Squad depth for next season, then

rotherham_red

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Very early, I know, but looking at the strongly rumoured ins and outs. I thought I'd do a little thought experiment and see what we'll have to play with next season.

GK
Henderson
DDG
Heaton

RB
AWB
Trippier

CBs
Maguire
One of Varane/Torres/Kounde
Lindelof
Bailly
Axel

LB
Shaw
Telles

RW
Sancho
Amad
Greenwood

CM (inc. DM)
Fred
McTominay
Matic
VdB
Pogba

LW
Rashford
Pogba
Martial
James

#10
Bruno
Pogba
VdB

Striker
Cavani
Greenwood
Martial
Rashford

I think we have decent depth in most of the positions, though admittedly there are a few players in the team who can cover multiple positions rather than specialists, which isn't totally ideal. I haven't factored in the kids like Mejbri, Shoretire, Elanga, et al, as well as the kids who went out on loan, because it's too early to know what the plans are for them. Pellistri might be someone worth keeping an eye on if he gets loaned out to La Liga again and impresses.

I think looking ahead, a DM and a striker to replace Cavani will obviously be foremost in our thoughts, as well as a replacement for Pogba if he leaves on a free, but I think getting a player in to the squad who can help lessen the load on Bruno in the 10 position might be worthwhile pursuing (if Donny has another season like last year).
 

Schmeichel's Cartwheel

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Needs a DM or else it’s another season of the “McFred” pivot. If that is the team I’d try

DDG
Trippier Varane Maguire Shaw
van de Beek Pogba
Sancho Fernandes Martial
Cavani​

Decent bench too with Greenwood & Rashford if the front 4 aren’t firing.
 
Last edited:

bosnian_red

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Need to sign Trippier, Sancho, Rice, and a CB like Varane or Torres.
Henderson
Wan Bissaka Varane Maguire Shaw
Rice Pogba
Sancho Bruno Rashford
Cavani

Heaton
Trippier Lindelof Bailly Telles
McTominay Fred
Greenwood Van de Beek James
Martial​
 

rotherham_red

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Needs a DM or else it’s another season of the “McFred” pivot. If that is the team I’d try

DDG
Trippier Varane Maguire Shaw
van de Beek Pogba
Sancho Fernandes Martial
Cavani​

Decent bench too with Greenwood & Rashford if the front 4 aren’t firing.
Need to sign Trippier, Sancho, Rice, and a CB like Varane or Torres.
Henderson
Wan Bissaka Varane Maguire Shaw
Rice Pogba
Sancho Bruno Rashford
Cavani

Heaton
Trippier Lindelof Bailly Telles
McTominay Fred
Greenwood Van de Beek James
Martial​
I'm hoping we can get some sales over the line which allow us to push hard for a good CB and a DM, but realistically, I just don't think the market will be there for us to do so to the extent that we would be able to get a DM AND a good CB. And rightly or wrongly, it seems that the club are prioritising the CB.

Realistically, I think we'll get some money in for Lingardn (£25m) and maybe Dalot (£10m). As well as loan fees for Jones, Chong, and Pereira, as well as the kids. If we do get a CB, then maybe we can flip Bailly (who was already complaining about his lack of playing time the night before the EL final) or Axel for around £15m?

DDG could be another one who goes, but I just don't see anyone at that second tier of clubs needing a GK and even if they did, they wouldn't be able to afford his wages.
 

justsomebloke

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I think the only places we now have a genuine depth problem - in the sense of lacking adequate secondary options - is RB, at no 10 and possibly at RW (depending on how much you think Diallo could/should should play, and how prepared you are to see Rashford or James playing there).

Other than that, it's a question of upgrading rather than of depth.
 

rotherham_red

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I think the only places we now have a genuine depth problem - in the sense of lacking adequate secondary options - is RB, at no 10 and possibly at RW (depending on how much you think Diallo could/should should play, and how prepared you are to see Rashford or James playing there).

Other than that, it's a question of upgrading rather than of depth.
I think Amad has shown enough about him in his fleeting appearances that he can take on the minutes that Mata would ordinarily have had - say, c.10-15 starts and 15-20 sub appearances over the course of the season, and generally be trusted with them.

On RB, I think one of Williams and Laird will come through. The thinking behind the Trippier deal, I think, is so that we can send Williams and Laird both out on loan next season, with the best of the two coming in the following season.

The 10 position is the one I'm most unsure on. VdB, judging from what he's done at Ajax looks like he should be someone who can do a more than decent job there, but he hasn't really shown enough in his time at Utd thus far. We might even see Sancho get deployed there on the odd occasion, and Amad's turn at the false 9 v Wolves makes it seem like such a position wouldn't necessarily be so alien to him either. So maybe, it isn't such a pressing need? Ideally though, Donny should be that guy if Bruno is ever out.
 

Desert Eagle

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We don't necessarily need a number 10 if we just switch systems when Bruno is out. Something like pogba and James on the side of Mc Fred with rashford martial up top or some other combination. I'd say cdm and cb are most important followed by a quality attacker preferably Sancho. Get these three positions and there cannot be any depth complaints. Right back we still have Dalot and Williams with Laird also an option.
 

choccy77

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Need to sign Trippier, Sancho, Rice, and a CB like Varane or Torres.
Henderson
Wan Bissaka Varane Maguire Shaw
Rice Pogba
Sancho Bruno Rashford
Cavani

Heaton
Trippier Lindelof Bailly Telles
McTominay Fred
Greenwood Van de Beek James
Martial​
Why do we NEED to sign Trippier?
 

bosnian_red

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Why do we NEED to sign Trippier?
Because we need proper competition at right back, and Trippier would give a lot more control and creativity and build up influence to our game over Wan Bissaka against deeper defences. Wan Bissaka had no cover for him and his performances dropped, but even at his best he doesn't offer much in terms of passing and build up unlike Shaw on the left.
 

marktan

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I'd skip CB since we have about 50 of them, even if most aside from Maguire aren't great.

I'd even go for another AM like Buendia before a CB - rotation for Bruno and a way to break down the teams that sit back against us is more important, in my view anyway.

AM, RW, DM. We still won't have an much depth as City or Chelsea but it's a start.
 

charlenefan

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CB and CM have to be the priorities in this summer, things would look a hell of a lot better if this was our starting XI

---------------Henderson---------------
AWB---New CB---Maguire---Shaw
-------McTominay---New CM-------
Sancho----Fernandes----Rashford
------------------Cavani------------------

and this was our second XI

---------------------Heaton---------------------
Trippier--Lindelof--Tuanzebe--Telles
------------Matic------------Fred------------
Greenwood-----VDB-----Pogba
---------------------Martial---------------------

Switch the players around from first XI and second XI as you see fit but as evidenced in the final Ole played his hand and left nothing in reserve. Even with the above I'm not happy with Matic still being arguably 4th choice CM but it seems unlikely we'll get even 1 CM this summer let alone 2
 

charlenefan

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Sounds like Sancho wouldnt be worth the money if he isnt going to improve us over the past 2 seasons
As evidenced by this past season Sancho is still a young player like Rashford and Greenwood who's still going to suffer inconsistency in his game. I've described him as an icing on the cake signing as he absolutely will give us added quality up front and him being in the team will likely mean turning to someone like Rashford or Greenwood from the bench rather than Dan James but I don't look at the past two seasons and think if we were playing Sancho instead of Rashford or Greenwood we'd be sat here having challenged for the title

To do that we need to get rid of Lindelof at the back and McFred in midfield.
 

suheilsworld

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Didn’t know where to put this but below is the list of players released

Release/Free Transfer:
Jacob Carney
Mark Helm
Iestyn Hughes
Joel Pereira
Arnau Puigmal
Sergio Romero
Max Taylor
Aliou Traore

Below are contract negotiations going on

Lee Grant
Juan Mata
Paul Woolston

Don’t see the logic of keeping Mata or grant.
 

Ekeke

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As evidenced by this past season Sancho is still a young player like Rashford and Greenwood who's still going to suffer inconsistency in his game. I've described him as an icing on the cake signing as he absolutely will give us added quality up front and him being in the team will likely mean turning to someone like Rashford or Greenwood from the bench rather than Dan James but I don't look at the past two seasons and think if we were playing Sancho instead of Rashford or Greenwood we'd be sat here having challenged for the title

To do that we need to get rid of Lindelof at the back and McFred in midfield.
I agree, so my takeaway isnt that we need to spend £200 million on Sancho and a CB, its that we should just buy the CB and sort that out first. We have plenty of attacking talent
 

Adam-Utd

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Trippier (or alternative)
Sancho
CB
Midfielder if we're feeling flush

We'd be looking good in terms of depth IMO.

We've got the likes or Garner, Mejbri, Elanga knocking on the door ready to be involved too.
 

United Hobbit

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Disappointed not to see Jones on the list of players leaving/ being released

Also, why are we in talks with Lee Grant over a new contract, what does he do? Yet we release Romero, who's been a reliable 2nd goalkeeper, with question marks remaining over De Gea and Henderson. Surely one of those 2 will be leaving, so why not keep Romero as 2nd goalkeeper?
 

Banana Republic

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Disappointed not to see Jones on the list of players leaving/ being released......
He can’t be released. He’s under contract for another 2 years.
We would have to buy out his contract and pay him the equivalent of 2 years wages and possibly a payoff fee to go early.
That’s at least £10m out of the transfer kitty, that could be put towards a new player.
If he wanted to go, or was desperate to leave, then maybe a deal could be done to pay him off.


.
 

daveskimufc

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Needs a DM or else it’s another season of the “McFred” pivot. If that is the team I’d try

DDG
Trippier Varane Maguire Shaw
van de Beek Pogba
Sancho Fernandes Martial
Cavani​

Decent bench too with Greenwood & Rashford if the front 4 aren’t firing.
I like this. Would love to see the vdb/ pogba combo
 

The holy trinity 68

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Bloody hell some of these suggested squad :lol: no way the club signs Varane in the summer, never mind signing Varane, Sancho and Trippier all in the same window :houllier:
 

United Hobbit

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He can’t be released. He’s under contract for another 2 years.
We would have to buy out his contract and pay him the equivalent of 2 years wages and possibly a payoff fee to go early.
That’s at least £10m out of the transfer kitty, that could be put towards a new player.
If he wanted to go, or was desperate to leave, then maybe a deal could be done to pay him off.


.
I'd love to know who's ridiculous decision it was to give him another contract!
 

Abraxas

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I think it all looks promising. There are a few notable holes, striker doesn't look fantastic to me. One aged player that can play at a push 60-70% of games? Then a load of makeshifts that have never really convinced, I don't consider them to be strikers, just players that can plug a gap which is okay when you have somebody super reliable, Cavani is ancient.

CM also looks short, certainly one quality player lacking there.

This is assuming we make these key signings at CB, the backup/competition RB, and Sancho. It starts to look quite a demanding summer when you look at it that way. We can probably do without a couple of these signings potentially, but I think the closer we get to solving them all, the more confident we can be of winning something.
 

CanadianUtd

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If the board can secure the correct targets (not settle for second fiddle) that Ole and the squad need - in a RW, DM, CB - to propel them to the next level, then our squad depth would match or only be behind City’s in all of world football when you take into account the entire team and all the positions individually.

...it’s not far fetched at all when you think about it. Ole has not had a single bad transfer since his time here and he’s elected to go for lesser signings but which are of higher impact. Instead of spending $0.10 on 5 players, he more or less prefers spending $0.25 on 2 players. And it’s because of that ruthlessness (living with those decisions) combined with the dead weight he gets rid of that has put United in the great position they stand at the current moment.

https://postimg.cc/68xR8VH1 (image link)

we would quite literally have 2 starting XI’s that are balanced and capable of actually complimenting one another.

All it takes is securing 3 starting position caliber players - Sancho(RW), any DM+CB (i just filled in Rice+Varane...could be other candidates too doesn’t matter as it’s not my point) and then a backup RB option like Trippier who we’ve been linked to for a long time which would not only provide competition but complete the squad depth for every position on the pitch.

Don’t even look at the starting xi, United’s second 11 next season would be bonkers. Which doesn’t even include players such as Williams/Axel/Matic/Mata and as well as the academy players we have ready to step in to make appearances whenever need be.

this would be a proper United side capable of winning any & every competition! :devil:
 

Red_toad

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Needs a DM or else it’s another season of the “McFred” pivot. If that is the team I’d try

DDG
Trippier Varane Maguire Shaw
van de Beek Pogba
Sancho Fernandes Martial
Cavani​

Decent bench too with Greenwood & Rashford if the front 4 aren’t firing.
Would be entertaining to watch, no one able to win the ball in midfield or dictate play. Then a right back who's not very good at defending, a left winger who doesn't track back. Better hope we can out score everyone in ever game. I think it'd be way too porous and would leak goals galore.
 

Adnan

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Very early, I know, but looking at the strongly rumoured ins and outs. I thought I'd do a little thought experiment and see what we'll have to play with next season.

GK
Henderson
DDG
Heaton

RB
AWB
Trippier

CBs
Maguire
One of Varane/Torres/Kounde
Lindelof
Bailly
Axel

LB
Shaw
Telles

RW
Sancho
Amad
Greenwood

CM (inc. DM)
Fred
McTominay
Matic
VdB
Pogba

LW
Rashford
Pogba
Martial
James

#10
Bruno
Pogba
VdB

Striker
Cavani
Greenwood
Martial
Rashford

I think we have decent depth in most of the positions, though admittedly there are a few players in the team who can cover multiple positions rather than specialists, which isn't totally ideal. I haven't factored in the kids like Mejbri, Shoretire, Elanga, et al, as well as the kids who went out on loan, because it's too early to know what the plans are for them. Pellistri might be someone worth keeping an eye on if he gets loaned out to La Liga again and impresses.

I think looking ahead, a DM and a striker to replace Cavani will obviously be foremost in our thoughts, as well as a replacement for Pogba if he leaves on a free, but I think getting a player in to the squad who can help lessen the load on Bruno in the 10 position might be worthwhile pursuing (if Donny has another season like last year).
I think we'll have a better idea of what our squad depth will look like during pre-season. The likes of Mejbri, Garner, Laird, Elanga etc will also be involved in the preseason games and their performances during the pre-season could sway Ole in including maybe one or two as squad options for the new season potentially.
 

pacifictheme

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Needs a DM or else it’s another season of the “McFred” pivot. If that is the team I’d try

DDG
Trippier Varane Maguire Shaw
van de Beek Pogba
Sancho Fernandes Martial
Cavani​

Decent bench too with Greenwood & Rashford if the front 4 aren’t firing.
Can't think of a single reason you'd bench Rashford for martial at LW.

Not to mention that midfield.
 

Grylte

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Looks like a good squad, apart from DM. I still think DM is the most important position to improve.
A good DM and that squad can fight for trophies.


Disappointed not to see Jones on the list of players leaving/ being released

Also, why are we in talks with Lee Grant over a new contract, what does he do? Yet we release Romero, who's been a reliable 2nd goalkeeper, with question marks remaining over De Gea and Henderson. Surely one of those 2 will be leaving, so why not keep Romero as 2nd goalkeeper?
Romero should be first choice somewhere, should have been for many years, wasted much of his career to be backup.

Grant is a backup if every other keeper is injured, so we can send young GKs on loan.
And he seems happy to be a backup who will most likely never play, it's good for everyone.

it was the reason we signed him, and i am really struggling to understand why so many on here have a problem with Grant being at the club.
 

wolvored

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Didn’t know where to put this but below is the list of players released

Release/Free Transfer:
Jacob Carney
Mark Helm
Iestyn Hughes
Joel Pereira
Arnau Puigmal
Sergio Romero
Max Taylor
Aliou Traore

Below are contract negotiations going on

Lee Grant
Juan Mata
Paul Woolston

Don’t see the logic of keeping Mata or grant.
Adding to that instead of selling we loan players out. Why buy Pellestri, never play him and loan him out until probably until his contract runs out. Another waste of money. Periera as well. Just sell even if its for £5 mill, its still better than nothing when his contract runs out.
Then either one of De Gea or Henderson need moving on, but you can bet both will still be here. We will have 2 goalies probably the highest paid at one club. Ridiculous.
 

Craig Ward

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I think overall we have a good squad, depth wise we could do with some improvements.

It's more about the balance for me, as we are heavily stacked in some areas and short in others in terms of quality.

Take central midfield - on paper we have good numbers and good players, the reality is it's a massive weak link in our team.

Midfield:
Matic/Pogba/McTom/Fred/Donny.

Matic's best years are gone. Pogba has tried and failed at being a reliable central midfielder for us. Donny can't get a look in, with Fred and McTom being the favourite pair - each with limitations.

So good numbers, but a bit of an unbalanced mess really. I think we either need to sign big, a DM specialist and pair them with Fred and use Donny/McTom as squad options. I'd rule Matic out of contention for next year. Pogba? Well it's anyone's guess but I cant see us improving if we entertain the idea of him being in a double pivot for the 6th season running. He just doesn't work there.

Fred/New DM with Donny/McTom back up isn't too bad. I'm hopeful we will see more minutes for Donny though - he's a tidy player but it hasn't worked so far.

Central Defence too - huge numbers but really only 1 above average player in Maguire. Tuanzebe remains a hopeful youth product but Bailly and Jones surely have no use here any longer and Lindelof is probably the biggest weak spot in our team. We need some action at CB as a priority.

I'm pretty happy with the forward line - bar Martial.

All the links to Sancho dont really make sense to me - a great player no doubt but i'm struggling to see it unless we have some outgoing's. Sancho will be signed as RW, where Greenwood has made that position his. We also signed big in Amad for that position. We also always play Rashford there when Pogba plays LW.

So Sancho either demotes Greenwood to the bench or Rashford - two big players who Ole really fancies. So either Greenwood is rotating with Cavani at CF or we dont plan to use Amad much this year. If we sign Sancho - we'd have a LOT of players with real quality up the top end. Surely thats Martial out the door. It's better to have the quality no doubt - Ole will have to keep them all happy

GK too - DDG and Henderson cant both be here - both are too good for the bench. One needs to go this summer.

I've preached this in other threads - the biggest issue we have is outgoings.

Squad has so many players who dont feature much:
Jones/Bailly/Mata/Matic/Lingard/Romero/Williams
Loanies coming back:
Garner/Dalot/Laird/Chong

Players who aren't currently good enough but get regular minutes/Sellable assests to improve the squad:
Lindelof/Pogba/Martial/DDG or Hendo

Massive summer of work to do.

We need 3 starting players and a squad player for me
 

The Corinthian

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I think Trippier and Sancho would be great additions to the squad, and if the rumours are to be believed, Trippier for ~£15m would be great business. Factoring in Sancho, we could get both of these players for just under £100m which seems to be our budget for the summer.

I would ideally like to get a DM and a CB, but this only looks likely if we can sell as well. If we can sell Lingard (£30m?), Williams (£20m?), Pereira (£20m), and maybe Bailly (£20m?), then we should have enough to sign either a CB or DM. I'm not sure which one is more urgent (as both seem pretty vital), but I think I'd go for a DM.
 

Bwuk

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Biggest priority for me should be the midfield.

If we win line up with Fred starting every game next season it’ll be a repeat of this year.