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

It would never happen, but we should loan them Bailly for a season. He isn't near Ramos but he will bring some of that wildness and 1v1 ability that Sergio has. I also happen to think Varane/Bailly would be pretty spectacular as a pairing in a high line.

 

Sounds about right, with this deal seemingly fated to be closed in early July and not before unfortunately.
Side note, Southgate usage of Sancho so far and the fact that he's completely ignored is another serious blot on his copybook as far as I'm concerned. In today's match in particular where England clearly had trouble creating and breaking Scotland's defense down, he along with Grealish should have been the first ones called into action.
Unless he's carrying some injury we don't know about, there really is no justification for Southgate not to have used him so far. And it's just further proof that he's the wrong man to lead this talented group into the future...

 

So I think once again I may have misjudged/underestimated Ole.

I'm very much against Trippier signing because he's old and not going to be the player that wins us anything. Worse, he's in a position that we have good young players in who can grow to be as good as he is.

None of that is wrong, but while up to now Ole has played the long game and certainly done well to drop some deadweight, make the team younger and better, he's actually in the endgame. He's not an elite manager. If he doesn't win a trophy this year, he's done, especially if he gets Sancho. A year from now, in a team with Pogba, Bruno, Sancho, Cavani, Maguire, Shaw etc, if he doesn't deliver a trophy he's absolutely shitcanned.

How does Trippier get United a trophy?
By himself he doesn't. But if Ole is considering a means to breaking down teams who sit deep against us (our achilles heel) then he has to be considering a set up that allows our best attackers freedom of movement. Deploying Sancho, Rashford and Bruno in support of a striker with Pogba next to a 6 and a competent progressive passer, crosser/natural attacking talent in either fullback spot is actually a game changer for United.

Allowing Rashford & Sancho (assuming we get him and I think Ole believes we will) to play in whatever space they want in support of a 9 will see them switch flanks, sit narrow, hug the touchline and run in behind in (hopefully) equal measure. That means having Shaw with his overlaps and underlaps and a RB who can do the same eliminates the possibility of stacking defenders up on either side OR allows for Sancho and Rashford to occupy the same flank, work neat interplay but either leave a viable attacking threat on the RW for the switch or operate with an advantage via their overload.

I think while that's obvious in general, what I hadn't bargained for was Ole basically going for broke and needing a trophy this season.

I still think Trippier is a bad idea and I'd have Dalot in that role (especially against teams expected to sit back) in a heartbeat.

 

Re: Sancho

Last summer Dortmund never felt Man UTD “wanted Sancho enough”.
In a conversation I never published they told me: “They thought we were playing games. We weren’t”

This summer I understand the negotiations are more “serious”

— Jan Aage Fjørtoft 🇳🇴 (@JanAageFjortoft) June 19, 2021

Re Sancho

This morning, the local paper in Dortmund, Ruhr Nachrichten, reporting there has been “movement” in the Sancho-story.

I understand a serious bid is considered.
To be continued

— Jan Aage Fjørtoft 🇳🇴 (@JanAageFjortoft) June 19, 2021

 

I'm just messing with you man.

Truth is though, every time I hear Dan James, I hear your"voice" in my head going "$#&ing worthless piece of crap" or some such

 

Pau Torres remains my pick for our new CB;

- liked him before we played Villareal
- liked him more after the EL final
- liking him for Spain
- just up against Lewa and handled him well, good in the air, matched him for strength, Lewa switched to Laporte for his goal
- great age / experience profile @ 24
- left-footed
- quick over short distances
- good control
- good passing ability (likes to push up and get involved in build-up a bit like Mag)

I think left-footed is important to us - as apart from being LCB to Mag RCB, also means we can play a balanced back 3 when we need to.

If we are bidding £50m for Varanne we should just get Pau - as is his release clause and would prefer him.

 

If heard from a handful of places that we want to have the option to play 3 at the back more next season with AWB as a CB. That's part of the reason we want Trippier.

I also think Torres is the best CB move for us given the age, talent, and cost.

 

Even more reason to use Dalot if we switch to a wingback system. However, I'd hate it if we went to 3 at the back with Ole here. 3atb works if you have an elite organizer in midfield or if you have a manager that has concrete (good) ideas about how the team should progress the ball centrally. Ole isn't that and we don't have the personnel to make it work.

 

Aaaaaaannnnnd we continue to wait.......

 

Haven't you heard - talks are "progressing"

(if we had a drinking game where we had to drink everytime we heard that phrase, we'd all have stage 5 cirrhosis)

 

Cruel and unnecessary teasing... Too much interest from top teams to see us with a real shot at him unfortunately.

📝 — Manchester United have joined the race to sign Manuel Locatelli. Intermediaries have pointed at United's interest in him. There is a chance he can move abroad, with Sassuolo now expecting a fee of around €60m for him
[@Gazzetta_it]

— TheManUnitedMovement (@TheManUnitedMo1) June 18, 2021

Did visit Old Trafford as a 15yr old with Milan.


Really would be a near perfect signing for us...
Why Manuel Locatelli is the perfect defensive midfielder for Manchester United | United Journal (theutdjournal.com)

 

He won't be signed because he is perfect.

 

#mufc are believed to be keeping their options open in the summer window and are considering a range of back-up options should their plans need to be adjusted. United remain in dialogue with Real Madrid for Raphaël Varane #mulive [men]

— utdreport (@utdreport) June 21, 2021

Pau Torres has a release clause in the region of €60m. However, there is some belief Villarreal could consider a player-plus-cash offer if any clubs are unable to match that figure, although their priority would be to sell him for cash only #mulive [men]

— utdreport (@utdreport) June 21, 2021

 

Interesting insight from a German based journalist, who appears to be pretty knowledgeable/familiar with Sancho (not just in terms of the transfer but the player himself). What he said about him being overlooked by Southgate is telling...

 

Can you just give a concise version of this?

 

Sancho is overrated. I mean he is not even first choice for England so how much is he really worth.

 

Raphaël Varane’s silence has made Real Madrid nervous. They have come to the conclusion he doesn’t want to renew his contract, with a suspicion he has a very important agreement with another club, mainly #mufc #mulive [el confidencial, @Sport_Witness]

— utdreport (@utdreport) June 22, 2021

 

🚨 BREAKING: Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund are close to an agreement over the transfer of Jadon Sancho. An agreement is very likely to be reached in the next few days #mufc #mujournal

[BILD via @BVBBuzz] pic.twitter.com/D4uJHx5HCL

— United Journal (@theutdjournal) June 23, 2021

I'd venture that a week to 10 days sounds about right. Romano, Fjortoft and Falk are also suggesting that the finish line is in sight also...

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57588639

€85m now. Getting there.

 

Sounds like a briefing regarding Sancho. Must be close.

While Sancho and Varane would be brilliant signings, I'm worried about the lack of noise about a proper 6. I dont care how good Sancho and Varane would make us, with a double pivot of McFred, we arent winning shit.

 

^^^^^^This!!!

 

Daryl Dike scored a brace last night. I had heard United were keeping tabs on him at Barnsley but not sure how serious our interest is.

 

Think the future is bright for Dike but he isn't ready for United yet. I like Bundesliga more for him. If it has to be England, hopefully he ends up at a bottom half PL team where he'll get solid minutes. Even starting for a Championship team pushing for promotion would suit him.

 

Solskjær would like a defensive midfielder but #mufc may have to substantially trim the wage bill and sell well to be able to recruit one #mulive [@TelegraphDucker]

— utdreport (@utdreport) June 23, 2021

One fairly realistic scenario: sell AP, Lingard and Dalot for starters and that should be enough to net us Bissouma. Just saying...