4 hours ago, axman2526 said:

I will saw this on Bayern though. Fantastic club, but playing in a tin pot league.

I get Mane going there, he is near the end of his career and he knows Bayern means German title after German title with a chance to win the CL.

But De ligt is young, he should be challenging himself to play the best leagues, not going to easy street. If he goes there is shows a real lack of competitiveness.

But he went to Juventus. Where's the difference. Is Spain any stronger yet everyone seems to want to flock to a corrupt bankrupt team in the Iberian equivalent of the SPL.

2 hours ago, Adamrb said:

I understand the ‘don’t overreact’ point. However the clubs directly above us and directly beneath us from last season have all made strong additions to their squad… in time for pre-season as well. It’s what the best run football clubs do. Set plans and execute. We are clearly not executing any type of plan as it stands. 

 

We do the same thing every year, I was hoping it would be different this year but clearly not at this rate.

There's clubs who like to do their business early in the window get the players to go on pre-season tours and prepare for the season ahead as a complete team.

And then there's teams like Chelsea who think as long as they are bought by midnight on August 31st (despite the season already about 3 games in by that point) then that's fine, as they can meet their new teammates on the 1st September, find somewhere to live on the 2nd September and being scoring on their debut on the 3rd September.

You'd expect that kind of thinking from Fulham, Norwich or a team looking for last minute deals but a team who want to challenge for the title or Champions League??

That's just poor planning IMO - failing to prepare means preparing to fail as the saying goes.

Edited July 4, 20224 yr by 2211

1 hour ago, Scott Harris said:

Although I agree that we shouldn't take every transfer rumour as truth, I'm not as convinced we will have a good transfer window. Every club around us are getting players in and improving their squad and we are going into pre-season with no new signings. I wouldn't be surprised if Tuchel is getting frustrated, I'm sure he will want time with any new players we do sign before the new season starts.

We also have to make sure we're getting the right ones. If the worst happens with MDL I'd rather sign no one than the wrong/an average one.

Take Spurs for example about to sign Lenglet, there would be absolute outrage if we did that. Infact for all the talk of Spurs having a great window I think every signing they've made bar Bissouma would have gone down like a lead balloon with our fanbase.

10 minutes ago, Argo said:

We also have to make sure we're getting the right ones. If the worst happens with MDL I'd rather sign no one than the wrong/an average one.

Take Spurs for example about to sign Lenglet, there would be absolute outrage if we did that. Infact for all the talk of Spurs having a great window I think every signing they've made bar Bissouma would have gone down like a lead balloon with our fanbase.

I would have been happy with Perisic

 

Re: De Ligt. Really sad if we don't get him. That will hurt. 

Edited July 4, 20224 yr by RomansRoubles

Some reassurance before the night draws to a close. 
 

Pedulla stating we are still very much favorites for De Ligt. Bayern made an inquiry about a possible Pavard + cash deal. Pavard however has no intention of leaving Bayern and wants to extend current deal.  De Ligt wants to join us and nothing has been reported to Pedulla that De Ligt prefers Bayern over us.   
 

Bayern and Barca both the same. Fabricating stories to put pressure on the player. 

24 minutes ago, Argo said:

We also have to make sure we're getting the right ones. If the worst happens with MDL I'd rather sign no one than the wrong/an average one.

Usually I'd agree with this.

But in this case there's a strong possibility we'd finish in the bottom half without signing anyone.

We can't go into the season with the centre backs we have it just isn't an option after letting 2 of our starting centre backs leave on frees and our other starter turning 38 this season.

40 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Bayern and Barca both the same. Fabricating stories to put pressure on the player. 

DiMarzio now backing up Pedulla. Bayern fabricated the whole De Ligt wants to join them narrative.  
 

DiMarzios article claims we are his first choice as De Ligt wants to play in the PL. 

 

 

1 hour ago, WhiteWall said:

But he went to Juventus. Where's the difference. Is Spain any stronger yet everyone seems to want to flock to a corrupt bankrupt team in the Iberian equivalent of the SPL.

Shame we had a transfer ban that summer Juve signed him.

Epecially when you consider Tomori, Christensen, Luiz & Rudiger of that period are all gone now. Although having said that, f**k knows if Marina would have sanctioned it, considering what was going on at the time as Juve had to overload the wages and stretch the fee to fend off Barcelona. The RCB version of De Ligt was the hottest property in world football at that time along with De Jong, fast forward 3 years of mostly playing LCB and suddenly he’s dispensable, this will be day light robbery.

Juventus has become such a poorly run club, never been a better chance for the Milan clubs to have a run at it for a few more years now.

2 hours ago, WhiteWall said:

But he went to Juventus. Where's the difference. Is Spain any stronger yet everyone seems to want to flock to a corrupt bankrupt team in the Iberian equivalent of the SPL.

Spain is stronger than Italy, Italy than Germany. Germany league is no better than Portuguese league or French league.

 

39 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

DiMarzio now backing up Pedulla. Bayern fabricated the whole De Ligt wants to join them narrative.  
 

DiMarzios article claims we are his first choice as De Ligt wants to play in the PL. 

 

 

Good, he should be the priority. He is the one to take Silvas place long term for us to build our defence around, and learn from Thiago this season.

Looking more and more like a straight cash deal, hearing multiple things from different sources. Some claim we offered Timo and Puli, others saying they asked for Puli and we said no. Either way there's not much left between what they want and what we're offering. 

It's the add ons now that need to be clarified, I personally am not worried about Bayern. Some are saying online it will be like Raphina but there's two big differences. Firstly Barca were in talks with Raphinia for at least 6 months and we crashed the party.

Secondly Raphina's dream is to play for Barca whereas MDL as far as we know just wants to leave Juve, it's reported he likes TT.  B/c of what TT did with the defence since he came in. Even if we disregard this and say he has no preference its still a much more open race than Raphinia. 

2 minutes ago, LongtimerLurker said:

Looking more and more like a straight cash deal, hearing multiple things from different sources. Some claim we offered Timo and Puli, others saying they asked for Puli and we said no. Either way there's not much left between what they want and what we're offering. 

It's the add ons now that need to be clarified, I personally am not worried about Bayern. Some are saying online it will be like Raphina but there's two big differences. Firstly Barca were in talks with Raphinia for at least 6 months and we crashed the party.

Secondly Raphina's dream is to play for Barca whereas MDL as far as we know just wants to leave Juve, it's reported he likes TT.  B/c of what TT did with the defence since he came in. Even if we disregard this and say he has no preference its still a much more open race than Raphinia. 

Now your sauces said we were getting Kounde and Dembele. Given we hit the Sevilla deadline tomorrow that one is not looking so likely anymore?

37 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Now your sauces said we were getting Kounde and Dembele. Given we hit the Sevilla deadline tomorrow that one is not looking so likely anymore?

Are you saying the source is not a sufficiently spice sauce?  1000 flavours, all made from chilli but all need a dose of salt added?

23 minutes ago, ozboy said:

Are you saying the source is not a sufficiently spice sauce?  1000 flavours, all made from chilli but all need a dose of salt added?

Depends, if the salt has lost its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?

Edited July 5, 20224 yr by axman2526

1 minute ago, axman2526 said:

Now your sauces said we were getting Kounde and Dembele. Given we hit the Sevilla deadline tomorrow that one is not looking so likely anymore?

Hard to say mate with both, the main source on that one hasn't said anything for a while. If we want Kounde I think we could get him right now no doubt. Apparently Marina had a verbal agreement if we paid €70m, Todd came in retracted it and offered €60m on the table no idea if either figure is with or without add ons.

Whether that's true or not, it was reported by most of the reliable guys Sevilla would drop their asking price from €85m. The rough figure we refused to meet from last summer, which I believe may be his release clause not too sure on that. 

Dembele from my perspective, him and his agent are trying to play poker and they're losing. The offer on the table from Barca was €11m, he and his agent wanted €18m and flogged themselves around the top teams in Europe. No one bites, in fact no one even offers what would be described as a formal offer we're led to believe except Barca's €11m one. 

Barca then reduce their offer to €6m, there's a wage cut and everyone's losing 40% if they want to stay or come in. Keeping in mind him and his agent both want a signing on fee this is not the ideal situation, yet they continue to keep their options open.

We apparently offered a pre contract according to my main source on this, I don't quite understand the logistics of this whether that's more a verbal/gentleman's agreement. Regardless it was reported around €8m more than Barca's current offer.

Taking into consideration no team is yet (to be reported as) offering a formal deal aside from Barca, and its not looking good for him and his agent. Barca have the stronger hand despite all their debts they will always be able to leverage some kind of money from somewhere.

I don't know what Dembele wants to do, he clearly likes Xavi and he also likes Tuchel. He's settled in Barcelona and finally started to show some form. Coming to England would be a gamble especially for a player with such a bad injury record.

All teams involved understand the risks associated with signing him. Hence why the offers he will receive, be that formal or not will most likely reflect this. 

I think he's unlikely to get a better offer now than our reported €8m. I'm unsure if this was all just a game and he used our interest to try leveraging a better deal and Barca saw through his bluff and punished him by reducing his wage. Or if their finances really do require that be the highest offer they can now make to him. 

Either way as it stands he has the choice of less money but, playing for a coach he likes. Or if our offer is legit, and has just not been made formal until now he's officially a free agent. He takes a bit more money and plays under a coach he likes.

Either way he wins from a sporting perspective in theory, but he and his agent have failed spectacularly in their pursuit of greed.

 

 

3 hours ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Some reassurance before the night draws to a close. 
 

Pedulla stating we are still very much favorites for De Ligt. Bayern made an inquiry about a possible Pavard + cash deal. Pavard however has no intention of leaving Bayern and wants to extend current deal.  De Ligt wants to join us and nothing has been reported to Pedulla that De Ligt prefers Bayern over us.   
 

Bayern and Barca both the same. Fabricating stories to put pressure on the player. 

Also important to note that one of the journalists breaking the story, Christian Falk, is the guy who misled us about Haaland last summer. I wouldn't trust him. He's also clearly a Bayern mouthpiece.

Edited July 5, 20224 yr by Frankie8Lampard

32 minutes ago, LongtimerLurker said:

Either way he wins from a sporting perspective in theory, but he and his agent have failed spectacularly in their pursuit of greed.

 

 

And that last part is frankly wonderful. Is great to see a greedy player and especially a greedy agent fail.

Ben Jacobs has reported we have offered Juve 70mill pounds straight cash no exchanges. 

If we are serious about getting this done, then there must be no further delays. Bayern are now in the frame, and there is now a feeling that United might also make a late bid, who else after them ?? We simply take too long to get deals over the line, I imagine TT must be hugely frustrated, especially as Pre-Season started yesterday, is this a sign of Todd's relative inexperience in football transfers ??  PS I don't believe De Ligt would prefer Bayern over Chelsea or at least he would not say so publicly.   

7 hours ago, LongtimerLurker said:

I don't know what Dembele wants to do, he clearly likes Xavi and he also likes Tuchel.

But which one is better ? There's only one way to find out.

4 hours ago, coombsie said:

If we are serious about getting this done, then there must be no further delays. Bayern are now in the frame, and there is now a feeling that United might also make a late bid, who else after them ?? We simply take too long to get deals over the line, I imagine TT must be hugely frustrated, especially as Pre-Season started yesterday, is this a sign of Todd's relative inexperience in football transfers ??  PS I don't believe De Ligt would prefer Bayern over Chelsea or at least he would not say so publicly.   

For DeLigt MU would be a more risk free option. His coach knows him and has succeeded with him. 

Still not so sure he is our man. Juventus was awful last season. 

5 minutes ago, evissy said:

For DeLigt MU would be a more risk free option.

 

It really wouldn't be.

Sounds like De Ligt wants Bayern now.

If we lose out on him we may be in trouble. The season will start in four short weeks and we are leaving for pre-season any day.

1 hour ago, Sindre said:

Sounds like De Ligt wants Bayern now.

If we lose out on him we may be in trouble. The season will start in four short weeks and we are leaving for pre-season any day.

Don't believe anything the German press say mate, English press will say he wants to come to us German press will say he wants Bayern. I saw some Italian papers saying he prefers us to Bayern. Either way I think Bayern won't match our bid, I'm quietly confident we get this deal done provided we don't muck about. 

The frustrating part is if Juve try to start a bidding war and convince MDL to hold off from accepting any proposals to ensure the saga is prolonged. I personally don't see this happening, I would like to think Juve would rather get the deal done and just sort out his replacement asap. Yet by drawing it out I suppose it gives them more time to ensure a replacement is guaranteed. 

But yeah a lot of trust worthy journalist are still saying we're his preference I think from MDL's pov now he surely joins a club not for the name, but for the coach and project. Juve sounded good, but it really didn't work out. He likes TT so I would assume that is more of a factor to sway him towards us no offence to Nagelsmann.

1 hour ago, Argo said:

It really wouldn't be.

Ten Hag is his best fitting coach. Made DeLigt a captain of young Ajax side (gave it to him temporarily). Ten Hag is a system coach so he needs players who play for a clear system. De Ligt knows his system. Globally MU is one of the biggest sides there are, much bigger than Chelsea. 

In Chelsea you face a new manager, new team mates, no dutch compatriots and so on...(maybe if we get Ake)

What we have going for us is as a side we are 1-2 seasons ahead of MU but that can go upside down pretty quickly. 

Not sure what DeLigt wants but we are not a safe bet in any case.

13 minutes ago, evissy said:

Ten Hag is his best fitting coach. Made DeLigt a captain of young Ajax side (gave it to him temporarily). Ten Hag is a system coach so he needs players who play for a clear system. De Ligt knows his system. Globally MU is one of the biggest sides there are, much bigger than Chelsea. 

Exactly. Which is why his United tenure is going to be an absolute disaster unless he gets atleast 10 players.