Alert: Summer Transfer Rumors! Silly Season's here!!!

I also want him to concentrate primarily on our attack and midfield first.

 

Boateng would be the ideal choice but Varane, Laporte or Zouma are all young CBs who look the part physically but also are comfortable with the ball at their feet. Any of them would be terrific options for us. Stones used to fit as well, but what he's shown this past season, especially positionally, is a source of worry.

 

Laporte is obtainable, but injury and City will be in for him (City are going to end up spending over 100m on CBs in 3 seasons lol). Koulibaly is very good on the ball, and a good defender. He will likely be the cheaper option.

 

Not if he is targeting Manolas

 

Laporte was and still is a great option even if his current injury has to be a concern) but I've been really sold big time on Koulibaly as of late and believe he could be a major star down the line.
Kinda of confused why he appears to still be so under the radar and a surely a 30mil pound bid should enough to tempt Napoli to sell. United should be all over this.

 

with shaw smalling manolas and valencia we could play with our backline in the final 3rd lol.

 

A lot of misconception here. Jose has nearly always had the luxury of a CB good on the ball. Terry, carvalho, Lucio, his like of Varane.

He knows the importance of that type. Hes not some manager who only wants physical brutes.

 

Point taken but he still shown that the ability to defend and size are also requisites of his. There is nothing that says that both have to be mutually exclusive and if you can get a defender who is good on the ball, but also can defend and is big and strong, of course that is the type you'd want to go after.
He's gone for Lucio who has the ability on the ball, on top of the defensive ability and size ahead of Chivu for that reason and until he had Zouma, he played with Cahill and Terry, who is not really a ball playing CB as far as I'm concerned.

 

Soon

 

Won't Barca be in for Laporte now?

 

In general I agree, except the Terry part. He is actually fantastic on the ball.

 

Barca need to sign 3 defenders, renew Neymar's contract and get in 1 attacking player. They got a big kit deal and new tv deal, but stadium expenses will consume a lot of that. I'm not sure they can afford laporte + 3 players.

 

I think he turned City down last week. Hopefully they keep going after him, they keep going after crocked players. They can have Laporte.

 

Manolos is good with the ball at his feet even if he isnt a passing CB, I wonder if that is a compromise we are willing to take.

 

It's only a highlight video, granted, but it shows pretty accurately how good and complete CB Koulibaly already is and why he's become my first pick for a CB for United.

 

Most of the younger generation coming through are ball playing center backs as thats the fashionable way to play now.

 

I like Manolas, I really do. He has been the highlight for me at Roma. He is not easy to beat. Has good continental experience in the UCL, he is not slow but not like Smalling, he is much more physical, good on the ball (I believe he played right back before too) and most importantly he can head the ball. Smalling for all his height and having good set piece taker scored maybe once this year, and always mistimes his headers.

Good signing.

@Gnome how legit is the transfer for Adam Ounas?

 

What

 

Jose Mourinho wants to pay £60million for reunion with Willian at Manchester United

 

Nope.

 

Terry is alright on the ball but won't class him as fantastic tbh. For example Carvalho was clearly better than him on the ball. Cahill is/was even more limited and don't think Zouma is great either on the ball.

Anyway i don't see Mourinho persisting with Blind at the back much at all mainly due to lack of physical and aerial presence first. Unlike LVG he won't see distribution of the ball and Left footedness being that big of a issue to imbalance the team in other areas.

So we'd be left with Rojo who is shit and Jones and Smalling basically with bunch of youngsters after that. I actually think Mourinho could pretty well live and do well with a Smalling Jones partnership but fitness is the biggest question mark over Jones so we need atleast 1 CB more. Manolas isn't a bad shout considering price range and availaibility of other options.

 

That price is ridiculous but I don't get all the Willian hate. He was the best Chelsea players this season by miles and is a Jose type player.

 

Yeah, i can see Jose going for someone of that ilk for the right wing slot.

Though he did try and upgrade on Willian with pedro.

 

Obviously defensive ability should never be the first attribute you look for in a winger, but some people go so far in that direction that they basically can't rate any winger who bothers to defend. He's a very good two way player who can do a variety of jobs dutifully. That said even ignoring that insane price tag, I don't think he's what this team needs at the moment. We're clearly lacking in offensive firepower and compared to other options on the RW, Willian doesn't bring much of it.

 

Willian would be an excellent set-piece taker for us, but not for that price. I also agree on the above point that Willian is an excellent two-way player, but we need true attacking wingers at the moment. Hopefully Depay can figure it out under Mourinho because Martial is already fantastic.