Which midfielder should we buy to give Pogba more freedom

[YouOnlyLiveTwice]

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So i think this is one of the most important areas to focus on in this or the next transfer window, and according to Castles, Mourinho want to get a midfielder in to give Pogba more freedom. This of course would mean that Ozil won't come here.

We have seen Pogba with more freedom lately, and it has certainly improved his performances, he also said that he prefers his current role more. But, we have looked a bit too open in midfield with Pogba in this new role, and in the bigger games we would probably be punished from a lack of balance.

Imo we need someone who can help Matic in the build up play, so that Pogba doesn't have to come deep all the time, while also being good defensively.

Pjanic would be the dream, but would probably be impossible to get him away from Juve.

Ruben Neves is another option. Apparently he is doing well in the Championship with Wolverhampton. Bit young, so maybe need he needs a year in the PL first to properly assess his level.

So who is out there that we can get and would fit the bill?

 

[Rozay]

This is the most important thing we will do this summer.

The reality, in my opinion, is Pogba or not, you need 3 in there anyway.

 

[Rozay]

To answer the question, it’s important to even decide on the profile of midfielder First. Do you want a passer like Kroos, more energy like a Wijnaldum etc.

The person needs to be an all rounder. Goretzka would have been ideal, but I’ve been a huge Kovacic fan since Inter, and I think Real would sell him. Amazing talent, can carry the ball and is very press resistant. He’s like a better Jack Wilshere.

 

[haram]

Would Real sell Kovacic? They would take the piss if we tried to sign him anyway.

 

[Devil may care]

I'm so glad to read this, all these 4-2-3-1 line-ups with Ozil as the #10 and Pogba deeper in midfield were doing my head in. We saw tonight that Pogba roamed free and bossed the attack, but look at how easily Stoke got through the center of us and they aren't even a good team. Matic needs more help, a CM that sits between him and Pogba.

If Sanchez happens we could really splash out on the CM, try for Pjanic, if not him Kovacic, after that there's Jorginho.

 

[haram]

I'm so glad to read this, all these 4-2-3-1 line-ups with Ozil as the #10 and Pogba deeper in midfield were doing my head in. We saw tonight that Pogba roamed free and bossed the attack, but look at how easily Stoke got through the center of us and they aren't even a good team. Matic needs more help, a CM that sits between him and Pogba.

If Sanchez happens we could really splash out on the CM, try for Pjanic, if not him Kovacic, after that there's Jorginho.

We can get away with it against Stoke at home and adjust the team for better opponents and away games.

 

[breakout67]

Doesn't matter because no one will see the transfer coming.

Pogba - supposed to go Madrid
Lukaku - supposed to go Chelsea
Matic - Chelsea reject do not want
Sanchez - supposed to go City

 

[Devil may care]

We can get away with it against Stoke at home and adjust the team for better opponents and away games.

We got away with it tonight but it's a pointless risk to take, Pogba is our creator, just look at his assists vs how many league games he's played. The CM must be absolutely top class and will want to play nearly every game, not rotate in for the big games here and there. If we do use the 4-2-3-1 then one of the extra attackers like Lingard or Mata come into the side.

 

[2E_MUFC]

Nainggolan would of been nice

 

[Camilo]

We need a quality footballer in there, end of! Not a defensive type, not an energetic type, a proper footballer. Someone who can split the opposition open - I think all 3 midfielders should be capable of that. No idea who that should be though!

I like Herrera, and he's a good player, but he's not ever going to be that game changing player.

Also (and on a side note) - if the bloody defense pushed up in games like today, a Pogba Ozil Matic midfield with pogba and ozil advanced would be excellent too.

 

[tomaldinho1]

We need to keep possession much better than we do - someone like Modric, Kroos - who could sit in and dictate, allow Pog to roam and then have matc behind them for when we lost the ball.

Those two are probably unrealistic but someone of that ilk would be perfect IMO. Iniesta is leaving apparently...

 

[Rozay]

Would Real sell Kovacic? They would take the piss if we tried to sign him anyway.

Real would sell anyone who isn’t a regular, as they seem to want to do to us every summer anyway.

He would probably also want to leave, I don’t think he’s started more than 4 league games, and I’d guess he earns crap money there too. He’d be my number one attainable target for the role personally. I shamefully posted on here while he was at Inter that I would perform a sex act on a random homeless man (if he was up for it of course!) if we signed him, and I’m as straight as an arrow!

 

[haram]

We got away with it tonight but it's a pointless risk to take, Pogba is our creator, just look at his assists vs how many league games he's played. The CM must be absolutely top class and will want to play nearly every game, not rotate in for the big games here and there. If we do use the 4-2-3-1 then one of the extra attackers like Lingard or Mata come into the side.

You have to remember we also have to rotate Matic... Pogba, Matic and the new CM cannot play every game.

If Sanchez was to sign we could still use him up front with Lukaku or on the right. If this new CM could play in a three and replace Pogba and Matic in the team it would be perfect.

 

[Lay]

Weigl?

 

[Dolf]

We need to keep possession much better than we do - someone like Modric, Kroos - who could sit in and dictate, allow Pog to roam and then have matc behind them for when we lost the ball.

Those two are probably unrealistic but someone of that ilk would be perfect IMO. Iniesta is leaving apparently...

Agree with this. While those are almost ungettable we need someone like them.
Matic for the defending, Pogba to roam freely upfront and a Modric type to dictate and control .

 

[Devil may care]

You have to remember we also have to rotate Matic... Pogba, Matic and the new CM cannot play every game.

When we rest Pogba that's when we can play 4-2-3-1 and use Lingard or Mata, Herrera covers the new CM and hopefully we bring in a young DM to understudy Matic and get some games when he needs resting.

 

[giorno]

This is just my opinion and probably way off the mark, but if PSG do us in CL, don't sleep on Kroos

...assuming you'd be willing of taking on his (current rate) £365k a week contract

 

[Samid]

Matic
Verratti - Pogba
Alexis - Dybala - Martial
​

Make it happen Woody you bald muppet

 

[Devil may care]

This is just my opinion and probably way off the mark, but if PSG do us in CL, don't sleep on Kroos

...assuming you'd be willing of taking on his (current rate) £365k a week contract

You think you'd sell Kroos before Modric and Kovacic?

 

[BenjaminP]

Pogba
Matic Kante

would be a good midfield 3.

 

[haram]

When we rest Pogba that's when we can play 4-2-3-1 and use Lingard or Mata, Herrera covers the new CM and hopefully we bring in a young DM to understudy Matic and get some games when he needs resting.

Mourinho said 3 signings, 2 if we get Sanchez this window. Along with a CM we need another fullback so I don’t think we will be signing another DM on top of that. Although, you never know.

 

[2E_MUFC]

Milinkovic-Savic would be a good
Shout I think

 

[Devil may care]

Mourinho said 3 signings, 2 if we get Sanchez this window. Along with a CM we need another fullback so I don’t think we will be signing another DM on top of that. Although, you never know.

The fact Sanchez will be so much cheaper than the players we were likely looking at for that position could have changed up what we do, as I don't see where the mega money signing is going to come from now, so it could mean an extra signing in that DM role, and we don't really know what will happen with the fullback situation, we all think we need one but Jose might be keeping Young and liking what he sees of TFM at Palace, he'll be weghing all that up.

 

[carvajal]

I would choose a passer, but a top one, Kroos or Verratti type. Comparing with City, they have a great variety of passes and quality in the midfield.
Someone like Xabi Alonso with Mourinho in Madrid, making that the play of the team is based on him and not if Pogba does this or that.
Personally I do not think Kovacic is exactly that profile, but I see that he has many followers.

 

[bond19821982]

Saul Niguez

If not him, an energetic box to box midfielder who can break the attacks. Peak Roy Keane or Fletcher .

Fred whom we have been scouting is a similar player I guess.

 

[haram]

The fact Sanchez will be so much cheaper than the players we were likely looking at for that position could have changed up what we do, as I don't see where the mega money signing is going to come from now, so it could mean an extra signing in that DM role, and we don't really know what will happen with the fullback situation, we all think we need one but Jose might be keeping Young and liking what he sees of TFM at Palace, he'll be weghing all that up.

Yeah, the Sanchez signing might change things. Im not sure if Mourinho will think TFM is ready and might just rotate Valencia with Young at RB to keep the attacking threat.

De gea
Valencia Jones Bailly Shaw
Kovacic Matic Pogba
Sanchez Lukaku Martial

That’s enough firepower up front and enough cover in midfield. We need an upgrade at LB. We have options if we play 3 at the back. Lingard, Rashford and Mata off the bench as well.

Looking at potential fees, Sandro would be around 60 million, Kovacic would be around 40 million im guessing. 35 million on Sanchez would have most of our budget used up. In terms of sales, I can only really see Darmian and Blind leaving in the summer.

 

[deafepl]

I would choose a passer, but a top one, Kroos or Verratti type. Comparing with City, they have a great variety of passes and quality in the midfield.
Someone like Xabi Alonso with Mourinho in Madrid, making that the play of the team is based on him and not if Pogba does this or that.
Personally I do not think Kovacic is exactly that profile, but I see that he has many followers.

Great, let's sign him for market commercial reasons.

 

[Invictus]

Some of the suggestions thus far are sound - Pjanić would be brilliant as the right sided central midfielder to liberate Pogba, Kovacić is more unpolished and not an accomplished passer yet but younger and dynamic, Kroos would be close to ideal in terms of the requisite skill set but fairly unrealistic as things stand, Verratti is unattainable. What we ideally need is someone in the mold of latter day Scholes as regards controlling the tempo of games with an expansive yet economical range passing - and the aforementioned can do that to varying degrees. Bit of a shame that it has taken José this long to reportedly acknowledge that we should probably sign a player to play in a three man midfield to allow Pogba the freedom to play further up given the midfield mechanics at Juventus - particularly with Pirlo, but better late than never, I guess.

Another player worth monitoring if we can't get the crème de la crème is Fabián Ruiz from Real Betis. Fairly dissimilar to the quartet that has been mentioned (or Thiago, Paredes and co. for that matter), and much less experienced/accomplished at the top level, but he's been quite good on the right for Betis, and could even emerge as a long term replacement for Matić as a holding midfielder if he improves his defensive game (worth bearing in mind that Matić was an offensive minded player as a youngster).

Spoiler

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Apparently has a fairly low buyout clause as well:

Spoiler

"A l'estiu, el #Barça va valorar la possibilitat d'incorporar Fabián, del #Betis. Té 21 anys i una clàusula de 15 milions"

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[The Don]

Great, let's sign him for market commercial reasons.

I think he ment a lot of people rate him highly.

 

[gza the genius]

If this is what we are aiming for why doesn't he play Herrera/Fellaini for now?

 

[carvajal]

Great, let's sign him for market commercial reasons.

I mean in this thread, and redcafe in general. For a while now, I hear his name more often

 

[Devil may care]

Yeah, the Sanchez signing might change things. Im not sure if Mourinho will think TFM is ready and might just rotate Valencia with Young at RB to keep the attacking threat.

De gea
Valencia Jones Bailly Shaw
Kovacic Matic Pogba
Sanchez Lukaku Martial

That’s enough firepower up front and enough cover in midfield. We need an upgrade at LB. We have options if we play 3 at the back. Lingard, Rashford and Mata off the bench as well.

Looking at potential fees, Sandro would be around 60 million, Kovacic would be around 40 million im guessing. 35 million on Sanchez would have most of our budget used up. In terms of sales, I can only really see Darmian and Blind leaving in the summer.

I'm not sure about TFM either, but with Valencia playing most games Mourinho might choose to blood him in and see how he does in the first half of next season, then evaluate, I guess it will depend on how Tony holds up fintess-wise over the rest of the season and if TFM continues to progress as an RB at Palace. I'm not saying it's what I would do, but it depends on Mourinho's budget and priorities.

That team looks good and I'd definitely add an LB even with Shaw's good form, I think the role demands competition these days, I still think we need cover for Matic though and I don't think Herrera is great when playing as the DM, he's better when tasked with the #8 role between Pogba and Matic as a presser.

 

[haram]

I'm not sure about TFM either, but with Valencia playing most games Mourinho might choose to blood him in and see how he does in the first half of next season, then evaluate, I guess it will depend on how Tony holds up fintess-wise over the rest of the season and if TFM continues to progress as an RB at Palace. I'm not saying it's what I would do, but it depends on Mourinho's budget and priorities.

That team looks good and I'd definitely add an LB even with Shaw's good form, I think the role demands competition these days, I still think we need cover for Matic though and I don't think Herrera is great when playing as the DM, he's better when tasked with the #8 role between Pogba and Matic as a presser.

I agree we need another LB and have Shaw for the cup games. I also forgot about Fellaini possibly leaving. That might trigger us into signing another CM. Kovacic, Matic and Pogba would be good, but you’re right, I dont’t think Herrera is the answer when resting Matic. Other than that, all we have is McTominay.

Will be interesting to see what happens either way. This team is growing nicely.

 

[Nate Dogg]

It will probably be Dier...

 

[AP88]

I love Harry Winks and feel like he’ll gradually develop into one of the best in Europe, but he’s a Spurs fan who’ll be in no rush to leave, given the new stadium ect.

Modric would be a perfect short-medium term investment, but over a longer period, two players I rate very highly are Frenkie De Jong of Ajax, who looks like a mini-Modric (in style, not stature) and Lewis Cook of Bournemouth - his mobility and tenacity are merged with an impressive passing range and he’d provide a good link between Matic and Pogba.

 

[IronCroos37]

Kovacic.

 

[AP88]

I agree we need another LB and have Shaw for the cup games. I also forgot about Fellaini possibly leaving. That might trigger us into signing another CM. Kovacic, Matic and Pogba would be good, but you’re right, I dont’t think Herrera is the answer when resting Matic. Other than that, all we have is McTominay.

Will be interesting to see what happens either way. This team is growing nicely.

Mitchell could sufficiently mature on loan at Hearts to back up Shaw and Young next year, while Borthwick-Jackson’s decent into the abyss has been as surprising as his initial emergence.

 

[Devil may care]

I agree we need another LB and have Shaw for the cup games. I also forgot about Fellaini possibly leaving. That might trigger us into signing another CM. Kovacic, Matic and Pogba would be good, but you’re right, I dont’t think Herrera is the answer when resting Matic. Other than that, all we have is McTominay.

Will be interesting to see what happens either way. This team is growing nicely.

The LB situation will be interesting as I am not sure we'll sanction £50M on a fullback like Sandro as they have no marketability and I do think that is a factor when we spend huge sums, we could get someone like Telles or Tierny whould compete with rather than automatically start over Shaw. Yeah, if Carrick and Fellaini go then a couple of CM's in would be wise, one to start and one young one to understudy would be perfect.

Agreed, this next window is crucial to get right, things are starting fit, just need a couple of key pieces added.

 

[Rozay]

I would choose a passer, but a top one, Kroos or Verratti type. Comparing with City, they have a great variety of passes and quality in the midfield.
Someone like Xabi Alonso with Mourinho in Madrid, making that the play of the team is based on him and not if Pogba does this or that.
Personally I do not think Kovacic is exactly that profile, but I see that he has many followers.

Typically, the ‘passers’ who control the tempo seem to lack a. It if dynamism. The likes of Pirlo etc, or Fabregas or Neves. I think if you want one who moves about a bit more, they often don’t have the same passing stats of a Busquets or so. Like Thiago can pass, but isn’t a ‘passer’. Likewise a player like Wilshere. I see Kovacic more in this mould, and more of an all-round CM. I think that would be fine for us. Ideally, I’d like this player to also be able to replace Pogba if needed, and Kovacic can do that job, with a Herrera stepping in perhaps.

 

[CM]

I think it's worth noting that Pogba and Matic in a two has been very successful against the lesser teams for the most part. I find it a little odd there's still this idea Pogba needs 'freeing up' when Matic has done pretty much exactly that. Not only is Pogba influencing games as he did against Stoke last night, he's joint-top assist maker in the league with de Bruyne and Sane in far less games.

Obviously an additional man in midfield is a nice option to have, especially in the big games, but I don't think it's necessarily worth spending big bucks to facilitate it.