Rate our (extended) Summer 2020 Transfer Window

[Infra-red]

Pretty awful. Failed to strengthen any of our three weakest areas, missed out on our number one target because we wasted the whole window trying to call Dortmund's bluff (which of course turned out not to be a bluff) and finally embarrassed ourselves with a last minute desperate scramble on deadline day (the last refuge of the badly run, disorganised club).

Our rivals have strengthened and all the talk in July/August of pushing on and closing the gap on the top two, has given way to the more meagre aspiration of a 4th place finish.

 

[Ekeke]

Last year I think I went with 6.75 or 6.5/10

This year I'll go with 5/10 but I do think that several of the players signed have potential to make good contributions. Telles could be a top fullback, Amad Diallo looks to have huge potential, Cavani can come in and score goals for a season or two... Donny could potentially take Pogba or Fernandes' place in the lineup. Pellistri maybe has more going on than James... We'll see.

But the truth is we needed instant impact players if we want to finish 3rd again or push towards the top teams. Most likely we've fallen behind even if these signings work out long term.

Also one of the posts I made recently I lamented us for not spending like £20-30 million on players who are possible upgrades each season, with the idea that they come in and show what they can do in 2 seasons or we move them on and get more in. So I see the Pellestri signing like that one. Amad Diallo is clearly a long term plan, but Pellistri seems more like a gamble to see how he does. I was going to say a bit like when we signed Forlan, but actually he had a good goalscoring record before we signed him so hes less proven and younger.

One things for sure though, I've got plenty of matches to try and find to see what Pellistri and Diallo are really like in 90 minutes. So thats something to do

 

[Devil may care]

2/10

The only 2 we've signed that will offer anything this season are VdB and Telles, they are good buys, but squad depth mostly. The 2 kids we've signed are complete unknown quantities that obviously will need at least 18 months to settle in. Cavani is Woodward jacking off, doing his 3rd rate Florentino Perez impersonation, giving him the #7 is spitting in fans face and lets us know we won't be going back for Sancho as it's not a 1+1 deal, it's a 2 year deal for a mercenary has-been. The way we've handled the entire window has been a soul destroying excercise in sloth paced ineptitude finished with a shambolic flurry of desperation punts.

 

[Mr Anderson]

Seems more work went into the youth setup than first team. Nicky Butt trusted more than Ole...

At best 6/10. Failed to reduce the squad size and also some steel in key areas still lacking (RW and CB).

for years the youth setup was neglected. Now it’s the senior team....

 

[AltiUn]

I think 5/10.

Telles improves our starting XI. I think Cavani and van de Beek both massively improve our squad options, which was a big concern of mine. With how cluttered the season is we're going to see an unprecedented amount of injuries in every team, the strongest squads will endure. Plus, having a strong squad will avoid any of the starters getting comfortable which I suspect a few players have become guilty of. Which leads me onto my next point of feeling that van de Beek and Cavani are both more than capable of claiming a spot in our team, especially if Pogba's and Martial's form doesn't improve very quickly. Facundo and Diallo are two incredibly exciting prospects but I think will feature in a limited capacity unless they seriously impress in cameos. I still maintain our starting XI is quite good, and we'll hit a vein of form sooner rather than later and we'll be able to build on that.

Not signing Sancho is unforgivable, he was Solskjaer's top target and available and we failed him. Whatever your thoughts on Solskjaer he did his part last season, Woodward let him down big time and had we signed him the whole mood of the club would be totally different. I think we can manager with Greenwood at RW but if he gets an injury we're a bit fecked as our attack becomes lopsided again, the balance is what made it so effective last year. I wanted a CB but I also didn't expect Maguire and Lindelof to start the season this fecking poorly which may have skewed my perception, I also think yesterday's result has left a bitter taste in the mouth. Maguire is a much better player than he's currently showing.

We've not got rid of enough players plain and simple. Jones and Rojo have absolutely no business being here whatsoever, Fosu-Mensah is a waste of space, another one of Mata, James or Lingard should've gone as well. We've now also got an angry Romero in our squad which can't be good for the squad harmony in the wake of that result. I also think having Ighalo's a bit pointless now.

I also would have liked a DM but I don't think it's the end of the world that we haven't got one as long as we get one next summer, Solskjaer needs to manage Matic carefully and play Fred when we're going to be up against a mobile opposition. I can 100% why people have given this window a 3/10 and lower. Our rivals strengthened and we have every right to be pissed off with our board and how they've handled the window, but just for me personally this last day just about saved it from being a complete disaster.

 

[Fletchageddon]

Very poor. It's time to protest. The fans need to organise something together. Social media seems like the best way. Boycotting sponsors products too. The glazers have to go, Ed has to go.

They are rubbing this club into the ground.

 

[Leethal]

I think that's a bit harsh and overly pessimistic. That little run lasted from the end of January to around three games before the end of the season. We now have depth and competition but obviously it hurts to miss out on Sancho.

Greenwood is our starter on the RW and has the potential to be just as good as Sancho albeit with a different style.

The other issues that we have seen in the team could just be a result of lacking a proper preseason and maybe a matter of just tinkering with the system a bit. I think we should use either Fred or McTominay in place of Pogba against top ten sides and suddenly that team becomes difficult to play against.

Inverse. I think you're being a little optimistic. That run lasted, simply, because for a good portion, the team's we were playing had no pressure as they had nothing to play for.

We missed out on Sancho, (which I don't actually mind), but we didn't address ANY of the areas that needed addressing, with the funds that didn't get spent on him.

Nice one. A couple of kids that may come good, but do nothing for us right now, when right now is what desperately needs improving. A 33 year old striker who has no pace and completely goes against our playing style; who hasn't played in 7 months - whilst prior to that struggling in the Uber Eats league against Division 2 quality teams where the pace is nowhere near that of the Prem, and. . . oh yeah, he doesn't have Neymar and Mbappe feeding him now also. When our defence is completely horrendous, let's bring in a left back who doesn't play at all like a left back; that's sure to work well, considering we can expect 4231 for the rest of Ole's reign.

 

[sparx99]

4/10

Only Telles makes our strongest 11. Van de Beek adds some much needed depth and central midfield looks strong. Huge question marks over Cavani's fitness, role in the team and cost to us. Two kids who most people have barely heard of.

Then when you consider we only managed to sell ONE player, a player who could quite easily start in our best 11, it's a shocking summer.

Considered Pogba’s dire form I don’t see how Van De Beek doesn’t start our next game.

 

[Chairman Steve]

As of this moment at face value, it's like a 5.5/10.

Diallo and Pellistri would be exciting additions, if we landed a right-winger that would be automatically in the XI.

I don't know why we didn't go for someone who'd compete with Matic in midfield. I don't think McTominay or Fred can fulfill what he can bring to the team when he's on song.

Cavani looks like an interesting pickup. I think we need some quality and experience upfront with our youthful front three of Martial, Rashford and Greenwood (with Ighalo going back to China in January too).

I've said it in other threads but I think OGS is going to give Tuanzebe and Mengi a run at the centre-back spot this season, and see whether we'd need to spend big next year on a new CB. OGS seemed to have big plans for Tuanzebe last season before injuries hit.

 

[Paxi]

Considered Pogba’s dire form I don’t see how Van De Beek doesn’t start our next game.

Because Ole that’s how.

 

[Pughnichi]

Really? I guess our premier league rivals have missed the memo.

Yes really. who do you believe has huge net spend

 

[Ludens the Red]

Just so it’s clear.
Just to make sure I’m getting this right.

Total spent

Van der Beek - 40 million
Cavani - 5-10 million signing on fee
Peddestri - 10 million
Diablo - 20 million
Telles - 15 million

total cost - 95 million

Sancho asking price - 108 million .

To quote Patrice Evra, I don’t condone violence but .....

 

[starman]

6 out of 10 for incomings

CB should have been a priority along with a RW (established).
That said the obsession with Sancho is ridiculous, he is the be-all end-all for some people.

4 out of 10 for out goings

 

[0le]

3/10.

We nearly fecked up the Smalling deal but not selling Romero is baffling. We are paying over 500k/week on three goalkeepers. What the actual feck. We did well to get rid of Sanchez but loaning out players we could have sold such as Dalot is just frustrating. Too many fringe players still remain at the club as well. James, Lingard, Mata, Rojo. We could and should have sold more than just two players.

Good signings in isolation except for Cavani. I can't see how he will be a success but we shall see. We needed a recognized right winger to cover the front three. I just cannot understand why we have not managed to find someone as an alternative to Sancho.

I do not know how I feel about the CB problem. Upamecano's release clause I think only kicks in next summer. There is a real lack of genuine good quality CB's and I think this is a problem. If the plan is to go for Upamencano next summer by activating his release clause, this is fine for me. But the counter-argument is why have our scouts not managed to locate other defenders who "are ready for the next step"? Even if there is a lack of quality, the job of the scouts is to find someone who we can develop so something has gone wrong in the recruitment once again.

The planning and negotiation generally have been abysmal but I don't expect anything different from the board and CEO anymore.

 

[pacifictheme]

Its not Sancho, so it’s a failure. We’ve addressed 2 key areas in Telles and Cavani. I’m not convinced either were first choice.

VDB looks a good addition for a good price

We needed another centre back and we needed a right winger, we got neither. I hope all do well, particularly the young lads.

4/10

According to you we addressed 3 of 5 positions. So surely a 6/10.

Also, if that young lad really is for the first team, then surely that bumps it up to a 7.

Its a 7 for me, 6 for you with any reasonable scoring system.

 

[Oo0AahCantona]

6/10 when we really needed a 9/10. Telles will see play at a good price in his prime, cavani is a desperation gamble, VDB seems "ok" in a position we didnt need to strengthen and then 2 young wingers we wont see in the first team potentially for 3 seasons.

We needed to get rid of the clutter, we needed a CB and we needed a top top winger.

 

[Leethal]

Last year I think I went with 6.75 or 6.5/10
Telles could be a top fullback, Amad Diallo looks to have huge potential, Cavani can come in and score goals for a season or two... Donny could potentially take Pogba or Fernandes' place in the lineup. Pellistri maybe has more going on than James... We'll see.

Telles will end up a liability, as our other 4 defenders are shite, and he's not known for his defensive abilities at all.

Zero chance - at all - of Van De Beek dethroning Pogba or Fernandes. Zero. Whilst cheap for what we're getting, he was bought to play second fiddle to them, which is stupid and a waste of money, as we should be replacing the shit in our team and demoting the shit to the bench.

Cavani, a 33 year old striker that completely goes against our counter attacking style, hasn't played in 7 months due to injury, and prior to that struggled in a farmers league with Mbappe and Neymar feeding him.

Pellistri and Diallo - While I always advocate bringing in youth, it shouldn't be to the detriment of our first team, when it's our first team is what needs addressing right now. The longer we wallow in mediocrity, the less our appeal becomes.

 

[Jonnymufc]

Have watched the whole window like a good muppet, refreshing transfer tweets 10 times a day.

All I can say is, I'm left tonight feeling utterly underwhelmed. Covid or not, we had a chance to make a big stride this summer. Couldn't get Sancho? Fine, I'm cool with that.

Pursue him fecklessly all summer and then don't sign anyone of note in his position? Not cool

THEN sign an aging 'galactico', an admittedly decent looking LB and 2 kids....

2/10 - see me

 

[Crashoutcassius]

I think we needed three things. Sign some depth so lingard and Pereira don't play over 50 games combined, sign a play maker style player at wing back so teams can't just force us out there, and improve the front three with a top quality player. We got two out of 3 but missed the most important

 

[JoeyJoJoJrShabadoo]

Travesty of a window. Definitely a glimmer of hope for the future signings, Kambwala is highly praised and hopefully the two wingers can adapt to the league.

As for the first team signings, none of these deals needed to be last minute. They all could have been in before pre season!

I'm happy with Telles. Shaw has been below par since the restart. He is a top performer going forward. Maybe not as good a defender but remains to be seen.

I'm happy with Donny but hes a pointless player for us unless we have the balls to drop Pogba or Bruno. Hope he gets his shot sooner rather than later as Pogba was beyond awful at weekend.

Cavani is such a mega gamble. I hope it pays off but it reeks of desperation. He hasn't played in the longest time. I'm incredibly embarrassed tbh. Hope I am very wrong.

 

[Infestissumam]

in isolation, I don't hate the deals we made. Telles is a great deal all around, and I like van de Beek as a player. Always love signing young talents, so can't fault the Diallo and Pellistri punts at all. Cavani still is a bit of a head-scratcher to me, but there isn't a lot of risks on a one year deal at least.

The problem is the overarching theme of incompetence behind the scenes that makes my skin crawl. There doesn't seem to be a lot of planning going on, and it's obvious to me that we won't be able to really shine again as long as Woodward and friends are at the helm of this club. Ultimately we didn't address some of our biggest needs and we weren't willing to shell out the amount of money that was needed to strengthen this group, and I feel both the manager and the team have been let down in light of the run they had in the spring and summer. I feel we have wasted a big chance to build on that, but in hindsight, I should have seen it coming. It's extremely disappointing, but it is what it is.

Not being able to shift deadwood is another area where we have failed again. Smalling was good business and saving money on Alexis is great as well, but other than that, we really weren't able to do anything. At least some of the players are out of contract next summer (Rojo, Lingard, Romero), but players like Jones will still be around. This is the club's own fault of course, and we're simply reaping what we have sowed here. Again, the incompetence behind the scenes is astounding for a club of this magnitude.

Finally, some bonus points for the willingness to recruit heavily in the U18 setup. I feel the club has done a great job of stockpiling talented 16- and 17-year-olds, and I hope we'll benefit from that in a few years. It's good to see them spend money in that area for sure, and I really like what I've seen in that regard.

All in all, it's hard to put all of this into a rating. I'd probably give it a 4/10 or something like that.

 

[Paxi]

Why are people harping on about Cavani. I’m convinced now people only see the name and instantly think he’ll be good. He’s a massive, massive gamble.

No doubt he’ll be on big wages. 9 million quid to his agent. Probably another 9 as a signing on fee. He scored 7 goals last season in a team that’s head and shoulders above anyone in their respective league.

I’d have been excited about this signing if he was 5-6 years younger. He’s a 33 year old dude who hasn’t played in 7 months.

 

[MrSingh2002]

3/10

Needed
LB - Starter
CB - Starter
RW - Starter
Beneficial
ST with aerial ability - Squad
CAM - Squad

We got 3 of the players we needed out of 5. Telles is one out of 3 starters that we needed.

The two Right Wing prospects do not equal one Sancho. And a youth Centre Back does not equal one Upamecamo.

 

[Ekeke]

Telles will end up a liability, as our other 4 defenders are shite, and he's not known for his defensive abilities at all.

Zero chance - at all - of Van De Beek dethroning Pogba or Fernandes. Zero. Whilst cheap for what we're getting, he was bought to play second fiddle to them, which is stupid and a waste of money, as we should be replacing the shit in our team and demoting the shit to the bench.

Cavani, a 33 year old striker that completely goes against our counter attacking style, hasn't played in 7 months due to injury, and prior to that struggled in a farmers league with Mbappe and Neymar feeding him.

Pellistri and Diallo - While I always advocate bringing in youth, it shouldn't be to the detriment of our first team, when it's our first team is what needs addressing right now. The longer we wallow in mediocrity, the less our appeal becomes.

We'll see if you're right. Trying to be positive despite clearly a negative window.

 

[croadyman]

6/10 when we really needed a 9/10. Telles will see play at a good price in his prime, cavani is a desperation gamble, VDB seems "ok" in a position we didnt need to strengthen and then 2 young wingers we wont see in the first team potentially for 3 seasons.

We needed to get rid of the clutter, we needed a CB and we needed a top top winger.

CB hopes died when Upamecano's release clause expired, in regards to a top winger seems we genuinely believe provided we get champions league that Sancho can be signed next summer

 

[DOTA]

It seems pretty bad. I don't really mind the signings but we could've done with a right winger who has actually played a decent amount of professional football.

 

[Slysi17]

So relying on a 18 year old kid from Uruguay to solve our right wing issue. Just great.

 

[Tel074]

It's pathetic as usual but are we suprised ?
This is the history of Woodward and the Glazers and like many have stated on here we will never win another title until the Glazers are removed

 

[Ali Dia]

Cavani: smacks of bad planning but If I thought we were getting him and going for haaland next summer then I wouldn’t have minded but we won’t because we are inept. Why didn’t we sign him as soon as the window opened if he’s so good and then we go give him the final #7 kiss of death. Hopefully he’s just cover for a fit and bang in form Martial because I think it’s probably going to be more Falcao than Zlatan with this guy.

VDB: Good signing. Good price. VDS gift wrapped that deal after real fell out of the race. He should come in for Pogba in our next match. He can’t do any worse and he’s looked lively enough close to goal.

Pellistri: looks really raw. lots of other top clubs were in for him. Lyon supposedly had a bid in but he chose us. Decent price. One for next season but could end up playing a part due to our total lack of options on the right. Hopefully of a higher standard than Varela or Henriques.

Telles: I don’t know what to think. I like his crossing a lot but we don’t score many headers or have overly physical or aggressive players. Not sure what he’s like defensively but If he can carry his attacking play over to this league like Bruno did then hes a very good signing. Great price.

diallo: If he’s a martial type signing I’d be delighted. He looks quality in the little bits I’ve seen. 100% not for this season. No work permit due to us getting him so late which is annoying. Possibly our most exciting signing. Hopefully he has the mentality to go with the talent and the price tag.

Transfers out: horrible

and then all the other negative stuff that just totally killed our momentum and shattered the positive feeling around the club. It’s not rocket science but they clearly aren’t people persons. They are going around rubbing nearly everyone up the wrong way. Crazy out of touch. They should have a bit more class and respect for their fans and the integrity of the institution they represent. We are a circus currently.

Window 3/10 just because we do plenty of football business but we do it in the wrong way. Sancho or Dembele was what we really needed to have a decent crack at anything meaningful this season. The defence will probably settle down again soon so it’s not as urgent but I could just be a delusional fan thinking that. They’ve looked way off it so far. I don’t know what to think about us anymore!

 

[croadyman]

It's pathetic as usual but are we suprised ?
This is the history of Woodward and the Glazers and like many have stated on here we will never win another title until the Glazers are removed

Yeah or we appoint some football people on the board along with a manager who can disguise their incompetence

 

[Stacks]

5/10

 

[RonaldoVII]

Considered Pogba’s dire form I don’t see how Van De Beek doesn’t start our next game.

Agreed, I think he should've started each game this season. He had a longer pre-season and no virus to contend with. Surely a reason we bought VdB was for when Pogba isn't 100%. Madness.

 

[BluesJr]

0/10.

The Sancho thing is unforgivable. Can’t look past it.

If Sancho had signed then it’d be a 8/10 window. The club literally had one job.

 

[Jezpeza]

I would have said at the start of the window looking at the squad and what we had done last season we needed 7 players, though didn't expect we could get all seven in one go:

two right wingers (albeit at least one ready to play week in week out to a high level), a starting centre back, a left back to at least rotate with shaw, a cdm, a striker, a backup to pogba and bruno to be creative in the middle.

We got 5 of them, albeit with a mad dash on deadline day. Cavani maybe doesn't count as he isn't long term. We didn't get Sancho and we didn't get the centre half. That hurts the most. Those were the two starting 11 upgrades we needed and i am not sure we have got our priorities right in which positions we bought in first. The starting 11 still has the same holes as last season.

Sales wise, I know we complained about the deadwood but its more positive now , looking at the squad now we have it down to Jones, Rojo and Lingard. Romero isnt deadwood but will eventually go and I think the loans for Dalot and Pereira will really shop window them as they did Sanchez and Smalling.

Overall, i feel its a huge missed opportunity to push hard towards Liverpool and City and realistically its hard to now see us improving on any of our cup results or league position last season.

Almost all other top teams have been more effective than us and will gain ground. Guess its time to look for positives like development from some of the young players - maybe Greenwood can push on this year down the right, and things like the champions league again.

5/10 from me

 

[el3mel]

Decent.

6/10.

 

[Majima]

• Cavani was contemplating retirement before us, after being almost injury free in his career, his body was shot the last 2 years. 7 months out too so not going to be a sub until November at the earliest i suspect. Maybe the rest was just what he needed for his body to recover, and he is a top professional. But at 33, it's unfair to expect too much. Better than Ighalo but i don't expect anything like 10+ goals.
• Telles is decent going forward and someone who can cross finally, but is a defensively weak lb in an already non existantly organised defence. Difficult to see going amazingly well, unless he's moved forward & Shaw is played behind to cover him.
• Van de Beek is very strange. Decent player but doesn't actually solve anything new for us. Signed to be a sub it seems.
• Pellistri/Traore aren't going to be relevant for at least next season. Unfair to say anything.

No CB, no RW, no DM. Dross still on the books.

Manager, players and fans led down a garden path by the club all summer. Scrambling around on deadline day like the last hours on Christmas Eve.

Very, very poor window overall, even by our standards.

 

[Leethal]

We'll see if you're right. Trying to be positive despite clearly a negative window.

Mate, I'd love to be positive. 42 years I've been supporting this club. 41 years of optimism and hope. This is the only year I genuinely feel that we're accepting mediocrity. Our last 7 or so years, I feel like the club tried, but failed. This year, we aren't even trying. We're just playing for 4th. And that's ok for the board, as reflected in our lack of ambition in the transfer market.

 

[big rons sovereign]

Pathetic. Mid table finish and another managerial sacking ahoy.
Woodies 2 year cycle starts again.

 

[Joga Bonito]

4/10.

Badly needed strengthening in certain key areas (DM & RW) but failed to do so. VDB and Telles are shrewd signings and I expect them to fi well. Esp VDB whom I have high expectations of. Couple of promising talents which is always welcome but remains to be seem if they can be incorporated without the right atmosphere and personalities in the dressing room. That being said they are there for the future.

The less said about outgoing transfers, the better.

It would have been a decent transfer window (7/10) had it been a decade ago. 2 good-ish players (Telles & VDB) to provide serious competition to world class first team players and add some squad depth. An experienced proven striker who could prove to be a wily move or if it fails, no biggie. Two promising foreign youth talents to integrate into a settled and an excellent first team. Not exactly the case here is it? All the more disappointing given our rivals transfer windows.

 

[groovyalbert]

Rubbish, but not necessarily due to the players we've ended up with.

Rubbish because we were laborious and uncommitted, then clearly panicked at the end.

Rubbish because we sold 1 player from a squad that needs its dross gutting. We should have just let players go.

Rubbish because we didn't give Ole any of his picks.

Rubbish because we haven't fixed what we could all see were the areas needing attention.

Rubbish because Ed and the board have once again rammed it home to us all how inept they are at running this club, and that they simply aren't good enough.

Case in point, we have 5 first team goalkeepers. The top 3 of which earn a combined total of well over £2m a month. We refused Romero a move today.