The left-back market…

caid

Full Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2014
Messages
8,315
Location
Dublin
That young barcelona left back seemed quite good in our game last year. How's he been doing since?
I'd be a bit annoyed to spend a huge chunk of limited money on a full back. Its probably needed though if Telles and Malacia are the standard of a bargain full back.
 
Last edited:

Mainoonited

Full Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2023
Messages
211
Whoever we sign needs to be our first choice left back. Luke Shaw is great when fit but increasingly I feel that will be less likely.
 
Joined
Sep 23, 2017
Messages
2,292
Posted about him last year...his stock's gone up a bit since then but Quentin Merlin would still be fairly cheap. He'd instantly be our best crosser and set-piece taker.

Stylistically a little bit similar to a left-sided Alexander-Arnold. Lot of (good) crosses, lot of long passes and switches.
 

Varun1

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jun 11, 2018
Messages
1,085
The Athletic had a piece on this recently, their pick was:
  • M Sanchez - Celta Vigo
  • Quilindschy Hartman - Feyenoord
  • Miguel Gutierrez - Girona
  • Victor Kristiuansen - Leceister on loan to Bologna
  • Morato - Benfica
  • Melvin Bard - Nice
 
Last edited:

Lash

Full Member
Joined
May 3, 2012
Messages
12,137
Location
Buckinghamshire
Supports
Millwall, Saint-Etienne
@Ekeke you watch Fiorentina, right? What about Dodo?

Maehle would be a good shout too. Edit: he's a right back, whoops.

Trying to think of some players that wouldn't be super expensive.
 

aeh1991

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Apr 13, 2022
Messages
857
I seriously think LB is a top 3 priority for the summer. Spend big on this position, use Shaw as LB and LCB backup. We should try our luck with Theo Hernandez.
 

redNATION

Full Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2015
Messages
1,361
Location
Near the Tannhäuser Gate
Alphonso Davies, last year of contract, if Ineos want to make a statement and are serious about catching City, then has to be him. Combine with Frimpong at RB.
 

Bwuk

Full Member
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
17,342
Shaw can cover Martinez and Lb. He’s too unreliable at this point.

Amass is highly touted in the youth set up from all accounts. Probably year away though.

Alphonso Davies, last year of contract, if Ineos want to make a statement and are serious about catching City, then has to be him. Combine with Frimpong at RB.
Dream signing but isn’t he meant to be Madrid bound?
 

Oranges038

Full Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2020
Messages
12,208
I still think Barco was a missed opportunity.

Anyway.

Big name signing - Theo Hernandez / Davies

Potential to be an excellent player - Raum / Estupinan / Robinson

Cheap punt - Alfie Doughty, out of contract in the summer, that could be another Robertson from Hull type signing.
 

Keiro

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jun 25, 2013
Messages
13
@Ekeke you watch Fiorentina, right? What about Dodo?

Maehle would be a good shout too. Edit: he's a right back, whoops.

Trying to think of some players that wouldn't be super expensive.
Their left-back Parisi is excellent though.
 

V.O.

Last Man Standing finalist 2019/20
Joined
Jan 12, 2019
Messages
8,021
Mykolenko could be a sensible squad option if we're going that route with Malacia missing presumed dead.

Has put in some very respectable performances against most of the top wingers in the league and Everton are terminally up the creek with FFP. Probably doesn't offer enough going forward to be first choice, though.
 

Woziak

Full Member
Joined
May 8, 2018
Messages
3,613
I seriously think Theo Hernandez is the right type, mentally and physically plus when Shaw comes back, this will get the most out of him. The only way I see us recruiting Alphonoso Davies is tell him we will let him play his favourite position right wing as well as cover at left back. Can’t see it he’s off to Madrid or Barca?
 

aeh1991

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Apr 13, 2022
Messages
857
I seriously think Theo Hernandez is the right type, mentally and physically plus when Shaw comes back, this will get the most out of him. The only way I see us recruiting Alphonoso Davies is tell him we will let him play his favourite position right wing as well as cover at left back. Can’t see it he’s off to Madrid or Barca?
Would be a statement signing by Ineos. Pat, tell him to come here!
 

daba

Full Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2021
Messages
924
Alphonso Davies, last year of contract, if Ineos want to make a statement and are serious about catching City, then has to be him. Combine with Frimpong at RB.
Both are being looked at by Real. I think Davies is nailed on for Real, seems like there’s been rumours for a long time and Bayern seem resigned to losing him. Real also have an obvious gap in their mega team at LB.

Frimpong is far more gettable I think though as Real still have Carvajal who is supposedly having a very strong year.
 

daba

Full Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2021
Messages
924
I seriously think Theo Hernandez is the right type, mentally and physically plus when Shaw comes back, this will get the most out of him. The only way I see us recruiting Alphonoso Davies is tell him we will let him play his favourite position right wing as well as cover at left back. Can’t see it he’s off to Madrid or Barca?
Getting Theo would be a big move. Perhaps going for him over an LCB, with Shaw taking up that role more regularly as Martinez's’ back up would be an option.

Im also really interested in how Barco does at Brighton. If we don’t invest in LB this summer (trusting Malacia to keep fit next year), then going for Barco in 2025 after hopefully a solid year getting used to the Prem would be a move. We’d be paying probably 4x what Brighton have paid for him though.

Raum at Leipzig would also be an interesting option.
 

Rozay

Master of Hindsight
Joined
Oct 22, 2012
Messages
27,184
Location
...
Can we not get permission to do an emergency loan? We have no fit left backs.
 

golden_blunder

Site admin. Manchester United fan
Staff
Joined
Jun 1, 2000
Messages
120,016
Location
Dublin, Ireland
Posted about him last year...his stock's gone up a bit since then but Quentin Merlin would still be fairly cheap. He'd instantly be our best crosser and set-piece taker.

Stylistically a little bit similar to a left-sided Alexander-Arnold. Lot of (good) crosses, lot of long passes and switches.
He’s a magician
 

DWelbz19

Correctly predicted Portugal to win Euro 2016
Joined
Oct 31, 2012
Messages
34,038
Market's not great. Your two most proven options in Davies and Theo Hernandez who have already been mentioned in here are either courted by teams in stronger positions right now (Davies), or probably just won't leave any time soon (Theo).

Not a fan of the Brighton left back any time I've seen him.
 

AltiUn

likes playing with swords after fantasies
Joined
Apr 29, 2014
Messages
23,615
Should just fast track Harry Amass, worked with Garnacho and Mainoo, why not just go mental with promoting the youth?
 

DWelbz19

Correctly predicted Portugal to win Euro 2016
Joined
Oct 31, 2012
Messages
34,038
Should just fast track Harry Amass, worked with Garnacho and Mainoo, why not just go mental with promoting the youth?
H.Amass is 16 years old. We aren't quite at Barcelona level of child-abuse just yet.
 

redNATION

Full Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2015
Messages
1,361
Location
Near the Tannhäuser Gate
Both are being looked at by Real. I think Davies is nailed on for Real, seems like there’s been rumours for a long time and Bayern seem resigned to losing him. Real also have an obvious gap in their mega team at LB.

Frimpong is far more gettable I think though as Real still have Carvajal who is supposedly having a very strong year.
Thing is everyone is linked with Real, they can’t and won’t sign everyone. City got Haaland when Real was an obvious choice for him, we should be in the mix for the best players based on what Ratcliffe said yesterday about catching City and Liverpool.
 

Ayoba

Poster of Noncense.
Joined
Feb 2, 2021
Messages
8,517
I still think Barco was a missed opportunity.

Anyway.

Big name signing - Theo Hernandez / Davies

Potential to be an excellent player - Raum / Estupinan / Robinson

Cheap punt - Alfie Doughty, out of contract in the summer, that could be another Robertson from Hull type signing.
Good shout, has a good engine and a decent cross.
 

SilentWitness

ShoelessWitness
Staff
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
30,510
Supports
Everton
I still think Barco was a missed opportunity.

Anyway.

Big name signing - Theo Hernandez / Davies

Potential to be an excellent player - Raum / Estupinan / Robinson

Cheap punt - Alfie Doughty, out of contract in the summer, that could be another Robertson from Hull type signing.
Didn't realise Doughty was out of contract. He's definitely getting a nice move.
 

Oranges038

Full Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2020
Messages
12,208
Good shout, has a good engine and a decent cross.

Didn't realise Doughty was out of contract. He's definitely getting a nice move.
Yeah, he's a good player, good work rate and attitude, technically very good on the ball, good crosser, and seems to have good stamina to get up and down the pitch.

Whether he's good enough to step it up another level remains to be seen, but he's shown he has what it takes to cut it in the PL. Might end being at a similar level to Cresswell, but even still he'd be a good signing on a free for most PL clubs.
 

48 hours

Full Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2018
Messages
6,751
Location
Cheshire
@Ekeke you watch Fiorentina, right? What about Dodo?

Maehle would be a good shout too. Edit: he's a right back, whoops.

Trying to think of some players that wouldn't be super expensive.
if ever a player was destined to be injured for us
 

Pronewbie

Peep
Joined
May 17, 2004
Messages
6,683
Location
In front of My Computer
Estupinan is a player I've enjoyed watching be it for Ecuador or Brighton. A pacey livewire with good technique and strength for a LB. Unsure about his defensive qualities though.
 

Paul778

Full Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2017
Messages
1,185
Location
London
We're not going to prioritise a replacement in this summer window - we're just not. Too many other areas.

And if we're waiting on summer in 2025 you would hope between now and then Amass would have had a few chances in the first team (even if it's just on tour) and we can see whether he's going to save us dipping into the market.
 

Shinjch

Full Member
Joined
May 18, 2012
Messages
1,332
So much depends on what we want to do with our full backs.

If Dalot is locked in on the other side then it may be wiser to get a player who plays more like a third defender who is able to progress the ball quickly, especially if we are going to persist with a system that has one holding midfielder. Could Medina be moulded into this role?
This would however limit overlap opportunities if Rashford is still likely to be the left sided attacker. Rashford is a player who needs these overlapping runs more than a Garnacho I think.

If we are going to change our right back profile, or central midfield set up, as well then it opens the discussion into more aggressive attacking wing back style left backs.
 

Eplel

Full Member
Joined
May 15, 2016
Messages
1,938
What about that Gilberto fella? Is he still playing?
 

Hughes35

Full Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2014
Messages
2,594
Mykolenko could be a sensible squad option if we're going that route with Malacia missing presumed dead.

Has put in some very respectable performances against most of the top wingers in the league and Everton are terminally up the creek with FFP. Probably doesn't offer enough going forward to be first choice, though.
Christ no. Everton fans don't even rate him.
 

AltiUn

likes playing with swords after fantasies
Joined
Apr 29, 2014
Messages
23,615
We're not going to prioritise a replacement in this summer window - we're just not. Too many other areas.

And if we're waiting on summer in 2025 you would hope between now and then Amass would have had a few chances in the first team (even if it's just on tour) and we can see whether he's going to save us dipping into the market.
There's really not though, we've been without a LB the entire season, it's 100% going to be a priority, the management isn't going to risk another season like this.