What do we still need? Aka The never ending story

[croadyman]

We are now 5 days from the start of the season and still need another CB, a RWB, a LWB, 2 DM's, and a 20 goal a season striker if we are to challenge on all fronts this season.

Best prepare yourself for absolute maximum of CB, RWB, and 1 DM, so who is this 20 goal a season striker we can afford then?

 

[RedRocket9908]

Best prepare yourself for absolute maximum of CB, RWB, and 1 DM, so who is this 20 goal a season striker we can afford then?

I dont know who we can afford as I dont now how much money is available but there are few out there with names like Ivan Toney and Victor Goyokeres being mentioned

 

[daba]

With a pinch of optimism, I think we can go some way to completing the rebuild next summer with 4 or 5 signings. This is assuming we manage to get Mazraoui, De Ligt and Ugarte over the line this window. A year from now, potentially we could be looking at something like this:

Onana
Bayindir
Heaton/Someone else

Shaw
Amass
Martinez
Branthwaite
De Ligt
Yoro
Dalot
Mazraoui

Wharton
Ugarte
Mainoo
Collyer/New CM
Fernandes
Mount

N. Williams
Garnacho
Amad
Lacey/New winger

Højlund
Zirkzee
Obi-Martin
Wheatley

This would put us in a position where for the forseeable, we would only need to make small adjustments here and there each window.

If Onana has another dodgy season I’d like to see us bringing Kovar back on his buy-back clause next summer.

It’ll be interesting to see how Branthwaite does this year but I don’t see him getting any cheaper unless he underperforms. Prefer us to take a look at Jorrel Hato at Ajax for that LCB/LB player.

Wharton could be very interesting for us to look at. One to watch this season as he has the exact profile we should be looking at and he’s English.

Personally I don’t think Nico Williams is too realistic, as I expect him to stay in Spain if he does move, plus I could see Rashford upping his game this year. For the other New Winger though, I’d be keeping an eye on Roony Bardghji at Kobenhaven when he comes back from his injury, would be cheap and very high potential.

Nice to see our squad start to shake up though. This time next year we should be starting to get confident about challenging hopefully.

 

[Remember the geese]

If Onana has another dodgy season I’d like to see us bringing Kovar back on his buy-back clause next summer.

It’ll be interesting to see how Branthwaite does this year but I don’t see him getting any cheaper unless he underperforms. Prefer us to take a look at Jorrel Hato at Ajax for that LCB/LB player.

Wharton could be very interesting for us to look at. One to watch this season as he has the exact profile we should be looking at and he’s English.

Personally I don’t think Nico Williams is too realistic, as I expect him to stay in Spain if he does move, plus I could see Rashford upping his game this year. For the other New Winger though, I’d be keeping an eye on Roony Bardghji at Kobenhaven when he comes back from his injury, would be cheap and very high potential.

Nice to see our squad start to shake up though. This time next year we should be starting to get confident about challenging hopefully.

I'm open to Kovar returning. Alternatively, I'd be keeping an eye on Diogo Costa/Mamardashvili, though both would be expensive.

I'm not massively sold on Branthwaite, particularly for the reported fee. I only really included him due to the confirmed interest.

I have zero faith in Rashford, though my mention of Williams was purely due to a lack of knowledge on my part regarding semi-realistic top level wide players. It might be a bit too soon for Lacey, but if Garnacho moves back over to the left then we definitely need a second option with Amad. Antony and Sancho are not for me.

Yes, it looks a bit more encouraging seeing it all mapped out like this. Just hope we can get our targets in during the remainder of this and next summer's window, whilst hopefully seeing tactical improvements in terms of control and our ability to swarm the opposition/sustaining attacks.

 

[Irwin99]

We are now 5 days from the start of the season and still need another CB, a RWB, a LWB, 2 DM's, and a 20 goal a season striker if we are to challenge on all fronts this season.

2 DMs, a LWB and another striker is not going to happen sadly. The left back situation is dependent on Shaw being fit, which is always very risky, but mazraoui, like Dalot, can apparently play on both sides and Amass will be used more often (also have Malacia back soon...surely his luck must be changing now?). The Europa League is far less intensive than the champions league so i think Amass will get a lot of experience.

CB looks like it's going to be De Ligt. DM will probably be either Ugarte or Rabiot, i'd be shocked if we got both.

If all that happens I don't think that's a bad summer and i'm reasonably confident we can do well, providing we don't get hit by injuries. Players like Amad and Mount played only 12 and 20 games last season, which surely can't happen again.

 

[RedRocket9908]

2 DMs, a LWB and another striker is not going to happen sadly. The left back situation is dependent on Shaw being fit, which is always very risky, but mazraoui, like Dalot, can apparently play on both sides and Amass will be used more often (also have Malacia back soon...surely his luck must be changing now?). The Europa League is far less intensive than the champions league so i think Amass will get a lot of experience.

CB looks like it's going to be De Ligt. DM will probably be either Ugarte or Rabiot, i'd be shocked if we got both.

If all that happens I don't think that's a bad summer and i'm reasonably confident we can do well, providing we don't get hit by injuries. Players like Amad and Mount played only 12 and 20 games last season, which surely can't happen again.

The situation we are in is quite concerning as we are only 5 days from the start of the season and we have a squad thats paper thin, most of our best players havent played a minute of pre-season football so wont be fit and we have only signed 2 players one of whom is out for 3 months and one who will need a season to get up to speed with the league.

On top of the above Hojlund is out and Martial has gone so we have no striker available, we have only Casemiro to playin CM, and our only fit CB's are Maguire and the hopeless Lindelof so we are desperatley in need of re-enforcements before the Fulham game.

 

[Indigofink]

As things stand we really aren't in a good position for the season. We are actually weaker overall than at the same time a year ago with major problems through the spine of the team.
I am still hopeful though that by the close of the transfer window we will have moved another 4 or 5 players out and brought a similar amount in. Fingers crossed the season isn't ruined by then as a bad start is really difficult to recover from.

We desperately need at least another CB at starter level quality (e.g De Ligt) and maybe another as a loan.
We also then desperately need 2 CM's... a DM and a playmaker. It's a shame but Casemiro looks gone... he's a shadow of the player he was in the first season.

Then the other crucial position is striker... we can't rely on Hojlund for the season. Zirkzee looks to play in the deep lying support striker and Rashy can only really play out from the left on the counter so neither of these are the answer I don't think. I'd love to see Toney tbh as much for the energy and power he brings as anything. He would bring the best out of our other players.

Positives from preseason though are that Amass and Collyer are both players and should be part of the 1st team squad for the year. They have what it takes so let's develop them.
Mount and Sancho also looked really sharp too and are like having two new players. I'm expecting a lot from both of them this season. Then the biggest positive is the form of Amad... looks like he's on fire. Anthony has no chance getting gametime on the right as it stands. Personally I'd play him as a left wing back anyway... think he'd do a good job there.

Next few weeks look to be make or break. If we get players out and new ones in we'll be in good shape to push for top 4... if we don't though I think it will be another tough old season!

 

[Bwuk]

Hummels on a free anyone? He was very good for Dortmund in the CL. I also mean in addition to de Ligt.

Would allow us to cash in on Lindelof & Maguire, and I very much doubt he'd be on as much per week as we pay Lindelof, let alone Maguire.

Martinez, De Ligt, Yoro, Hummels & Evans as our options for CB would be a very strong set.

 

[daba]

I'm open to Kovar returning. Alternatively, I'd be keeping an eye on Diogo Costa/Mamardashvili, though both would be expensive.

I'm not massively sold on Branthwaite, particularly for the reported fee. I only really included him due to the confirmed interest.

I have zero faith in Rashford, though my mention of Williams was purely due to a lack of knowledge on my part regarding semi-realistic top level wide players. It might be a bit too soon for Lacey, but if Garnacho moves back over to the left then we definitely need a second option with Amad. Antony and Sancho are not for me.

Yes, it looks a bit more encouraging seeing it all mapped out like this. Just hope we can get our targets in during the remainder of this and next summer's window, whilst hopefully seeing tactical improvements in terms of control and our ability to swarm the opposition/sustaining attacks.

I think we’ll definitely get 3 more in (CB, RB, DM) before the window shuts, but ideally we’d need another DM/CM.

 

[bosskeano]

we still haven't really strengthened the squad if i'm being honest....had high hopes when it seemed like we were moving quickly on targets or multiple targets and now it's back to a slow crawl yet not one immediate starter has been bought and the one kid we bought who could have started is out for 3 months

we desperately need a starter in the CM being brought in and arguably another CM for depth rotation purposes

 

[jesperjaap]

It doesnt matter what we need if we cant move on players to fundit.no takers for Antony/Casemiro, low bids for Bissaka and McTominay, no conrete interest in Sancho so far, players like Maguire and Lindelof looking like they want to stay.

This is all aonsequence of the last decade,overpaying both in transfers and wages for average players orold players.....They dont want to go, nobody is that desperate to sign them.

In terms of signings though......we have hired a team of transfer gurus with a wealth of knowledge of players.....where is the evidence so far?

Any average fan knows all the players I expect we have been linked with and many again haveTen Hag links. I know its not the 90s what with the internet...but not seen a single concrete link I havet seen the player ,not one ooo interesting, he looks good.

Beyond Yoro, all good players but the signings and links, heis the only one excites me. May be not Ineos fault....but there is no progression so far.

We have signeda back up striker and replaced Varane long term.

Willget slaughtered.....but I still think, we should have been looking to sell Rashford and Fernandes this summer tobring in big money and thenoffloading others onthe cheapto fund wholesale changes....again, if there were takers

 

[dinostar77]

we still haven't really strengthened the squad if i'm being honest....had high hopes when it seemed like we were moving quickly on targets or multiple targets and now it's back to a slow crawl yet not one immediate starter has been bought and the one kid we bought who could have started is out for 3 months

we desperately need a starter in the CM being brought in and arguably another CM for depth rotation purposes

Its not for a lack of wanting to. Clubs hands are tied by FSR and PSR. We have to sell to generate funds to buy.

Selling AWB brings in Mazraoui.

Selling McT brings in a DM

Not sure who there is a market for to sell so we can bring in de ligt.

As much as we'd all want to sell Sancho, casemiro, Lindelof etc. we can't if there is no market for them at present.

 

[lex talionis]

We need to subject Onana to legitimate competition. Our keeper enjoyed the kid glove treatment last season and he was borderline abysmal, a steep dropoff from his predecessor.

 

[Craig Ward]

We need to subject Onana to legitimate competition. Our keeper enjoyed the kid glove treatment last season and he was borderline abysmal, a steep dropoff from his predecessor.

Comments like this wind me up.

De Gea had his moments for us - but the last 2-3 seasons he was error prone, unreliable and under par.

Onana was much better than people give him credit for. Look at the backline he had in front of him and the gaping holes in midfield. He endured a lot of pressure. Sure, he had his error's, but any keeper in the league that sustains as much pressure as ours will make errors.

People forgot how awful and stagnant De Gea had become

 

[zenith]

CB and DM + Amrabat. This should be the bare minimum we gotta be looking at. Else we are really asking for a disaster of a season

 

[Craig Ward]

What are we now, 8 or 9 days from the season beginning.

After a promising start - our transfer window looks to be quite stale and underwhelming.

I feel for the new ownership - they have inherited so much mess and years of poor management and decisions. It's a big ask for anyone to sort us out in a window. I totally get that our new model and new structure will take time and we will see a gradual improvement.

But the reality is we finished 8th last year, played some of the worst football we have in some time and the manager hung onto his job by a thread.

Outgoings are clearly the issue. We have such high wages and lack of desire from half of these cretins to move - it's painful. Maguire, Lindelof, McTom, AWB are my biggest issue with our outgoings - none of them have regular game time here yet none seem to want to budge. Beyond annoying.

Sancho and the manager's falling out has caused a huge dilemma there.

Casemiro i'm somewhat more relaxed on. He was a superstar when we signed him. We've overplayed him and played him as a sole DM in the hardest league in the world and the twilight of his career. Feel we have to own the bad judgement there to some degree.

Anthony has flopped. But seems difficult to ship out. Rashford too - abysmal season but where could he possibly go?

Unless we can ship the bulk of the deadwood we will struggle to improve. Financial restrictions are an issue and it's all a juggling act.

We could potentially line up with Maguire and Lindelof at the start of the season. That's so grim

 

[Nori-]

I've just seen a quote from Zirkzee saying he doesn't play as a 9, he sits further back, more of a "9.5".

Is that what we really need? Does anyone at the club actually check these things before we splash out 10s of millions?

I don't think there's ever been a club that consistently buy players for positions we don't need, like United do.

 

[Onerealunited]

Yoro replaces Varane. Zirkzee replaces Martial. We need a replacement for Amrabat and this should not depend on sales!!!

After this all other income should and could be to based on whoever of the following players we can sell / upgrade on: Lindelof, AWB, Malacia, McTominay, Hanibal, Pellistri, Sancho, Antony.

Maguire Malacia and Casemiro I do not see leaves. Hanibal, Pellistri, Sancho and Antony sales should not be used to replace the player 1:1 but instead use the funding to upgrade CB, DM/CM and/or RB/LB

 

[dinostar77]

Yoro replaces Varane. Zirkzee replaces Martial. We need a replacement for Amrabat and this should not depend on sales!!!

After this all other income should and could be to based on whoever of the following players we can sell / upgrade on: Lindelof, AWB, Malacia, McTominay, Hanibal, Pellistri, Sancho, Antony.

Maguire Malacia and Casemiro I do not see leaves. Hanibal, Pellistri, Sancho and Antony sales should not be used to replace the player 1:1 but instead use the funding to upgrade CB, DM/CM and/or RB/LB

Are you aware of PSR? Its tied the hands of all PL clubs. We need to sell in order to buy. End of.

All explained in this video

 

[UpWithRivers]

I've just seen a quote from Zirkzee saying he doesn't play as a 9, he sits further back, more of a "9.5".

Is that what we really need? Does anyone at the club actually check these things before we splash out 10s of millions?

I don't think there's ever been a club that consistently buy players for positions we don't need, like United do.

It was planned
HOJLUND 9
ZIRKSEE 9.5
BRUNO 10
MOUNT 10.5

BIG GAP







Mainoo

 

[lex talionis]

Comments like this wind me up.

De Gea had his moments for us - but the last 2-3 seasons he was error prone, unreliable and under par.

Onana was much better than people give him credit for. Look at the backline he had in front of him and the gaping holes in midfield. He endured a lot of pressure. Sure, he had his error's, but any keeper in the league that sustains as much pressure as ours will make errors.

People forgot how awful and stagnant De Gea had become

We’re all entitled to our opinions but Onana was a downgrade from De Gea last season. A keeper needs to be a shot stopper first, ball passer second. The mocking and abuse we all took from rival supporters is something I will never forget.

Can Onana improve? Yes. But if he does not improve this season we need to find a new keeper next season.

 

[RedRocket9908]

Are you aware of PSR? Its tied the hands of all PL clubs. We need to sell in order to buy. End of.

All explained in this video

Why do we need to sell to buy? We have one of the if not the highest turnover in the league and have spent only £25m so far this summer and spent nothing in January so we should still have plenty of money available to spend on players.

 

[The-Mezzala]

With the ugarte deal being off

Ins
Amrabat
Fofana
De Ligt
Mazraoui

Outs
Lindelof
Mctominey
AWB
Eriksen

Squad

GK Onanna , Altay, Heaton
RB Dalot, Mazraoui
CB Yoro, De Ligt , Martinez, Mgauire
LB Shaw , Amass , Malacia

CDM Amrabat, Casemiro
CM Fofana, Mainoo
CAM Bruno, Mount

RW Amad, Sancho , Antony
LW Garnacho, Rashford
ST Zirkzee, Hojlund

Ideally we offload Sancho or Antony. Personal preference Antony and maybe sign Toney. Not my dream window but best we can hope for atm. I would much prefer a Ugarte or Joao Gomes but with FFP its looking unlikely . If PSG did lower their demands we could get Raboit on a free instead of Fofana

 

[LawCharltonBest]

I can see what other clubs want to do and how they want to play through their targets.

It still feels like United are undecided what style of midfielder they even want. They’re so varied.

 

[Shiva87]

Why do we need to sell to buy? We have one of the if not the highest turnover in the league and have spent only £25m so far this summer and spent nothing in January so we should still have plenty of money available to spend on players.

Unless the amortisation on previous transfers makes the available budget only £ 25m.

Hojland, Antony, Casemiro, Maguire, AWB, Sancho are all big money buys which can’t be fit in easily in a team that finished 8th and didn’t make the money it should have made in it’s ordinary position (top 4) for a club that buys players of that pricing. There is a reason the lower finishing clubs don’t have that kind of money to spend (including Newcastle)

 

[dinostar77]

Why do we need to sell to buy? We have one of the if not the highest turnover in the league and have spent only £25m so far this summer and spent nothing in January so we should still have plenty of money available to spend on players.

Its all explained in the video. Or Google it. Its why we cant just spend money even if we have it. Breach PSR and you will be docked PL points like Everton and Forest last season.

 

[Senior Fusion]

With the ugarte deal being off

Ins
Amrabat
Fofana
De Ligt
Mazraoui

Outs
Lindelof
Mctominey
AWB
Eriksen

Squad

GK Onanna , Altay, Heaton
RB Dalot, Mazraoui
CB Yoro, De Ligt , Martinez, Mgauire
LB Shaw , Amass , Malacia

CDM Amrabat, Casemiro
CM Fofana, Mainoo
CAM Bruno, Mount

RW Amad, Sancho , Antony
LW Garnacho, Rashford
ST Zirkzee, Hojlund

Ideally we offload Sancho or Antony. Personally preference Antony and maybe sign Toney. Not my dream window but best we can hope for atm. I would much prefer a Ugarte or Joao Gomes but with FFP its looking unlikely . If PSG did lower their demands we could get Raboit on a free instead of Fofana

And next year bring Eberechi Eze in ( prob for Mount) and an experienced Striker ( toney?) and a RW ( instead of Antony )

 

[FerociousCorgis]

need at least a couple more shrewd signings, or dont even see us finishing as high as we did last season. No idea how we can somehow be weaker this close to the start of the season.

 

[RedRocket9908]

Its all explained in the video. Or Google it. Its why we cant just spend money even if we have it. Breach PSR and you will be docked PL points like Everton and Forest last season.

Well after Sir Jims takeover it wasnt it reported that with his investment in place we would be able to spend up to 400m this summer.

 

[dinostar77]

Well after Sir Jims takeover it wasnt it reported that with his investment in place we would be able to spend up to 400m this summer.

That obviously wasn't true. Not on players anyway. Infrastructure investment is outside of PSR. So maybe the money is earmarked towards improvements / upgrades to infrastructure i.e. training ground / stadium etc.

 

[RedRocket9908]

That obviously wasn't true. Not on players anyway. Infrastructure investment is outside of PSR. So maybe the money is earmarked towards improvements / upgrades to infrastructure i.e. training ground / stadium etc.

Swedish Rumble who regularly comments on our PSR situation reported that would be at least 300m available to spend this summer

 

[pascell]

I actually think we're done now for the summer, maybe a change in the RB position and that's it.

Its not the fault of ineos that we bought players like Sancho, Casemiro and Antony for such vast sums, which means we can't get rid of them at a fee that represents a healthy outlook on the balance sheets.

Top 4 is still going to have to be the bare minimum if we want to manoeuvre with more freedom in upcoming transfer windows.

 

[Michael T]

Well after Sir Jims takeover it wasnt it reported that with his investment in place we would be able to spend up to 400m this summer.

Misprint - it was up to £40.00 this summer - although we can use any Waitrose vouchers we have, too.

 

[FerociousCorgis]

I actually think we're done now for the summer, maybe a change in the RB position and that's it.

Its not the fault of ineos that we bought players like Sancho, Casemiro and Antony for such vast sums, which means we can't get rid of them at a fee that represents a healthy outlook on the balance sheets.

Top 4 is still going to have to be the bare minimum if we want to manoeuvre with more freedom in upcoming transfer windows.

if we are done id be incredibly surprised if we can scrape top 4. Somehow even more thin a squad than last season.

 

[The-Mezzala]

And next year bring Eberechi Eze in ( prob for Mount) and an experienced Striker ( toney?) and a RW ( instead of Antony )

I was thinking Doue if he doesn’t join Bayern for Mount, Wharton for Casemiro and New CB to replace Maguire. Right wing is tricky. If Amad breaks through this year we might only need a cheap back up. But Antony needs bining. Terrible attitude and underwhelming performances

 

[dinostar77]

Swedish Rumble who regularly comments on our PSR situation reported that would be at least 300m available to spend this summer

I presume the signings (if they all happen) that is zirkzee, yoro + de ligt + mazraoui + a DM plus their wages and agent fees will take 2/3rds of that money (I presume). I think that's all taken into account for PSR.

Obviously Swedish Rumble knows his stuff. Why the club are briefing they can't buy before they sell? Who knows.

 

[RedRocket9908]

if we are done id be incredibly surprised if we can scrape top 4. Somehow even more thin a squad than last season.

Yeah I think top 4 might be difficult with our current squad and manager, we still have no midfield and also have a worse defence than last year.

I think the reason we havent brought anyone else in since Yoro and Zirkzee is because the people in charge of the purse have a much tighter on the strings than the previous regime and not paying the high prices that we are being asked for.

 

[Woziak]

if we are done id be incredibly surprised if we can scrape top 4. Somehow even more thin a squad than last season.

It’s more than likely that we have two chances for CL, Europa Cup league and England should get the 5th CL merit place this season as it’s hard to believe English teams will be as poor in Europe, especially with Chelsea in the Conference League, and spurs and United in the Europa League. However even top 5 will be a huge challenge as 8 teams are fighting for those 5 spaces and 2 or 3 are basically a done deal already.

We’ve currently lost Varane, Martial and Amrabat but have gained Yoro, Zirkzee, but more importantly Amad, Martinez, Shaw, Mount all now fit and a far more mature version of Kobbie Mainoo.

Conclusion, providing we sign a decent CB like M De Ligt/ J Branthwaite, Upgrade our midfield with one of Ugarte/Rabiot/Foffana and trade in Sancho for a proven goal scorer like Ivan Toney than I see a huge improvement but only after a typical slow ETH start.

Ps even. If we keep Sancho and don’t buy another attacker like Toney, the club should have more than enough to make top 4/5 this season.

 

[George The Best]

What we really need: is the Glazer’s to at last put their hands in their pockets and throw in £250m. They’ve milked this club for so long and , thanks to SJR , have now picked up another fortune that the likes of us will never see. Time for them to give something back to this great club - not going to happen though with these barstewards.

 

[Robindinho]

I actually think we're done now for the summer, maybe Mya change in the RB position and that's it.

Its not the fault of ineos that we bought players like Sancho, Casemiro and Antony for such vast sums, which means we can't get rid of them at a fee that represents a healthy outlook on the balance sheets.

Top 4 is still going to have to be the bare minimum if we want to manoeuvre with more freedom in upcoming transfer windows.

If so... We're fecked.

For 3 months, our CB options are;

Martinez
Maguire
Lindelof
Evans
(Shaw maybe)

A lot relying on Martinez staying fit.

Midfield... Unbalanced as ever, even older legs in Casemiro/Eriksen. Too much reliance on Mainoo.

Minimum need another CB and a DM.