Midfield Transfer Options

Only 1 year left on his contract in the summer.

I really like him think he's ready made from this league ticks all the boxes for me but I reckon Liverpool and City will also be sniffing around him if they come in I don't think we'll get him.

He's got the PL experience, he's 24, still got the hunger to reach the top, excellant passer, can shoot, great control, works hard.

Neves is in a similar position at Wolves similar age going down to last 12 months in the summer

Kessie at Milan contract expiring.

Rice is obviously the main man on the list but that's £100m territory to get him.

You might be able to pick up all 3 Teilemens, Neves and Kessie for around £80m move Pogba/VDB/Matic out you might get £30-40m back for those 3.

I feel with Kessie think the like of Madrid/PSG want him to so will be difficult to fight them off and the wages he'll want on a bosman will be a problem for the dressing room. So he's the one I'd probably stay away from.

Utd really need to make some big moves this summer in midfield I think we need 3 new faces in that position.
 
I was going to start a new thread on our midfield transfer options but this seems to be going along on that thread.

In an ideal world I would be going all in for Rice and Ramsey at Villa.

Ramsey is still inexperienced but the kid is going to be a star in my opinion. Being young and English he will cost a bomb but along with Rice he could be in our midfield for 10 years.

I think we will definitely be all in for Rice and to be honest if it costs £100m then so be it.

If we get Rice and Tielemans then I will be chuffed. Couple that with the emergence of Mejbri then we have three new guys there that will instantly add something extra to our midfield. Obviously if Neves was also to become available then would be delighted with him as well.

Outgoings should be Pogba, Matic and VDB - no point keeping VDB if no manager is really going to trust him.

One thing for sure is that we need to invest heavily in our midfield or we will continue to meander along season after season.
 
I think the good thing here is there do seem to be good candidates for midfielders in the league already.

In terms of the competition no one knows what Newcastle will be doing with their new found billions. City/Liverpool I don't think are desperate for midfielders but could see either trying to get a fresh face in. Arsenal/Spurs/Utd all need midfielders so it's going to be a competitive market to try and secure the players we want in.

Buying from prem clubs is also incredibly expensive you basically pay double what you'd pay elsewhere these lads are all at clubs where Utd would be a step up and for me they're all good enough to improve us in midfield.

Rice
Phillips
Bissouma
Neves
Tielemens

Ramsey certainly has something about his game but remember Chris Willock last season banging them in on loan at Newcastle? Think I'd like to see a little bit more from him over a longer period.

From outside the league you have players like Brozovic and Kessie who's contracts expire with Inter and Milan respectively. Luka Modric is also out of contract but I imagine he'll sign for 1 more year in Madrid.

Rangnick hopefully brings with him a bit more knowledge of european markets where solutions can still be found.

There's also the possibility of Garner returning from loan and becoming part of the squad for next season could be a good sort of 5th choice player.

I guess it will all depend on what type of players the new manager wants in his midfield combination will he stick with the 4-2-3-1 or will he look to move to the 4-3-3 with a specialist holding midfield player.

For me it's clear out time in centre mid this summer Pogba has to leave, Matic should be moved on too and then there's VDB with Lingard off he maybe gets 1 more year with another new manager to try and make a mark if he wants to stay.

We have simply got to get 2 quality centre mids in to go with Fred and McT and maybe keep Garner just give the midfield a refresh.

I really like Rice I feel like I'm really sold on him everytime I watch him and hear him speak I'm just thinking this lad has his head on he wants to reach the top. He's had setbacks to along the way got released by Chelsea and was almost released by West Ham as a teenager but he's kept fighting to make it to where he is now.
 
Here's the issue for United in my opinion... Pogba is going to go (or at least he should). Matic absolutely needs to go and VDB likely goes (although he's not a midfielder as such). So that's going to leave you with Fred and McTominay plus Gardner right? So you probably need to sign at least 2 if not 3 CMs alone. Add to that the forwards who may well go too... That's a lot of bodies to lose.
 
Here's the issue for United in my opinion... Pogba is going to go (or at least he should). Matic absolutely needs to go and VDB likely goes (although he's not a midfielder as such). So that's going to leave you with Fred and McTominay plus Gardner right? So you probably need to sign at least 2 if not 3 CMs alone. Add to that the forwards who may well go too... That's a lot of bodies to lose.

Think we might just have to accept next year could be a rough ride too but it’s necessary to move forward.

From a purely football sense losing Greenwood in the current circumstances is a disaster as that kid was a potential CF solution that could save who £100m on a gamble.

I think losing the bodies is necessary we have to clear out the players who don’t want to be here otherwise things will never change.
 
I think United need to trim the squad there's no doubt. They are going to need to bring through some of those youngsters because realistically I can't see them signing more than 3 players in the summer? And that's not going to be enough. I think you're right a year of struggle awaits.
 
I think United need to trim the squad there's no doubt. They are going to need to bring through some of those youngsters because realistically I can't see them signing more than 3 players in the summer? And that's not going to be enough. I think you're right a year of struggle awaits.

You won’t fix all the problems in one summer that’s for sure.

I mean this summer is now looking like 2 CMs and 1 CF as the absolutely necessary signings. These need to be 3 quality starting players in the new Utd side. Keeper and back 4 I think there’s enough there to work with for 1 more year.

The other parts may have to wait give a few kids a chance. Laird, Mengi, Garner, Elanga, Hannibal, Amad and Pellistri are all ones we could certainly have a look at next season. These lads are out on loan hopefully getting some experience and if Utd aren’t in the Champions League the weaker European tournaments could be a good chance to give these kids their chance.
 
You won’t fix all the problems in one summer that’s for sure.

I mean this summer is now looking like 2 CMs and 1 CF as the absolutely necessary signings. These need to be 3 quality starting players in the new Utd side. Keeper and back 4 I think there’s enough there to work with for 1 more year.

The other parts may have to wait give a few kids a chance. Laird, Mengi, Garner, Elanga, Hannibal, Amad and Pellistri are all ones we could certainly have a look at next season. These lads are out on loan hopefully getting some experience and if Utd aren’t in the Champions League the weaker European tournaments could be a good chance to give these kids their chance.
So I think they also need to add a CB but that may be the following season I guess.

I do think if they clear out the squad as they should it'll give some of the younger players a chance. I mean if they move on Martial and Lingard that should give more opportunities to the likes of Amad and Elanga.

Ultimately need to add quality and then bring through the younger players.
 
So I think they also need to add a CB but that may be the following season I guess.

I do think if they clear out the squad as they should it'll give some of the younger players a chance. I mean if they move on Martial and Lingard that should give more opportunities to the likes of Amad and Elanga.

Ultimately need to add quality and then bring through the younger players.

I think you’ve got to try and make a pair out of Maguire, Lindelof and Varane for now. At their best all 3 are good defenders so it’s about getting all of them fit and in form. Hopefully a better midfield that can control games might mean they have less defending to do. Bailly for me has to go he won’t ever be a starter maybe if Jones is over his injuries you keep him and Mengi as your 4th and 5th choice options.

Right back is a little bit more pressing for me. I think AWBs days are numbered, Dalot is ok but not great, Laird could be the answer but will need a chance to show what he’s got. Left back we are fine as long as Telles is happy with his role. Brandon Williams probably is allowed to leave in the summer.

I think we probably need a keeper as well De Gea has done well this season but I think the game has moved on from his style you have to be more willing to come off your line now. Again might not be one for the summer but the one after I think it might be time to refresh that spot plus his contract is a problem. the club need him to take a big pay cut to renew I can’t see him wanting to do that. Think this summer we should sell or more likely loan out Henderson get him playing probably get a cheap number 2 in who can keep De Gea on his toes and play cup matches.

Two centre mids and a striker is going to cost a bomb though unless they somehow pull a rabbit out the hat and land Haaland, which at this point looks almost impossible.
 
Seen reports saying that Tielemans has told Leicester he definitely won't be signing a new deal and wants to leave in the summer. He should be priority number 1.
 

Assuming we are losing Pogba we need someone in the midfield 2 that can move the ball forwards with both quality and speed. Tielemans is proven in the league and getting him in on a cut price deal would be a great bit of business.

He's levels above Fred or McT in the role and I think our midfield is still our biggest issue. He'd also be able to play in the two and allow Bruno freedom has he's shown playing in the same team as Madison and he's also only 24. Someone I think would be an every important game starter for the next 6 years.
 
Rice should be priority number one - will cost a packet but could be our midfield mainstay for the next 10 years. Tielemans would be a good signing no doubt and is an improvement on our other midfield options. So both of those guys would be absolutely ideal for me.
 
Rice should be priority number one - will cost a packet but could be our midfield mainstay for the next 10 years. Tielemans would be a good signing no doubt and is an improvement on our other midfield options. So both of those guys would be absolutely ideal for me.
I actually think United need both. Rice has to be the priority I'd agree but if they can get Tielemans and then I think that takes the pressure off a little. Rice is going to cost a lot and there's going to be real competition for him.
 
For me Tielemans is a no brainer. Available, relatively cheap, approaching his peak, premier league ready. Unfortunately we will need another top quality midfield player too.
 
Tielemens would be a great signing always plays well against us and I rarely see him have a poor game when I watch Leicester.

That said we need to decide what system we are playing going forward I’m not sure the 4-2-3-1 with Bruno having total freedom will work in this league. He may have to adapt to a 4-3-3 and become much better at keeping the ball and take less risks.
 
If Pogba stays, I don't think we'll buy two midfielders. In that case, I'd go for Rice.

If Pogba does go, then Tielemens and Rice would be perfect.
 
Can't imagine pogba will be staying anyway. If he had any intention of staying he would be signing a new contract I would have thought
 
Rice is ideal but sadly I think we’ve missed the boat on him. £90m plus now. Will the club pay that? Is that price tag going to put him under pressure and once again, unrealistic expectations of player vs contract?

Phillips from Leeds. Absolute work horse and a great attitude. 26 so a good age for a midfielder. £40m plus the Leeds to United tax.

McT still has plenty of value for the club. Just not week in week out or asking expecting him to be a creative mid. He’ll hustle away in there but he’ll also pass the ball in to Row Z so give him just DM job to focus on. He’s still got plenty of room to improve and has a part to play.

Fred just isn’t good enough. Can’t tackle. Can’t pass the pass the ball short or long to a teammate. I sometimes wonder if he’s not admitted to being colour blind. Shame. Great attitude and work rate.

Pogba is poison. I wouldn’t want him as a member of a team in any business.

DVB. Does he have a part to play in the club or will we have to wait until we one day read somebody’s autobiography to find out what the frig has happened there?
 
Rice is ideal but sadly I think we’ve missed the boat on him. £90m plus now. Will the club pay that? Is that price tag going to put him under pressure and once again, unrealistic expectations of player vs contract?

Phillips from Leeds. Absolute work horse and a great attitude. 26 so a good age for a midfielder. £40m plus the Leeds to United tax.

We paid £80m for Maguire - anything is possible when it comes to fees!

It would be a lot of money for Rice but he could be a mainstay for years to come and would no doubt be a future United captain. I think it’s a no brainer to pay the fee.

I don’t see it with Phillips. He works hard but so do McT and Fred - we need something a bit more in our midfield. We’ve had a fair few ‘triers’ over the years but now we need to add some serious quality.
 
If all we needed was a top quality CM player to challenge for the title I think we would all say go all in for Rice. Do whatever it takes to get him. The trouble is we probably need another CM on top of that, a CH, a CF, and a right winger. The amount of "c" there, ignoring the obvious jokes, tells us the spine is not great.
 
We paid £80m for Maguire - anything is possible when it comes to fees!

It would be a lot of money for Rice but he could be a mainstay for years to come and would no doubt be a future United captain. I think it’s a no brainer to pay the fee.

I don’t see it with Phillips. He works hard but so do McT and Fred - we need something a bit more in our midfield. We’ve had a fair few ‘triers’ over the years but now we need to add some serious quality.
I don't rate Phillips either. Good at breaking up play but little else.
 
I don't rate Phillips either. Good at breaking up play but little else.
I think actually his passing is really good. If United could sign Phillips and say Tielemans that would be really really good business.
 
I like Phillips would have liked to see how he handled a second season in the league prove that he could sustain those levels.

Statistically his passing, tacking and interception stats are compatible to Fred last season but he’s certainly a guy who catches the eye more than Fred.

I certainly wouldn’t be bursting the bank for him plus I don’t think he’d want to come given he’s proper Leeds.
 
Should give Tielemans a wide berth, he's a poor mans Pogba and takes being one-paced to a different level. Great to watch on his day, but if his day was only 1:5 he'd be classed as deadwood before his first season was out in Internet land.
 
we need to try to go back to Fergies kinda of transfer strategy. If you look back he didnt sign to many already established stars. He majorly signed players who had potiential or nearly there and made them stars and he looked at players already proven at lesser sides in the premiership knew they could do it and took them. We need start being bullies ago. we need a striker go get harry kane, we need centre midfielder go get phillips ndidi rice or bissouma. need a centre back go get fofana now hes back. young players who can handle premiership and are hungry
 
Fergie bought a lot of duffers in midfield, not sure we want to follow him there :p
 
Fergie also had the buying power behind him to basically but the best players from within his own league without much disruption.

That just isn't the case anymore imagine trying to sign a player like Andy Cole now you'd be quoted 60-70m for them it's a totally different world now for these clubs.

Utd have just got to get better at spotting the rising stars and getting them at the right time. Utd I think maybe went a bit to young with players like Martial & Depay got them before they were ready a few more years at the clubs they were at and they might have been stars. Compare that to Liverpool who picked up Salah & Mane when both were 25 (ish).
 
If Kane is 100m then Cole would be that. Geezer scored for fun, imagine if he scored all those sitters he missed too.

Fergie did suffer buying decent midfielders, luckily we had keane/Scholes/Butt for a while. But some of the midfielders he bought were terrible.
 
Fergie signed Keane, Ince & Carrick paid good money but signed 3 absolute belting centre mids. Carrick is probably one of the best signings we've made in the last 20 years.

He went big on Veron which didn't really work out then he had Hargreaves and Anderson who on paper were two great signings and helped us win the CL in 2008 but both had careers destroyed by injury we only really got 1 good season out of them.

On the midfielder options Utd have a hell of a job this summer to rebuild that midfield think we need to find at least 2 probably 3 centre midfield players in one transfer window. At least 2 of them need to be better than McTominay and Fred.
 
Keane Ince Carrick and Veron (i was a fan) I'll give

Hargreaves he didn't like, Anderson was average.

But I was talking Webb, Djembax3, Kleberson, Greening, Djordic, Miller

I mean there were more, I just mentioned it as a flippent comment, didn't realise I would have to back it up.
 
Wasn't a dig just saying Fergie did sign some good ones and because he signed a few good ones he didn't really need to buy a lot of them.

We won the league with Carrick and Cleverley and we finished second with Giggs and O'Shea shows you the genius of the man.

Midfield has been a problem for so long don't think we've been able to say we've got a top midfield since about 2008.

Who's the third Djemba? Surely 2 was bad enough ;)
 
It does seem like midfield has been a problem since Keane left

Djembax 2 was so good it was like a man and half playing :p
 

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