Juventus' board resigned. They will be planning the sale of a number of players from the looks of it. That might put Vlahovic back into the discussion.
If Vlahovic is available, that’s an easy yes. I’m also weirdly warming to the idea of Gakpo at the 9. Not sure why. Just like his physicality and his movement off the ball is really good.
Love me some Gapko, but at 9 for us. We need someone who can make the ball stick and bring the 3 behind him into play.
Agree on Gakpo as a CF, he has the tools. Statman Dave also onboard with that idea and does an in-depth on why there is a belief that he would work well there for us. With Ruud having worked with him and Benni McCarthy available to do the same if he came, he would be a great signing. Perfect age for a signing too.
Yep - we should have pulled the trigger in the summer on Gakpo when EtH had spoken with him and we had agreed personal terms with his agent (same agent as EtH). Pulled out because the summer budget was out and will now cost a lot more. Southampton agreed a £34m fee with PSV at end of window but Cody decided to wait. First Ole wanted an earlier and cheap pickup on Haaland, we have now done the same it seems with Erik and Gakpo. Sometimes you have to spend money to save money (pay me now or pay me much more later).
Haaland was a different issue. Iirc we wanted to sign him but his agent wanted a £50m release clause. We'd have been fools to agree to that
That was a full year AFTER Ole appointed - so we could have tried much earlier too (Ole identified him to the club Dec 2018), His Salzberg streak 2019 bumped his price. Even a year late in Dec 2019, €20m transfer + €10m agent fee with a >€50m release clause deferred 2.5 years (ie >€20m profit) doesnt look too bad in retrospect. Ole was pissed when Ed pulled the plug - as he thought it was a good deal at the time. Though we would probably have managed to ruin Haaland somehow anyway .
I'm one of those people who doesn't think that Haaland was ever going to play for United. Family history and all that jazz.
Yep, it would have been foolish to sign a guy for pennies, have him score a load of goals for a few years, then make 40 mil on his sale (or have him possibly love it here and sign an extension). We really dodged a bullet there.
Our strategy should never be buy-to-sell, it's buy-to-win. As for the possible extension, you really think he would have loved it here? Really??
Yep Haaland was a shop window deal - so he was always going to be sold again so Raiola could cash in. BvB specialises in these kinds of deals. I think the problem for Utd is they already had so many issues with Raiola clients.
Nope. But I would have taken two years of him banging in goals and then a profit over not getting him at all. Another benefit would have been maybe he feels some loyalty to the fans and when he leaves he probably wouldn’t have gone to City and instead somewhere like Madrid which would suck a lot less than the current situation.
Hope we stay clear of Depay - thigh, achilles and hamstring problems. That is just this calendar year. We should stay clear of crocks generally. Feels like the kind of signing the Glazers would do because he will be near as free.
Erik ten Hag confirms Man United plan for players out of contract in June: “We are talking to them to extend contracts, but we have control because we have an option on all the players and we will exercise those options”. 🚨🔴 #MUFCRashford and Dalot will not leave for free. pic.twitter.com/k89KSBVzyf— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 11, 2022
As far as young standouts at the WC go, they have to be Bellingham, Gvradiol, and Ramos. The latter two especially would be bargains given their values aren’t ridiculous yet.
We could have had Bellingham too. But Ramos could be our 9 of the future and Gvradiol could be the CB to add to help partner Martinez and then rotate with Varane when healthy.
Musiala would have been one of the stars of the tournament if the rest of the team hadn’t shat the bed. Shame he’s at Bayern. If Gvardiol was right footed it’d be a no-brainer. I just don’t see Ten Hag wanting to be part of the €100m bidding war there.
Musiala has to improve his end product. He has all the other tools to become a great. I think we may have missed the boat on Gvardiol too, but chances are ten Hag wants Timber. He didn't standout at these finals, but he matched up well against Haaland in the UCL last season. Ramos or Gakpo is who were after this January? Either would suit us.