I’m still taking a wait and see approach to this transfer window. I appreciate it is probably one of the trickiest ones Manchester United have had to negotiate in over a decade, while for some fans no matter what happened they will complain.
I’m thinking, ideally that the club had four areas they were seriously looking at, CB fullback, CM and CF.
We’ve got the CF position sorted with Zirkzee, who I think could be a very good signing for us.
I think fullback was an area that defended on outgoings. AWB is a player who the club would rather sell this summer than lose for nothing next year. If he leaves then he’ll need to be replaced. There are concerns at LB due to injuries. However, with a limited budget, they may hope that Amass might be able to step up for a few games if needed, or maybe the club could sign a CB or RB who can cover LB in a pinch. AWB leaving and a new RB looks like something that is a matter of when not if, currently.
At CB I think we wanted at least two new players, someone for RCB and LCB. Branthwaite looked like the top choice along with Todibo. UEFA shot down Todibo, while Branthwaite has proven a difficult deal to do (although I wouldn’t be surprised if we still signed him). We’ve managed to sneak in and get Yoro, who didn’t look like an attainable target. While MdL has become a possible target due to the club being led to believe Bayern would let him leave for a reasonable fee.
Whether that was wide of the mark or Bayern have changed their mind, who knows, but they are holding out for a bigger fee than United seem willing to pay. Especially given the high wages that MdL would demand (even if he’ll accept a pay cut from his current Bayern salary). I’m still fairly certain that we’ll get another CB. It could be either MdL or Branthwaite, or maybe even someone else.
Midfield for me is the most interesting area. Mainoo has burst on the scene with such impact that it has now become about finding the right partner for him. The club was again reported to ideally be targeting two players. A special-ist defensive midfielder as a first choice player, and a more rounded player as back up. Someone capable of playing in a few different ways and who can add that quality in depth and give the manager some tactical flexibility in midfield.
Ideally, I think the club was hopeful of moving on Casemiro and replacing him with a top class CDM. Along with one of McTominay or Eriksen (maybe both) and replacing them with a cheaper all rounder squad option.
However, it now seems difficult to move on Casemiro, while there are only a few CDM options available who are genuinely good enough to be a long term first choice option. Furthermore, of those few potential options only a couple might be available and they are looking like they will be very expensive (not surprising given the lack of quality and availability of similar alternative players). Ugarte is one of the few available, other alternatives will likely cost 50-60m+ or just aren’t available.
If we can’t get a deal for Ugarte and we are stuck with Casemiro for another season then the club needs to decide. Do they spend a big chunk of money (50m+) on a CDM player who isn’t good enough to be first choice, and will need replacing at some point. Or do they buy a cheaper player who again isn’t maybe good enough to be first choice, but a good squad option, saving the money to spend next summer on a top class CDM when they can maybe find a solution to move Casemiro on.
That is where I think the links to Sander Berge fit in. He’s a player who stylistically fits the role of CDM we are looking for, is EPL proven, and available for a low fee. Ultimately, he isn’t good enough to be first choice in the long term, but he could rotate around with Casemiro this season. Then continue to be backup for a new first choice CDM who is signed next summer.
I suppose it’s about having backup plans, plan A might be sign a top quality player to be first choice. But plan B doesn’t have to be sign a second, third or even fourth choice option to be that first choice player. That doesn’t make sense if those choices further down the list are of lower quality or suitability for the role. It might be that plan B is sign a cheaper alternative who can be a squad option until a first choice option of the right quality and skill set is available.
Liverpool kind of did that last year, they didn’t have the funds to spend big and bring in a first choice No.6 so they bought the budget option in Endo. He was solid if unspectacular, and he has covered along with Mac Alister until this summer where they look like they will try and sign a first choice No.6, allowing Mac Alister to play in his best position and Endo to be a squad option.
I’ve seen Zubimendi mentioned as an alternative to Ugarte, yet he is a vastly different kind of player to the Uruguayan. While I’m not doubting his talent, I’m not sure he is the right profile of player to sit alongside Mainoo and get the best out of they young Englishman. He’d be the expensive alternative that isn’t ideally suited.
I’m not sure if that is a good pathway to go down. A few years back, Ole wanted Grealish, but he was deemed too expensive at the time, so the club spent a significant fee on Donny instead, a player who played in a similar position, but was a completely different style of player. This is an example of a club spending big on an alternative to be first choice but who isn’t ideally suited. In hindsight the club would have been better off signing either a cheap player in a similar mould to Grealish, or not signing anyone at all.
I like Zubimendi and think he’s an excellent player, but he 100% needs an energetic, aggressive ball winner to play alongside him (ironically, the kind of player Ugarte is). A midfield pair of Zubimendi and Mainoo still lacks bite, aggression, and energy. Ultimately, I think you’d need to drop Bruno or Mainoo for that aggressive ball winner (who you’d still have to sign).
If you’re looking for a genuine alternative to Ugarte then the closest option that could be available would be João Gomes from Wolves. He’s not as refined on the ball, but he does have EPL experience. The real issue is that he won’t be any cheaper than Ugarte, Wolves will demand at least 50m for him, although I expect he’d be on lower wages so the whole package might be slightly cheaper.
Or if we want to take a bit of a punt we could sign Eric Martel from Koln who have just been relegated from the Bundesliga. He’s a very tenacious ball winner, but needs more refining on the ball and isn’t EPL proven. He has potential and would be cheap, but he might not adjust or develop into a good enough player. Or the safer cheap option would be Sander Berge, probably will never be good enough to be first choice, but is EPL proven and will be a solid squad player.
It’ll be interesting to see which way the club goes if Ugarte is totally off the table (I still think a deal will be done).
Written by Shappy August 07 2024 20:28:45
