Smalling / SIGNED for Roma

[#07]

Is the OP a club official? £20m for a 30 year old who is nowhere near the level of an elite defender. Please don't throw that Serie A team of the year stuff at me. I've seen Bruce and Pallister, Stam and Johnsen, Rio and Vidic. I know what an elite defender is. Smalling isn't it.

The club's insistence on chasing fees that are, frankly, delusional for average players is one of the reasons we can't move forward. The wages we're paying Smalling, Jones and Rojo combined would easily cover the weekly wage of one Koulibaly with a ton of change.

We're like a bloke who goes on shop channel, buys loads of crap he doesn't need, then complains about not having cash. If we didn't spend money on unneeded players we'd have had cash for a new centre back, for a right winger etc.

The players who've had their time need to be moved on. Smalling is definitely one of them and there are at least half a dozen others.

 

[romufc]

Simple, Smalling is not getting in the first 11, £20m selling fee means we have £20m to spend in the window.

It looks like we need to sell to buy, sell anyone we can.

 

[2ndTouch]

However, if he would like to leave then he should be allowed to provided a club offer a good amount of money for a 30 year old CB. £19 million would do it for me

Fml, these evaluations are crazy. We are talking a transfer to a continental club here. Means, you have to substract your PL tax. To give you some orientation, Javi Martinez, who's twice the player, will join Bilbao for about 8m €.
Roma's offer is actually meeting the continental evaluation for a player of Smalling's level. 12-15m € is really the best you can hope for

 

[#07]

Fml, these evaluations are crazy. We are talking a transfer to a continental club here. Means, you have to substract your PL tax. To give you some orientation, Javi Martinez, who's twice the player, will join Bilbao for about 8m €.
Roma's offer is actually meeting the continental evaluation for a player of Smalling's level. 12-15m € is really the best you can hope for

The valuations I see for some of our players baffles me.

Its just unrealistic.

We should be doing what Barca and Juve are doing and just giving out free transfers like flyers outside a train station. Some of our deadwood is unsellable.

 

[christinaa]

I would keep Smalling - better than Lindelof and Bailly

 

[OleBoiii]

I still maintain that Smalling is our second best defender and that Maguire is only marginally better.

But if he wants to leave, then I think we should let him. Also, he's past 30 so it's not like we're gonna get a decent amount of money anyways.

 

[Gary_Walsh_Nou_Camp_Hell]

Incredible how people can forget that since he signed for United the best part of a decade ago he has never been good enough.

Anyone thinking he is the answer to any of our problems is clueless. And Ole correctly doesn't see a future at the club for him.

£20m is good business for us.

 

[Zed 101]

You have to wonder why Ole shipped him out especially when keeping Jones.... I don't know... just guessing but seems like a very SAF move me, Young and a few others get them out of the dressing room, maybe a personality clash, maybe Ole doesn't like the way he (and the others) were in the dressing room..... I cannot see given the current circumstances why else we would not just recall Smalling

 

[tenpoless]

Incredible how people can forget that since he signed for United the best part of a decade ago he has never been good enough.

Anyone thinking he is the answer to any of our problems is clueless. And Ole correctly doesn't see a future at the club for him.

£20m is good business for us.

But he did see a future for Phil Jones then? good to know.

 

[Ekeke]

Fml, these evaluations are crazy. We are talking a transfer to a continental club here. Means, you have to substract your PL tax. To give you some orientation, Javi Martinez, who's twice the player, will join Bilbao for about 8m €.
Roma's offer is actually meeting the continental evaluation for a player of Smalling's level. 12-15m € is really the best you can hope for

Javi Martinez wasnt one of the best CBs in serie A last season. He was a bit part player

Here's your Smalling market value

https://www.transfermarkt.com/chris-smalling/marktwertverlauf/spieler/103427

 

[#07]

You have to wonder why Ole shipped him out especially when keeping Jones.... I don't know... just guessing but seems like a very SAF move me, Young and a few others get them out of the dressing room, maybe a personality clash, maybe Ole doesn't like the way he (and the others) were in the dressing room..... I cannot see given the current circumstances why else we would not just recall Smalling

You're overthinking it.

Ole had too many centre backs. Nobody wants Jones. Some people wanted Smalling. Therefore Smalling went.

I am sure if someone wanted Jones he would be gone too.

Actions speak louder than words. Ole is not even picking these players for squads and hasn't been doing so for months and months. Its clear he doesn't want them. The club just can't get rid of them.

This is the problem with extending players' contracts to 'protect their value.' Their value isn't what you imagine it to be, its what other people are willing to pay. I can stick something on ebay and value it at £20m but if people aren't willing to buy it for more than £20 then £20 is its value not £20m.

The club insisting that it won't sell Smalling for less than £20m is mad and, in the end, it only hurts United. Its United that has to keep paying the wages of players like Smalling, Jones and Rojo either until they leave or their contracts finally run down. If you think just on those players we're spending around £1m quid a month on wages, we're losing around £12m a year in payments to players who will not make any contribution to our on field performance.

 

[Woodenlung]

I'd take £10m for him just to get rid. Had two good seasons in almost 10 years at the club. Never been good enough and never will be. Keeping a poor player for the sake of it is what has brought United to the terrible state it's in now.

 

[fergieisold]

Can barely control a football and people want him to come back. He’ll go for like 12m.

This was always his weakness. I actually rate him more highly than lindelof and comparable to Maguire, but on the ball, yikes!

 

[lysglimt]

We are 1 injury away from lining up with Lindelof and Bailly.

And we are an injury crises away from playing Jones and Rojo.

If we need 20 million that bad it should be for beans beans beans.

Oh please - Maguire, Bailly, Lindelof, Tuanzebe and Mengi all injured at the same time - maybe even McTominay. Let's keep it realistic.

 

[Denis' cuff]

fecking Roma, eh?

still “preparing a bid“ and shitting themselves over 2m. Is Matt Judge their ceo? No wonder he never picks the phone up for United. It’s his weekend job - fecker spends all.his time in Rome

 

[2ndTouch]

Javi Martinez wasnt one of the best CBs in serie A last season. He was a bit part player

Here's your Smalling market value

https://www.transfermarkt.com/chris-smalling/marktwertverlauf/spieler/103427

Do you really think clubs are basing their evaluations over Transfermarkts arbitrary numbers?

 

[lRed]

If this selling can unblock Telles/Sancho, I would be more than happy.
I feel we don't really move because we can't sell our deadwood, all about the salary cap, not that much about the net budget.

 

[Ikon]

I'd take £10m for him just to get rid. Had two good seasons in almost 10 years at the club. Never been good enough and never will be. Keeping a poor player for the sake of it is what has brought United to the terrible state it's in now.

This..^^
I'm now resigned to not getting any main incomings, so lets at least rid the club of these players that are clogging up the squad.
No reason at all why we can't get £15m for Smalling, and £5m for Romero, this should be easy business.
Lingard, Perreira and Dalot should have takers too.

 

[Maajid]

Why is Lindelof not on the market?

 

[Ekeke]

Do you really think clubs are basing their evaluations over Transfermarkts arbitrary numbers?

I dont think they're any more likely to be using a player 2 years older who played half as many games to determine his value than transfermarkt

 

[Crustanoid]

Just move him on. We’re holding onto far too many inadequate players and paying their goddam wages all the while.

 

[Smores]

If Maguire got a long term injury I'd rather Smalling than the rest of them. I mean who do people expect to play should the worse happen?

 

[Web of Bissaka]

20m is absolutely a good price, I would even let him go as low as 12m, minimum.

 

[Ranchero]

Our fans are weird. All CBs that don’t play suddenly become our best defenders. When the likes of Smalling, Jones, Bailly play, they are shite and should be nowhere near the first team. Once they are injured or don’t play, they suddenly become our best defenders at the club and should be playing

If a player goes to another club and does well, anyone who is open-minded should take notice. Smalling has done very well at Roma. Three goals and two assists last season from the back! We do have doubts about our central defensive partnership. So surely if we are in any way a meritocracy, we should be taking a look at Smalling, after all he is our player. The alternative is he leaves on the cheap. Don't forget he is twice a Premier League winner with us.

But Ole was incoherent in relation to his status and, indeed, the transfer window situation as far as the club is concerned.

In today's press conference, he was asked about Chris Smalling reintegration.

This is what he said: "Err... different things need to happen then. Let's wait and see if there is that change. Let's see what happens when the transfer window closes and what happens to Chris."

It is all very well talking about getting rid of players who it is felt are not good enough... but if we are not replacing them, and we are not bringing in better then surely we have to be openminded enough to have a rethink.

 

[golden_blunder]

Why is Lindelof not on the market?

Non league football teams have no budget

 

[11101]

Not selling him for 20m would be using the same logic that landed Phil Jones and others new contracts long after they should have been shipped out. These players will never be good enough for us, so get them out of the club and off the wage bill for whatever anybody is willing to offer us. We love holding on to poor players because we think they make our balance sheet look better.

 

[Sandikan]

If Maguire got a long term injury I'd rather Smalling than the rest of them. I mean who do people expect to play should the worse happen?

Don't scare us!
It'd be Lindelof and Bailly with Jones as backup!!

 

[Craig Ward]

But he did see a future for Phil Jones then? good to know.

The board gave Jones a contract to maintain a transfer resale value (illogical, but it's what our board does)

Jones doesnt have a future here - this is evidenced by Ole's team selections, you might have noticed but Jones doesnt feature.

The difference is - Smalling had an offer and Jones has so far, not.

Really simple when you think about it.

 

[Craig Ward]

If Maguire got a long term injury I'd rather Smalling than the rest of them. I mean who do people expect to play should the worse happen?

If Smalling had a future here - he wouldnt have been made available for transfer. He would be currently training with the squad - not away from it.

Why cant people understand Smalling has been woefully average here for 10 years or so and after having a year away from the club and being omitted from the squad - he doesnt have a future.

It doesnt matter who will play instead of Smalling - he wont be playing for us again. Get used to it.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

We have in total 32 first team players and if we exclude Mengi, Mason & Williams, the rest 29 players are above 21 years old means they need to be registered or sold and we can only register 25 not 29. Exclude Mengi, we have 7 to 8 centre backs, and that's not normal.

Smalling might be the best one to pair with Maguire in lot of people's view but let's be honest Smalling is in his 30s right now. We are aiming to challenge the league in the future and Smalling is obviously has no place when the time we are ready to challenge the league. If we want to continue and make progress in the project then we need to move them on. And 20m for Smalling is a good deal that we can't refuse.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

The board gave Jones a contract to maintain a transfer resale value (illogical, but it's what our board does)

Yeah, who knows what the thinking was - but probably that. They failed to take into consideration that his wages make him an unlikely target for most buying clubs, of course, but there you are. Same with Rojo, one might add.

Anyway, you're right: it is pretty simple. Someone actually wanted Smalling. Nobody wanted Jones.

It has nothing to do with Ole rating Jones (or Rojo) above Smalling.

 

[tomaldinho1]

I think it's a clear case of player wanting to go, club wanting to sell and so £20m for a 30 year old who is obviously not in Ole's plans is more than adequate. Personally I'd probably have him ahead of pretty much every CB we have given how important physicality and pace is in the PL versus ability on the ball but I don't pick the team and there's no point keeping him around as 4th choice (maybe even fifth given ole likes Axel)

 

[red thru&thru]

If Inter want him, give us Martinez!

 

[MUFC OK]

I think 15m is a fair price considering his age (can play for 3-5 years in serie A) and the fact we need funds and wages freed up. I don't understand why the club can't just pick up the phone to accelerate progress of this, or any other deal in the trans market.

 

[Fluctuation0161]

Does it make sense to lose arguably a first choice central defender to Roma for the budget price of £20m?

At a time when our defence is under question, to me, it makes no sense whatsoever when our transfer dealings are at a dead end.

Mindboggling.

Free up wages?

Very little at the club is a footballing decision these days.

 

[PieCrust]

Smalling is miles better than Lindelof. For a club that seems to have a million CB's, you can't find 2 that are good enough to start.

Selling Smalling 2 months ago made sense, as it would have afforded relief to find a replacement. Selling him now at the end of September is crazy as no replacement will be brought in.

The fact is, the club leadership don't care. Selling Smalling for £15 or £20 millinon really shouldn't matter for a club like United. If they really wanted to sign a quality CB, it'd already be done. But it hasn't and it won't. All selling Smalling now does is make the squad weaker for no gain.

 

[christy87]

He probably moves after the financial quater is over next Wednesday, to get his initial payment in that quater

 

[lex talionis]

Let’s be honest, mates. We’re not on the cusp of winning a PL or CL this season and it makes perfect sense to send Smalling packing and give Tuanzebe, Bailly and even Mengy a real chance to prove themselves. When he’s fit, and I get that that’s no very often, Bailly > Smalling. Tuanzebe has fantastic potential.

Best yo think of this season as setting us up for 21/22 and Smalling is definitely not part of that plan.

 

[SambaBoy]

I'd get rid of Lindelof, Jones and Rojo before him.

However it's clear that he's on his way out, he's training away from the first team and Ole doesn't rate him that highly. I'm surprised more PL teams aren't in for him, seems only Bruce at Newcastle which makes sense as he doesn't really build from the back with his tactics. The whole mindset of teams needing to build from the back is a bit overrated, especially down near the bottom. Your going to spend half your time on the defensive, balls coming into the box etc, get someone who can do the basics right. It's why Fulham got relegated two seasons ago, and will be a strong candidate for relegation again.

Smalling would be a great addition for any bottom half PL team.

 

[Craig Ward]

Smalling is miles better than Lindelof. For a club that seems to have a million CB's, you can't find 2 that are good enough to start.

Selling Smalling 2 months ago made sense, as it would have afforded relief to find a replacement. Selling him now at the end of September is crazy as no replacement will be brought in.

The fact is, the club leadership don't care. Selling Smalling for £15 or £20 millinon really shouldn't matter for a club like United. If they really wanted to sign a quality CB, it'd already be done. But it hasn't and it won't. All selling Smalling now does is make the squad weaker for no gain.

1) We dont need a replacement for Smalling - he's spent a year away from the club, currently trains away from the first team and Ole has given no indication he will ever be part of his plans
2) We cant be weaker if he goes because he's not part of the squad
3) The only way we lose in this if if he ISN'T sold as we will have his wages on the books for no reason