Interesting - according to SMD Haidara can also play wing-back or full-back on both sides (as well as his main b2b CM role).
My wishlist for the next couple windows: Realistic: Bruno Guimares Yacine Adli Haidara Tchouameni Hopeful: Bellingham Brozovic Tonali Gravenberch I think we need 2 or 3 players of this ilk. There are a few different profiles. Guimares would be super high on my list, probably priority number 1 unless Frenkie were available at a similar price. Guimares has the energy to match Fred, but he's a more polisihed passer and a very good ball carrier as well. He's basically an upgraded Fred, but super right footed. Tchoumeni is basically an upgrade on Scott, I think we all know enough about everyone else on the list. Gravenberch is probably not a good fit, but he's super talented and I think the type of player you find a way to make work.
Wait a tick. Carrick has more free time; johno also has more free time... hmm. In all seriousness, it seems Haidara tops Ralf's list. McGinn is the other name I see tossed into the mix, but I can't see him going for cheap from Villa, so that should rule him out too.
Thanks. I'm okay for the most part. For the most part I'm actually great but right now I'm under the weather. I've had a change in my employment recently... oh, I fear I've said too much. I hope to god we don't go anywhere near McGinn. He's an okay player but he's not much beyond that. He contributes with goals and creates shots both at a decent clip but he's 27 and would cost more money than Mo Dahoud and Dahoud is a much MUCH better player. I hope we don't go anywhere NEAR McGinn. Haidara is very much an all action 8. He'd be a very strange single addition to the midfield. He might make sense as a first purchase that is added to, but he's very similar to Fred in that he probably does his best work harrying and with someone to cover for him/press with him. But he's super direct. Gets a lot of goal/shot involvements for someone playing deeper. I'd take any competent pressing midfielder ahead of Scott, especially one who is also athletic and gives us some of the things Scott does (aerial wins, goals/shots/box touches from midfield). That said, I'd prefer we got someone who is a more prolific deep progressor who can also pressure and hold his own defensively. For me, BG >> Haidara but I think having a player who knows what the coach wants is vital in midfield so I agree, Haidara or someone like that is probably gonna happen. I swear though, we had better start getting value in Germany and France rather than sniffing around the likes of Declan Rice for obscene amounts of money.
I see us getting Nkunku. He is a true 8 in all sense of the word when in possession. Most 8's out there are 6 in possession and 8 out of possession. Nkunku literally grabs the ball from the center backs and scores in the back of the net. True 8.
He is playing in front of Adams now which I get why you have him as a 10 but when in possession he receives the ball very deep which really makes him 6 then carrying it makes him an 8 then in and around the box a 10. This is from me watching him last weekend not against City. He is so versatile which is a big upside.
Nkunku is a very talented player but he's really not an 8 and he's certainly not a 6 either. He's an ACM (or a 10), who can also play on either flanks. Adams is very much the 6 of the RBL outfit, guys like Haidara and Laimer are 8s (or more precisely 6/8 hybrids) and Nkunku is an attacking player, the 10 of the bunch. There is also Kampl there who is another 8 they have at their disposal. They're stocked well enough in both the 6 or 8 spots: don't need to contemplate Nkunku there, whether he can play in those positions or not (which we do not know at this time)... Have seen the links to him as well. I really like him as a player and think he will become a big deal, but him being linked to us is kind of an headscratcher, considering who we have currently and who we have coming up. I see him as a massive roadblock to someone like Hannibal coming thru the first team. Our priorities really should be elsewhere at this time (or next summer). SportBild are not always the most accurate, so perhaps that's just them linking him with us because of Rangnick (like half the RBL team it appears)... 🔴 Manchester United are looking to sign RB Leipzig attacking midfielder Christopher Nkunku. [SportBild]Nkunku’s impressive form for his side this season means that’s Ralf Rangnick is very keen on bringing him to Old Trafford 💥 pic.twitter.com/xov5Om9tKZ— FIVE (@FIVEUK) December 8, 2021
Of course there is more to it but football is simple. It is about space so from a spacing zone perspective when in possession, they are pretty self explanatory. Those roles change when the team are in different phases of the game of course.
I have not seen links of him, I am basing it on watching him and his history with Leipzig. Kampl at Dortmund was a right winger, now playing deeper. We'll see where Nkunku will end up.
I'm not sure what you're referring to in your first sentence: it is a fact that we've been linked with Nkunku from the likes of Bild (and Christian Falk). And I was expressing how it does not really make sense to me at this point, except if we're looking to hoard talent in specific (attacking) positions, which would be odd considering all we have currently, never mind what is (badly) needed elsewhere... But as I've mentioned, so far we've been linked to Mukiele, Haidara, Laimer and Nkunku (prob missing others) since RR has taken charge. Seems convenient to me, to put it lightly and Haidara and Laimer aside, the rest are not what is required from us currently.. As far as Kampl is concerned, don't know what it has to do with Nkunku, that he's an 8 who can (and has) played wide at some point in his career. Doesn't change what Nkunku is at this point. As it's been stated, he's an attacking player, who mostly plays centrally (therefore is a 10/ACM) but he's played plenty on both flanks as well. Those are the positions he's occupied currently. Is Sancho a potential true 8 (or even a 6) because like Nkunku, he's got great vision, or can carry the ball thru the lines?
I won’t get my hopes up on Frenkie, it would be too good to be true. Would be a nice way to make me feel better after losing Pogba.
Nkunku would play as one of the 10s if we got him. Post Pogba, we'd look like this. ------------Ronaldo---------Bruno Sancho------------------------------------Nkunku -------------Fred--------------XXXX Shaw------------------------------------------Dalot --------------Maguire----------Varane -------------------------Deano With rotation CN would play for sure as a 10 and as one of the 9s and maybe as an 8 too, opposition dependent.
Anthony Martial wishes to leave #MUFC in the January transfer window, his agent has told Sky Sports News.— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) December 10, 2021 Anthony Martial's agent Philippe Lamboley: "Anthony wishes to leave the club in January. He just needs to play. He doesn’t want to stay in January and I will speak to the club soon." #mulive [sky]— utdreport (@utdreport) December 10, 2021
First order of business for Rangnick clearly is to trim the fat. Would like to think that Martial, Lingard and Jones for starters are 3 players we can move out. Jones and Lingard (Newcastle as they're desperate for talent?) would be for nominal fees. Not that it matters anyway: if we get someone to bite for Jones, that alone would be a win. Don't see anyone paying for Mata when they'll be able to get him in the summer for free. Hopefully, Henderson can be moved on loan (Ajax?) as well. Same goes perhaps for the likes of Amad and/or Elanga. If we can move 5-6 (sales or loans), it will have a productive window that can set us up nicely for the summer.