Summer 2004 Transfer Rumor Thread

Not really when you consider Salgado and Carlos running the entire wing all game long, half of their defense was non existent meaning that Pavon (actually a left-back) wasn't much resistance with Helguera against attackers like Giuly and Morientes...kinda explains Real's entire problem really

If all those are true Motter, it would seem that United would be top heavy on strikers in that case now that makes a change...

 

Thuram
Lucio
P.Ferreira
Rothen
Ballack
Gerrard..... no real chance
Torres

any 3 from the above will make me a very happy man U man, man.

 

Wayne Rooney would be a great addition.

I think 4 players plus 10 mil is a fair price. Especially since it includes two decent players in Butt and Ole.

But, I wonder, how many strikers does a team need? Or will Rooney not be expected to play as a striker?

 

4 players for one player that could just as easily have a big career downturn as success?

key word: PROVEN.

 

Get Rooney so he can mug people.

 

Lucio!

 

I think it is gonna be as much a challenge moving some players on as it will be acquiring new ones. Butt & Forlan look certs to go, Ole and Klebs probables. Agreeing fees for them is the easy part, the players agreeing wages will be the trick bit.

 

This is not me, somebody said this on BBC boards:
"To be honest, all English strikers are rubbish, Owen, rooney, and smith.. ManU should get world class players like Ronaldo, Rorandinho, etc.. but they must get rid of Forlan, Butt, and other junk players, even Gigg must go.. Also get Kewell and Gerard to MAN. U"

I kind of agree though.

 

Imagine how bright ManU's future would be with stars like Gerrard, Ronaldo, and Rooney leading the way. All young and all talented. It'd be a great team for a long time to come.

 

I wouldnt call Defoe crap!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Yes, because Ronaldinho (who turned us down a year back) will be more than happy to go now. And Ronaldo, who is the #1 guy at Madrid will be more than happy to split time with Ruud & Saha in rainy Manchester. Let's get rid of the living legend that is Ryan Giggs for a guy that hasn't been good in at least 3 years and is a pure cancer in the locker room, as well as showing no passion for the game. Also, let's get the biggest Scouser of them all, because as much as we would love him here, he would love it just as much. Finally, Owen is crap.

And that, my friends, is sarcasm.

 

Then you should call Sven crap. I would like to see his face when Heskey and company don't score a single freaking goal in Portugal.

 

We need 2 solid defenders, 1 solid midfielder - not Rooney.

 

If the Rooney rumour is true, who else other than Butt (oh well) and Ole (a true tragedy) could go? I have heard the names of Forlan, Kleberson, DjDj, etc being thrown around, so here is my 2 cents on the matter...

It won't be: Ferdinand, O'Shea, Keane, Howard, Gary Neville, Silvestre, Giggs, Ronaldo, Scholes, Ruud, Saha or Fletcher. So which four could it be?

Butt - If this deal is going to go through, this guy is by far the most likely to be on it. He is far better than Gravesen, and is surplus to ManU's needs. He would be worth a fair bit of money, but I think his worth in the deal may be lessened by the fact everybody knows he's on his way out. I see him being worth two players in this deal though (as in Butt, 2 others & 10mn), due to the fact that he is proven and worth notably more than most of the rest.

Solskjaer - I would hate to see him go so much. On top of this beighn a dodgy sale for ManU, I also have to question if this is the brightest move Everton can make... do they really want another aging forward on the payroll? They already have Kevin Campbell (app. 33/34), Duncan Ferguson (32/33) & Radzinski (31/32). I doubt Ole would leave.

Forlan - This seems more likely. Forlan has talent, whic he has shown - his ability to perform consistently however, has been non-existent. Moyes & Co. may feel Diego could produce better in a team with less pressure on him, which is exactly what Everton is. Furthermore, his carteer at United is doen, and he is quite young at about 23 years of age. If the deal happens, I'd call this one likely.

Kleberson - People may look at this and think that while Kleberson hasn't fit in at ManU, he is creative, and that is what Everton lack in a big way in their midfield. Well, sorry to disappoint any hopeful Toffees, but with all due respect, I don't think a World Cup winner will be all too eager to join a team in rainy Liverpool (I think the climate at rainy Manchester is a big factor to his not settling). On top of this, Everton will be a big step down in terms of glamour, so I envision Klebs moving on to a team like Mallorca in the summer. Still, remember when 'Boro landed Ravanelli & Juninho in '96?

Djemba-Djemba - Not too likely, but not impossible. While Djemba-Djemba hasn't exactly lit the world on fire at ManU, he hasn't been a nightmare, either, and is still quite young. I am not too optimistic about his potential to be the next Keane, or even close, but maybe SAF sees things differently. He would fit in quite well at Everton, and isn't really too big a player to go there - plus this would ease MAnU's centre-mid conjestion a good bit. If Everton are to land Butt in th deal, however, I doubt they'll want to have a fourth defensive mid (along with Linderoth & Gravesen).

Phil Neville - Will Fergie want to sell another one of 'the boys'? I am not too sure ,and like DjDj, Everton may not want more than one defensive mid. We could always fool them and call him a fullback (dread the thought). I think Phil is a possibility, especailly is Butt or Djemba-Djemba are not part of the deal.

Fortune - This is quite possile, since Quinton is a hardworking player who will give you his all every tiem he steps on the field, but is not really good enough to be commanding a starting place on a United team that is firing on all cylinders. He would probably be an upgrade for Everton, however, and isn't too big an ego for them. The fact that he is out for at least another 8-9 months means this ain't too likely, though.

Carroll - Everton seem to have a bit of a goalkeeping problem; Nigel Martyn is about 37 years old and they don't seem to like Richard Wright (who I actually think is quite good). Roy Carroll will probably never be good enough to be a full time starter for United, but is one helluva reliable backup, has no problem with waiting to be given his shots, and is known to be a standup guy in the locker room. With Luke Steele hitting his 20's, bit may be the end for Carroll, but I doubt it.

Brown - A solid centreback who has made some woeful blunders in his career. If ManU go out and buy a huge centreback (Lucio, Chivu, etc, etc), then Silvestre will be the #3 CB and probably the #1 LB, with O'Shea as more depth in the middle. Do United want to lack depth in defence again next year? I doubt it, but he is replacable if Everton are insistent.

Bellion - A young prospect that was showing more talent as the year went on, I doubt he will be put into the deal, but if Everton want him, I don't think ManU would be dead-set on holding onto young David. I would prefer to keep him, however.

So if the deal is infact areality, my opinion is...
Two definites: Butt (could count as 2), Forlan
Two possibles: Fortune, Carroll, P. Neville, Djemba Djemba
The unlikelies: Solksjaer, Bellion, Brown, Kleberson

 

Funny the difference a season can make in speculation of who will stay and who will go. At this time last year, I figured that Phil Neville would've been sold to clear some space in the squad and raise some money for some new blood for the squad. After this year, one would think that Fergie is big on keeping him around given his ability to play in the back or the midfield.

 

Everyone seems to agree that we need at least one solid defender yet all the recent speculation has centered around forwards. Who do you think we'll go after to fill our defensive needs? And, would it be better to get proven defensive talent or young talent?

 

Lucio, Samuel, Chivu, Trebilesi, Mexes are a few that we should go after.

 

Oh by all means they are worthy of holding a spot in the squad, after all depth is of the utmost importance. However, if we can give up one (or both) of these plus some money to get Rooney, I say give it a whirl.

 

I think we should go after proven talent this time. Last summer was mostly unproven, young talent.

Samuel's already a madrid player, so I think we should make it a priority to sign Lucio, if not him, maybe that Heinze guy. For midfield, we should go for Rothen as he can give us better depth on the left wing. Signing Smith could give us more depth in the strikers department too, so it should be an interesting summer.

 

Well, I think we are, for the most part, looking at continental defenders, and their windows don't open until their respective seasons end. Spain and Germany just ended, Italy finished last week. However, I don't think the international moves will really start until after Euro 2004. It would be nice to get an English player as cover, so that's why we're looking at rumors with Premiership forwards for now.

 

The best possible time to sign players is before the major tourneys..of course it can be a gamble..injuries during tourney, bad form during tourney, but if you show commitment to a player before a ball has even been kicked it can really impress some players and money hungry agents. I think it works better on the more inexpirienced players who don't even know if they'll do well at a major themselves, the proven talent can just wait but it would be a killer move to put in bids for people like Rothen or Torres(yet again, lol) before Euro 2004 starts.

Madrid have had an awful season, but all their stars are old and/or unsuitable for us which is a shame cos there's gonna be a huge clear-out there...Even R.Carlos may be sold!! in that case R.Carlos and Lucio would be a tasty meal...and they both speak Portuguese which is a great bonus..thinking about Ronaldo and Kleberson here.

In the realms of fantasy how about this:

------Timmy
---Ferdinand-Lucio
P.Ferreira-----R.Carlos
----Keane/Ballack
C.Ronaldo----Giggs
-------Scholes
----Ruud---Saha/Torres/Rooney/Whoever

The pace and control on the 4 wide positions would literally make us the best wide playing team in the world... But to dream... I wish Man Utd PLC where a sharp bunch That bunch of players could be had for under 50million and Only R.C is in his 30's.

 

Has the transfer budget been announced yet? I remeber reading a rumor of 40 million BPS, but I don't know the accuracy of that rumor.

 

yes I heard it was about 40 million BPS plus we may get some by selling Forlan and Butt.