I respect the throw back sort of prick that Deeney is, but I don't want him anywhere near United. Sadly, if we continue down this dark path we may be at about his level in a year or two.
I don't know if I said this here, but a few months back, when people were talking about reinforcements in Jan, I knew it was BS. Mainly Ole started doing the exact same pattern of building up early hype, to then talking about how we don't really need anyone, to then finally telling us how difficult it all is. Blah.
I honestly think a big part of the reason why Ole was hired is because Woodward knows he’s a yes man that won’t make waves and will tow the line instead of questioning him like Jose did. It will never happen, but I’d love for a United manager to call our Woodward. I’d love nothing more for Ole to come out after this window where we sign nobody and say “I told Mr Woodward we needed reinforcements and gave him a list of players and he failed to bring any of them in.” Put the spotlight on the real problem.
Duncan Castles is now back on the Fernandes wagon himself. Claiming on his latest podcast that people close to him (Bruno) are expecting for United to make a formal offer next week. The possibility of anything happening this month is thin (and getting thinner by the day). But the way Ole is downplaying things right now, it wouldn't be surprising to see some type of move happening. The expectations have been so lowered by now, it would get most of the fanbase excited, with the belief that it would earn them some goodwill. It's the game they're obviously playing now and as stated yesterday, I just can't see how they can seriously justify another blank/nothing window, particularly under the current circumstances. Unless this season is a complete write off to them.
Solskjær and Mike Phelan did fly to Portugal to watch Bruno Fernandes on Sunday. Their presence indicates a willingness to progress a deal. #mufc have continued to monitor the player since the summer #mulive [the athletic]— utdreport (@utdreport) January 10, 2020
To be perfectly honest, if the veteran forward/striker option is the one we were to pursue to round out our frontline, I think there would be better candidates out there than Deeney, who are available either now or 6mos down the line once their current contract expires. Guys like Dries Mertens or Cavani would be options I'd prefer 100% over someone like Deeney.
Agree with you @Deadtigers that a cheap older striker would tick a lot of boxes and allow long-term money to be spent elsewhere. Not sure about Deeny though but I get your drift. One of our (many) problems is that we do so little transfer business each window, that Ed seens incapable of this type of ‘minor’ transfer. One of the (many) reasons he keeps just rolling over the contracts of the inadequates. Also the Lukaku transfer balanced the books and meant we reported a profit. So not sure he actually has any real intention of replacing our missing striker. Plus Sanchez was just a loan deal owing to the stupid contract they gave him - so we will have our vet striker back in the summer - yay
too late now but before getting giddy or at all invested in the Bruno rumours bear in mind the sources of the rumours. i expect nothing. guessing this is just reusing a trick that worked so well 6/7 months ago
Dunno what you mean? This from the Daily Record; Frederico Varandas (Sporting president) and Hugo Viana (Sporting director) are currently at #mufc's offices negotiating the transfer of Bruno Fernandes #mulive [record]— utdreport (@utdreport) January 10, 2020 He’ll probably be “in the air” on that never-ending flight to Manchester again soon
Along with the Bruno rumors some also mentioning Ruben Neves. Would love either player, expect neither to happen. It does seem a lot of Portuguese papers are jumping on the Sporting Director being in Manchester, but I havent found any of their papers to be even slightly reliable. Nothing from the big names about Bruno to United.
Until the English press says something about it, I will not believe it. This is the same shit that happened in the summer.
Neves and Fernandes would be a dream. And I expect this will be nothing more than that, a pipe dream.
I'm a bit down on Neves. I don't think he's made much progress the last couple years. He's obviously extremely good tehnically, but he doesn't win tackles or interceptions, his passing numbers are nothing special at all, he doesn't get assists or make key passes, and while he scores some worldies, he takes a ton of extremely hard shots from long range and mostly misses them. Maybe his DLP style would be significantly more suited to a team in posession more than Wolves is, but we're not exactly a posession-based side under Ole. I mean obviously he would help our current MF but that isn't saying much. I thought he was a big, big prospect coming out of Porto at 19 but I'm considerably less convinced now that he's going to be more than a bit player in a big team.
It's crazy how the (Portuguese) press are quick to get rumors going into overdrive, as it really just blew up in the last 24hrs and they're all on it by the looks of it. Unless Fernandes is actually pushing for a move (which he has never really given a hint of, especially since signing a new deal), I don't really get the angle (except if it's for clicks, which I suppose is enough). Rojo now has been added into the mix, as part of a player(s), plus cash deal. Could see the logic to that if they need a defender, especially with Rojo having a past with Sporting. But yeah, those reporters do get creative real quick, if it's all BS.
He’s being asked to do too much in Wolves midfield. They’re asking him to be a box to box 8 and I think he’s be much more suited to a stay at home DLP role ala Carrick. His passing and range are both great but that Wolves team doesn’t really have the front line to utilize it. It would never happen, but if you paired Bruno and Neves with a proper box to box CM with a high work rate that can win the ball back, that would be a very, very good midfield.
Don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up, but within the last hour Stone retweeted from another journo that talks for Bruno are happening and that Sporting front office and Bruno reps are still in Manchester. Also, Rio tweeted Bruno’s names with an hourglass. Little pressure on Ed to get it done.
Trying to not get my hopes up, but this is different than the summer when the English press were consistently briefed that it wasn't happening.
Sky has the story now too. don't get excited though. just citing a Portuguese journo and saying we're closing in. not their own team confirming anything. not directly anyway
Neves has had a lot of the creative responsibility shifted away from him when Wolves brought in Moutinho, and they have moved to a much more conservative playing style and formation that offers him fewer attacking options to hit at once from a deep position. When they played 3-4-3 and were more expansive, he excelled. He needs to be paired with an energetic ball winner in a double pivot, one who can also carry the ball well (as Neves doesn't dribble). But he has clear, monumental spikes, is a leader, is a proper professional and is still young. If you were going to build a high quality midfield trio, he and Bruno could definitely be in it as a 2-1. It'd be really important that you got the third piece of the puzzle right.
Yep, would need a better version of McT. High energy, ball winner, that keeps things moving on offense and gets it to the guys that can make things happen. Again, Partey would be excellent in that role.