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

StringerBell · 03-07-2025 10:01AM

Yeah sad news, particularly for the family.

IncognitoMan · 03-07-2025 10:06AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123600038#Comment_123600038

Vardy is also 38. Did you see the drop-off in Ronaldo between 36 and 37. And Vardy is no Ronaldo…

Vardy is very likely to return less and less with another year on the clock. There is always a point with a player where they just look completely out of their depth at PL level once they get near the end.

He won't be in the PL come September

Calvert-Lewin is available on a free now. We'd have to be sure on his injuries but when on the pitch would be a better option IMO

But as a stop gap, fill in striker I'd take the risk there if we are looking at out of contract strikers

Fulham are in for him apparently

Headshot · 03-07-2025 10:09AM

That is gut wrenching news :(

randd1 · 03-07-2025 10:17AM

RIP Diogo Jota.

Tragedies such as this put a lot of things in perspective really.

DM_7 · 03-07-2025 10:29AM

United played 59 games, or 60 if including the community shield last season.

It will be far less this coming season and a smaller squad will be something the club will want. They have less games and also less chance to generate revenue. They will want a much lower cost base in terms of wages and then be in position to invest more in wages, in additional players when the games are there.

Some players leaving like Eriksen or Evans won't need to be replaced for this season.

I expect this is why they are investing in more premium fees like Cunha. Trying to do a deal for Mbeumo. These are players they have identified as needed most to add quality for the season ahead while also having the ability to be important players into the future when demands increase again. These guys are needed to replace what Rashford, Sancho or Antony should have been for Amorim.

Yes more players like Dorgu, Heaven or Leon may still be signed but I doubt they will be signing more experienced players like they did with Eriksen or Evans to cover squad spaces. Those squad spaces are not as important now with a smaller fixture list. The club has added young players people they need to get game time (like Dorgu or Heaven) but without the Europe schedule to make sure they get game time.

I don't see Vardy type signings as a place they will put money.

Mitch Connor · 03-07-2025 10:37AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123600919#Comment_123600919

But a vardy type signing isn't really putting money anywhere.

To be clear, I am not saying sign Vardy as our striker signing - but he is a signing I can see sense in similar to Evans (who was very different to Eriksen). If you were to sign a striker, lets say Watkins, and sell Hojlund, then you are left with Chido as a proper striker in reserve (Amorim has said he doesn't see Zirkzee as a striker). So I can see the sense in a 1 year deal for Vardy on low money - to be backup to Watkins, a pressure releaver on Chido. It can't be big money, who would we be competing with that would require big money to beat? Then next summer you evaluate Chido, you evaluate the french kid we signed, you evaluate the market for young strikers (21/22) and see what the plan is then.

Quandary · 03-07-2025 10:46AM

Brutally sad news about poor Jota and his brother. A young family left behind who must be just devastated. He's a massive loss for all at LFC too. By all accounts he was a very decent man and obviously a fabulous player.

Hodors Appletart · 03-07-2025 10:57AM

That Jota news will have a profound affect on any international team mates, as well as Liverpool.

ericzeking · 03-07-2025 11:03AM

Andy Mitten keeps saying he was told more no.10s than strikers. Maybe RA will back himself to bring Hojlund on with a different attack around him. Everyone was saying when we got RA that Hojlunds attributes compared favorably with how Gyokeres works for RA's Sporting team. And then you have Chido.

You can disagree with that but RA gets paid the big bucks to see things we can't see.

I would be prioritizing the GK position too, I know the stats strictly say Onana is Ok, but I think the manner of his mistakes just permeate the team, give the defense the jitters and just affect how everything flows.

Iseedeadpixels · 03-07-2025 11:08AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123601053#Comment_123601053

I reckon it will be Zirkzee over Hojlund, he was starting to settle before his injury and him playing would allow Cunha and Mbeumo to be the main attack.

Ninthlife · 03-07-2025 11:09AM

In the space of a couple of months Diogo Jota won the premier league with Liverpool, won the Nations League with his country and got married. Everything going so right for him only to be taken away in a second

Shows just how delicate life really is…

RIP

IncognitoMan · 03-07-2025 11:12AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123601053#Comment_123601053

Even if he is backing himself to get the most out of Hojlund there still is nothing else there to swap him out with, or rest him with. Or even offer any competition for places.

We have to bring in SOME kind of striker this season. I would be happy for Hojlund to support a new striker or rotate with another if RA truly believes in him.

That is RA call. But he can't expect 90min x 38 games plus cup games out of him.

ericzeking · 03-07-2025 11:21AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123601062#Comment_123601062

In theory that sounds like it would work too, Firminho vibes off it

DM_7 · 03-07-2025 11:41AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123600952#Comment_123600952

Zirkzee is the logical solution though. A versatile player that can cover a position when needed makes more sense when developing the squad to be at a higher level.

A Vardy type would not be like Zlatan who was signed to actually play and be the starting forward.

At a time the club have been bringing in lads like Heaven, Dorgu, Obi and now Leon I can't see them looking to a 35+ low squad option for a less fixture intense season.

billyhead · 03-07-2025 11:42AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123601099#Comment_123601099

Zirkzee up top with the 2 lads behind could work.

Mitch Connor · 03-07-2025 11:45AM

Zirkzee drops too deep as a 9 and will get in the way of cunha and mbeumo. We need the forward to stretch the line to give space for the other two to exploit.

IncognitoMan · 03-07-2025 11:48AM

Zirkzee for me anyway is more likely to rotate with the 2 lads in the 10s than start up front ahead of them.

There's a very big departure in style between Zirkzee and Hojlund so we would be playing 2 different systems when each are on the pitch.

We need a striker…

Zirkzee up top can be an alternative

Iseedeadpixels · 03-07-2025 12:49PM

Some unreliable rumours linking us with Toney.

Mitch Connor · 03-07-2025 01:31PM

Woulnd't be surprised if he is on a list, but would be surprised if he is a particularly active target. A break incase it is August 25th and we have utterly messed up the window type target.

johnnyryan89 · 03-07-2025 01:43PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123600845#Comment_123600845

I'm just pointing out that said poster was wrong when trying to downplay Vardys stats and that he actually managed to out score all our players in PL last season.

fatherted1969 · 03-07-2025 02:28PM

Need goals over any other position

johnnyryan89 · 03-07-2025 07:20PM

Wouldn't mind Toney on loan for the season or just getting someone in on loan for this season and revisit the CF situation in 12 months.

Gyokeres and Watkins seem to be the two being linked the most. Would be happy with either though price dependent when it comes to Watkins which likely rules him out as Villa will want big money. Gyokeres too if Sporting are playing hard ball.

Get someone on loan for the season and switch your attention to CM and WB. Then sort out your CF and GK long term options in 2026.