We need 3 new CMs. Who do we sign?

luke511

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Our current midfield (excluding 10s) consists of:

Casemiro
Mainoo
McTominay
Amrabat
Mejbri

Casemiro is apparently getting sold to Saudi Arabia, Amrabat will return to Fiorentina, McTominay is nowhere near good enough and desperately needs to be selling and question marks over Mejbri in that role too. This leaves us with Mainoo and maybe Mejbri. It's imperative we focus a lot of the budget on this position, who are the centre midfielders you'd like to see us sign if you were in charge of the money? Call it a budget of £120-150 million.
 
For the scouts in here. Find me someone who:

- Specialises in holding on to the ball and passing it on quickly (and precisely)
- Preferably hard to dribble or run past
- Is at most 26 years old
- Has played at least 2 full seasons in a top 6 league and done well in that time
- If he plays in France, Portugal, Germany or Italy then he must be one of the best central midfielders in the league
- If he plays in Spain or England then he can fly a little bit more under the radar, but his skills must be apparent
- No history of serious injuries
- Good attitude (this one is of course a bit hard to gauge)
 
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Jerry Puddleduck, 22 yo CDM at Frosinone looks a good prospect, who ticks a lot of boxes and has links to Manchester.
 
We need a new manager before we sign anyone else. He'll only burden us with more dross.
 
Two sitters and a linker. All must be comfortable on the ball.
 
Antony for me. He’s actually a defensive midfielder playing on the wing surely? Defends ok and plays off simple passes to his teammates, that’s what a defensive midfielder does right. Seeing as he offers nothing going forward.
 
GMoore23 said:
We need a new manager before we sign anyone else. He'll only burden us with more dross.
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Probably. We also a need management to oversee a new manager. Same management might burden us with another poor manager.
 
Casemiro / Mainoo
New CM / Eriksen
Fernandes / Mount

The situation always feels worse than it is after a defeat. This is made doubly so by three of the six slots above being filled by players who have been out injured for a long time. If we get those 5 players available consistently, while adding a powerful box-to-box midfielder as the 6th, we will see a marked improvement in performance across the entire team.

It doesn't seem likely we will be able to do this in January, however, unless we're able to command a significant fee for McTominay. If there's the hint of this possibility we should seize it with both hands. Ten Hag's obssession with Scott will probably prevent it though.
 
GMoore23 said:
We need a new manager before we sign anyone else. He'll only burden us with more dross.
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It's looking likely we'll have a new DOF, with transfer power taken away from the manager, by the time summer comes around.
 
AgentSmith said:
Casemiro / Mainoo
New CM / Eriksen
Fernandes / Mount

The situation always feels worse than it is after a defeat. This is made doubly so by three of the six slots above being filled by players who have been out injured for a long time. If we get those 5 players available consistently, while adding a powerful box-to-box midfielder as the 6th, we will see a marked improvement in performance across the entire team.

It doesn't seem likely we will be able to do this in January, however, unless we're able to command a significant fee for McTominay. If there's the hint of this possibility we should seize it with both hands. Ten Hag's obssession with Scott will probably prevent it though.
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It seems Casemiro is getting sold and Eriksen's lack of physicality rules him out of future plans too. Our midfield needs a complete rebuild.
 
Don't need 3. Also depends on what the targets are, and when we hope to achieve them. Given squad needs, I'd say a deep 2 of Casemiro and Mainoo to start with Eriksen and someone like Andre coming in to form the group is good short term. Then you replace Eriksen, with a squad player deep playmaker, and eventually replace Casemiro.

Or you sell Casemiro for bigger money and bring 2 in.
 
bosnian_red said:
Don't need 3. Also depends on what the targets are, and when we hope to achieve them. Given squad needs, I'd say a deep 2 of Casemiro and Mainoo to start with Eriksen and someone like Andre coming in to form the group is good short term. Then you replace Eriksen, with a squad player deep playmaker, and eventually replace Casemiro.

Or you sell Casemiro for bigger money and bring 2 in.
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We need 2 if Casemiro stays, we absolutely need 3 if he's sold. McTominay is awful and Eriksen's legs are hanging off.
 
Plenty of options there. Nothing will change if they don't fix the hierarchy mess. The tweet from Laurie is so embarrassing
 
We don’t need 3 CMs, need a manager who doesn’t expose them with terrible tactics game after game.
 
KeanoMagicHat said:
We don’t need 3 CMs, need a manager who doesn’t expose them with terrible tactics game after game.
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Assuming Casemiro is sold, do you think Mainoo, McTominay, Mejbri, Eriksen is good enough? I'd argue only 1 of them is, maybe 2 if Mejbri turns out to be useful as a cm.
 
luke511 said:
Assuming Casemiro is sold, do you think Mainoo, McTominay, Mejbri, Eriksen is good enough? I'd argue only 1 of them is, maybe 2 if Mejbri turns out to be useful as a cm.
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I don’t think Casemiro will be sold. There’s Mount too and Amrabat isn’t 100% done either. Need one more midfielder anyway for sure, possibly two. 3 is a bit excessive.
 
KeanoMagicHat said:
I don’t think Casemiro will be sold. There’s Mount too and Amrabat isn’t 100% done either. Need one more midfielder anyway for sure, possibly two. 3 is a bit excessive.
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I see Mount as a forward and Amrabat is back to Fiorentina in the summer. I'd be very surprised if we don't cash in on Casemiro at the earliest opportunity.
 
Have to say I like what I've seen of Joao Neves from Benfica. But would he be too young to bring in next to Mainoo ? He would also be expensive.
Don't watch as much international footy any more.
Palhina would help with legs and defensive qualities, but is he lacking a bit in possession ?
 
I’d keep Mainoo, Mount (because henonly just joined) and let Eriksen see out last year of his contract. Rest should all be sold and use money to start again. The midfield is a complete mess with players that have too many flaws.

It really shouldn’t be difficult if we get a new DOF to find better players.
 
luke511 said:
I see Mount as a forward and Amrabat is back to Fiorentina in the summer. I'd be very surprised if we don't cash in on Casemiro at the earliest opportunity.
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Mount should be where McTominay is in this set up.
 
Lash said:
Mount should be where McTominay is in this set up.
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He would be in place of Bruno, I don't think the two can play together in the same set up. He was a 10/wide forward for Chelsea.
 
luke511 said:
I really wish it was, the last name is incredible.
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Actually he's an imaginary anthropomorphic pig - last name stolen from Beatrix Potter - whose adventures kept the kids entertained. I don't think he ever played much sport or went to Italy but, here right now, he'd probably be a better bet for a starting slot than most of our midfield.

Desperate times: we need a huge clear-out that junks most of this squad - Onana, Bruno, and Rashford all need to go, along with whoever we can shift to the Saudi league. It's a 3-4 year project with massive implications for FFP and new signings. It needs to be done though. We're a horrible, horrible, team.
 
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Katy Cat said:
Actually he's an imaginary anthropomorphic pig - last name stolen from Beatrix Potter - whose adventures kept the kids entertained. I don't think he ever played much sport or went to Italy but, here right now, he'd probably be a better bet for a starting slot than most of our midfield.

Desperate times: we need a huge clear-out that junks most of this squad - Onana, Bruno, and Rashford all need to go, along with whoever we can shift to the Saudi league. It's 3-4 year project with massive implications for FFP and new signings. It needs to be done though. We're a horrible, horrible, team.
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Nice :lol:
 
Some are saying we don't need three CMs but I think we do.

Mainoo is the only midfielder we have who's good enough long term. Maybe Mejbri, too, but I'm less positive on him. I liked him for our youth teams but I can't say I was impressed with his loan last year or by his first team appearances this year. There are others in our academy like Gore who I like the look of but you can't really comment on them until you see them playing senior football.

We need to fill our team with players who have press resistant qualities. That means Casemiro, Bruno, McTominay, Eriksen and Mount all need selling. Obviously that isn't going to happen in one window but, still, we need to shift them all ASAP.

Then, on top of Mainoo who should be a rotation option, we need a 6, an 8 and, depending on the system, another 8 or a 10. All of them have to be strong under pressure. No more carrying lightweights.

The chances of us doing this are close to zero, though. Not only do we tend to keep hold of players for way too long, I've still yet to see any signs that we'll start prioritising the right type of players, so we could just end up replacing them with more lightweight, moments players. Plus, Bruno has kinda become the face of Man United.
 
Our midfield has been cursed for over a decade it doesn't matter who we sign they will turn to shit within 6 months
 
MiceOnMeth said:
Our midfield has been cursed for over a decade it doesn't matter who we sign they will turn to shit within 6 months
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Our side has been cursed for so long because of how shit a job we’ve done at building one. It’s a great opportunity to get it right this time around.
 
Need to follow arsenals lead and get young hungry players.

Who's the best under 26 CMs in the world ?

Probably no chance but

Valverde
Bennacer
Joao Neves - benfica
Vermeerner - Antwerp
Molerio - las palmas


We're not winning anything next 2 years so let's get some potential and hungry players.
 
Our current midfield could definitely use a ball winner with some experience, maybe even a few CL titles to their name. Another CL winner, this time more of an attacking player who had good returns for goal contributions and a good work rate and pressing intensity would also help. Maybe if we also had a really good distributor fit to play more than 20 minutes, who had a wealth of PL experience too.

Aside from adding those 3 midfielders to the squad, I'd also like to see us add to the backline. A defender who could take up the LCB position who was strong in the tackle and excellent at progressing the ball would lessen the burden on the midfield. I wouldn't mind some experience in this position - not a CL or anything, just a World Cup winners medal. Next to them, oh go on then, someone with multiple CL and a WC to boot - let's treat ourselves. Make that one more of a defender's defender for the sake of balance.

If those 5 additions can be made over the next month and we can get them all on song - big ask, I know - we might start looking a bit better.
 
didz said:
Our current midfield could definitely use a ball winner with some experience, maybe even a few CL titles to their name. Another CL winner, this time more of an attacking player who had good returns for goal contributions and a good work rate and pressing intensity would also help. Maybe if we also had a really good distributor fit to play more than 20 minutes, who had a wealth of PL experience too.

Aside from adding those 3 midfielders to the squad, I'd also like to see us add to the backline. A defender who could take up the LCB position who was strong in the tackle and excellent at progressing the ball would lessen the burden on the midfield. I wouldn't mind some experience in this position - not a CL or anything, just a World Cup winners medal. Next to them, oh go on then, someone with multiple CL and a WC to boot - let's treat ourselves. Make that one more of a defender's defender for the sake of balance.

If those 5 additions can be made over the next month and we can get them all on song - big ask, I know - we might start looking a bit better.
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Agreed. I think we’d do very well by adding a cheap striker like Guirassy in the January window, then 3 centre mids and a CB in the summer, along with Greenwood being brought back in the side as a striker. It would have a transformative effect as long as we recruit well.
 
Hugo Larsson will start to get a lot of mentions soon. He looks brilliant to me and is apparently doing really well since signing for Frankfurt in the Summer. There's quite a few promising Scandinavian central midfielders emerging right now - Sverre Nypan, Lucas Bergvall, Matt O'Riley etc.

I really like the look of Khéphren Thuram and feel like we miss that sort of dynamism.
 
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