Man Utd January '06 Transfer Targets and Rumours Thread

Might just be me, but is this a sign of surrender from Beckenbauer?

http://home.skysports.com/list.asp?...=Ballack+recommended+Real&channel=premiership

 

I seriously think Bayern are still sour because of '99

 

meh....

maybe, but sour or not if they don't sign ballack soon he's gonna be gone... I just hope its to us.

 

It seems as though they will cajole the player to go to anyone but us.

 

which may work in our favour... if he's really pissed at them he'll go to us just to spite them.... also I don't think he'd fit at Madrid w/ Raul and Baptista already forced to play in midfield to get minutes. Had Juve not just gotten Vieira they might have been a destination. Milan has Kaka, Gattusso and Pirlo - as well as Vogle. They can't hope to get better in the middle of the park. Can't see him going to Inter and they have too many mids anyway same w/ Barca.. if he's looking to joing a BIG club I think we're the best option.

 

Ballack would almost certainly force himself into the starting lineup at Inter. At Barca, I'm not certain who would be forced to sit to accomodate him. I figure Little Ron, Deco, Xavi and Guily will all be deployed. It looks like if he wants to leave, it should be between United and Inter.

 

Milan also have Seedorf...Inter still have Veron, can't see Ballack playing second fiddle to him. Barcelona also have van Bommel and Ezquerro...We seem to be the only sensible choice where he is near enough guaranteed a first team spot.

 

Inter've got Veron, Cambiasso, Pizarro (who would be a great fit for us I feel) and they lack some grit in midfield... I think Ballack would make the first team there with ease, but it wouldn't solve their problem with finding a functioning destroyer.

It would also give them WAY too many midfielders... I guess I wouldn't mind if he went to Inter, rather - id prefer him to go there than to another big club.

Barca just doesn't make sense... Eto'o likes to come from deep alot and Ronaldinho is their playmaker whether he's playing in the middle or on the left and Xavi is a signed in gold starter for every match he's fit for. No way they'd bench Deco permanently and they're trying to bring through Iniesta AND Messi.

Ok, so I've worked it out... I'll allow Ballack to sign for Inter on the condition that Inter sell us Pizzaro cheaply and the same for Barca if they let us have Deco/Messi.

 

Let's be very real here. Ballack would make the first xi of any team in the world except Chelski and Juve as their midfields are set in stone. Many teams would actually change their style of play to accomodate Ballack as well

 

I would hate for Ballack to go to Inter, no matter who they buy they always manage to underachieve, We're a much better option than them, as John has pointed out before, he doesn't seem to fit in at any other team, we are the best suitors for him and Bayern managment is well aware of that. They just seem to think Ballack will find success with every other club other than United. In the end its Ballack's decision, I can only hope he makes the right one.

 

Given Luxemburgo's preference for central players, the need to replace Zidane and Beckham's status, it would not be strange or unreasonable for Real to go after Ballack. He'd certainly take over for Zidane, who's clearly on his last legs.

 

You think they'd admit the £15m spent on Baptista was a waste then? Surely if Ballack goes to Real then Baptista rides the pine

 

I'm not so sure. Luxemburgo wants to play that stupid 4-2-2-2 which in theory would have room for both Baptista and Zidane (and therefore Ballack). I think Baptista is miscast in the role he's playing for Real, but hey - what do I know, right?

 

How does he get into Madrid's first XI?

I admitted he'd get into Inter's XI and I guess he could make it into Barca's but they'd have to go through RADICAL changes to make it work...


-------------Eto
Ronnie--------------Giuly
--------Xavi--Ballack
-----------???

that would effectively bench Deco, Van Bommel and Messi for every game. None of them can play the flank and like I said... Xavi is starting every game he's fit for.

 

I don't think he would fit into Luxemburgo's squad at all, There is no way Real will buy a German player and force him into the team or build the team around him, because realistically thats the only way he will ever get into the starting eleven.

 

The logistics would be worked out by whoever bought him, but a talent like Ballack can pretty much go where he wants and expect to start, booting someone out of a first team in the process. If you add on the fact he'll be sold at a half of his true worth it becomes a no brainer.

 

You have to be kidding. The crosses Beckham is putting in and the void they have at goalscoring midfield...hmmmm

 

Well... we can dance around it all we want but we all know the truth... we're buying Ballack in December

so, what's your pricetag?

I'd say 8M GBP.

 

you probably misunderstood what I meant. The way Ballack would be used most efficiently would be placing him behind the forwards and just ahead of a defensive midfielder. That would also mean benching whoever plays just behind the strikers, in this case Baptista.

---forward 1---forward 2---

winger 1----Ballack------winger 2--
-------------DM-------------

I don't think Luxemburgo will change his current formation just to accomodate Ballack.

 

There's no way Real will ever buy a German? WTF is that about? They were after him when he was bought by Bayern in the first place!

 

who was the last German they bought and when was that?

 

Real always use unbalanced hybrid systems and Beclham on one side and R.Carlos on the other is ample enough for crosses. Zidane or Robinho offset to the left and it's good to go. I believe there is only 2 teams that would not modify to accomodate Ballack and RM is certainly not one of them.

 

I think the only two clubs who wouldn't accomodate him are Chelsea and Barca. Barca because Xavi is Spanish and homegrown, and isn't losing his spot. (He's not as good as Ballack, but other than Puyol he's their only good Spanish player.) He'd also have trouble co-existing with Pirlo at Milan, but otherwise, every team would take him. I think Juve would too - he'd play a lot more instead of either of del Piero or Nedved, who're not exactly young anymore. Although, come to think of it, Ballack is no spring chicken himself.