The Centre Forward Stop-Gap Market

JohnnyLaw

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This will probably sound like shit to most of you....hear me out though.


Bruno Petković.

He'd cost next to zero, less then 10 milion.
He's a bit shit in his head and not sure he has what it takes brain wise....but he's excatly what we need.

A proper CF who can hold the ball up front and bring in our pacey wingers.

Probably not on the radar though.

A stop gap CF who offers something else.
I’ve been thinking about him alot aswell since the WC but haven’t had the courage to suggest him but I agree with your assessment.
Looks a real handful for defenders physically and quite technical aswell. Obviously doesn’t score enough goals on his own but I think he’d be a good option to have when chasing a goal.
 

FrankWhite

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Arnautovic is probably the option we should reconsider. Technically good, target man that can poach and is hard working. He'll also be happy to play a bit part role. I believe there was a big backlash against signing him in the summer but I'm not sure what the reason was.
 

2 man midfield

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Arnautovic is probably the option we should reconsider. Technically good, target man that can poach and is hard working. He'll also be happy to play a bit part role. I believe there was a big backlash against signing him in the summer but I'm not sure what the reason was.
Wasn’t he supposed to be a racist? I’m not gonna pretend to understand the dynamic of race relations in his region, but enough people were annoyed about the idea of us signing him because of it. Having said that, I can see us trying again if we’re desperate.
 

The Cat

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Is Pukki worth a mention? I have no idea how much he would cost or if he could do the stop gap role for us but I remember him scoring quite a few PL goals at one point.
 

LawCharltonBest

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Shouldn’t United have had an option or two in mind before they terminated Ronaldos contract?

Every other team would have and it’s just common sense
 

TheNewEra

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Uniteds approach at this point.

Blindfold ETH, take him to the U21 academy team players, spin ETH in a circle then he randomly selects one of the youth team strikers.
 

TheNewEra

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Probably did then somebody told them there's no money. The sooner this club is sold the better.
The clubs objectives as per the owners right now is sell the club, none of it is commercial or sporting.

They give 0 fecks.
 

groovyalbert

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Of all the stop-gaps worth looking at, I reckon the list should start and stop with Giroud.
 

TheNewEra

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Of all the stop-gaps worth looking at, I reckon the list should start and stop with Giroud.
You mean the team second in Serie A where he's played 19 games and scored 9 goals for them this season?

He's a key player for them. It'll never happen, they won Serie A last year and he played a big part of it.
 

FrankWhite

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Wasn’t he supposed to be a racist? I’m not gonna pretend to understand the dynamic of race relations in his region, but enough people were annoyed about the idea of us signing him because of it. Having said that, I can see us trying again if we’re desperate.
Ah, fair enough. Don't think we'll be getting him then. Especially after all the poor character stuff we've had.
 

BlueHaze

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Club is ran by scum. Rangnick told them to go get Alvarez which was very affordable and would have been a perfect match but they didn't wanna invest because they "wanted to wait for the new manager" The scum thinks forwards grow on trees. Instead Alvarez ends up go to City who already bought Haaland. I wonder which team needed a player like Julian the most?....
 

BlueHaze

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Then ETH shows interest in another interesting talent (Šeško) But of course club can't negotiate a deal so he ends up being bought by Leipzig. This is what we have become. Players we show interest in end up in club like Leipzig instead of Man United.

Alvarez went for £14m

Šeško went for £20m.

But of course the club has zero interest in concluding such shrewd deals. No, they can only do deals like 80m for Antony and such. Now they are short of attacking options in the middle of a top 4 chase and they have literally no clue what to do.
 
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Jim Beam

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Shouldn’t United have had an option or two in mind before they terminated Ronaldos contract?

Every other team would have and it’s just common sense
We had no choice other than terminate his contract after the shit he pulled off (not just an interview, but overall behavior).

In any case, we are better without him sulking and stinking the place up while contributing nothing on the pitch even without adding someone upfront.
 

footballbite

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Martin Terrier: Saw him linked today. Technically good and gets lots of goals for Rennes. I dont think he is special, but he does everything right, everything is at a good elvel. Think he would be a good choice as a second choice striker longer term. But Rennes are a cash rich club and he is a big player there, so not sure he comes at the kind of prie he should do
Isn't Terrier another one who's a bit more of a left-sided forward?!

Then ETH shows interest in another interesting talent (Šeško) But of course club can't negotiate a deal so he ends up being bought by Leipzig. This is what we have become. Players we show interest in end up in club like Leipzig instead of Man United.

Alvarez went for £14m
Sesko was already part of the Red Bull group at Salzburg so it was an obvious and standard move for the player.

Alvarez would have never joined Utd ahead of City.
 

cj_sparky

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You would think the likes of Choupo-Moting, Thuram and others. Whose contracts end in the summer, would likely cost less than a loan deal for Felix.
 

TheNewEra

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You would think the likes of Choupo-Moting, Thuram and others. Whose contracts end in the summer, would likely cost less than a loan deal for Felix.
Bayern need Choupo-Moting they have PSG in the CL in February. Thuram isn't at the level we need.

I doubt the champions of Germany are wanting to send them out on loan.
 

BenitoSTARR

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Not one for a stop gap market. If we are not going for a big signing though then two options spring to mind:

Joa Felix: Isnt a striker for me, but a £9m loan is still a better player there than nearly all the other options and we get to look at him there for 6months

Martin Terrier: Saw him linked today. Technically good and gets lots of goals for Rennes. I dont think he is special, but he does everything right, everything is at a good elvel. Think he would be a good choice as a second choice striker longer term. But Rennes are a cash rich club and he is a big player there, so not sure he comes at the kind of prie he should do
Felix is looking like the only option he can do some of the things Martial does but personally think he’ll struggle.

Terrier is a LW and would be like signing and older more expensive Gakpo. Not what we need and I don’t think there’s anymore development to come from him.
His development is extremely impressive, could be very much a later bloomer like Giroud, but I agree on your point with Rennes - I'm not sure they'll be inclined to part with him for a fee we would want to pay.
But Terrier isn’t a striker.
What about Moussa Dembele from Lyon, big target man and reasonable finisher. 6 months left on his contract, would Lyon take a £5m loan fee for the rest of the season?
He’d be affordable and a decent option in my view. Not perfect but he’s a better suggestion than many of the names so far.
 

Lash

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Felix is looking like the only option he can do some of the things Martial does but personally think he’ll struggle.

Terrier is a LW and would be like signing and older more expensive Gakpo. Not what we need and I don’t think there’s anymore development to come from him.

But Terrier isn’t a striker.

He’d be affordable and a decent option in my view. Not perfect but he’s a better suggestion than many of the names so far.
I agree with your sentiment comparing him to Gakpo, but I also would be assuming we'd using him in the role where him and Rashford swap through the game. I think his best work comes through the middle, when I've seen him play anyway.
 

FrankDrebin

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Was going to mention Dzeko but to be fair to the guy he's still a very important figure for Inter.
 

cj_sparky

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Bayern need Choupo-Moting they have PSG in the CL in February. Thuram isn't at the level we need.

I doubt the champions of Germany are wanting to send them out on loan.
I don't disagree. I cannot see Bayern loaning him, nor do I particularly want him. But mentioned him as we've been loosely linked on and off for a while. I agree on Thuram too.

But our market for a striker after our summer spend is more likely to be out of contract in the summer. Although it is slim picking in term of realistic targets there too. I cannot see Benzema or Giroud being available either.

There is always Salomon Rondon on a free.
 

BenitoSTARR

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I agree with your sentiment comparing him to Gakpo, but I also would be assuming we'd using him in the role where him and Rashford swap through the game. I think his best work comes through the middle, when I've seen him play anyway.
In which case we should have gone for Gakpo if that was our plan. I don’t think it is though.
 

apotheosis

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He’d be affordable and a decent option in my view. Not perfect but he’s a better suggestion than many of the names so far.
Dembele is not a bad shout. Not top drawer by any means, but fits the profile we were lookng for more than either Depay/Felix.

Let's face it, our pool for possible signings is little more than a puddle at this point. But we have to improve our options, and we cannot possibly do that without bringng somebody in. Needs must.
 

meamth

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I've given up already. We're in transition to sell, no money, and most likely no new striker.

Just promote McNeil or Hugill.
 

dinostar77

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I've given up already. We're in transition to sell, no money, and most likely no new striker.

Just promote McNeil or Hugill.
Are either of these lads ready for the step up? If so, why not? You wont know if they are good enough without a run in the first team. So manage their minutes and give them game time.

With bennie mcarthy coaching the strikers, the lads would learn alot. Just being around rashford and martial would be an education for them.
 

meamth

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Are either of these lads ready for the step up? If so, why not? You wont know if they are good enough without a run in the first team. So manage their minutes and give them game time.

With bennie mcarthy coaching the strikers, the lads would learn alot. Just being around rashford and martial would be an education for them.
They probably not ready, but then again, if we're forced to dig deeper into our academy, I'm all behind the young lads.
 

Devil81

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Morata or Felix the two highest profile strikers likely to be available on loan.

We shouldn't be going back down the Depay route.
 

Devil81

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Is Pukki worth a mention? I have no idea how much he would cost or if he could do the stop gap role for us but I remember him scoring quite a few PL goals at one point.
Pukki!!

Not sure if your serious but that's a shocking idea. I rather Ronaldo back than Pukki.
 

Lash

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Are either of these lads ready for the step up? If so, why not? You wont know if they are good enough without a run in the first team. So manage their minutes and give them game time.

With bennie mcarthy coaching the strikers, the lads would learn alot. Just being around rashford and martial would be an education for them.
Neither of them have really played senior mens football, just a handful of appearances in the Papa Johns Trophy, so it's not really reasoanble to expect them to make that step yet. Hugill has fallen down the pecking order in terms of who would first be in line for a first team role, so if it would be anyone it would be McNeil. I don't think either of them would be physically ready to play a central striker role in the prem.
 

croadyman

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You mean the team second in Serie A where he's played 19 games and scored 9 goals for them this season?

He's a key player for them. It'll never happen, they won Serie A last year and he played a big part of it.
Yeah no chance they let him go
 

Shai-Hulud

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Signing Morata instead of Lukaku back then would have actually left us in better shape now. Wouldn't mind him on loan. Won't get you 30 goals but he's pretty good.
 

Messier1994

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Pukki!!

Not sure if your serious but that's a shocking idea. I rather Ronaldo back than Pukki.
It of course sucks — but honestly, if we get someone that is at least as good as Elanga it’s better than nothing because it means he can go on a loan.
 

croadyman

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Morata or Felix the two highest profile strikers likely to be available on loan.

We shouldn't be going back down the Depay route.
Depay wouldn't be my first choice but if you can't get either of the first two,then at least Memphis gives us chance to rotate
 

Elcabron

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Signing Morata instead of Lukaku back then would have actually left us in better shape now. Wouldn't mind him on loan. Won't get you 30 goals but he's pretty good.
He wouldn't get you any goals. He's shite and would be a terrible signing.
 

croadyman

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Signing Morata instead of Lukaku back then would have actually left us in better shape now. Wouldn't mind him on loan. Won't get you 30 goals but he's pretty good.
There isn't a 30 goal striker available in January