Times: Finding buyers for the dead wood is Manchester United’s biggest challenge this window

Obiorahking_

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Honestly, I'd be willing to consider free transfer or nominal fees for a lot of our players. Who is going to pay real money for someone like Marcos Rojo? The only purpose players like him are serving right now is stopping us from allocating our wage bill to players we might actually want.

Its United's fault for giving long contracts to so many players who were clearly not up to snuff. In the last couple of years we have been daft enough to give new deals to Jones, Rojo, Andreas and others who were only ever going to be a wage sink for us. So not only can we not shift them, we're stuck with them for the foreseeable future.

Its like we don't learn: No matter how much you re-paint and clean your robin reliant nobody wants it. Nobody gives a toss about what you paid for it. They see its a banger and aren't going to be tricked into spending money on scrap. We waited and waited and waited for someone dumb enough to pay us over £10m for Darmian and, in the end, had to finally accept (what everyone could see) that nobody was going to pay that for someone who wouldn't be starting for a mid-table team.

Any or all of the following players could leave the club without weakening the squad in any way:

  • Romero
  • Pereira
  • Jones
  • Smalling
  • Rojo
  • Dalot
  • Mata
  • Lingard
  • Andreas
  • Alexis
I'd be happy to see the bulk of those to go. If we could sell all of them for around what we sold Darmian, which was £3.5m, that'd be £35m in incoming fees. Add another £35m to that and you're reaching the kind of sums you need to buy an elite centre back or defensive midfielder.

Woodward and Judge just have to get them out of the club.
Conservative and while I hnderstand why, I think that list can go for double. We could clear 45m for Lingard, Smalling and Alexis alone.
 

Superunknown

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Going forward, this club has to be so much better at moving players on quickly. We hold on to some players for too long and then let them go for next to nothing. The way we moved Lukaku on was the right way to go about it. Tried him for two seasons, decided he wasn't the right fit for the club and sold him for a value that wasn't too far away from the price that we initially paid for him. That's a huge step in the right direction and should be how we go about moving on our players.

Better recruitment is a must but also being more ruthless/clinical when moving players on when we realise that they're not the right ones that fit our model is essential. It's got to be a competitive squad and the players need to know that if they have a season or two where they don't perform, that could be it for them.
 

Obiorahking_

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As much as he turned it around later in the season I think Fred should go. We can grab 20-25 mill for him and use that to improve midfield. We already have defensive B2b players in Matic and Mctominay so we should be looking for more creators.
 

sparx99

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Yep, thats right. Lingard whatever we think has had very good moments over the past for us. Perreira hasnt.

This season he hasn't doesnt mean Lingard is alot more proven than Perreira. Plus English player tax adds £10m to any transfer fee to an English club.

He also has Mino Railoa as an agent.
I reckon Pereira could get €10-12m from a European club. He did well at Valencia.
 

Bilbo

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Article is pretty much a copy paste of what I wrote in another thread yesterday, and what it does is put some meat on the bones of the argument around us needing another season or two before we are ready to challenge.

Our first XI is great, and we have a small handful of other players thay can come in without it hurting us too badly, but that's it. Rounding out the squad now is the new problem and it will be very difficult, and will take some time.

Its easy to identify outstanding players to improve the team. Not so easy to sign, but easy to identify. What we need to do now is find players good enough that they can rotate, and are willing to, but also to do at reasonable prices.

They won't be found in the Premier League. Look at Grealish. Villa want top whack for a player largely unproven at anything approaching the highest level. That's a non-starter. We will need to look overseas or within our own academy, or maybe at a stretch take some chances from the Championship.
 

stevoc

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I would say you can negotiate Lingard for £25m, we would be mad to sell anything cheaper.

Just have a look at the fees paid. Iwobi, Perez, Joelinton, Solanke, Haller and alot more.

Lingard is a good player. .

Rojo is probably going to stay in Argentina.

Jones and Perreira we should be happy with anything we get.

Sanchez - Here is me hoping his post lockdown form has convinced Inter to sign him
None of those players will have been on anything near what Lingard is. Plus some of them are better players than Lingard. If we get £10-15m for him we've done well imo.
 

#07

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None of those players will have been on anything near what Lingard is. Plus some of them are better players than Lingard. If we get £10-15m for him we've done well imo.
Agreed. Especially in the Coronavirus economy.

Some people seem to think the British economy can shrink to the size it was 20 years ago with no consequences.

Even United, with our revenue, are not insulated from the broadcast rebate and absence of matchday income.

The kinds of clubs that might pick up our castoffs might not have funds for a decent fee and wages comparable to what we pay average players.
 

bosnian_red

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Yeah there's another big chunk between this summer and next summer. Said as much when Ole took over, but we'd have a big exodus over the next few windows (and its only delayed because we can't do it all at once).
  • Romero
  • Grant
  • Dalot
  • Jones
  • Rojo
  • Smalling
  • Mata
  • Pereira
  • Lingard
  • Sanchez
Fred, Matic, Bailly aren't exactly certs to stay here past summer 2022 either. Same with De Gea and Pogba. There's always going to be constant turnover, but for another couple of summers ours will still be pretty major I'd say.
 

UNITED ACADEMY

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I would say you can negotiate Lingard for £25m, we would be mad to sell anything cheaper.

Just have a look at the fees paid. Iwobi, Perez, Joelinton, Solanke, Haller and alot more.

Lingard is a good player. .

Rojo is probably going to stay in Argentina.

Jones and Perreira we should be happy with anything we get.

Sanchez - Here is me hoping his post lockdown form has convinced Inter to sign him
If Lingard is around Iwobi & Solanke age, 25m would have been possible.

If Lingard this season or last season did something what Perez & Haller did last season, 25m would have been possible.

We’ll be lucky enough to find a buyer who wants to pay 25m on 27 or 28 years old attacking mid who only has 2 league goals and 0 assist for a year and half especially in covid 19.
 

sp_107

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I wonder how come Chelsea/ Spurs get/keep top players for around 150K a week?

I think near 300K to Pogba and 350K to DeGea per week is way too much No need to mention 100K for Jesse.

This will not only increase the difficulty of offloading if they fail here but also increases the devide between team mates.

Hope we can bring that lady(Chelsea Director) for few weeks on a percentage and give Jesse//Alexis /Mata/Perrera/Smalling/Rojo/Jones/Dalot to her, I am sure she can bring 150M plus for this lot by the way she operates.

Imagine how much she can bring in for Pogba, Henderson, Fred in case we want to sell them.
 

Focusmate

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In the current covid world with no guarantee on future gate receipts, unfortunately, most of these players are worth zip unless we get lucky.
when Phil Jones is on 120k + per week we will do well to get the wages off our books. Look for a 10m + fee and he wont be going anywhere
 
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Ollie Derbyshire

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If Lingard is around Iwobi & Solanke age, 25m would have been possible.

If Lingard this season or last season did something what Perez & Haller did last season, 25m would have been possible.

We’ll be lucky enough to find a buyer who wants to pay 25m on 27 or 28 years old attacking mid who only has 2 league goals and 0 assist for a year and half especially in covid 19.
Lingard has been poor but come on, these ‘comparable’ players are awful as well.

The only reason we’ll not get good money for Lingard is that we always sell players for cheap to get them off the wage bill and free up a squad player. Apart from Lukaku and Di Maria (?) we hold onto squad players far to long and only look at selling after a long time of under performing or injuries.
 

MrBrightside1989

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I think lingard will stay for another season. I don't know why but just can't see him leaving yet.
 

UNITED ACADEMY

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Lingard has been poor but come on, these ‘comparable’ players are awful as well.

The only reason we’ll not get good money for Lingard is that we always sell players for cheap to get them off the wage bill and free up a squad player. Apart from Lukaku and Di Maria (?) we hold onto squad players far to long and only look at selling after a long time of under performing or injuries.
Players like Perez & Haller did well last season which earns their valuation and move. Iwobi & Solanke are still at young age compared to Lingard, the money the club spent was in consideration as part of long term investment, not worthy but that’s where they see it. What is the valuation of Lingard based on? There is nothing.
 
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Getting rid of the dross will be a signal to the remaining players the United is no longer a club where you can be shit, not play and still get bumper contracts.

Perform or leave.
 

Tom Cato

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When did we start to think that we would get money for Lingard? Seriously?
Why can't we? Matteo Darmian went for £3.6m and he wasnt even in the first team squad.

Lingards contract runs out 2021 but the club will most likely choose to extend it for another year to increase his transfer value. And before someone asks why would anyone pay money for Lingard?.. just... just don't, you're not actually being serious. Of course Jesse Lingard has monetary value to a PL or elsewhere club. Just stop with this absolute nonsense.
 

Mr Smith

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I'd just like to say that using the word "deadwood" to describe players that are still playing for us and who have, good enough or not, worked hard to contribute to our progress this season is highly disrespectful, and I wish both fans and press would cut it out.

Every time I see a thread like this it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
 

sp_107

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Yeah there's another big chunk between this summer and next summer. Said as much when Ole took over, but we'd have a big exodus over the next few windows (and its only delayed because we can't do it all at once).
  • Romero
  • Grant
  • Dalot
  • Jones
  • Rojo
  • Smalling
  • Mata
  • Pereira
  • Lingard
  • Sanchez
Fred, Matic, Bailly aren't exactly certs to stay here past summer 2022 either. Same with De Gea and Pogba. There's always going to be constant turnover, but for another couple of summers ours will still be pretty major I'd say.
These must GO
  • Grant
  • Dalot
  • Jones
  • Rojo
  • Smalling
  • Mata
  • Pereira
  • Lingard
  • Sanchez
Fred and Bailly should be reviewed, I would like to think someone like VanBeek replacing Fred but what I would know
 

dove

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I'd just like to say that using the word "deadwood" to describe players that are still playing for us and who have, good enough or not, worked hard to contribute to our progress this season is highly disrespectful, and I wish both fans and press would cut it out.

Every time I see a thread like this it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Can we call them dogshit then? Some of them really are.
 

Fosu-Mens

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Why can't we? Matteo Darmian went for £3.6m and he wasnt even in the first team squad.

Lingards contract runs out 2021 but the club will most likely choose to extend it for another year to increase his transfer value. And before someone asks why would anyone pay money for Lingard?.. just... just don't, you're not actually being serious. Of course Jesse Lingard has monetary value to a PL or elsewhere club. Just stop with this absolute nonsense.
We could very well get around £5m for him, but the £20m mark being mentioned here is what I disagree with and what I meant by getting money for him. Maybe I should have been more specific.

He cannot pass, control the ball etc. Is on a contract that can only be matched by Chinese clubs (where the transfer fees became heavily taxed 1 or 2 years ago) and most clubs in the EPL have started to scout more systematically. I struggle to see any clubs in the league that would pay good money for him.
 

davidmichael

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It’s constantly reported that Inter WANT Sanchez permanently so if it means letting him go on a free then so be it as it’s his wages that are the real problem, his wages are around £1.5 million a month so you’re looking at a saving of £18 million a year for a player who has zero future with us.

Same with Jones and Rojo as neither has a future so if someone is willing to take them on a free then let them as they add nothing to the squad and cost around £200K a week staying just to keep the physios busy, both would do a job at a mid table to lower end team.

Lingard and Pereira are tricky ones as I think one needs to stay to fill the squad out as we can’t clear all the dead wood in one go and be left with a squad of 15-16 players, it’s basically a coin toss based on the last year or so but I guess Lingard is the one you’d keep as he probably brings more at his best than Pereira and would be more accepting of a squad role seeing as his mates are at the club and he’s a local lad so sell Pereira for £10 million.

I always include Smalling in the list of people to sell but that’s more because it seems Ole wants to sell him rather than my opinion, I personally would keep Smalling and have him and Tuanzebe (if he can stay fit) as third and fourth choice behind Maguire and Lindelof but ahead of Bailly. What Smalling does well is the basics and is a good pure defender, he’s also very quick for a centre back which is what we really lack due to Tuanzebe’s injury filled season.

I’d keep Mata for the same reason as Lingard and that’s we need some squad fillers and he’s a decent person to turn too when you need an experienced head on the pitch late in a game to hold on to the ball. I’d sell Dalot and promote Laird as I don’t see what Dalot has at all that Laird can’t currently do and Laird is most likely here for the long term based on how highly he’s rated whereas Dalot has shown next to nothing despite Jose saying he was the best right back for his age in Europe.

So I think we can get rid of most of our dead wood AS LONG AS we don’t feck around all summer hanging out the Sancho deal over a few million. It’s achievable to move Dalot, Jones, Rojo, Pereira and Sanchez on although I’d be surprised if we got more than £25 million for the lot but then you’re looking at around £750K a week in wages that’s saved on top.
 

Ollie Derbyshire

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Players like Perez & Haller did well last season which earns their valuation and move. Iwobi & Solanke are still at young age compared to Lingard, the money the club spent was in consideration as part of long term investment, not worthy but that’s where they see it. What is the valuation of Lingard based on? There is nothing.
Lingard’s valuation would be based on more than what these other players have done, he’s had a terrible year but he’s still worth decent money, even in today’s market. A revived Lingard in Leicester’s team gets better stats than Perez (to be fair, just checked Perez’s stats and he’s not that bad) Everton and he gets better than Iwobi, I’m not even going to bother with Solanke or Haller. He’d improve at least 12 teams in the PL.

I’ve no idea what issues he’s had this year but before that he was a level above all of these types of players.

And I’m not even a Lingard fan specifically, I’m just not going to down play what he’s done before.
 
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UNITED ACADEMY

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Lingard’s valuation would be based on more than what these other players have done, he’s had a terrible year but he’s still worth decent money, even in today’s market. A revived Lingard in Leicester’s team gets better stats than Perez, Everton and he gets better than Iwobi, I’m not even going to bother with Solanke or Haller. He’d improve at least 12 teams in the PL.

I’ve no idea what issues he’s had this year but before that he was a level above all of these types of players.

And I’m not even a Lingard fan specifically, I’m just not going to down play what he’s done before.
A year and half with only 2 league goals. The last time he scored before that Leicester game was in 2018. Pretty much almost 2 years. That’s not more than what Perez & Haller done last season. His age isn’t considered as part of long term investment for young players development either like Iwobi & Solanke. ‘

We are talking about players on decline with very little time for improvement and development, that’s the reason why we will find it difficult to get that 25m from him.
 

Mr Smith

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Can we call them dogshit then? Some of them really are.
They're really not though. They're high standard professional footballers who just happen to not be good enough for one of the best clubs in the world, and it's the club's fault they're still hanging around, not their own.
 

Ollie Derbyshire

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A year and half with only 2 league goals. The last time he scored before that Leicester game was in 2018. Pretty much almost 2 years. That’s not more than what Perez & Haller done last season. His age isn’t considered as part of long term investment for young players development either like Iwobi & Solanke. ‘

We are talking about players on decline with very little time for improvement and development, that’s the reason why we will find it difficult to get that 25m from him.
He’s only 27 though right, plenty of teams will take a punt on him, I can see Newcastle, Everton or West Ham taking Lingard and Smalling for £40m for the pair. I’d be happy with that.
 

UNITED ACADEMY

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He’s only 27 though right, plenty of teams will take a punt on him, I can see Newcastle, Everton or West Ham taking Lingard and Smalling for £40m for the pair. I’d be happy with that.
27/28 should be age for attacking mid to already hit their best form and instead he’s on decline.
 

sammsky1

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Thought it was interesting that we'd be willing to take Smalling back.
I think it’s just brinksmanship with Roma, but like all threats it’s only valid if we are willing to go through with it if they don’t cave in.

I like Smalling and rate him as a defender, but he’ll really struggle with this playing out from the keeper tippy tappy Ole seems To be pursuing.

So I think he’ll end up at Roma for roughly what they are prepared to pay for him.
 

Al-T

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Smalling doesn't seem to be on OGS,s plans. Personally, I'd keep him ahead of Jones and Bailley because, whilst he is limited and his ability on the ball isn't great, he's quick and a solid CB.

Crucially, he's also now able to stay fit which puts him streets ahead of the other pair. Getting Jones' wages off the the books would be a start even if we had to let him go on a free. The clubs that might be prepared to take a punt on him, even with his appalling fitness record, won't be paying him £80k pw so a free might sweeten the deal.

But then, if you're Jones, what incentive is there to leave? It's not like he plays regularly anyway.
 

Cliche Guevara

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We sold goalkeeper Sam Johnstone to Championship team West Brom for £6.5m. He never played a game for us.

Some people are idiots and let their hatred of players blind their judgement.
 

E-mal

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We just need to make LVG the manager for august and this deadwoods will be gone.
Honestly though we dont sell at the right time. Fred should be sold this summer when his value is still high. We are pretty sure he is not getting in ahead of Matic and he needs games to get into form. Why not sell him and use his fee towrads getting a Partey for instance ?
Same goes for Bailly.


Whatever we get for Lingard, Jones, Sanchez, Rojo , Smalling and Pereria we should take it.
I'd personally loan Dalot to say a leeds or Fulham if they come up with a view to getting a decnet fee next summer. Lets use the loan system for our youngsters.