As the summer approaches more and more is made of Manchester United’s apparent transfer targets.
There was a time when United were the press’ favourite team to write about at times like this but with new money like Chelsea and Man City on the block and our financial situation it appears our place has been usurped yet the papers will still speculate.
For the past two summers we have been greeted with the same refrain from Sir Alex, ‘The transfer market lacks value.’ And whilst some of us have grown tired of it, it can’t be denied. When Liverpool were splashing £35m on Andy Carroll and Chelsea £50m on the disinterested Fernando Torres, Sir Alex must have felt vindicated as both clubs brought in two undeniably good players but for well over the realistic fee.
Whilst he may have been right, there comes a point where you will have to join the masses. For years Arsene Wenger has stood by his philosophy of not spending massively and whilst Arsenal fans sing the praises of their club’s financial standings their trophy room remains the ideal place to hide for a game of hide and seek.
For the lack of value in the transfer market, we cannot become like Arsenal and stand by whilst others strengthen and thus stagnate.
At the end of this season we will find ourselves in a position not unfamiliar to Sir Alex during his 25 year spell at Old Trafford, we will NEED to strengthen regardless of the outcome of our endeavours this season.
Ryan Giggs has agreed an extension to his deal that sees him remain a United player until 2012 but surely then he will sadly hang up his boots whilst Paul Scholes may choose to do so in June. Gary Neville has already called time on his United career and it appears that Edwin van der Sar won’t be persuaded into staying on for one more year. Add to that the likelihood that Owen Hargreaves won’t be at Old Trafford in August, Rio Ferdinand’s on going injury problems and a number of players who may be sold and you can see why Sir Alex may need to delve into the supposed war chest that the Glazer family has set aside for him.
Over haul/recruitment at Old Trafford is nothing new at United on a large or small scale.
In 1989 Sir Alex splashed the cash bringing in the likes of Paul Ince and Gary Pallister to lay the ground work for his spell of dominance at the club. In 1995 with key players Hughes, Kanchelskis and Ince all leaving Fergie’s Fledglings filled the void. In 1998 Yorke and Stam were brought in ahead of us doing the treble and more recently we swooped for Anderson, Nani, Tevez and Hargreaves, all of whom played their part in our Premier League and Champions League double that season.
Whilst in many of those instances the team was freshened up, this season has an air of summer 1995 as it appears we have to get it right.
Hughes and co. left after Jack Walker’s millions drove Blackburn to the title so it was integral that we properly set up to ensure that they didn’t become a bigger threat than they were and we didn’t allow a gap to form. The inclusion of the Fledglings prevented this and whilst we have talented youngsters in reserve it is believed that dipping into the market will be the answer this time around rather than relying on youth.
Roman Abramovich looks to be back in love with football again and is throwing money around Stamford Bridge. With quality signings like David Luiz already in and moves for Neymar and Alexis Sanchez being touted they will continue to be a threat. We can mock Man City endlessly but with their funds, when they finally do get it right in terms of manager and players they will be a problem. Liverpool seem rejuvenated under Dalglish and with their owners willing to spend £35m on a relatively untested Andy Caroll you get the feeling they trust Dalglish enough to allow him to spend big.
Our problems are clear enough but whether Sir Alex does in fact have the £100m or £165m to spend is a different matter. He himself said he is looking to bring in 2 or 3 players and as long as his shortlist consists of a top quality goalkeeper and a quality midfielder I honestly think we will be fine.
The squad we currently have despite it’s deficiencies is doing ok and doesn’t require an influx of new faces like Man City will probably attempt to bring in this summer so if we continue to commit to youth like we have and promote the talented youngsters we have in reserve it will negate the effect of our rival’s spending.
Despite Sir Alex stating he’ll have to be carried out of Old Trafford, realistically he knows he won’t be around for very much longer thus the investments he makes now will have a bearing not only in the short term and the remainder of his spell here but also for whoever inherits the team.
The ground work for another dynasty has been laid in the signings of Hernandez and Smalling who at a combined fee of £17m will be on most lists for ‘signings of the season’. With Rodwell, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Neurer, De Gea and Young if we are infact looking at them we are setting ourselves up for the future. They are all players who have their best years ahead of them something in line with Sir Alex’s transfer practice thus they will not only develop as players but at their age they can learn how to be United players.
With those around us strengthening and us getting weaker with departures, this summer is looking more important with every passing day.
While I dont underestimate the need to keep improving the team in the competitive game,let’s get this seaon over get some honors and beat Liverpools record of titles and then focus on the summer signings
Spot on mate. lets take it one time at a step, agreed the international break is a boring time so we speculate and all but now it is the time to bring home number 19!
Exciting that we can look forward to actual signings (as opposed to last summer). But just a warning to people that he indicated that he’s buying young, so bringing up names like Sneijder or DeRossi is likely a waste of time.
It’s not to say that there aren’t fairly high-profile players who are barely into their 20’s either. He may well go that way; but I wouldn’t be surprised too if he went for the Nani/Hernandez/Smalling – i.e. who the hell is that – type signings.
I’d much rather see exciting raw talent (Nani, Hernandez, DeSilva twins) for a small layout than expensive cast offs (Balotelli, Lescott, Tevez)
Rodwell, Henderson, Oxlade-Chyamberlain? Why? What have they got that Tom Clerverley and paul Pogba have not? Realistically we need a goal keeper and a good creative midfield player who can step into the team – not an easy ask! After that we need people for the future and that just depends on who is available, What their attitude is like and what Fergie thinks of them. keep the faith, believe in fergie. Money is not that much of an issue – if fergie did not get someone he really wanted because of money he’d walk!
My money is on a goalkeeper. As for Schneider, forget it. He’ll cost a bomb so if anyone actually can afford to buy him I’ll bet my arse it won’t be United.
A keeper and a midfield play maker is absolute key if we want to progress next year. With Nani and Valenicia plus one from Ando, Fletch, Carrick (Scholes excluded as he will play when fit and sparingly) then we are not far off from a world class midfield but Fletch and Carrick dont seem to the tandum that will dominate. Love them both and glad they have both signed deals but we do need an Ozil / Sneijder esque player imho.
It’s good to see SAF is buying some new talent (Adnan Januzaj, Angelo Henriquez) and looks like some more are closely linked, and the new deal with the Brazilian firm to work with Man U and get us youngsters from that side of the world. Finally the likes of new/young turning professionals like Welbeck, Mame Biram Diouf, Cleverly… I am sure the future for Man U is VERY bright. Seriously mouth-watering!
I seriously think we need to do something about immediate future though. How many times have we had to give away two points this season even with Hernandez in the squad? This is because we are lacking the spark that people like Young Scholes (replace with Charlie Adam/Chamberlain/Douglas Costa/Pastore) would bring, or someone at the front with more pace than Rooney and selfish Berbatov (replace with two of Young/Alexis Sanchez/Hulk/Neymar). We also seriously need flashy Midfielders, and not just one or two – we need twice as many so teams are no longer able to take advantage of us having to field our “second team” because of burn-outs or injuries which midfielders are always more prone to. Same goes for defence – no sooner than the news breaks that Rio or Vidic are out do we start sweating about our weak defence? Do we ever hear something like this about Barcelona? We need more good, above average players who will get regular games, but use rotation of players. Every player plays one game and rests the other, or something along those lines…
There are serious holes in our team! Right now, it is the winning mentality that we get from great SAF that is getting us the games, not really the players. What is being proven is that SAF can deliver us the title with a squad that is not good enough! How many times have we won with the convincing goals, even against the minnows? A lot of the times it has been lucky goals – against Arsenal by Park, against City by Rooney, against Bolton by Berbatov, and list goes on! We need to start winning convincingly (like Barcelona) to be respected, not like now where no opposition is going to be scared of us – nobody sees Man U as a dangerous team! Everyone hates to admit that Man U could break Liverpool’s record with such performances! We need to be scary like Barcelona, or the Man U from the 90s – people were scared of Man U back then!
Hopefully, Smalling will soon fully replace Ferdinand (GREAT GREAT MAN!) and Ferdinand will accept the fact he is not fit for season long football, and concentrate on becoming our defensive coach and work on new players like Smalling, Rodwell, Henderson. I hope Bebe will start to deliver next season – perhaps send him to Sunderland once we get Welbeck back. He could be bigger than Welbeck, just needs more games.
So, future looks good, but we need to spend big this summer, or maybe SAF needs to split his spending over next two year, but make regular purchases every 6 months. This is needed for immediate results – need more than “3 fresh faces”. And yea, if I didn’t make it clear – get rid of Berbatov and get a good striker to give us 4 full-time strikers!
The amount of times Jim Lawlor has been watching Wigan’s Mohamed Diamé this season, im sure we will sign him. Aswell as David de Gea.. and then this attacking playmaker we are all crying out for. Sneijder/Paulo Henrique Ganso/Taarabt.
I keep hearing were gonna buy that Diame from wigan aswell, only seen him a few times but he seems class! Surely would be cheap aswell??
Sir Alex rate’s Tom Huddlestone way ahead of the likes of Henderson and Rodwell and rightly so. He will definatley be brought in to replace the Scholes of the last few seasons, *not the young paul scholes of course* #irreplaceable
Tom Huddlestone is nowhere near Utd class. SAF will buy young players. Don’t expect anything else.
1. Huddlestone is definatley Utd class. 2. He’s 23.. younger than Adam, Pastore, Ashley young and other players were being linked with. Try watching Huddlestone play then judge. Ask Sneijder how good he is lol