Manchester United Thread 25/26 - Teamtalk/Transfers/Gossip Mod Note in OP 26.09.24

NITRO95

I for one am stunned that Samuel Luckhurst would put out a negative piece the day after we've just won 3 games on the spin for the first time in a while. Flabbergasted even

thefa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123119550#Comment_123119550

Agree on Bruno. Think it’s all well and good in certain games when we’re on the front foot but he’s not a good enough all round to be one of the midfield two every week.

The Athletic done a sensible transfers video recently on the centre mid to go alongside Ugarte and Bruno was not even in the conversation. They mentioned someone like Douglas Luiz or Barrios at Athletico Madrid being more suited.

The squad is slowly being adapted to the formation. If we are to upgrade the wing backs for example, probably less inclined to be shoehorning as many of our current creative players in as possible.

Seattle

Fernandes looks much better under Amorim. There's more control to his play and he doesn't look like he's always in a hurry. It's amazing how good of a player he looks when he slows down a bit. The orchestrator role suits him so much better than his previous chaotic style (which Ten Hag appeared to encourage).

Iseedeadpixels

If a deal hasn't been agreed in full we can't stop Lecce from playing him.

Mitch Connor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123119855#Comment_123119855

Their recommendation of Nunez was interesting! I was gutted we didn't go for him when City did (though we'd have lost out tbf).

Abola reporting Quenda is nailed on for the summer… him and Amad would cover the attacking RWB options if we got him.

Seems an easy link to make though. might be one of those "everyone is in agreement it will happen, all thats missing is the offer, the contract and actually doing it….":

Mitch Connor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123119894#Comment_123119894

I wonder if people will ever come round to thinking maybe his chaotic style was a tactical choice and not just Bruno being the low iq hero ball merchant so many painted him as.

I think he will always have an eye for the through ball or switch - but i've always thought the volume at which he attempted them was a direct tactical instruction (Hit Rashford on the break…) rather than just bruno ignoring the manager every week.

caviardreams

Palace game is a big one imo - another win would cement momentum and belief enormously after the three wins in a row (and set things up for the cup tie). A brighton type loss could set things back to square 1.

Robson99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123119457#Comment_123119457

He just aint good enough. Plus he will be 31 next season… time to cash in and re -invest

Mitch Connor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123119990#Comment_123119990

Ornstein reporting on Quenda now too - but his report is that we are exploring a deal rather than anything has actually been agreed.

Even if agreed for the summer, i'd love to see it agreed soon - always like seeing business done early and confirmed rather than waiting til the summer to start making moves.

https://twitter.com/TheAthleticFC/status/1885311762553295248

The Big Easy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123120011#Comment_123120011

He's been increasingly disciplined in the midfield two under Amorim.

He can definitely play the position I think, he's a top class footballer of which we have very few for a club of our size.

He's unfairly maligned for sure. He has his flaws, but I do think he is a clever footballer capable of high level tactical instruction.

jayo44

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123120021#Comment_123120021

It's united.... We could win 10 games in a row and we will always be one loss away from a meltdown/back to square one.

It still is big game tho to help with momentum and confidence in the manager....

DM_7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123120211#Comment_123120211

If United do sign a player from Sporting I hope they get a few more that did not play for Sporting or Portugal. It is tough enough joining United without that extra scrutiny that would be a follow on from signing so many that linked to Ten Hag.

DM_7

Unless he is slowing down is his age is an issue?

He has been the highest performing player for many years. He clearly has desire and intelligence to play at a very high level.

We have seen many high quality players adjust their game as they got older. At United Giggs went from winger to midfield for example. A more relevant example in recent times would be Modric. 4 leagues and 4 Champions Leagues since turning 31 and never stopped adapting his game or using his skill set (I am not saying for moment Bruno would win those titles or that United are on that path). Playing 40 to 50 games a season in that time.

United need young players to come in but they need someone like Bruno to be a big part of the mix. Hopefully as United add quality he can have his load managed better.

Mitch Connor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123120305#Comment_123120305

They'll surey have to. we need a bunch of players and they can't all be sporting players. You can make an argument for most positions but i would reckon Striker, CM and RWB are abosolute needs. and then another signing where ever we DON'T think we will use Mainoo (CM or 10). People will argue CB, GK as big needs too - and I couldn't argue against it - but i'd have those 3/4 positions ahead of keeper and CB. I think our current GK and CBs will be enough to get us top 4 as a ceiling, but the other positions will hold us back from that. For a title tilt we'd need to look at GK and CB. But we are another summer away from that imo - in a best case scenario (imo)

Although…

Striker - Gyokeres.
Midfield: Hjulmand
Defender: Inacio
WB: Quenda

You could make a valid argument for any of them in isolation!

Personally…
I would be weary of Gyokeres. Amazing for them. Incredible stats. But at 27 he would be big money, at the peak of his value. He'd be right on the cusp of the age range we should be looking at for those transfer prices - given where we are. Him, Delap, Samu and Osimhen are the strikers I reckon we'll be most linked to this summer.

Hjulmand would be a backup for Ugarte imo (or replacement) and we need a partner more than a big money replacement right now. imo.

Inacio - if Martinez continues to improve his form - and then we have Shaw (he won't be leaving) as a possible LCB and then Heaven as a possible LCB (he could be a CM either, apparently) I don't know if LCB is a position we should look at.

Quenda - for me it is him or Dibbling. And Dibbling might be harder to get, and may have no interest in playing RWB for us.

Mitch Connor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123120336#Comment_123120336

agreed.

I think Bruno has another couple of years (at least) being a very good option for us (minimum) at 10 and CM under amorim. And while we are building a squad I would be reluctant to lose players with leadership and experience. THough I reckon i rate his qualities in those areas more than a lot of people on here to be fair.

If you don't rate his leaderhip or value his experience, then i would concede the argument to sell him becomes stronger.

DM_7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123120366#Comment_123120366

If United are to have a chance of winning the Europa League and getting Champions league it will be due to Bruno.

As shite as the season has been so far it is incredible how many roles he takes on within games and clearly shows maximum effort to make it work. I don't think anyone else in this squad could do what he is doing. That shows he has personality and leadership qualities in addition to an obvious football ability.

I know he can be dramatic and moan a bit but I don't think that is always a bad thing. I don't think he ever asks anything of teammates that he wouldn't do himself and as often as he gives out we see him praising good play.

Mitch Connor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123120457#Comment_123120457

He moans at himself for messing up passes as much as he does everyone else!

BenK

Heading over for the game Sunday, good to be going in to it with small bit of momentum & optimism building. Hopefully a decent performance anyway. A real mid table battle to get the juices flowing…

Iseedeadpixels

Palace have been a pain in the arse the last few games!

jayo44

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123120545#Comment_123120545

It will be buzzing over there no matter what always a good craic. We will know who to blame if it doesn't go well.

Whatsisname

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123120347#Comment_123120347

Dibbling is one i can defo see us going for in the summer especially with the Wilcox connection. He’d be great in the RAM role and with Southampton sure to be relegated could probably be got for £30m or so. Tho i do remember reading something about him getting homesick after moving to Chelsea from Southampton a few years back lol.

Mitch Connor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123120735#Comment_123120735

Yeah, Anka mentioned that on TotD about Dibbling iirc - being homesick and going back to Southampton.

I would guess we would target him or Quenda - can't see us getting both. Amad and one of those two being the hope for RWB and R10, all three being able to do both roles I believe.

The quenda reports from today could be just us looking to get an understanding what that deal would look like vs what a deal for Dibbling would look like.

thefa

This article is quite long and is from the start of the month. Graphs illsutrate his shooting versus last season plus other strikers. I hadn’t realized how one dimensional Hojlund’s shooting tendencies have become this season.

Have seen a fair bit of Delap this season. He cost a fraction of Hojlund which was probably affected by his mixed loan performances. Ipswich don’t provide him great service at all, it’s as much his doggedness and confidence to shoot from anywhere off either foot that has helped him get some of his goals.

Would love to see Hojlund get some confidence back. Not convinced he’s a busted flush yet.

https://www.scoutednotebook.com/p/rasmus-hojlund-shots-man-utd-striker-mns

Mitch Connor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123120865#Comment_123120865

problem with Hojlund in that respect is that he is not a volume shooter, and his time at Atalanta would suggest that as well, and Denmark - so even if we got him the ball more the shot volume may not increase massively. Which in part is why his chance conversion is (or was) high - he takes shots in high quality posititions. And that will come down to turning a low quality chance into a high quality one (i dont think so…) or passing/being tackled when he is in position to take low quality shots (I think this is it).

I would assume it is possible to teach a forwad to be more 'reckless' when it comes to taking shots and to be more selfish in that respect in certain positions, but i have seen other people argue that if you aren't a high volume shooter you never will be. I dunno.

DrPhilG

Saw someone in here say the other day that Tel had rejected a permanent move to Spurs because he preferred a loan at United. I dismissed it as wishful thinking but this report might give it some substance.

https://twitter.com/Tanziloic/status/1885372498092396729?t=XoA02gAov5KsA1wmgOTtYw&s=19

Fella tweeting it is a journalist with L'Equipe so presumably not a complete spoofer.

Trigger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123121349#Comment_123121349

There has been plenty of reports from the more prominent journalists that are confirming that he rejected Spurs

Mitch Connor

I reckon we are in for tel but without moving Rashford or garnacho on I don't see us being able to commit to the financials.

And with the way amorim has been speaking in the last day or so he doesn't want to sell garnacho.

Rashford I think will leave, somehow somewhere, but it could be Monday and too late for Munich and tel.

GolfPar

Dorgu on the bench for Lecce tonight.

jayo44

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123121568#Comment_123121568

Chance to say good bye? Hasn't missed one game for them all season apart from a red card seemingly so surely would of started.

DrPhilG

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123121643#Comment_123121643

Unused sub, so stays intact. And off to Manchester in the morning according to Romano.

https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1885448739180974238?t=UAof0xSdvV95BFTSRexOYA&s=19

Unveiling at Old Trafford pre Palace?