Ruben Neves | Signed for Al Hilal (SA)

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londonredmaniac

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Indeed. It's difficult to moan about the window we've had when you look at the three we've brought in.

A lot on here will still manage to do exactly that though :lol:
I think it's obvious that persevering with Fred and Matic for the rest of the season is going to be a problem.

This would be the icing on the cake but difficult to imagine it happening, certainly won’t be getting my hopes up.
I think that would have been Ronnie tbf :) centre mid was a priority.

I don't think it's about whinging as much as knowing our Ferrari style front line has a moped engine.
 

dabeast

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Great breakdown. The answer imo is the later. We should be looking to be the dominant team and we will be for 90% of the games. Therefore we should be in control and therefore a passer is more important than a guy who's just and out and out destroyer but has limited passing. Ideally you'd want both but that player rarely exists
That player, who can do both, is Aurelien Tchouameni who is young but has just been called up to the France NT and his club, Monaco, has just been eliminated from the CL. The questions with him are - will he adapt quickly enough to the PL for our push this year and will Chelsea get him first?
 

tomaldinho1

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Wonder what the United pecking order was for CM. Is this guy the DCM everybody thinks we need? What about the lad from Brighton?
Despite how much we all seem to want a DM (like Bissouma) there’s no point signing one when we don’t play with one. Like it or lump it, these are Ole’s tactics - he clearly has no interest in VdB in the pair so maybe someone like Neves is the best we can ask for.

I don’t think it’s a personnel issue, we have to fundamentally change how we build our play and actually use the midfield and take a bit more risk.
 

Loon

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Despite how much we all seem to want a DM (like Bissouma) there’s no point signing one when we don’t play with one. Like it or lump it, these are Ole’s tactics - he clearly has no interest in VdB in the pair so maybe someone like Neves is the best we can ask for.

I don’t think it’s a personnel issue, we have to fundamentally change how we build our play and actually use the midfield and take a bit more risk.
VdB truly is an enigma. Like Solskjaer didn't fancy him from day one. Even Fergie gave Jordi Cruyff a go.
 

Alfie092

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Sadly don't think we will get the midfield signing we all crave, which is shame as we are very close of having a complete starting 11 :(

The number of times over the years when you hear rumours on deadline day we are not after a player usually comes true. However, surprised have happened!

Neves does look like the one that would happen if we did sign a midfielder and he is my ideal choice but I would also be happy with Rice (which would probably be too costly) or a Bissouma!
 

sewey89

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VdB truly is an enigma. Like Solskjaer didn't fancy him from day one. Even Fergie gave Jordi Cruyff a go.
Cruyff played 58 times for us over 4 years. Donny played 36 times for us last year.

I know the point you were trying to make, but the fact is he has been given a lot of chances and he hasn't impressed at all. I don't get the love people have for him. It's not like he's ever shown anything when he's played for us. Yet people are all over Sancho for one bad performance.
 

tomaldinho1

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Cruyff played 58 times for us over 4 years. Donny played 36 times for us last year.

I know the point you were trying to make, but the fact is he has been given a lot of chances and he hasn't impressed at all. I don't get the love people have for him. It's not like he's ever shown anything when he's played for us. Yet people are all over Sancho for one bad performance.
He’s played a single 90min game and played over 40mins like twice. The fact he still got a goal and 2 assists is incredible. Don’t try and rewrite history.
 

sewey89

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Nick7

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He scored our first goal of the season last year. What is incredible is that it remained his only goal
He looked good when he came on against Palace too. Good movement and sparked some like into it until it all went downhill again.
 

reelworld

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Cruyff played 58 times for us over 4 years. Donny played 36 times for us last year.

I know the point you were trying to make, but the fact is he has been given a lot of chances and he hasn't impressed at all. I don't get the love people have for him. It's not like he's ever shown anything when he's played for us. Yet people are all over Sancho for one bad performance.
Cruyff started in 8 of 10 first United league match in 1996-1997 season when he first got bought. He was a regular until injury cost him his place and he never able to win his place back.
When did VDB got a chance like that?
 

Bloxy

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Cruyff played 58 times for us over 4 years. Donny played 36 times for us last year.

I know the point you were trying to make, but the fact is he has been given a lot of chances and he hasn't impressed at all. I don't get the love people have for him. It's not like he's ever shown anything when he's played for us. Yet people are all over Sancho for one bad performance.
I think you need to look at the games he has been given. I bet he would go so much better if played with most of the starting 11 around him.
 

0le

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Sanches is a box to box midfielder so I do not understand how he can "replace" Neves.
 

meamth

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Sanches is a box to box midfielder so I do not understand how he can "replace" Neves.
We can copy Liverpool model of Henderson + Wijnaldum in their peak years. Two high pressing midfielders supporting the attack with solid defense.

Fred and Sanches can run whole day.
 

Litch

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If I was him, I'd stay well away from OT. He'll be the new Fred having to cover the whole of the back on his own whilst Pogs and Bruno 'create'. Good player but life is a lot easier playing in front of a back 3.....
 

Ikon

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Sanches is a box to box midfielder so I do not understand how he can "replace" Neves.
Seems to me that he'd more than likely replace Moutinho
 

tomaldinho1

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I'm not re-writing history. He's played for us 36 times. And he's played over 40 minutes 18 times

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/don...verein=985&liga=&wettbewerb=&pos=&trainer_id=
Talking about PL, where admittedly it's a whopping 3 x 90's and 2 x 45min + . He's never played back to back games in full either. If you think VdB has had a fair chance you simply didn't watch us last year.

Funny thing is when Ole chucks him on in our second string team in cups, which isn't really giving him a chance as it's a game every few weeks, we generally do well. He was dropped for City when we lost to the in the EFL cup, he got subbed at the Leicester FA loss. Crazy thing is he could leave United and you could honestly say we signed an incredibly highly rated young £40m CM and he never once got back to back 90mins games.

Neves would be an interesting signing, at least he can speak Portuguese and work better with Fred potentially...not sure he'd really change much unless the tactics change though.
 

VP89

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Sanches is a box to box midfielder so I do not understand how he can "replace" Neves.
Maybe Deckonder and Moutinho as holding options and Neves on top was too much? Whereas I do not see any standout box to box ones for Wolves.
 

flappyjay

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We can copy Liverpool model of Henderson + Wijnaldum in their peak years. Two high pressing midfielders supporting the attack with solid defense.

Fred and Sanches can run whole day.
Sanches would be replacing Neves at wolves. I wouldn't mind if we signed him on loan, none of our midfielders are press resistant and he seems to handle it well.
 

paulscholes18

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We can copy Liverpool model of Henderson + Wijnaldum in their peak years. Two high pressing midfielders supporting the attack with solid defense.

Fred and Sanches can run whole day.
We don’t have a Fabinho behind them though, so we would be leaving a massive gap in midfield like we did vs Wolves.
 

croadyman

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We should at least try for him today, if it doesn't work then look at the situation again in January
 

Mihai

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A good midfield signing like Neves would probably result in quieter/safer windows in the coming years as main pillars would be theoretically fixed. I'm curious to see if the club will try to push this now or if they'll leave it to January/Later.
This depends on so many factors, that it's hard to predict. We can potentially be looking at 1 striker and 1 midfielder for the first XI, even if we sign Neves.

In attack, it depends on the season Greewood and Ronaldo have. Hopefully, Greenwood will have his best season in terms of goals, so we will see if Ole will trust him as the lead striker next season. I think irrespective of what happens, we will be in for Halland next summer. I also think Cavani will leave (max next summer) and I have no hopes for Martial.

In midfield, if Pogba doesn't renew, we will be looking at at least another midfielder, even if we sign Neves. Plus, Neves might be another Schneiderlin.

All this, without considering a breakthrough season for 1/2 of our youngsters.
 

Loon

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Cruyff played 58 times for us over 4 years. Donny played 36 times for us last year.

I know the point you were trying to make, but the fact is he has been given a lot of chances and he hasn't impressed at all. I don't get the love people have for him. It's not like he's ever shown anything when he's played for us. Yet people are all over Sancho for one bad performance.
I hear you, and it's not that I have any love for him, I just never feel I've had a proper look at van de Beek in the way, say, I have Daniel James, you know?

I wonder how many starts/minutes van der Beek/Cruyff were afforded? Although Jordi's career was also blighted by injury in fairness.
 

Infra-red

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His price will be just as significant next bloody summer.
He'll be off to Chelsea then I reckon. There are other good options around, though (eg Tchouameni).

By next summer we'll also need a Pogba replacement, perhaps a striker and probably a RB. It never ends!
 

James35

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I think Neves would be perfect for us. His passing, interceptions and tackling are strong. The transition between the CBs through Neves would be night and day compared to what Fred or McTominay can offer. If we are holding out for Rice, let's hope he has given us some assurance with regards to being interested. He will also be very expensive next summer and we'll have no Lingard to offer them (if still interetsed) when he can just leave for free.

Link up with Portugese team mates would also be helpful. No brainer for me based on price, age and not having to acclimatise to the league.
 
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