Manchester United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2017

Trigger

BBC are on this one now. Benfica coach hasn't ruled out the move

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/38391317

Benfica coach Rui Vitoria has not ruled out Sweden defender Victor Lindelof joining Manchester United next month.

United manager Jose Mourinho is keen on the 22-year-old, who can play at centre-half or right-back.

A group from Benfica is reported to have travelled to England on Monday to discuss a potential transfer with the Premier League club.

United have not commented but Vitoria said: "If there are exits we will find solutions."

Reports suggest he would become the club's most expensive defender of all time, costing between £38m and £42m. Their record is England international Rio Ferdinand's £29.1m move to Old Trafford from Leeds in 2002.

Lindelof, who has 11 caps for Sweden, is expected to play in Benfica's Portuguese league game against Rio Ave on Wednesday, their last game for two weeks.

Mourinho, who spent more than £150m on players in the summer, is keen to make changes to his squad during the January transfer window.

Although the Portuguese has said he will not force anyone out, midfielders Morgan Schneiderlin and Bastian Schweinsteiger are the most likely to depart, along with Memphis Depay.

France international Schneiderlin, 27, has attracted interest from Everton, as has Netherlands winger Depay, although Italian side Roma are another club keeping an eye on the 22-year-old.

Former Germany captain Schweinsteiger spoke to MLS outfit Chicago Fire, with other US clubs also keen on taking the World Cup winner, who has returned to first-team training after being frozen out by Mourinho at the start of the season.

fuzzydunlop85

A few of the Swedish lads on the red cafe seem a bit bemused by this transfer. Have never seen him play, seems very pricey(even given the current climate). Wonder where he will play if he does sign, Valencia pretty solid at RB, must spell bad news for one of the centre halfs.My money would be on Smalling. Apparently this guy can play DM also . I'm doubting anyone on here has seen much of him?

MagicIRL

All I know about him is he plays for Benfica.

Oh, and that he's the best CB/RB in the world. Been a massive fan of his ever since I watched a youtube video about him yesterday.

yabadabado

He played against us at the Euros He didn't exactly stand out as a 30m+ player.

jayo26

fuzzydunlop85 wrote: »

A few of the Swedish lads on the red cafe seem a bit bemused by this transfer. Have never seen him play, seems very pricey(even given the current climate). Wonder where he will play if he does sign, Valencia pretty solid at RB, must spell bad news for one of the centre halfs.My money would be on Smalling. Apparently this guy can play DM also . I'm doubting anyone on here has seen much of him?

They have never seending him play?

fuzzydunlop85

jayo26 wrote: »

They have never seending him play?

I've never seen him play, except the Euros I guess but can't remember much from that. I have faith in Jose he rarely gets it wrong with defenders, but not sure this an area that's needs addressing urgently at the moment. Someone to take the pressure of Carrick would be nice.

Trigger

I think he is bringing in a CB because he feels that he can't trust Smalling. That's imo on the way he has previously talked about him and the injuries. Going forward I feel Bailly and lindelof will be first choice with Rojo and Jones back ups and Blind as a Versatile player.

Hopefully Jones can stay fit.

jayo26

fuzzydunlop85 wrote: »

I've never seen him play, except the Euros I guess but can't remember much from that. I have faith in Jose he rarely gets it wrong with defenders, but not sure this an area that's needs addressing urgently at the moment. Someone to take the pressure of Carrick would be nice.

The probem is that they ain't many people that can play Carricks position that might be available we have blind as has been mentioned loads here but he is never given the chance for whatever reason.

To bring someone in from outside the other player that jumps out at me would be carvalho from Portugal also but he is probably not available.

Center back is a bit of a dodgey area for us and always has been Bailey is unavailable for probably six weeks and we are one injury away from only having 2 experienced center backs.

None of us have any experience of the guy really but he has 11 international caps and over 40 appearance for his club this year he is similar to Bailey In that way.

yabadabado

Weigl from Dortmund would be the ideal replacement for Carrick but I'd say it would be near impossible to get him.A real classy cm would love to see him at the club.

Edit:signed a long term deal/extension yesterday:mad:

Rayne Wooney

The Swedish guy will be replacing one of Rojo, Jones or Smalling surely.

My money is on the rumoured leak.

fuzzydunlop85

jayo26 wrote: »

The probem is that they ain't many people that can play Carricks position that might be available we have blind as has been mentioned loads here but he is never given the chance for whatever reason.

To bring someone in from outside the other player that jumps out at me would be carvalho from Portugal also but he is probably not available.

Center back is a bit of a dodgey area for us and always has been Bailey is unavailable for probably six weeks and we are one injury away from only having 2 experienced center backs.

None of us have any experience of the guy really but he has 11 international caps and over 40 appearance for his club this year he is similar to Bailey In that way.

40 mill for a guy with 11 caps and 1 season in the CL is a piss take to be fair(even accounting for a January/united tax). But Jose must see something in him and like most on here I ain't seen much of him. Would love to see Blind get a run in Carrick position but it doesn't seem to be on the cards if he couldn't get a run in that spot when we had 4 games in 9 days or whatever it was. Even Van Gaal didn't play him there bar a few games at the start of his United career.

jayo26

fuzzydunlop85 wrote: »

40 mill for a guy with 11 caps and 1 season in the CL is a piss take to be fair(even accounting for a January/united tax). But Jose must see something in him and like most on here I ain't seen much of him. Would love to see Blind get a run in Carrick position but it doesn't seem to be on the cards if he couldn't get a run in that spot when we had 4 games in 9 days or whatever it was. Even Van Gaal didn't play him there bar a few games at the start of his United career.

Donno where the 40 million is coming from apart from one or two papers but the fee i read is 28 million similar to everyone saying martial cost 56 million the figure is 38 million with add ons if he continues to develope.

If jose thinks he is worth the money all we can do is trust hime or else it ends up as a moanfest.


In other news sky asking does jose want to sign a 10 year contract extension. That would concern me more than anything.

Liam McPoyle

fuzzydunlop85 wrote: »

40 mill for a guy with 11 caps and 1 season in the CL is a piss take to be fair(even accounting for a January/united tax). But Jose must see something in him and like most on here I ain't seen much of him. Would love to see Blind get a run in Carrick position but it doesn't seem to be on the cards if he couldn't get a run in that spot when we had 4 games in 9 days or whatever it was. Even Van Gaal didn't play him there bar a few games at the start of his United career.

I'd be confident not too many of us had heard of Bailly and he is a monster of a defender.

If Jose can spot any particular type of high calibre player its defenders so I'd trust his judgement completely.

Silly money being touted mind.

fuzzydunlop85

fuzzydunlop85 wrote: »

40 mill for a guy with 11 caps and 1 season in the CL is a piss take to be fair(even accounting for a January/united tax). But Jose must see something in him and like most on here I ain't seen much of him. Would love to see Blind get a run in Carrick position but it doesn't seem to be on the cards if he couldn't get a run in that spot when we had 4 games in 9 days or whatever it was. Even Van Gaal didn't play him there bar a few games at the start of his United career.

Alot of people said the same about Baily and look at what he has produced in just under half a season at Utd.
Even as a Jose critic I would simply have faith in his scouting and in particular when it comes to central defense.

Leroy42

Blind has been with the club a while now, it must be assumed that if we all think he can play in DM then LVG and Jose thought of it too.

Therefore, I would think that he just isn't showing himself capable in training, otherwise they would try him more. Jose knows Carrick is not the long term option, of possibly even short term, but even with that he won't give Blind the place. You don't just throw in a player and hope it works out.

IMO, people are giving Blind credit potential he doesn't deserve.

bucketybuck

Leroy42 wrote: »

IMO, people are giving Blind credit he doesn't deserve.

I don't think credit is the right word, its simply wondering how a player can win player of the year for a club in midfield but then never play that position at his new club. It just begs the question.

Mars Bar

Lewandowski said that Lindelof and his CB partner were the best defensive duo he had played against.
I imagine Ibra has been saying a few good things about him too.

Mars Bar

Mars Bar wrote: »

Lewandowski said that Lindelof and his CB partner were the best defensive duo he had played against.
I imagine Ibra has been saying a few good things about him too.

Ibra has commented a couple of times about his experience with Swedan

Lord TSC

Via James Ducker

Jose Mourinho has set his sights on signing Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann, Benfica defenders Victor Lindelof and Nelson Semedo and Monaco midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko next year as his Old Trafford revolution gathers pace.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/12/21/jose-mourinho-targets-180-million-quartet-across-next-two-windows/

Cantona's Collars

Look at Jose's record with signing defenders, some unbelievable talent on that list. The man knows his CB's.

0gac3yjefb5sv7

zerks wrote: »

Look at Jose's record with signing defenders, some unbelievable talent on that list. The man knows his CB's.

Who is on it?

limnam

Pheonix10 wrote: »

Who is on it?

Carvalhio...

Lucio....

Also had some great full backs. That pr|ck from Arsenal who I won't name.
Paulo Ferria

To be honest Jose hasn't made that many blunders when bringing in players...

James Ducker at the Telegraphh reckons that Jose has a quartet of signings identified for acquisition over the next two transfer windows. Antoine Griezmann, Victor Lindelof, Nelson Semedo (RB) and Tiemoué Bakayoko (C/DM) are the four.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/12/21/jose-mourinho-targets-180-million-quartet-across-next-two-windows/


Got a bit of a chuckle out of this yesterday, but even more so now after reading the above article. United fans with Mourinho signings be like...

Doesn't matter, I didn't know who Eric Bailly was. I found out pretty quickly though once he started playing for us.

Rossi IRL

Fellaini made it home.

https://twitter.com/manutd/status/811611787439341568

Kerrydude1981

https://twitter.com/ManUtd/status/811602888552316929

Headshot

Rossi IRL wrote: »

Fellaini made it home.

https://twitter.com/manutd/status/811611787439341568

bangkok you weren't ment to bring him back lol

Blatter

bucketybuck wrote: »

I don't think credit is the right word, its simply wondering how a player can win player of the year for a club in midfield but then never play that position at his new club. It just begs the question.

He did play in midfield for United a few times in his first season and wasn't very good imo.

He has a good pass when given time and space, has good positional sense and is generally quite clever. But it's not enough to compensate for the fact that he's too slow and doesn't have the technical skills to dictate a game in CM.

He's fine there in home games against weaker opposition who aren't pressing but he'll generally be a weak link in the more competitive fixtures.

bucketybuck

Blatter wrote: »

He did play in midfield for United a few times in his first season and wasn't very good imo.

He has a good pass when given time and space, has good positional sense and is generally quite clever. But it's not enough to compensate for the fact that he's too slow and doesn't have the technical skills to dictate a game in CM.

He's fine there in home games against weaker opposition who aren't pressing but he'll generally be a weak link in the more competitive fixtures.

A few times? How many times would you say he played there? Because I'd say that the number of games Blind played in midfield for us was so few as to be statistically insignificant, not to mention that they occurred during a managerial shitshow and just after his arrival to a new league and a new club.

Using those few games to label him not very good and a weak link seems incredibly harsh, it would be far more accurate for us to say that we simply don't know because we have never seen him play that role for any reasonable length of time.

Btw, I genuinely thought your middle paragraph was referring to Carrick, I guess thats why people wonder if Blind could do that job as well...

Trigger

Benfica are 2-0 up at HT on BT Sports 2 if anyone wants to see how Lindelof does. Just caught the last 5 mins of the first half and will miss the second half.

Liam McPoyle

Rossi IRL wrote: »

Fellaini made it home.

https://twitter.com/manutd/status/811611787439341568

Bangkok as he sees that.

GSPfan

Who was it who reported 4 signings in the Summer and was spot on? They pretty much identified them by name too if I remember correctly.

The one thing I have to say about Jose is that I have rarely disagreed with his signings for other clubs. He has a knack for signing the obvious choice of player instead of trying to be too clever and going against popular opinion.

StringerBell

Someone specifically called Ibra, Pogba, Mhiki and Bailly? And only them? That would have been impressive anyway.

GSPfan

StringerBell wrote: »

Someone specifically called Ibra, Pogba, Mhiki and Bailly? And only them? That would have been impressive anyway.

There's a link below from an article from May for the metro running a story everyone was running. As it grew legs Im almost sure toward the end of the transfer window Miguel Delaney and possibly others were naming Ibra, Pogba, Mkhitaryan before we signed them. I doubt Bailly was named as that came first if I remember and seemed to surprise everyone but as you can see from the article below they nailed the type of players we went after as far back as May.

http://metro.co.uk/2016/05/25/jose-mourinho-targeting-four-key-areas-in-transfer-market-to-make-manchester-united-title-challengers-5903251/

Leroy42

bucketybuck wrote: »

A few times? How many times would you say he played there? Because I'd say that the number of games Blind played in midfield for us was so few as to be statistically insignificant, not to mention that they occurred during a managerial shitshow and just after his arrival to a new league and a new club.

Using those few games to label him not very good and a weak link seems incredibly harsh, it would be far more accurate for us to say that we simply don't know because we have never seen him play that role for any reasonable length of time.

Btw, I genuinely thought your middle paragraph was referring to Carrick, I guess thats why people wonder if Blind could do that job as well...

But you don't think they just put players into positions for a match without trying it out in training?

He had a few games, didn't do anything great, and I'm sure Jose has looked at him in that position (cos lets face it until he brought Carrick back the MF was not working). Don't you think Jose has seen that he just isn't up to it at this level?

GSPfan

Leroy42 wrote: »

I'm sure Jose has looked at him in that position (cos lets face it until he brought Carrick back the MF was not working). Don't you think Jose has seen that he just isn't up to it at this level?

Rojo and Carrick couldn't get a look in until recently so id be very much of the opinion that Jose is still figuring out his squads capabilities and doesn't know everything right now.

Sand

I'd be interested to see what the front 6 will look like with Griezmann if he is signed. Griezmann as striker is going to offer something completely different to what Zlatan does today and I presume Zlatan wont stick around next year to be a squad player. If he plays #10 that implies a commitment to 4-2-3-1 vs. 4-3-3. So Pogba needs to restrain himself, or you're going to need a monster of a DM to cover that area by himself while Pogba is roaming. Griezmann can play on the wing but cant see Mourinho signing him for that.

I'm not presuming Griezmann will be signed, just curious what Mourinho expects 'his team' to look and play like in 2 years time.

Leroy42

Yeah, I'm not saying he knows everything and Blind could possibly work out in that position.

However, many on here seem to think he could be the answer when all the evidence is that he isn't. On the point of Carrick, he basically dropped him and had to bring him back when things were going wrong. Surely if Blind has the ability that was his time to shine.

What reason would Jose have not to try him out there? I believe that Jose has tried him, and Morgan, and feels either they aren't good enough or aren't ready.

Lord TSC

https://twitter.com/FloraMoussy/status/811646242581315584

French press saying that Schnederlin to Everton is done.

Blatter

bucketybuck wrote: »

A few times? How many times would you say he played there? Because I'd say that the number of games Blind played in midfield for us was so few as to be statistically insignificant, not to mention that they occurred during a managerial shitshow and just after his arrival to a new league and a new club.

Using those few games to label him not very good and a weak link seems incredibly harsh, it would be far more accurate for us to say that we simply don't know because we have never seen him play that role for any reasonable length of time.

Btw, I genuinely thought your middle paragraph was referring to Carrick, I guess thats why people wonder if Blind could do that job as well...

I can't remember exactly how many games he played in CM but I do remember him having some sort of a sustained run there (maybe 6-8 games) and thinking at the time that there was no hope for him there long term.

I get your point about the sample size being small but I think a few games is generally enough to tell whether or not a player has the underlying basic skills to be able to play a particular role at a high level.

Carrick has similar issues which have always held him back from being a truly top class CM but he still has much more about him than Blind (imo), which as a fact in itself doesn't lead me to harbour any hopes about Blind nailing down and justifying a long term CM spot at United.

GSPfan

I'll trust you understand French.

Glad to see him go if he does as Jose clearly doesn't want him. Hopefully Depay and Young follow him out so that we can get a sneaky player or two in. Jose saying he is happy with his squad unless someone asks to leave is classic talk to maximise sale value and hide intentions to buy. Id be happy with the guy Lindelof coming in and possibly a bit of competition for Carrick or Valencia.

IamtheWalrus

Is this Greizman story a January or Summer signing?

Sand

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

Is this Greizman story a January or Summer signing?

Summer apparently. He has a release clause which is less than the Pogba fee, so if Mourinho wants him, he is gettable.

bucketybuck

Blatter wrote: »

I can't remember exactly how many games he played in CM but I do remember him having some sort of a sustained run there (maybe 6-8 games) and thinking at the time that there was no hope for him there long term.

I get your point about the sample size being small but I think a few games is generally enough to tell whether or not a player has the underlying basic skills to be able to play a particular role at a high level.

I disagree about the 6-8 games, I don't think he ever played that many and certainly not in a sustained run. My recollection is that he played there a few times in between games covering at full back, though my memory could be faulty and I'm not about to go and research it.

I also have to disagree with the second paragraph for one glaring reason, if a few games are enough to tell whether a player has the basic skills for a role then what about excelling for a full season in that role for a major European club?

Which comes back to my original point, Blind performed the defensive midfield role for Ajax so well he was named the Dutch footballer of the year yet he seemingly isn't an option whatsoever in that role for us. We don't even try him there and haven't for the guts of two years now despite it being a role we actively need to fill. Its just rather strange.

GSPfan

GSPfan wrote: »

I'll trust you understand French.

Glad to see him go if he does as Jose clearly doesn't want him. Hopefully Depay and Young follow him out so that we can get a sneaky player or two in. Jose saying he is happy with his squad unless someone asks to leave is classic talk to maximise sale value and hide intentions to buy. Id be happy with the guy Lindelof coming in and possibly a bit of competition for Carrick or Valencia.

Hopefully Young stays. Absolutely no reason to be getting rid of a player who seems content to be a squad player for us, and is a good squad player at that. If the club needs to sell Ashley Young to fund new players I'd be shocked.

bangkok

Headshot wrote: »

bangkok you weren't ment to bring him back lol

I flew the plane over, lads got a bit of breakfast and we flew back. Fellaini is boring.

Does anyone know when the full Jose interview which features the below segments will be broadcast? Or if it has been broadcast already?

Despite the title of that second video, I didn't hear him rule out going for Lindleof in January. He said that he is more fond of the Summer window for various reasons, but that if we bring in a player in January, "it will be 1, not 2,3 or 4."

Jose also says that he won't be pushing any players out in January, and if a player leaves it will be because "he really wants to leave". That sounds ominous to me, I definitely expect one or two such players to have already expressed that wish to Jose.

Cookiemunster

Sand wrote: »

Summer apparently. He has a release clause which is less than the Pogba fee, so if Mourinho wants him, he is gettable.

His release clause is €100m / £85m. Pogba cost €105m / £89m. It's basically the same fee.

Robson99

stankratz wrote: »

Hopefully Young stays. Absolutely no reason to be getting rid of a player who seems content to be a squad player for us, and is a good squad player at that. If the club needs to sell Ashley Young to fund new players I'd be shocked.

Think I remember reading that young is on big wages. Let him off .. he is so far down the pecking order he is not going to get any game time

Cookiemunster

Robson99 wrote: »

Think I remember reading that young is on big wages. Let him off .. he is so far down the pecking order he is not going to get any game time

That's why we have so many problems getting rid of squad players. They're on more money that the top earners at most clubs.

brinty

bangkok wrote:

I flew the plane over, lads got a bit of breakfast and we flew back. Fellaini is boring.

Typical Bangkok
#vile

BTW you're off my Christmas card list

Who gave you permission to fly the #positivityplane and how did you get the keys without me knowing

That's my thing stop infringing on it