News: We're Muppets, and we have a problem: Summer Transfer rumors

I'll contradict myself and say I'd be ok with Pogba in a pivot with Ndidi. He'd have to drop deeper to help with ball progression but he could still be relieved of a lot of his defensive duties.

 

Yeah, I don't know who the player would be, to be honest. As I've gotten older I've had less time to keep up with other leagues so I wouldn't be able to tell you which guy(s) to pinpoint.

I agree that we have found a system that works for us. I just really want us to move away from McTominay and Fred, who are so one-dimensional that it really prevents us from hitting that next level.

 

I think we need an improvement on the McFred formula rather than looking for destroyer + Pogba. It doesn’t have to be Xabi Alonso / Carrick, a master of all trades - but you can get tall versions of Fred who are much cleaner with the ball. You can get versions of McTominay who score fewer but are better with the ball.

 

I think someone who's athletic, is clean with the ball, has great press resistance, and phenomenal passing range isn't too much to ask...

 

If United manage to sign Sancho and Haaland, this team is set for a great future.

United doesn't need to play champagne football. With 6 mostly defensive players with the proper grit and determination is good enough. An exceptional attacking four can make up for what the rest of the team lacks.

Solskjaer has a good setup going. United might not win the title next season, but as the players grow and mature, get proper time coming together as a group, they will develop into a winning side.

 

For the love of God a new 6 please. Quite a show McFred put on today.

 

Koundè and the others: Manchester United start their casting for the d... (gianlucadimarzio.com)

CB still appears to be high on the agenda: Di Marzio's list is interesting though. Kounde, we know about already, but it's the alternative that are surprising: been seeing rumors re Fofana before but it's hard to see Leicester selling him this summer (unless it's for a king's ransom).
Romero is an intriguing option: from what I've seen of him he's a powerful/strong defender who is good on the ball and he can move also. In terms of being a partner to Maguire, all 3 are better options than Torres, as far as I'm concerned.
Still hoping (against hope, I suppose) however, that the priority will be put in finding a strong holding mid though. As today's shit show exhibited once again, it's really the more important need (right alongside a RW/RWF)...

📝 — Phil Jones is expected to move on. However, given his torrid time with injuries, sources have suggested the Englishman's only real options are likely to be a season-long loan with a possible optional future fee added as a clause. #mufc #mujournal

[@LeahSmith_]

— United Journal (@theutdjournal) May 12, 2021

Don't care how, just needs to go one way or another...Especially if his departure means we hang on to Tuanzebe longer (with the hope of tying him down to a new contract).

 

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That is what I am struggling with as well, who is the 6 that we can get that a tier above our current crop of players. There isn't any, which leads me to think that a pair up is your best bet. You blend Garner and get a destroyer like Ndidi. You mix and match depending on personnel and game.

 

There are plenty of guys better than McFred that are pretty easily attainable. Guys like Zakaria, Ndidi, Rice, Palhinha, Locatelli, Soumare would all be upgrades. Then there are guys that are more DLPs like Neves and Tonali that could be an option, but I would prefer we give Garner a chance in that role first and bring in a proper 6 this window.

 

I like Neves but something about him tells he is not elite. He is not great under pressure, but a hell of a distributor.

 

I like the idea of using Lingard as a makeweight in a deal for Sancho. Frees up money to spend on (what I consider to be) higher priorities of CB and CM and keeps Jesse from biting us next season at West Ham

https://www.espn.com/soccer/blog-tr...to-include-jesse-lingard-in-jadon-sancho-deal

 

For DM/CMs you can take your pick - you also have the likes of Tchouameni, Camavinga, Tapia, Neuhaus, Bissouma. Obviously there’s a real chance we’re planning to go back for Bellingham in the future, and Gravenberch is staying this summer but may move in 2022.

All different styles, different budgets, different weightings of defence vs attack. Spending big on Rice or Ndidi would be insane in this market.

 

As reported by the Sun.

Why on earth would Dortmund want Lingard? That's goes against everything they try to do there.

He'd be extremely expensive on wages for them and would have very little resale value following his next deal due to his age.

 

I think the issue we need a DLP more than a DM. There isn't much out there in terms of a DLP.

All those guys mentioned are not elite DLP's.

 

Elite DLPs are like gold dust though. I can't think of many in the last 20 years.

At least ones who don't need someone next to them to hold their hand in every other aspect of the game.

Heck, even a good DM with very good to excellent ball progression skills seems very unusual.

 

We don't really need a DLP, just a 6 that has decent control and doesn't break down when pressed. All they need to do is be an outlet for the back 4 and find Pogba or Bruno in transition or at least have the range to spray it wide when that doesn't happen.

 

Tchouameni is another guy I would absolutely love to see us go after. Been exposed to him quite a bit since I've watched Monaco a bit (for Badiashile). Another guy who really could be a great fit for us and the league. Still young but he's a big kid and he's clearly very mature in terms of how he plays as well.
Not only strong, but he's got a big engine, that allows him to cover tons of space..
Just as is the case with Soumare, this is a player we can get now because it probably won't take him long to adapt to the Prem but his upside is enormous and could turn into a pretty special player.
Unlikely to get him as cheap as Soumare (still got a pretty long contract with Monaco) but French teams still need the scratch and it stands to reason that he could be had for a still very reasonable price. Having missed out on Partey last summer, it's not hard at all to see Tchouameni develop into the same type of player.

 

Bissouma it is.

 

Camavinga, Gravenberch, Locatelli, Neuhaus - these aren't DMs. You could add in Bennacer too. It just depends what type of CM/DLP you want - someone who's more vertical, someone who is more of a ball carrier, someone with the passing range, someone who beats the press.

We'd have to put the work in, whoever we sign. But the days are gone where you can just sign an elite midfielder and they instantly dominate regardless of the team setup - see Thiago.

 

I have such a hard time deciding which position we should prioritize in the transfer window, because we have significant areas of need in each third of the pitch; a CB, a #6, and a WF. In any given match we can look exposed in each of those areas, and in worst case scenarios, such as yesterday, all three of them.

We have traditional MUQ players in a number of positions already, but we need many more to properly challenge for the PL, let alone on multiple fronts. McTominay, Fred, Lindelof would be decent depth players. But title winning starters they are not.

I am a broken record.

 

Well aware of that. You go with another 8 you are not solving the problem, unless you retrain their brain to know where to position yourself in each sequence of play with and without the ball. The guys you have up there are 8's.

Ruben Neves is the closest thing to it.

 

Nope. This is the problem with using arbitrary terms like DLP and 8.

 

You need someone to sit in front of the back four or between them during possession positionally and release others. Simply.
Fred is a good carrier/McT not so bad either so not vertically. Someone that beats the press and has passing range. I am using your terms, like that?