Transfer Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread - Summer 2014 - Mod note in OP

eagle eye

Van Gaal has always played 4-3-3 in club football up to now. I can see him moving to that at United if he has the right personnel. It really looks like he needs at least one full back, a guy who can play either side, and then somebody else for central midfield if he wants to play that.

Di Maria is a great signing for them but I feel that one of RVP/Rooney/Mata is going to lose out here unless they make a couple of other big signings to strengthen the weaker positions in the team.

Rojo and Di Maria played very well together in the World Cup.

Amirani

Aenaes wrote: »

Hasn't Mata played on the left for Spain when they've played 4-3-3? Basically Mata, Rooney and Van Persie roaming and interchangeable as a front 3.

He played on the left for Valencia a good bit, with Silva inside him. I think he's a bit wasted there myself, Di Maria is far more at home playing wide.

Herrara---Fletcher
Di Maria Mata Rooney

---

Van Persie

---

That could work. Whether Rooney will play wide is questionable though.

titan18

Di Maria on the left, Rooney in the hole, Mata on the right and RVP up front should work. Will need Rafael or Valencia to provide the width on the right, and it'd be nice to have a proper DM next to Herrera rather than Carrick or Fletcher, but definitely feasible against the vast majority of teams we're playing this season.

emmetkenny

emmetkenny wrote: »

Di Maria should do very well in the premiership and would be a very good signing for United.
Maybe Van Gaal is thinking of switching to 442 by pushing Mata right and Di Maria left ?

Not sure Mata on the right in a 4-4-2 would be feasible. He lacks the pace required.

CSF

Why is Mata constantly getting pushed out of his best position? Why not just sign somebody else and keep Mata where he is?

eagle eye

eagle eye wrote: »

Van Gaal has always played 4-3-3 in club football up to now. I can see him moving to that at United if he has the right personnel. It really looks like he needs at least one full back, a guy who can play either side, and then somebody else for central midfield if he wants to play that.

Di Maria is a great signing for them but I feel that one of RVP/Rooney/Mata is going to lose out here unless they make a couple of other big signings to strengthen the weaker positions in the team.

Rojo and Di Maria played very well together in the World Cup.

Yep, one of those 3 is surplus if they sign di maria

Talib Fiasco

rarnes1 wrote: »

Yep, one of those 3 is surplus if they sign di maria

Yeah and tbh I think Rooney should be the one kicked out but that'll hardly happen with him being captain.

CSF

Talib Fiasco wrote: »

Yeah and tbh I think Rooney should be the one kicked out but that'll hardly happen with him being captain.

Why not just not kick someone out and not sign Di Maria? I can't see which of those 3 he is a huge improvement on

He doesn't play the same position as Rooney, he is not a forward. He's a winger or centre midfielder.

Talib Fiasco

CSF wrote: »

Why not just not kick someone out and not sign Di Maria? I can't see which of those 3 he is a huge improvement on

Yeah that'd obviously make the most sense...he's a great player to have and is an improvement on what they have but they have to shell a player out for the team to be most effective and tbh Rooney is the ideal guy they could have sold. If they sold Rooney and got in Di Maria a team of:

-Herrera

---

(potential DM)-Fletcher/Carrick/whoever

---

Di Maria

---

Mata

---

RVP

...would be very very effective with Welbeck, Hernandez etc as impact subs.

LuckyLloyd

Will I Amnt wrote: »

World class player in big money move shocker :eek:
Stop the presses!!!

How good is he though? £60m plus would place him in rare company I'm not sure he belongs in. But if a club is willing to spend ~£30m on an 18 year old fullback efficient use of financial resources is obv not a priority.

LuckyLloyd

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

How good is he though? £60m plus would place him in rare company I'm not sure he belongs in. But if a club is willing to spend ~£30m on an 18 year old fullback efficient use of financial resources is obv not a priority.

SSN are reporting more than that ~ £75m. Same sort of price as Suarez! :pac:

Insane stuff

eagle eye

rarnes1 wrote: »

SSN are reporting more than that ~ £75m. Same sort of price as Suarez! :pac:

Insane stuff

The price they are quoting is Euro but you conveniently put the pound sign there.

Why do Liverpool fans feel the need to try and annoy United fans? The time when you were the top two teams in England are long gone. City and Chelsea are the big boys now.

Agent Coulson

eagle eye wrote: »

The price they are quoting is Euro but you conveniently put the pound sign there.

Why do Liverpool fans feel the need to try and annoy United fans? The time when you were the top two teams in England are long gone. City and Chelsea are the big boys now.

£ not a € in the Fail.

Angel Di Maria could now cost Manchester United £75m after Real Madrid raise their asking price for midfielder

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2733033/Angel-Di-Maria-cost-Manchester-United-75m-Real-Madrid-raise-asking-price-midfielder.html

eagle eye

eagle eye wrote: »

The price they are quoting is Euro but you conveniently put the pound sign there.

Why do Liverpool fans feel the need to try and annoy United fans? The time when you were the top two teams in England are long gone. City and Chelsea are the big boys now.

Would someone really get annoyed over a pound sign? Seriously?

BBC are reporting £££

CSF

Mabel Brief Shelf wrote: »

He doesn't play the same position as Rooney, he is not a forward. He's a winger or centre midfielder.

I just don't see Di Maria as a central midfielder in the Premiership. Especially with Herrera not being the brawler type either.

I don't know if there's a wide position for him either with Mata, RVP and Rooney.

He's a great player, but doesn't seem to fit the United team, which at the time I would have said about Mata with Kagawa already there.

It genuinely seems like United's transfer policy is to sign massive players in areas they're already massively strong, and then sign smaller name risks in the positions where they're weak.

CSF

rarnes1 wrote: »

Would someone really get annoyed over a pound sign? Seriously?

BBC are reporting £££

When you're talking 75 million the difference in a currency is fairly big relatively speaking.

CSF

CSF wrote: »

When you're talking 75 million the difference in a currency is fairly big relatively speaking.

Did anyone say there isn't a difference

Tell that to the BBC as they are reporting £75m


Whether it's euros or pounds it's up there with the biggest transfer fees ever

MagicMarker

CSF wrote: »

I just don't see Di Maria as a central midfielder in the Premiership. Especially with Herrera not being the brawler type either.

I don't know if there's a wide position for him either with Mata, RVP and Rooney.

He's a great player, but doesn't seem to fit the United team, which at the time I would have said about Mata with Kagawa already there.

It genuinely seems like United's transfer policy is to sign massive players in areas they're already massively strong, and then sign smaller name risks in the positions where they're weak.

We're massively strong on the wing are we?

Amirani

MagicMarker wrote: »

We're massively strong on the wing are we?

I think playing with wing backs has caused a lot of people to forget how poor United were out wide last season.

Oat23

If it's 'only' €75m, and not £75m, that is like €160m spent this summer with what I considered the biggest concern not addressed yet (CM/DM).

Fair play to the club for investing so much money though..and without the help of a Russian or Arab too.

Lord TSC

I know why people say we haven't addressed CM but I would point out we bought Herrera who is a CM, so it's not been utterly ignored. Also would be expecting one more signing, likely a CM before the window closes...

Meglamonia

Euros or pounds they're paying away over the top for him.

Ridiculous price.

Soft Falling Rain

Lord TSC wrote: »

I know why people say we haven't addressed CM but I would point out we bought Herrera who is a CM, so it's not been utterly ignored. Also would be expecting one more signing, likely a CM before the window closes...

I think most would have said more than one CM was required. Man U need another 2 defenders IMO too.

yabadabado

Why do supporters care what a club pays for a player ?

Amirani

yabadabado wrote: »

Why do supporters care what a club pays for a player ?

Opportunity cost.

Talib Fiasco

yabadabado wrote: »

Why do supporters care what a club pays for a player ?

So if and when a player fails at a club the rival supporters can have a lol at them

Dempsey

yabadabado wrote: »

Why do supporters care what a club pays for a player ?

Because alot of money a clubs spends comes from supporters

Francie Barrett

What ever you say about Evra, to let him go and end up playing Ashley Young in his position is just mind-numbingly stupid.

LuckyLloyd

eagle eye wrote: »

Why do Liverpool fans feel the need to try and annoy United fans? The time when you were the top two teams in England are long gone. City and Chelsea are the big boys now.

I'm not trying to annoy them. I think ~£90m worth of transfers are worthy of discussion and scrutiny when it lands you an 18 year old fullback and an attacker who scored 5 goals last season.

MagicMarker

Francie Barrett wrote: »

What ever you say about Evra, to let him go and end up playing Ashley Young in his position is just mind-numbingly stupid.

Except we didn't do that. We bought Shaw, who is injured.

Skylinehead

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

an attacker who scored 5 goals last season.

Whatever about his price, that statement is completely disingenuous. I mean, Andres Iniesta scored 3 goals last year. Crap player obviously.

CSF

MagicMarker wrote: »

We're massively strong on the wing are we?

Van Gaal doesn't play wingers in this formation. Changing the formation probably pushes Mata out of where he is best.

LuckyLloyd

Skylinehead wrote: »

Whatever about his price, that statement is completely disingenuous. I mean, Andres Iniesta scored 3 goals last year. Crap player obviously.

Hold on a second, that Di Maria is a brilliant player is not in dispute. But the reason Ronaldo / Bale / Suarez are in the ~£80m bracket is because they have the capability to score tons of goals. That's the quality that puts their price into ridiculous territory.

cson

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

I'm not trying to annoy them. I think ~£90m worth of transfers are worthy of discussion and scrutiny when it lands you an 18 year old fullback and an attacker who scored 5 goals last season.

It's easy to pick Shaw out as overpriced relative to age and experience; and I'd tend to agree for the money paid you could probably have had your pick of established top class full backs. But; he'll count as home grown and should he fulfill his potential you'll get circa 15 years out of him which, wages aside, £2m a year isn't too bad if he turns out to be anything like he's promising. It's a gamble granted.

Its the £27m spent on the likes of Fellaini that'd worry me more if I was a United fan tbh.

Christy Browne

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Hold on a second, that Di Maria is a brilliant player is not in dispute. But the reason Ronaldo / Bale / Suarez are in the ~£80m bracket is because they have the capability to score tons of goals. That's the quality that puts their price into ridiculous territory.

But Di Maria isn't £80 million, he's £60 million. And United are paying for his assists, the most in La Liga last season.

PhlegmyMoses

Looks like it's mainly rival fans arguing over a deal that hasn't even been announced yet. Weird.

PhlegmyMoses

Also, to compare transfer fees from 2009 to 2014 is pointless. Since then, City, PSG, Monaco and even Arsenal have joined the traditional big spenders. More options to maximise your transfer fee.

Dont be at yourself

Christy Browne wrote: »

But Di Maria isn't £80 million, he's £60 million. And United are paying for his assists, the most in La Liga last season.

Whether it's £60m or £75m (as suggest by the BBC today), its a hell of a lot of money for player who doesnt score goals, who's 27 years old and with no resale value, and when you have huge holes in your defence.

Blackett and Keane are currently struggling to keep Sunderland at bay, and then youve Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia playing at wing back. Thats not a Man United team. It reminds me of when Liverpool were playing guys like Plessis, Insua, Poulsen, Koncheskey.

Meanwhile, United have Kagawa, who can offer a lot of what Di Maria does, languishing on the bench, and one of Europe's most promising attackers in Januzaj struggling for game time.

and, its easy to rack up assists when youve the likes of Ronaldo or Bale ahead of you. I think Ozil had the most assists in La Liga the previous year, and hasnt exactly set the league alight here. Mata also led the Premier League in assists a couple of years ago.

Skylinehead

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Hold on a second, that Di Maria is a brilliant player is not in dispute. But the reason Ronaldo / Bale / Suarez are in the ~£80m bracket is because they have the capability to score tons of goals. That's the quality that puts their price into ridiculous territory.

Oh, I thought you were talking about Herrera, who coincidentally got 5 goals :pac:

I actually agree that Di Maria is completely overpriced be it 60m or 75m, carry on.

Christy Browne

Dont be at yourself wrote: »

Whether it's £60m or £75m (as suggest by the BBC today), its a hell of a lot of money for player who doesnt score goals, who's 27 years old and with no resale value, and when you have huge holes in your defence.

Blackett and Keane are currently struggling to keep Sunderland at bay, and then youve Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia playing at wing back. Thats not a Man United team. It reminds me of when Liverpool were playing guys like Plessis, Insua, Poulsen, Koncheskey.

Meanwhile, United have Kagawa, who can offer a lot of what Di Maria does, languishing on the bench, and one of Europe's most promising attackers in Januzaj struggling for game time.

and, its easy to rack up assists when youve the likes of Ronaldo or Bale ahead of you. I think Ozil had the most assists in La Liga the previous year, and hasnt exactly set the league alight here. Mata also led the Premier League in assists a couple of years ago.

Di Maria will allow us to switch to 4-3-3, which means more game time for Januzaj. And I challenge you to show me a team who could put out a good defence with 5 of their first choice defenders missing in Rafael, Smalling, Evans, Rojo, Shaw. I don't see your point about Mata, he's class. And Kagawa has never shown up in a United shirt, nor is he a winger, which is where Di Maria will be played. So that's irrelevant too...

Talib Fiasco

Christy Browne wrote: »

Di Maria will allow us to switch to 4-3-3, which means more game time for Januzaj. And I challenge you to show me a team who could put out a good defence with 5 of their first choice defenders missing in Rafael, Smalling, Evans, Rojo, Shaw. I don't see your point about Mata, he's class. And Kagawa has never shown up in a United shirt, nor is he a winger, which is where Di Maria will be played. So that's irrelevant too...

Sagna/Richards-Nastatic-Demichellis-Kolarov after you take out:

Kompany, Mangala, Zabaleta, Clichy

Not a bad defence at all, in fact I'd be comfortable with seeing that for a few games

Christy Browne

Talib Fiasco wrote: »

Sagna/Richards-Nastatic-Demichellis-Kolarov after you take out:

Kompany, Mangala, Zabaleta, Clichy

Not a bad defence at all, in fact I'd be comfortable with seeing that for a few games

3 first choice centre backs and 2 full backs so take out Kompany, Demichelis and Mangala, along with Zabaleta and Kolarov and you're left with: Sagna - Nastasic - Boyata - Clichy? I wouldn't be confident if I was a City fan going into a match with that back four.

Dont be at yourself

Christy Browne wrote: »

Di Maria will allow us to switch to 4-3-3, which means more game time for Januzaj. And I challenge you to show me a team who could put out a good defence with 5 of their first choice defenders missing in Rafael, Smalling, Evans, Rojo, Shaw. I don't see your point about Mata, he's class. And Kagawa has never shown up in a United shirt, nor is he a winger, which is where Di Maria will be played. So that's irrelevant too...

LVG is on the record saying he wants to play 5-3-2 so he can accommodate Mata, Rooney and RVP in their best positions. Thats why hes persevered with it, even though it means playing the likes of Blackett, Young, Lingard and Keane.

Spending this money on Di Maria to play 4-3-3? Sure, he's an excellent winger. But it also means youve no place for Mata (last year's big money signing), and Rooney will be out of position.

Chelsea can leave Philip Luis on the bench, City can leave Mangala on the bench, Arsenal spent £16m on a backup defender, Liverpool have Sakho, Agger, Flanagan all kicking their heels... And sure, its unfair to compare your second string defence to other teams. But looks at your first string: Jones, Evans, Rafael -- that needs the £60m more than the final third does.

hadepsx

63.9 million sterling fee quoted on ssn news there now for di maria. Wow

Christy Browne

Dont be at yourself wrote: »

LVG is on the record saying he wants to play 5-3-2 so he can accommodate Mata, Rooney and RVP in their best positions. Thats why hes persevered with it, even though it means playing the likes of Blackett, Young, Lingard and Keane.

Spending this money on Di Maria to play 4-3-3? Sure, he's an excellent winger. But it also means youve no place for Mata (last year's big money signing), and Rooney will be out of position.

Chelsea can leave Philip Luis on the bench, City can leave Mangala on the bench, Arsenal spent £16m on a backup defender, Liverpool have Sakho, Agger, Flanagan all kicking their heels... And sure, its unfair to compare your second string defence to other teams. But looks at your first string: Jones, Evans, Rafael -- that needs the £60m more than the final third does.

De Gea
Rafael - Evans - Rojo - Shaw
Carrick
Herrera - Di Maria
Mata
Rooney - Van Persie

or

De Gea
Rafael - Evans - Rojo - Shaw
Herrera - Carrick
Mata
Di Maria - Van Persie - Rooney

with the front three interchanging all accommodate Rooney, Van Persie, Mata and Di Maria.

Van Gaal is also quoted as saying he prefers 4-3-3 but can't play it because we don't have quality wide men like Di Maria or Ronaldo. Oh look we're signing Di Maria, wonder what happens now....

Talib Fiasco

Christy Browne wrote: »

3 first choice centre backs and 2 full backs so take out Kompany, Demichelis and Mangala, along with Zabaleta and Kolarov and you're left with: Sagna - Nastasic - Boyata - Clichy? I wouldn't be confident if I was a City fan going into a match with that back four.

Fine so. Sagna, Nas, Richards and Clichy.... I'd be comfortable with that for a few games certainly.

Christy Browne

Talib Fiasco wrote: »

Fine so. Sagna, Nas, Richards and Clichy.... I'd be comfortable with that for a few games certainly.

Also doesn't account for the fact we're playing 5 at the back, so Sagna - Richards - Boyata - Nastasic - Clichy. I'd be about as comfortable with that defence as a lying on a bed of nails :pac:. You're a less nervous man then me if you're happy with that

Dont be at yourself

Christy Browne wrote: »

De Gea
Rafael - Evans - Rojo - Shaw
Carrick
Herrera - Di Maria
Mata
Rooney - Van Persie

or

De Gea
Rafael - Evans - Rojo - Shaw
Herrera - Carrick
Mata
Di Maria - Van Persie - Rooney

with the front three interchanging all accommodate Rooney, Van Persie, Mata and Di Maria.

Van Gaal is also quoted as saying he prefers 4-3-3 but can't play it because we don't have quality wide men like Di Maria or Ronaldo. Oh look we're signing Di Maria, wonder what happens now....

Both of those teams are ridiculously unbalanced. If youre going to have to play one of Di Maria or Mata in midfield, why not buy an actual central midfielder like Vidal or Khedira?

Bayern, Barca and Real can load up on forwards because they have the likes of Neuer, Lahm, Varane, Ramos, Pepe, Pique Macherano to keep things steady at the back. United have, err, Johnny Evans.

Sounds to me that Jorge Mendez is throwing a bone to Woodward and he's jumped on it wholeheartedly.

Talib Fiasco

Christy Browne wrote: »

Also doesn't account for the fact we're playing 5 at the back, so Sagna - Richards - Boyata - Nastasic - Clichy. I'd be about as comfortable with that defence as a lying on a bed of nails :pac::pac:pac:. You're a less nervous man then me if you're happy with that

Why play with 5 at the back though if you're short of natural defenders? It doesn't make sense to make things difficult before ye even kick a ball with playing lads in positions not natural to them but it's not my fault Van Gaal wants to do that so I'll stick with that solid 4 thank you very much :pac: