chuksi је написао:

I think that Sterling is still quite young and therefore might improve his decision making still. I think he is one of those players who can get to that 'not quite Ronaldo or Messi, but about as good as Robben' level if he continues to improve. He wouldn't be my first choice(from the few matches I've seen Jesus is better if we look at City), but he would be among the players I that if available, I wouldn't mind signing. It won't happen obviously tho.

I wouldn't even swap Lingard for Sterling :)


I know a guy who is a City fan (since many years, not one of the new ones since the Sheikhs came) and he gets sick just by mentioning Sterling and considers him one of their worst players, along with Navas, Clichy, before them Demichelis etc.
Of course, his opinion doesn't mean anything.....just mentioning what one of their long-term their fans think of Sterling (and I don't think he's the only one).

I read this morning that Juventus have agreed a price of about £35mil with Bayern, for Douglas Costa.

This makes it even more difficult for me to understand our pursue of Ivan Perisic, who is 2 years older and will cost more than Costa, who (imho) is also a better player.

Not saying Perisic is not good, he is definitely a good player, but when I compare all the details I somehow feel Juve is making a better deal.

Let's see what happens, maybe I'm wrong, hope I am...

What do you guys think of the latest story of a possible CR7 return to United???

First of all, the whole story seems more as a distraction from unpaid taxes issue (if that one is even true, which I don't believe).

Anyway, even though bringing Ronaldo would make us stronger, even though he probably still has at least 2-3 good seasons in his legs, I don't think we should overpay, in case this transfer really happens. CR7 would make us a lot of money as he is great for club's marketing and appeal, but if he really wants to leave Real, then we should play hardball.

If we pay more than 100mil euro, we will fund their purchase of Mbappe, who will be their star for the next 10 years or so. At the same time, we would free them from a player who already (allegedly) wants to leave and from his enormous wages. Not really a good piece of business.

For me anything over 60-70m is too much for Ronaldo. Yes, he is great, but he is 32. He is likely to age well because he seems to be the model professional. We should know that even great players like Scholes and Giggs age and they became a burden on the rest of the team, making them just good players, not great. I think Ronaldo will play at a good level until he is 40(if he doesn't get bad injuries) and that means 60-70m is justified.

But I'd rather see Mbappe, who is going to be great for 10 years for sure and likely to get even better rather than slowly regress like Ronaldo. I mean - Ronaldo can age well like Zlatan, but it's not certain. And even Zlatan last season didn't score as many as he did in the previous seasons.

The thing with buying Ronaldo is that we'd be taking a huge risk. He can be great for the next 10 years, but he can get an injury and at that age he might not come back to that level. There is also little to no upside - at best he will age like Zlatan/Giggs/Scholes, but sure he won't be 50% better than them or smth.

I don't think we'd be funding their chase of Mbappe. Instead we'd be freeing up a place in their starting line-up for him, which possibly has a bigger impact on him going there or not.

All in all I think that getting Ronaldo can only work if the price is right and I like that United haven't shown great interest so far. If it does happen, then it has to happen like his exit from United - he drives the process and the clubs will eventually agree a fair deal. When Perez tries to bluff 150m for Ronaldo or smth, then it's just sad and funny to see :).

One good thing is that Ronaldo's agent is not called Mino Raiola :)

chuksi је написао:

For me anything over 60-70m is too much for Ronaldo. Yes, he is great, but he is 32. He is likely to age well because he seems to be the model professional. We should know that even great players like Scholes and Giggs age and they became a burden on the rest of the team, making them just good players, not great. I think Ronaldo will play at a good level until he is 40(if he doesn't get bad injuries) and that means 60-70m is justified.

But I'd rather see Mbappe, who is going to be great for 10 years for sure and likely to get even better rather than slowly regress like Ronaldo. I mean - Ronaldo can age well like Zlatan, but it's not certain. And even Zlatan last season didn't score as many as he did in the previous seasons.

The thing with buying Ronaldo is that we'd be taking a huge risk. He can be great for the next 10 years, but he can get an injury and at that age he might not come back to that level. There is also little to no upside - at best he will age like Zlatan/Giggs/Scholes, but sure he won't be 50% better than them or smth.

I don't think we'd be funding their chase of Mbappe. Instead we'd be freeing up a place in their starting line-up for him, which possibly has a bigger impact on him going there or not.

All in all I think that getting Ronaldo can only work if the price is right and I like that United haven't shown great interest so far. If it does happen, then it has to happen like his exit from United - he drives the process and the clubs will eventually agree a fair deal. When Perez tries to bluff 150m for Ronaldo or smth, then it's just sad and funny to see :).

I think ronaldo has 2-3 more seasons, never more than that.

In the last two years he has played really under his best level. Oh yes, he will get two Golden Ball but last year he didn't score in important matches (City in Semifinals, ATM in Final). He didn't played well for Portugal, being 3rd in their group and just because of the UEFA new rules they got into final rounds. And then even didn't apper in the final, or in the Europe Super Cup. Pepe deserved the Golden Ball more than him, but this is just marketing.

And in this year... well, he scored goals in champions, half about illegal goals because of off side or fouling the rival. In the league it has been his worst season and the League where less has played in the past 7 years (and the first league for Real Madrid, just in case). And again he will win the Golden Ball for sure, while I think Isco, Modric, Hazard, Buffon, Dybala, Messi or Neymar had better seasons than him.

Maybe in marketing would be a good deal, but to pay 100m for him... better buy Mbappe.

Anyway, if he finally quit from Real Madrid, he would fit better in Ligue 1, which is slowly, than in a fast-paced Premier League.

Oh yes, he will get two Golden Ball

Hmm, two golden balls....this must be an obscene looking trophy!

(http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Fo....aspx)

I don't like this and in the same time I wonder why didn't any Premier League club try to take Harrop.

I might have been "tricked" by his game against Palace at the end of the season, but he really seemed like an excellent young player, so I am quite surprised we let him go and, as I said, by the fact that his new club is not a bigger one.

I also thought we could have offered him a new contract and send him on loan to a EPL club. We probably did offer him a contract, but I guess he wanted to go somewhere and play in the first team. Best luck to him and I hope at least that we have some kind of agreement to buy him back.

On a positive note, the story about United signing Fabinho is on again, so I'm hopeful it will come true.

He's 21 and hasn't even been out on loan so far. This seems to suggest that he isn't THAT talented. He took his goal well against Palace, but didn't really excite me too much. He might be a good player, but at United that doesn't really mean too much. Considering that he would have to outplay Rashford, Martial(who are both younger than him!) or other players of that quality or if he plays in midfield, then compete with Pogba, Herrera and someone like Fabinho...

If other clubs haven't seen him as an exciting loan option so far and he hasn't featured at United, then there isn't a very high chance of him making it.

We should also consider that this was just one game at home against a team that had nothing to play for.

I think we didn't offer him a contract because of his age. Players should either make it or move on by that age. Even a late bloomer like Darren Fletcher made his debut when he was 19.

On a positive note, the story about United signing Fabinho is on again, so I'm hopeful it will come true.

Also read that Renato Sanches might be available and we might be looking at him. It begs some questions if Bayern are willing to let him go and he isn't exactly a DM, but.. I would be happy about that transfer.

I think we didn't offer him a contract because of his age. Players should either make it or move on by that age.

The player said that United did offer him a contract, but he chose to join Preston instead, as he was promised first team football there. I can understand that to some point, as he is 21 and needs to make a breakthrough. He cannot do that at United. What I don't know is whether there was a possibility to sign another contract with United and go somewhere on loan. Maybe if he waited a bit longer he could have got a better opportunity. I also read last week that some French clubs were interested in him. Well, anyway, I wish him all the best.

Also read that Renato Sanches might be available and we might be looking at him. It begs some questions if Bayern are willing to let him go and he isn't exactly a DM, but.. I would be happy about that transfer.

Yeah, when Bayern wants to sell a player there is always a doubt. Maybe Sanches has some issues with his behaviour or working habits? When it comes to talent, he seems really good, so I don't think that is his problem. I simply don't know why didn't he get to play more at Bayern, but Ancelotti probably has his reasons. Said that, I would definitely like us to buy him and I think Mourinho might be more successful than Ancelotti in making Renato Sanches progress into a world class player. If the price is about 30mil euro as reported by the media, it's worth trying.

I like the latest story that United are considering activating the release clause of £10-12mil for Marten De Roon of M'boro.

I liked this player, he's maybe the only one I'd took from Boro and Mourinho also had some very nice words after we played against them.

If he accepts to be a part of the rotation and if he doesn't pretend to be a starter week in week out, I'd be more than happy to get him.

The season will be long and we will need depth in every part of the team.

Of course, we will also need to sell several players, but that's another story.

I'm hearing Rooney has signed a two year contract with Everton.

Fantastic. Lovely to get that off the books.

I like this one. Much better than being held to ransom by Real for Morata. Maybe this will teach them a lesson -- they miss out on a payday, are unable to spend that money, and now have a pissed asset on their hands.

(http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/40516483)

Just have to post this for shits & giggles. United inquired on a 16yo Canadian midfielder.

(https://www.thestar.com/sports/soccer/2017/07....html)

I have my doubts with Lukaku, would have preferred Morata. But hope Lukaku proves me wrong.

Buggle је написао:

I like this one. Much better than being held to ransom by Real for Morata. Maybe this will teach them a lesson -- they miss out on a payday, are unable to spend that money, and now have a pissed asset on their hands.

(http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/40516483)

I agree about refusing to being held to ransom by Real Madrid, but I have to say I'm a bit sorry for Morata, as the player seemed to be really willing to come to United and prove himself. Now he is the victim of Florentino Perez's games, unfortunately.
However, I like the fact Real are now in a situation they need to sell two attackers and not just one, if they want to purchase Mbappe. They already needed to sell one from Bale, Ronaldo or Benzema, but now they also must see what to do with Morata, who wants to play as a starter or to be sold. The problem is - who will pay then as much money as they wanted from United for Morata??? Maybe PSG, maybe City, maybe Chelsea...

If the choise was between Morata, Lukaku and Bellotti, then it's maybe the best to buy Lukaku, as he is already accustomed to playing in England.

However, I was hoping that we would invest more money in someone like Bale or Neymar, while trusting Martial and Rashford for the position of a number 9.
Anyway, I knew it was not really possible, as Mourinho prefers to have a Drogba type of player upfront.

I just know that Lukaku will score a load of goals next season.

Now let's take Fabinho and also a right winger, to solve our most pressing issues.

Afterwards, we would need to sell several players and maybe add one or two until the end of transfer window, depending on lots of factors.

Duncan1 је написао:

I'm hearing Rooney has signed a two year contract with Everton.

This is the best solution for everyone, as Rooney returns to his loving club, United takes his enormous wages off the bill and creates space for someone younger, while Everton gets a very experienced and an (still) excellent player for free. I think that in Everton, Rooney might again find some motivation to start hitting the net. Who knows, if he re-discovers that fire inside, he might still play a good season or two. Hopefully he will play as a starter, which is crucial for him to stay fit.

Anyway, he was not good enough for United, so it was a good move to send him back to Everton. Even better if this helps us to get Lukaku and make Chelsea and Conte quite pissed off :)

gerkop је написао:

I have my doubts with Lukaku, would have preferred Morata. But hope Lukaku proves me wrong.

The more I think about it the more I think I prefer Lukaku. He's proven, he's scored 20+ in the Premier League for the past 3 seasons for an average team, we might never know how Morata would have got on, you never know, he could have struggled.

Nemanja77 је написао:

United takes his enormous wages off the bill

I have my suspicions about that. He had a year left on his contract didn't he, I doubt he'd take a huge pay cut to leave. I bet we'll end up paying something like half his wages for the remaining year of his contract so that he's not out of pocket.