The Centre Forward Stop-Gap Market

[Shai-Hulud]

Don't know why so many are strongly opposed to Morata on loan. When, not if, Martial gets injured again, we've got no one who can hold the ball up. Morata can do that and he's decent in the air.

 

[RyRy11]

I'm not sure people understand what a stopgap means? We need a short term body for rotation or for when Martial gets injured. It'd be great to get someone in that is an improvement over Martial but we won't likely get that with loan options. You have to think, would you take someone like Morata, Depay, etc over nothing? We aren't signing a £30m player that could improve the squad, we don't have the funds.

 

[BenitoSTARR]

I'm not sure people understand what a stopgap means? We need a short term body for rotation or for when Martial gets injured. It'd be great to get someone in that is an improvement over Martial but we won't likely get that with loan options. You have to think, would you take someone like Morata, Depay, etc over nothing? We aren't signing a £30m player that could improve the squad, we don't have the funds.

I would 100% take a Depay or Morata over nothing.

 

[Plant0x84]

No chance of Ramos then?

 

[BristolRuss]

How would people feel about Chicharito on loan? I believe the MLS has finished for the season now.

 

[Jam]

How would people feel about Chicharito on loan? I believe the MLS has finished for the season now.

Good lad, but unfortunately past it and not what we need.

He’s not exactly a Larson/Ibra/Cavani like character either so wouldn’t even have that angle to it.

 

[croadyman]

I would 100% take a Depay or Morata over nothing.

Yeah same here

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

Spanish international striker like Morata is a good striker choice for stop-gap. Certainly better than what we had Ighalo few years ago when we were also in the same situation looking for a striker for Martial backup in January.

He has good movement and decent in the air.
He has 7 goals in 2022 in 11 games with Spanish International team
He was Juve starting XI striker not long ago.

 

[croadyman]

Spanish international striker like Morata is a good striker choice for stop-gap. Certainly better than what we had Ighalo few years ago when we were also in the same situation looking for a striker for Martial backup in January.

He has good movement and decent in the air.
He has 7 goals in 2022 in 11 games with Spanish International team
He was Juve starting XI striker not long ago.

Not gonna happen but would be cool to get both him and Memphis on loan deals as they have different strengths as CF

 

[Waynne]

Not gonna happen but would be cool to get both him and Memphis on loan deals as they have different strengths as CF

That would be a good window and I believe Memphis can also do a decent job coming off the wing if Marcus or Garnacho gets a knock.

 

[croadyman]

That would be a good window and I believe Memphis can also do a decent job coming off the wing if Marcus or Garnacho gets a knock.

Yeah I think he's definitely matured since last here,also feel Erik will be able to get more out of him. He admits himself that he didn't listen enough and learnt from it.

 

[Mr Smith]

I would 100% take a Depay or Morata over nothing.

Me too, but my first choice would be Joao Felix on loan if we can get the deal done.

 

[Mr Smith]

It’s a shocking reflection on our recruitment that we’re looking to plunge into this ‘market’ for what must be the sixth or seventh consecutive year. This nonsense started with Ibrahimovic back when Mourinho was here and still it continues.

Glazers. Bastards.

I agree with you in part, but a lot of people are forgetting that we had a ready-made young centre-forward from our academy, and he got himself arrested. I'm pretty convinced that Greenwood was a significant factor in why we didn't pull the trigger on Alavarez, for instance.

Doesn't entirely negate the club's poor planning, but when we signed Ronaldo and had Greenwood coming through, most people would have considered signing a striker to be a low priority.

 

[Marcus]

Yeah EtH says we need another stirker. I think thr profile is probably someone who can give us the cover to get 4th at least at the end of the season. Then we can compete for a long term striker by offering CL football. Felix, Morata, Depay, in that order for a loan deal.

 

[croadyman]

Yeah EtH says we need another stirker. I think thr profile is probably someone who can give us the cover to get 4th at least at the end of the season. Then we can compete for a long term striker by offering CL football. Felix, Morata, Depay, in that order for a loan deal.

My worry with Felix as have already outlined is we still wouldn't have someone in the middle to finish those chances. Marcus & Martial are not that type of player to score those scrappy goals.

 

[Red in STL]

Question: why do we have an U21's team?

If there's no suitable strikers available use one of the youngsters, they're not going to be playing every game and in short initial chances have served us well in the past, Elanga came in and scored a few goals, I remember Macheda did the same, that's all we're expecting from anyone else, play a few games and chip in the odd goal, I'd rather do that and have someone like Morata or even Memphis and it wouldn't cost anything

 

[Drizzle]

Question: why do we have an U21's team?

If there's no suitable strikers available use one of the youngsters, they're not going to be playing every game and in short initial chances have served us well in the past, Elanga came in and scored a few goals, I remember Macheda did the same, that's all we're expecting from anyone else, play a few games and chip in the odd goal, I'd rather do that and have someone like Morata or even Memphis and it wouldn't cost anything

If the youngsters are not at the required level (and they're currently nowhere near), then promoting them to the first team and asking them to score goals for us in high pressure games is a good way to tank their careers and destroy our top 4 hopes.

 

[Red in STL]

If the youngsters are not at the required level (and they're currently nowhere near), then promoting them to the first team and asking them to score goals for us in high pressure games is a good way to tank their careers and destroy our top 4 hopes.

Unless you play them you'll never know, we're talking about mainly sub appearances and the odd start

 

[padzilla]

Maybe the people who have lined their pockets from the club could, y'know, put some money back in to it instead of briefing the media we are skint?

The way we are set up makes me think a decent other option to Martial at number 9 could guarantee us CL football this season.

 

[Drizzle]

Unless you play them you'll never know, we're talking about mainly sub appearances and the odd start

Your suggestion was to use them instead of buying or loaning someone. In which case it's highly likely they will be required for large periods of the season, including big must-win games, due to injuries in the squad. You're not talking about giving them managed minutes but to use them to replace Ronaldo (and Greenwood).

Also, if you've watched the likes of McNeil you'll know he's nowhere near ready yet. No need to prove it and bring damaging pressure upon him.

 

[MadDogg]

Unless you play them you'll never know, we're talking about mainly sub appearances and the odd start

Except we probably aren't. Martial has been a huge sick-note for the last two years, and there's a fair chance that he'll be unavailable for over 50% of the rest of the season. Relying on a kid who isn't ready (which the people who watch them play are saying, and the coaches aren't showing their opinions are any different) is more than a huge risk, it's utterly incompetent team planning. Unless you'd have him as 3rd choice behind Rashford as well, in which case we'll be weakening two positions (Rashford is poor at striker, and anyone else on the left is a downgrade).

Either option likely ends up with us not making the top 4 if Martial does continue with his injury issues.

 

[Bebestation]

Is Greizmann unbuyable?

 

[Xeque_279]

Question: why do we have an U21's team?

If there's no suitable strikers available use one of the youngsters, they're not going to be playing every game and in short initial chances have served us well in the past, Elanga came in and scored a few goals, I remember Macheda did the same, that's all we're expecting from anyone else, play a few games and chip in the odd goal, I'd rather do that and have someone like Morata or even Memphis and it wouldn't cost anything

Always thought about this too. Hugill & McNeil are two names that pop up here very often but I've never seen them given time with the first team, especially McNeil. I'd rather have someone like him come on during cup games/EPL games with a lead to see what they're made off.

Especially at striker, where natural instinct is so much more valuable than plain physical traits.

 

[afatzp]

This is not how wages work. His contract might have been earning him millions but whatever he was paid.. lets say £300,000, from the beginning to end of January you would have saved £1.2 mil. Up to £2 million if he was on £500,000.

I don’t know what he was on but it’s besides the point. Firing Ronaldo gives you no money to sign anyone. This is before we get into there being accounts for transfers, accounts for wages and accounts for bonuses. It would simply fall back into the wages account and wouldn’t significantly affect transfers.

On financial management part, Ronaldo's wages were in the budgeted expenses for current fiscal year, so his "surprise" exit actually save us the expense budget of remaining year that supposedly paid to him. He was on 500K / week deal and 25% reduction due to non-qualifying for CL , so the saving would be at least £15 mil . If we re-appropriate 5 mil to loan fee, we still can afford a player around the 250K / week range for 6 months. This is an elite player level already.

We surely run out of the capital expenditures budget though , which were aimed to those long-term investment of new player recruitment. It also makes sense that usually for assets at "held for sale" status you don't touch the long-term balance sheet items.

 

[Marcus]

My worry with Felix as have already outlined is we still wouldn't have someone in the middle to finish those chances. Marcus & Martial are not that type of player to score those scrappy goals.

I think United has been playing without a traditional central striker for a while now. The big lump to pass the ball to while waiting in the penalty box. Ronaldo was such a lump. In fact, if he had not resigned from the club, he would probably be our ideal short-term loan stirker. He has excellent skills and is a mater at heading the ball. But, he didn't fit. So no point getting an immobile target man. Somehow, our style of play is more about quick forwards switching all along the front line. So maybe someone like Felix could work.

 

[Bebestation]

Could we call Amad back and have him cover CF?

 

[golden_blunder]

I agree with you in part, but a lot of people are forgetting that we had a ready-made young centre-forward from our academy, and he got himself arrested. I'm pretty convinced that Greenwood was a significant factor in why we didn't pull the trigger on Alavarez, for instance.

Doesn't entirely negate the club's poor planning, but when we signed Ronaldo and had Greenwood coming through, most people would have considered signing a striker to be a low priority.

Exactly. MG threw plans into the fire. We’d need to be captain hindsight to see that coming

 

[golden_blunder]

Always thought about this too. Hugill & McNeil are two names that pop up here very often but I've never seen them given time with the first team, especially McNeil. I'd rather have someone like him come on during cup games/EPL games with a lead to see what they're made off.

Especially at striker, where natural instinct is so much more valuable than plain physical traits.

McNeil has struggled with the step up. At this point he doesn’t look likely to contribute.
If we’re not able to get a loan in then recalling amad would be sensible. He offers the same flexibility across the front line as Felix

 

[Hughes35]

Felix or Depay are both really good loan options..... Felix would also be a good long term signing.

We need a permanent signing in the summer though. We can't always rely on loans and stop gaps.

 

[FrankDrebin]

Anton Flamingo.

 

[Matt851]

I think United has been playing without a traditional central striker for a while now. The big lump to pass the ball to while waiting in the penalty box. Ronaldo was such a lump. In fact, if he had not resigned from the club, he would probably be our ideal short-term loan stirker. He has excellent skills and is a mater at heading the ball. But, he didn't fit. So no point getting an immobile target man. Somehow, our style of play is more about quick forwards switching all along the front line. So maybe someone like Felix could work.

Ronaldo is a poacher these days, he isn't a target man and never has been. He is good at attacking crosses but no good with his back to goal so can't hold up the ball or link play effectively

Thuram seems like the best option for me. Or if not Morata although I wonder if atletico would let him leave given he has been in decent form this season. His finishing is sometimes comical but he is excellent at linking play

 

[devilish]

I struggle to understand the Glazers modus operandi. If we fail to make it to CL qualification then the club will be worth less

 

[Revaulx]

Exactly. MG threw plans into the fire. We’d need to be captain hindsight to see that coming

True, but the MG bombshell exploded nearly a year ago, and by the look of it Captain It’ll All Be OK If We Wish Hard Enough has been in charge since then. Let’s hope Ronaldo manages to hit some consistent form; let’s hope Martial will stay fit and do the business once he’s back from Spain.

Maybe a loan deal will be announced out of the blue in the next few days. Despite being from the Never Go Back school I’d be happy with Memphis, as I think he would be well motivated.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

I struggle to understand the Glazers modus operandi. If we fail to make it to CL qualification then the club will be worth less

We will be sold before that happens. They couldn't care less.

 

[devilish]

We will be sold before that happens. They couldn't care less.

Shrewd buyers might (and probably will) postpone any buyout up until United fail to make it to CL qualification. That would knock a couple of tens of millions from the price.

 

[TheReligion]

Anton Flamingo.

Amazed this isn’t being suggested by more.

Such a simple and obvious deal to make.

 

[CM]

Shrewd buyers might (and probably will) postpone any buyout up until United fail to make it to CL qualification. That would knock a couple of tens of millions from the price.

I'm not sure that's a huge consideration in the grand scheme when you're talking billions to buy United. We're just as likely to qualify for next season's Champions League than not anyway.

 

[vulmik]

We'll probably sign Enner Valencia

 

[Xeque_279]

McNeil has struggled with the step up. At this point he doesn’t look likely to contribute.
If we’re not able to get a loan in then recalling amad would be sensible. He offers the same flexibility across the front line as Felix

Amad cannot play up top at all though. Has looked very very poor whenever we've played him there. I'd rather he continue his golden run in the Championship.

 

[devilish]

I'm not sure that's a huge consideration in the grand scheme when you're talking billions to buy United. We're just as likely to qualify for next season's Champions League than not anyway.

Lack of CL football means that United will struggle to attract sponsors and players needed for a rebuild. It's a hit in terms of the prestige and the finances of the club. That's significant as the club relies heavily on its prestige to justify that overinflated price

It's like when one buys a villa in a prestigious area. The seller would be silly to leave a hole in the roof because the buyer would point it out and remove a couple of tens of thousands from the price