** Official ** January 2010 Transfer Thread- Rumours & Speculation in here

[Tummy]

Akinfeev in the summer please Fergie \o/

Agree United need a new right back.

Agree United need a new center mid, although I do think that United have some very good midfielders (Anderson + Hargreaves), one's in and out of the team and the other is a cripple.

 

[Shamikebab]

I'd rather we signed a centre back and used O'Shea and Brown as our right backs until Rafael is ready.

Can't believe people are banging on about a new keeper, a keeper would not have stopped us losing against Fulham, there are far more pressing areas that need addressing.

 

[atpbx]

All points which have been raised by certain fans and pundits for 2 years now, and points Ferguson has failed to notice and deal with.
What makes you think he is going to do anything about it now?
I genuinely think that Ferguson is half the manager he was and its now time for him to step down and the club to move on, we should never of allowed Quieroz to go never in a million years, he made up for Fergusons failing abilities.

He is 67 years old, there just comes a time when its time to step down and and admit you dont have the dynamism or drive to do what is to all intents and purposes one of the top 5 jobs in world football.

 

[red11]

I'd rather we signed a centre back and used O'Shea and Brown as our right backs until Rafael is ready.

Can't believe people are banging on about a new keeper, a keeper would not have stopped us losing against Fulham, there are far more pressing areas that need addressing.

Needing a new keeper has nothing to do with yesterday's result. VDS is 39 years old, he's been our first choice for the last 4-5 years. Foster has the ability to take over, but mentality he can't handle the pressure, there's too much 'deer caught in the headlights' about him. PIG is a decent keeper but in no way a long term successor.

I disagree with you, the goalkeeping spot is a very pressing issue along with defensively. If we bought an actual right back, Brown and O'Shea would be options in central defence. We have one natural right back at the club, and he's 35yrs old and injury prone. That needs addressed. We can't wait around until an 18yr old is ready, he's the future, we need to sort out the now.

 

[atpbx]

Can't believe people are banging on about a new keeper, a keeper would not have stopped us losing against Fulham, there are far more pressing areas that need addressing.

No a better keeper would have made us probably 5 points better off than we are now though after Fosters blunders.

 

[Tummy]

I just like Akinfeev

 

[Shamikebab]

No a better keeper would have made us probably 5 points better off than we are now though after Fosters blunders.

Which games? The only blunders I can think of are the City one (which we won anyway) and the Sunderland one, which i wouldn't say cost us the game but ok that's 2 points. I still think our lack of ability to score is more of a problem than the GK.

I genuinely think that Ferguson is half the manager he was and its now time for him to step down and the club to move on, we should never of allowed Quieroz to go never in a million years, he made up for Fergusons failing abilities.

I do agree, it's easy to turn on a manager but some of the decisions he makes are just baffling. I'd be interested to know how many times we have played the same starting 11 two matches in a row, he just seems to be obsessed with squad rotation. There was absolutely no reason to drop Berbatov yesterday.

 

[Liefrich]

SAF is still the man for the job, with our current financial mess loosing SAF could see us collapse massively. He has just won 3 successive league titles and has led us to two champs league finals....Shami and atpbx were probably calling for his head in 2005 and then look we arguably have our most successful period under him.

Fans are stupidly fickle, yes we are having a poor run of form and have not played well for around 6 months, but currently we have 8 defenders out injured, of course we are going to struggle.

Ferguson has always been hit or miss in the transfer market (most managers are) there are failings in our squad but honestly I do not know what players we could a) afford and b) actually get that can come in January and turn us around.

What we need is a successor to the ginger prince; there are 3 candidates in world football, Cesc, Xavi and Iniesta none of which we have a chance in hell of getting, We also need a world class winger and a striker, but I reckon we will probably buy no one and get Hargreaves back who SAF will say is “like having a new signing”.

 

[atpbx]

SAF is still the man for the job, with our current financial mess loosing SAF could see us collapse massively. He has just won 3 successive league titles and has led us to two champs league finals....Shami and atpbx were probably calling for his head in 2005 and then look we arguably have our most successful period under him.

Obviously not a regular forum reader then, dont attribute opinions to myself or others on here when you have absolutely no evidence or indeed any memories of those comments.

Its like me saying you were probably bragging about how you like having sex with sailors back in 2005 when it was a big thing to be doing round your way.

See how it works?
You never said those things, probably.

 

[FrankJH]

Even if VDS does have another season in him (and with his current knee problem thats not certain by any means) - I still think we need an experienced goalie to come in immediately (as Linoge said, no youngsters unless we actually get rid of Foster and Pig and youngster comes in as No 2) to give the new guy to acclimatise to OT and playing with the team before the beginning of the season

Da Silva's arre going to be great - but we certainly need an experienced natural right back immediately

I would also suggest we say "**** it" they may be slightly overpriced in Jan, but buy both David Silva and Villa (with Silva playing a more central role as AM rather than wide) - so many rumours and counter rumours aboutthese two Im not sure if Utd (or anyone apart from Liverpool) even have a chance to sign them, but these two would sort out Utd offensively imo

I still dont think SAF is doing so badly - no one could have predicted the injury crisis Utd are suffering with at the moment (which I really do believe is causing the goals to dry up in some games at the other end), OShea isnt the best and Brown may be injured more often than not, not to mention both Da Silva's (who both cover RB at times)

I have to say though - however good Kranjar has been for Spurs ( and he HAS been very good indeed) its a completely different prospect playing at The Lane compared to OT, and it could easily have gone the other way and failed dismally and thats half the battle , not only the skill to help the team but also be able to cope with the pressure of 76000 crowd every home game

Even if we are lucky and find an "Evra" or "Vidic" ( bought for 6 -7m , and value soaring to 20-30m in a few years) , its at least £20m - £25m on a senior goalkeeper and full right back (and if we were VERY lucky that could be funded by sale of Berba - which I completely agree with), we still need to spend £40m or more on a creative mid and a striker - and Im not convinced Utd actually have that money to start with (and Im not sure Fergie is ready to part with Berba anyway)

 

[atpbx]

Berbatov has to go, I cant see how anybody other than his mum can make a case for him staying at United, he has been ******* dismal.

 

[Shamikebab]

I still dont think SAF is doing so badly - no one could have predicted the injury crisis Utd are suffering with at the moment (which I really do believe is causing the goals to dry up in some games at the other end), OShea isnt the best and Brown may be injured more often than not, not to mention both Da Silva's (who both cover RB at times)

I think the problem is we rely too much on players that can cover multiple positions. Saying O'Shea can play right back, left back or centre back is useless if he's injured. We've had this defensive crisis before (although not this bad) so it was hardly unprecedented.

 

[Shamikebab]

Berbatov has to go, I cant see how anybody other than his mum can make a case for him staying at United, he has been ******* dismal.

He's the only one that makes our attacking play look good lately. Rooney needs goals set up for him, you can see that in every game that Berbatov hasn't played in.

 

[FrankJH]

Berbatov has to go, I cant see how anybody other than his mum can make a case for him staying at United, he has been ******* dismal.

the main issue is whether Utd are prepared to write off the majority of the £30m we paid for him (at the moment would we really even get £10m back)?

I think the problem is we rely too much on players that can cover multiple positions. Saying O'Shea can play right back, left back or centre back is useless if he's injured. We've had this defensive crisis before (although not this bad) so it was hardly unprecedented.

I totally understand where you are coming from - all Im thinking (maybe wrongly) is that in the past when we have had a similar crisis have we actually had so many pretty decent players for those positions in the squad in the first place? So Fergie has tried and increased the squad depth in that department and it hasnt worked , with x different players instead of who we had could still have been injured anyway

 

[Loki]

No a better keeper would have made us probably 5 points better off than we are now though after Fosters blunders.

But from those mistakes you would expect him to learn. 5 Points sacrificed now could mean 8 points gained in another season.

 

[Liefrich]

Berbatov is a talented player but I just do not think he has the mentality for United, I had high hopes for him but looking back we really should have spent the money on a striker who would get the best out of Rooney.

 

[red11]

He's the only one that makes our attacking play look good lately. Rooney needs goals set up for him, you can see that in every game that Berbatov hasn't played in.

I think the biggest issue with Berbatov is that he doesn't suit the team. Unfortunately we overpaid for him, way overpaid. He'll be 29 in a few weeks, his value is nowhere near £30m now. In an ideal world he would have been signed for £12m and been a luxury player to have, 3rd choice striker behind Rooney and another striker. The fee has basically ruled out Ferguson even contemplating splashing money on a young striker.

I'm not questioning Berbatov's quality as a player because he is, the downside is he doesn't show it very often and as time goes by it gets even more apparent Rooney needs more from a partner up front and midfield where we've been sorely lacking a real attacking threat.

 

[FrankJH]

after his two seasons at Spurs we would never have got him for £12m (didnt Spurs even pay more than that when he came from Germany)!!

Dont get me wrong - he probably was too expensive, but we couldnt have got him for less than £20m (and at a guess because it would be Utd, I can imagine even if we had nipped in ahead of Spurs originally we would have paid a good £5m more anyway)

 

[atpbx]

after his two seasons at Spurs we would never have got him for £12m (didnt Spurs even pay more than that when he came from Germany)!!

Dont get me wrong - he probably was too expensive, but we couldnt have got him for less than £20m (and at a guess because it would be Utd, I can imagine even if we had nipped in ahead of Spurs originally we would have paid a good £5m more anyway)

But if that the case dude, you dont buy him!

If spurs wanted too much money then dont buy him!

£30 million could have done so much more for the team.

 

[red11]

I'd love to see City put in a bid during January.