So if you had to pick say only 4 of those positions as even with new ownership be surprised to see us sign SIXCM: De Jong / Enzo
Striker: Kane/Osimhen
RB: ? (Depends on AWB form)
CB: Maguire/Lindelof out, get a top CB in.
GK: Need a backup keeper, nothing major, keep DDG on lesser wages.
CM: I still think Tielemans on a free as I said in September, can play a host of roles offering rotation.
McT should be sold.
If you agree Varane and Martinez are the real deal and first choice, name a top CB who's going to go anywhere as a back up? Maguire is fine as a back upCM: De Jong / Enzo
Striker: Kane/Osimhen
RB: ? (Depends on AWB form)
CB: Maguire/Lindelof out, get a top CB in. (maybe back in for Timber)
GK: Need a backup keeper, nothing major, keep DDG on lesser wages.
CM: I still think Tielemans on a free as I said in September, can play a host of roles offering rotation.
McT should be sold.
What young striker do you have in mind out of interest?A proper understudy to Casemiro. Another who can play from in front of defence and can run and dribble. De Jong or similar. A WC CF and a young striker who can play from the wings as well as CF. Give Pellestri chances. Amad as well. Promote Mainoo. Do we need a goalie that badly? If we do the Brentford goalie looks good.
Sell Martial. Sell Mctom. Sell Maguire. All the deadwood who wont get a game anyway, and some that have come to the end of the contract, dont renew. Tuanzebe, Jones, Telles, Bailley etc. Unpopular opinion, but if Sancho doesnt come good this season, I would let him go. We have a load of wide men.
Thats the rub. If for example we signed Kane or another big name striker, I was hoping the scouts could find one for 20-30 mill, who would be happy to sit on the bench and cover Kane/a n other. Sesko is the right age, but if you sign him he would want to play and would you lay out 60 mill for a bench player? Someone like Rodrygo when RM signed from Brazil, but who isnt that well know and can develop.What young striker do you have in mind out of interest?
Could Thuram/Moukoko (what's his age) work?Thats the rub. If for example we signed Kane or another big name striker, I was hoping the scouts could find one for 20-30 mill, who would be happy to sit on the bench and cover Kane/a n other. Sesko is the right age, but if you sign him he would want to play and would you lay out 60 mill for a bench player? Someone like Rodrygo when RM signed from Brazil, but who isnt that well know and can develop.
I was thinking how we bought Chicarito over and he was happy to be on the bench and have odd games and minutes here and there. Same as Ole. If they been playing regularly in a big league like Germany, would they come to sit on the bench? Would you get them for 20-30 mill as well?Could Thuram/Moukoko (what's his age) work?
Maguire is not fine as back up. The shape of the whole team changes when he plays. Don’t be fooled by his past. Ten Haag does not want him. He would rather play Luke Shaw over Maguire.If you agree Varane and Martinez are the real deal and first choice, name a top CB who's going to go anywhere as a back up? Maguire is fine as a back up
GK - we just got Butland on loan, he'll cost buttons to buy
Tielemans is too lazy for ETH, he strolls around at Leicester
Also, I don't see him being okay with being simply a backup.Maguire is not fine as back up. The shape of the whole team changes when he plays. Don’t be fooled by his past. Ten Haag does not want him. He would rather play Luke Shaw over Maguire.
Would swap last one for back up CDM,in terms of free options could look atKane
De Jong
Back up CAM
1 or 2 free options.
Should be a simple summer
I honestly think longer than most people expectThis has now become a tougher question.
Suddenly we have a very good defence, a great keeper and strong midfield. We have squad players who looked rubbish suddenly looking like strong back ups, Fred, AWB are the two who spring to mind.
We need more goals, can they come from the talent we already have? We need a striker.
If we got some money from a takeover I’d take Kane and Bellingham. I do wonder how much longer Kane has at the top though.
Kane & ThuramI think we need two strikers Martial and The lanky lad ( and he will be gone ) are our only real Strikers . A CM and another GK . Unlikely all to happen in summer
I had Rabiot and Pavard in mind. But realised Pavard is the summer after.Would swap last one for back up CDM,in terms of free options could look at
Tielemans & N'dicka (AM & CB)
N'dicka & Thuram (CB & CF)
What do you think to those?
I like the little caveat about this being what we need for a team to challenge now. We have to take advantage of Rapha & CasaRobert Sanchez
Dalot Varane Martinez Shaw
Casemiro Kovačić
Antony Bruno Rashford
Kane
Three signings within a budget of ~£200m with some players sold to raise our financial position. A team capable of challenging for both EPL and CL. And before judging on the average age of the team, this is what I think when it comes to "what do we still need", so what do we need to challenge for a title now, not in the future.
Evan Ferguson anybody? (he just scored again).What young striker do you have in mind out of interest?
?3 down the spine. CF, Midfielder and centre back.
Martial cannot stay fit,get Thuram for £10mKaneSubs: Butland, AWB, Malacia, Maguire, Fred, Eriksen, Sancho, Garnacho, Martial
Rashford Bruno Antony
De Jong Casemiro
Shaw Martinez Varane Dalot
De Gea
I would add Caicedo to those names and Timber maybe for centre back?
De Jong/Fernandez
Kane/Osimhen
Caicedo will go to Chelsea,we should have took him before he went to Brighton for peanutsI would add Caicedo to those names and Timber maybe for centre back
He's played Luke Shaw over Martinez. Does he not want him either?Maguire is not fine as back up. The shape of the whole team changes when he plays. Don’t be fooled by his past. Ten Haag does not want him. He would rather play Luke Shaw over Maguire.
He looks fantastic. Size and strength for his age is something else. Lad can finish too. Incredible header yesterday.Evan Ferguson anybody? (he just scored again).
Certainly worth keeping an eye on. It's not often you see a player look as ready for Premier League level as he does at 18.Evan Ferguson anybody? (he just scored again).
Which targets have you got in mind for GK, ST and backup CDM out of interest. What about N'dicka at CB as free agent in the summerIn ideally world, we need a prolific striker that guarantees 20-30 goals a season in EPL alone… but at the same time suits ETH system…
As much as I love DDG, it’s time for us to get a proper keeper who is good with his feet and distribution….DDG is a fantastic shot stopper but not the keeper we need in this system
We need another world class midfielder, I would have loved to get De Jong….
We also need a Casemiro under study…
And finally, another world class defender who is strong, tall, quick …. Another Rio
With new owners and top 4, all of the above are attainable in one single window and we will have a world class team and ready to seriously challenge for the title…
We need to sell those who ain’t suited for our system or just not good enough e.g.…Maquire, Jones, Elanga,