 22 and miles better than Maguire ever was. I always felt like De Ligt should be your #1 target. At below €100m he's a steal. De Ligt is still a generational defender. If you sign him now, he'll be around for a decade. Apparently Juve require €90m, but that seems out of Uniteds reach.
 

Teja

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As a centerback who used to block about 6-16 shots a game, I’m stunned at this comment ! As basically the last line since goalkeeper is often so vulnerable I can’t understand that especially in the premier league
Sorry mate :lol: didn't mean to be dismissive. My actual overall belief below.

Not sure if serious. Ever heard the saying, goals win games, defences win titles?

Defending is a team art for sure, but so is goal scoring. Having the best players in every position will always be an advantage if those players fit the strategy.

Just look at Liverpool with and without VVD.
I guess to state it more seriously:

Our predominant issue over the last few years has been our shit pressing game as a team. We turn the ball over and cannot recover it in the opposition half at all.

Data: 13th in high turnovers, 13th in passes allowed per defensive action. Teams like Brighton, Palace, Brentford are better than us in this regard.

On top of that we let opposition forwards have a run at our last line of defence too easily. I don't think it matters who you have in central defence in this case, we will leak goals.

Data: 12th in xGA. 12th! And I don't think that's because Maguire / Varane / Lindelof are shit defenders. Everton, Leicester, Brentford, Villa are ahead of us. And again that isn't because Michael Keane is better than Maguire / Lindelof.

We're pretty shit at chance creation from open play (cue: no patterns of play, ole can't beat a low block etc).

Data
: 47xG when compared to City / Pool's 70. Our attacking depth is nonexistent. We're 6th in open play xg, so we're still better than a lot of teams here, but no where near where we need to be.

If we really do replace Maguire with De Ligt, maybe we'll get a few more points (I'd wager <6 pts) by the end of the season. Just think there's more effective ways you can spend your money.
 

Bojan Djordjic

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De Ligt is 22 and miles better than Maguire ever was. I always felt like De Ligt should be your #1 target. At below €100m he's a steal. De Ligt is still a generational defender. If you sign him now, he'll be around for a decade. Apparently Juve require €90m, but that seems out of Uniteds reach.
I think he's a great player and think the bids Chelsea are putting in would be great value but we just can't be spending that much money at CB in this window with so much surgery required elsewhere. Then again, I'm in the camp that believes our defenders aren't as bad as they've looked under the last two coaches and systems.
 

BuzzKillington

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De Ligt is 22 and miles better than Maguire ever was. I always felt like De Ligt should be your #1 target. At below €100m he's a steal. De Ligt is still a generational defender. If you sign him now, he'll be around for a decade. Apparently Juve require €90m, but that seems out of Uniteds reach.
How is a defender who has underwhelmed in an inferior league, generational and worth more than the inflated fee Juve already paid for him. £99m would be a steal? Is this Ed Woodwards caf account?
 

izec

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If Bayern are seriously interested, they will get him.

Chelsea should push hard for Kounde IMO. Cheaper, not much between them and easier to get. Barca are interested, but they are chasing Raphinha and Lewandowski currently.
 

WeePat

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If Bayern are seriously interested, they will get him.

Chelsea should push hard for Kounde IMO. Cheaper, not much between them and easier to get. Barca are interested, but they are chasing Raphinha and Lewandowski currently.
It sounds like Kounde was more of a board interest and that Chelsea have now moved away from pursuing him. De Ligt is the main CB target now.
 

B. Munich

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Pavard might be involved in a swap deal plus cash.
If Lewandowski really leaves for Barcelona, then Bayern got another 50 to 60 million Euro to spend and save 24 million Euro on wages.

Otherwise I don't think Bayern will get de Ligt.
 

ThierryHenry14

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How is a defender who has underwhelmed in an inferior league, generational and worth more than the inflated fee Juve already paid for him. £99m would be a steal? Is this Ed Woodwards caf account?
Apparently he is still good enough to attract interest from Chelsea and Bayern.
 

Garethw

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De Ligt is 22 and miles better than Maguire ever was. I always felt like De Ligt should be your #1 target. At below €100m he's a steal. De Ligt is still a generational defender. If you sign him now, he'll be around for a decade. Apparently Juve require €90m, but that seems out of Uniteds reach.
If he’s so fecking good why are Juventus happy to sell him?
 

TheReligion

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Not seen lots of him at Juve but read plenty saying he’s not kicked on? Didn’t have a good Euros either?
 

Brophs

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Your dad is too fat
Your dad is too faaaaaaat
We'll never buy you
Cos you're daddy is fat
 

Thoms

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He’s been great then?
He had some unlucky handballs in his beginning. After that he became a rock in their defense. Made some nice header goals as well.
The kid is still just 22 with a boatload of experience already, I would love to see him at Utd.
 

ThierryHenry14

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Interest is not what I was arguing against. It was the frothing worship and painting him to be the next coming of Baresi. I’m sure he’s a perfectly fine defender for the right price, certainly nowhere near £100m.
In today's market when all players run down their contract and refuse to renew , no one is worth £100m. That is just my opinion however.
 

Daslogisch

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How is a defender who has underwhelmed in an inferior league, generational and worth more than the inflated fee Juve already paid for him. £99m would be a steal? Is this Ed Woodwards caf account?
Underwhelmed. He only underwhelmed if your expectation was that he would be insanely good every week. De Ligt may have been inconsitent at times, but many times he also got very positive critiques, acknowledging that he was the new leader of the team/defense.

Guess what, Sergio Ramos wasn't great every week when he was 22. He even kept getting stupid red cards when he was in his prime. I can't think of any defenders that barely make mistakes. Even the great PL is loaded with defenders that are prone to mistakes. Even VVD makes the odd mistake and De Ligt is a superior player to VVD at 22. De Ligt is not perfect, but makes few mistakes. Has been unlucky to concede penalties with unintentional handballs a few times, but what do you do about that? Above all he is a typcal PL defender. Has the energy, the physique, the leadership and unlike most PL defenders he can actually kick a ball.

You paid 80m for Maguire, so what are you on about with your inflated fee? Juventus paid a fair value and them selling for €90m now is actually cheap. As I said, you paid more for Maguire and he never was more than half the player De Ligt is. Liverpool paid €85m for VVD when he was 27 and didnt even have half the experience De Ligt already has at 22. De Ligt had more caps for the NT when Ajax sold him (at 19 y/o) than VVD had when Liverpool bought him (at 27 y/o). De Ligt below €100m is a steal. There are no 22 yo defenders with his experience and qualities. You are buying someone with experience of a 28 yo but who's still only 22, has major room to grow and easily has 10 quality years to go.
 
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Chief123

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De Ligt is 22 and miles better than Maguire ever was. I always felt like De Ligt should be your #1 target. At below €100m he's a steal. De Ligt is still a generational defender. If you sign him now, he'll be around for a decade. Apparently Juve require €90m, but that seems out of Uniteds reach.
99m euro is a steal? :lol::lol::lol:

He's clearly not hitting the levels and developing how many thought he would. If he's struggled to defend in Italy, he sure as hell will have bigger struggles in the premier league. Absolutely nothing justifies spending anywhere near that amount on him other than a decent season in the dutch league.
 

Bepi

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He will be fine, and surely remember the three years in Turin fondly once he enters his prime.
 

WeePat

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People are mental.

Been a really underwhelming signing for Juve, especially considering the hype. Would’ve made zero difference without having him in the squad the past few years.
He’s a fine defender who will be a great singing for whoever gets him but the need to label him generational is just absurd.
 

Acrobat7

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https://www.skysports.com/share/12645589

Bayern already have Upamecano, Hernandez, Pavard, Stanisic and Nianzou so why go for De Ligt too ?
Hernandez + De Ligt would be starters with Upa and Pavard the backups. Hernandez and Pavard can also play FB and are the backups to the starters there.
Stanisic is a RB. Nianzou has been really bad.

If(!) Bayern buys de Ligt they probably sell Pavard.
 
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