What do we still need? Post Summer 2015 edition.

[Ole90+3]

I think we all need to take a step back and be more realistic. What do we need is pretty much as simple as this;

RW - speaks for itself. Top quality RW will transform us.
ST - someone to really challenge Rashford and help him develop. Not Ibra, he's too slow for the league.

The last one I believe depends on what happens with Blind. As much as we don't like to admit it, Blind is a great player and has amazing vision. If he stays as a CB;

CM - someone who can press and break up play. Dynamic, can take on a man and can pass.

Move Blind to CM where I think he'd be great? Then a CB, although I'd prefer to see TFM step up. He looks ready, besides a few mistakes (although I love his aggression).

Whose probably going?
Mata, Jones, Fellaini. I want to add Rooney but I'm trying to be realistic.

I think Ibra would be an awful signing too. Look at the difference Rashford has made to our attack - he makes it far more dynamic - and one of the main reasons for this is his pace.

We need a more established Rashford basically. Aubameyang or Kane would be the perfect signings but unattainable. Griezmann would be an ideal solution as well - play him mainly as #10 but he can fill in nicely as a #9. Take a punt on Ighalo or Leigh Griffiths?

Arkadiusz Milik has been brilliant everytime I've seen him as well. Maybe an option.

 

[Mani]

Go all out for Greizmann, firstly. He's the biggest no-brainer of a signing that there's been in ages. He's a United fan, and young enough to be able to do without CL football for one season. He's also the best footballer around not at a club that pays huge salaries. Also, he's not a winger as some have posted here. He's far far more suited to being a #10/second striker. Basically he replaces Mata/Lingard/Rooney/Fellaini in that central attacking role.

For ST and RW, I'd go for Ibra, and Dembele/Sane.

As for the other positions, I believe they aren't as big a priority but if we do sign players then,

CB - Giminez is the best young CB presently of the ones I've seen (no idea why he'd move though). Otherwise someone cheaper, older and less expensive. I've heard Manolas at Roma is good.
CM - Saul (in addition to Sanchez it appears, Carrick and Fellaini to go probably)

Can anyone think of a potentially top class attacking right back who is not at a big club? Darmian looks like he could become a Heinze-type solid fullback, but we could do with a bigger threat in attack.

I don't think we can get all three from A.Madrid, but Greizmann is attainable for right price and he would be great addition to our current squad.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

I don't think we can get all three from A.Madrid, but Greizmann is attainable for right price and he would be great addition to our current squad.

Yeah, the last two were mostly afterthoughts. The first three are key IMO. With regards to Saul, I think he has a complicated ownership/rights situation. But if he's available for a decent fee, he's well worth it. Very very good player.

 

[Mani]

If Jose takes over next season then it should Greizmann/Ibra and Stones, i'm not sure who he's looking for MF.

Yeah, the last two were mostly afterthoughts. The first three are key IMO. With regards to Saul, I think he has a complicated ownership/rights situation. But if he's available for a decent fee, he's well worth it. Very very good player.

I like Saul, when we first linked with him i thought that he's would never leave A.Madrid, but i never knew he had ownership issues.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

If Jose takes over next season then it should Greizmann/Ibra and Stones, i'm not sure who he's looking for MF.



I like Saul, when we first linked with him i thought that he's would never leave A.Madrid, but i never knew he had ownership issues.

Not enough IMO. We'd still need more pace down the flanks. Minimum one, but ideally two wingers injecting pace.

Ibra and Grizmann are the perfect solutions for our SS/#10+#9 woes.

 

[bucky]

Not enough IMO. We'd still need more pace down the flanks. Minimum one, but ideally two wingers injecting pace.

Ibra and Grizmann are the perfect solutions for our SS/#10+#9 woes.

In this scenario, where does Rooney fit in? I can't see him leaving or being sold just yet.

 

[Von Mistelroum]

We still need a midfielder to replace Fellaini (who should be on his bike, but won't be because Van Gaal loves him) and our ageing midfielders, Carrick and Schweinsteiger who won't be able to play every game by any stretch. We could also do with another winger for the right side, and I believe we'll need a GK too, as De Gea will surely want out.

We have to be realistic though, with our current trajectory and manager, coupled with the sheer amount of clubs with money and PL places who'll also be after players. We should try to tie up Renato Sanches quickly and then go for someone like Mane. I'd have said Mahrez, but he's qualified for the CL with Leicester so I can't imagine he'd want to miss out on playing there. I'd love Greizmann of course, but there's no chance of that happening now.

We'd do well to get the swap deal from last season for De Gea to soften that blow too.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

In this scenario, where does Rooney fit in? I can't see him leaving or being sold just yet.

Rotates in whichever position has become his new favorite by then.

Griezmann is a central player who likes to drift but within a narrow spectrum. Playing him as a RW will be another great player played out of position. If we want Griezmann we have to give him the central role.

 

[Bwuk]

De Gea
Fosu-Mensah - Smalling - Blind - Shaw
Kante - Morgan
Mahrez - Rooney - Martial
Griezmann

Since we won't punt Rooney... ​

 

[Igor Drefljak]

Whats the chance of Varane?
Pepe seems to be ahead in the pecking. Mourinho and Varane like each other. There is potential there.

 

[Igor Drefljak]

De Gea
Fosu-Mensah - Smalling - Blind - Shaw
Kante - Morgan
Mahrez - Rooney - Martial
Griezmann

Since we won't punt Rooney... ​

Teams great to be fair. I'd prefer somebody to Blind to be honest, and I do think Darmian is a JM type defensive RB.
One annoyance right now is, the number 10 role which Rooney occupies could be filled quite easily this season. It seems quite a few are available. Gotze, Isco, James and probably a few more. Even Kroos would be great as a more creative options in CM besides Kante

 

[An Irish Red]

I'd like to see us bring in Griezmann, Dembele and a number ten while getting rid of Rooney and keeping Martial out on the left.

I think Lukaku and Mahrez are nailed on though.

 

[Fer]

Whay about signing some french players. There's a lot of quality like Laporte, Kante, Dembele, Griezmann and Lacazette. Pogba and Varane would be good but they are unrealistic.

There are also good German players that could be available sucheck as Kroos, Gundogan, Sane, Gotze and even Reus. I guess Hummels will go to Bayern.

Unfortunately, I can see us signing Stones and some Mendes players.

 

[bucky]

Rotates in whichever position has become his new favorite by then.

Griezmann is a central player who likes to drift but within a narrow spectrum. Playing him as a RW will be another great player played out of position. If we want Griezmann we have to give him the central role.

I don't think you are wrong, but as long as Rooney is at the club, I can't see him as player that's in and out of the team. He either plays or is being sold. I prefer the latter, but I don't think it will happen just yet. Which would mean that Griezmann, if we sign him, would have to play wide or out of position.

 

[Antisocial]

So plenty of calls tonight for a player with a Roy Keane attitude of fight and leadership to be added to the current squad - any suggestions?

I'm struggling to come-up with many of the required (or at least desired) quality to bring in - Keane seems very much to have been a one-off, but big characters just seem to be few and far between these days.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

After witnessing how West Ham tortured us in the air today. I can get why we stopped chasing Renato Sanches. Shit just got real: this team is too short apart from Smalling and Fella ini in outfield positions! We need to add to it a ball playing height merchant at the back, a combative nidfielder with height and skill to replace Carrick, a tall powerful and pacey striker plus a wide attacker with height......

 

[Fer]

If Rooney is going to play as #10, with Mata, Herrera, Pereira, Januzaj and Lingard able to cover that position. We would need a defender, midfielder, right winger and a striker to rotate with Rashford.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

ST, RW, CM(s), CB

 

[Charlie Foley]

Ed Woodward to literally every player this summer.

 

[Bwuk]

Been sat thinking about it, and we need a leader. Rooney is meant to be ours, but he just isn't a captain.

Look a Leicester. They are a team full of leadership, Morgan, Vardy, Huth. They have a never give up attitude and work there arse off and it effects the rest of the team.

We are spineless. Smalling/Carrick are our vice captains, neither of whom are exactly captain material. Smalling looks like he needs someone to lead him at the back ffs.

I think a lack of passion throughout the team and management shows, no way would someone like Simeone let his players be wimps like ours are at times.

 

[RedorDead21]

So plenty of calls tonight for a player with a Roy Keane attitude of fight and leadership to be added to the current squad - any suggestions?

I'm struggling to come-up with many of the required (or at least desired) quality to bring in - Keane seems very much to have been a one-off, but big characters just seem to be few and far between these days.

Vidal.

 

[RedorDead21]

we need to go all out this summer and spend whatever is necessary to land 3-4 nailed on world class players.

Striker - Ideally Lewandowski or Muller from Bayern
Wide players - Sanchez from Arsenal or Mayrez
Midfielders - Kante, Lassana Diarra, Kroos, Koke, Saul, Vidal, Pogba
Defenders - Varane or Varane

We need to clear out 3-4 of the senior players thus keeping a thin squad and promoting youth which is the only plus from this season.

Rooney, carrick, young, jones, rojo.....

 

[shamans]

Goes without saying, we need a new manager. I still think this team has a lot of quality but has just been mismanaged.

Sell Rojo, Valencia, Herrera. Decide on Martial as our new striker or buy another one if he's to be on the wings.

 

[bucky]

we need to go all out this summer and spend whatever is necessary to land 3-4 nailed on world class players.

Striker - Ideally Lewandowski or Muller from Bayern
Wide players - Sanchez from Arsenal or Mayrez
Midfielders - Kante, Lassana Diarra, Kroos, Koke, Saul, Vidal, Pogba
Defenders - Varane or Varane

We need to clear out 3-4 of the senior players thus keeping a thin squad and promoting youth which is the only plus from this season.

Rooney, carrick, young, jones, rojo.....

Mahrez, Diarra, Kante, Kroos and Saul might be the only ones gettable of that list.

 

[DarkXaero]

Who are the best & most realistic CB targets for us this summer? Maybe Stones, Mustafi, Sule? Struggling to think of any great CB prospects right now, not many great CBs around at the moment.

 

[bucky]

Who are the best & most realistic CB targets for us this summer? Maybe Stones, Mustafi, Sule? Struggling to think of any great CB prospects right now, not many great CBs around at the moment.

Umtiti, Diego Reyes, Manolas, Koulibaly possibly.

 

[RedorDead21]

Mahrez, Diarra, Kante, Kroos and Saul might be the only ones gettable of that list.

I'll call that the best transfer window in our history.

 

[Dong Fangzhuo]

I'll call that the best transfer window in our history.

Idk, 4 CM's seems like overkill

 

[RedorDead21]

Idk, 4 CM's seems like overkill

Not to me we don't have any that good. I'd lose Carrick and Rooney....

 

[YouOnlyLiveTwice]

In:

CB: Kalidou Koulibaly
CM: Radja Nainggolan
RW: Riyad Mahrez
CF: Gonzalo Higuain

First Team:

Higuain
Martial Mata Mahrez
Morgan Naingo
Shaw Koulibaly Smalling Damo
DDG

Second Team:

Rashford
Depay Fellaini Herrera Adnan
Blind
CBJ Marco Jones TFM
Sergio
​

Out: Varela, Valencia, Carrick, Schweinsteiger, Powell, Young, Rooney, Keane

Johnstone, Pereira, Lingard and Wilson can stay as squad players.

​

 

[Riz]

In my opinion there are 4 positions we absolutely have to recruit and then a few that we could possibly improve.

Centre back: I like Blind there and in certain matches I'd hope he does start but moving forwards I think we need a proper partner for Smalling. It needs to be someone who compensates for Smalling's deficiencies, namely distribution but preferably with a bit more athleticism than Blind.

Centre mid: Carrick will be 35 soon, Bastian just can't stay fit and Schneiderlin and Herrera have both underwhelmed this season. I have faith the latter 2 can improve massively next season but we still need to add someone else. I think a deep lying playmaker is what we need.

Right wing: If we could take some pressure off Martial on the left by actually having a functioning attack on the right then we'd see a vast improvement in our offence. It needs to be someone adept at dribbling and/or fast as Martial is the only player in our entire squad who's consistently been able to take his man on.

Striker: I'm a bit on the fence with Rashford. I do really like the boy so maybe a stop gap should be brought in to ease the burden on him or alternatively we just simply bring in whatever striker we want and rotate Rashford in when possible. Whatever option, we need another forward.

I think there could also be argument for improving the right back and #10 position but I don't think these are as urgent as the positions listed above.

 

[YouOnlyLiveTwice]

I would like a deep lying playmaker too in the mould of Modric/Gundogan, but there isn't any available.
2 box to box players in Schneiderlin and Nainggolan could work under Mourinho, they are both good passers and we are not going to dominate possession in every match.

I agree right back and #10 position could use an upgrade, but we can't do it all in one window and 4 players from top shelf is going to be very expensive.

I'm not 100% sure we should get rid of Carrick, he still could be a very good squad player if he isn't played twice a week. But of course you can see that age is affecting his play, so maybe it is for the better if he moves on.

 

[paulscholes18]

Mahrez
Kante
Zlatan
Aurier
Koulibaly

January would hurt us a bit with Mahrez, Aurier & Koulibaly on ACN duty

 

[DarkXaero]

In:

CB: Kalidou Koulibaly
CM: Radja Nainggolan
RW: Riyad Mahrez
CF: Gonzalo Higuain

First Team:

Higuain
Martial Mata Mahrez
Morgan Naingo
Shaw Koulibaly Smalling Damo
DDG

Second Team:

Rashford
Depay Fellaini Herrera Adnan
Blind
CBJ Marco Jones TFM
Sergio
​

Out: Varela, Valencia, Carrick, Schweinsteiger, Powell, Young, Rooney, Keane

Johnstone, Pereira, Lingard and Wilson can stay as squad players.

​

Isn't Nainggolan going to Chelsea?

 

[YouOnlyLiveTwice]

Isn't Nainggolan going to Chelsea?

They have already had a 23m bid rejected, so yeah, it looks like Chelsea want him.

Maybe Andre Gomes is our target, we have been linked quite alot to him. It's an interesting choice since has not had the best season, but you can clearly see the potential with him.

 

[reddevilz007]

First off, LVG needs to be sacked. Although it comes from the media, seems like new players will only come if a new manager is in place. I can understand that, given the way we've been playing for the past two seasons.

 

[Fer]

Griezmann should be our priority. However, he doesn't play as a winger. His best position striker, do you think we would be more effective in a 442?

The new CB, CM, RW and LW are just examples.

De Gea
Darmian - Smalling - Koulibaly - Shaw
Mahrez - Schneiderlin - Kroos - Sane
Griezmann - Martial
​

Assuming we sign Griezmann, do you prefer to play him in a 442 or wide in a 433?

 

[dichinero]

Is it just me or does anyone else find it strange that people have unofficially converted TFM to a FB? We have young player who could potentially be one of the best CB/DM in world football in a few years time and we just decide that he is better off at FB. It seems a very United thing to do these days. Get a promising CB and convert them into a FB, which always has e damning effect in their overall potential like Jones, Smalling, McNair.

If we need a FB, then let's get a FB. Let's stop fixing players into positions that are unnatural to them. I'd rather TFM become a top CB/DM than an average FB in the future!

 

[limerickcitykid]

Is it just me or does anyone else find it strange that people have unofficially converted TFM to a FB? We have young player who could potentially be one of the best CB/DM in world football in a few years time and we just decide that he is better off at FB. It seems a very United thing to do these days. Get a promising CB and convert them into a FB, which always has e damning effect in their overall potential like Jones, Smalling, McNair.

If we need a FB, then let's get a FB. Let's stop fixing players into positions that are unnatural to them. I'd rather TFM become a top CB/DM than an average FB in the future!

There is nothing to prove it had a damning effect on Jones, Smalling, or McNair. Jones' problem is injuries. It can easily be argued that Smalling's time at RB has helped him become the CB he is today, especially for the amount of times he goes wide to sweep up. He also had injuries. McNair just isn't good enough, RB or not, he also has only played RB 5 times, 3 of which were 45 minutes or less. Lets not go trying to say that is why he isn't good enough.

And why can't he become a top RB? You're completely writing off his ability to play as a fullback based on what? I agree he is better at CB/DM but there is nothing to show he can only be an average RB and there is nothing wrong with him currently playing RB to get experience.

 

[dichinero]

There is nothing to prove it had a damning effect on Jones, Smalling, or McNair. Jones' problem is injuries. It can easily be argued that Smalling's time at RB has helped him become the CB he is today, especially for the amount of times he goes wide to sweep up. He also had injuries. McNair just isn't good enough, RB or not, he also has only played RB 5 times, 3 of which were 45 minutes or less. Lets not go trying to say that is why he isn't good enough.

And why can't he become a top RB? You're completely writing off his ability to play as a fullback based on what? I agree he is better at CB/DM but there is nothing to show he can only be an average RB and there is nothing wrong with him currently playing RB to get experience.

I am not writing him off at all but I doubt shoehorning a player about or doing a "Rooney" as I call it so often does wonders for a player ability to master a role except in the development stages of a player. Moving a player about is usually an emergency call or they have actually nailed their natural roles at CB and bring their experience in to the secondary role of FB but it doesn't seem to be the case at United. At one point, one could not tell if Jones was a RB or CB or DM. Even Lahm had to be a master at one before exploring other roles. I've seen people say that TFM, is our future RB, some at LB meanwhile we brought him in as central player where I believe his maximum potential lies.

I'm not saying that I know what the coaching staff, it's just a concern that he might end up being a jack of all trades. In the last 10 years or so, Rio and Vidic are the only CBs that haven't been moved about bar one game with Rio at DM . Consistency is key!