If Lukaku is worth £100 million then Morata has to be in that ballpark too. This is just what you pay for quality strikers nowadays.

Ricky1985 wrote:

Yeah, sorry I mis-typed.

The only reason I can see Mourinho not being all over Matuidi is because he's already 30 years old. I don't think he's fit to lace someone like Essien's boot personally. Definitely not better on the ball either. He's a bit of a donkey, in my opinion, but he can run and run and run. He's a Mourinho midfielder for sure.

Fabinho, on the other hand, is not. Really hope they don't get him.

Mourinho loves his 30+ ready made players that he gets for big fees and give him1 or 2 trophy winning seasons before leaving with the team full of OAPs.

Fingers crossed. It's not that I think Matuidi would be bad for them - he's a good player and would work well in a midfield three alongside Herrera and Pogba. He's just not a top player, at least a couple of levels below other midfielders out there of a similar style. Ivan Perisic is another one I hope they get - he's in that same bracket of player for me.

It'd just be more of the same for them - if they can't get hold of world class players with all their money then it's going to be a difficult road back to the top for them. The longer they spend as an also ran, the harder it becomes.

I agree about Matuidi, Ricky. He's a Mikel type of player. I think you're underrating Perisic though who's a skilled, ambidextrous winger with genuine playmaking ability. He's better than Mkhitaryan in my opinion. That's not a guarantee that Mourinho will use him or use him well of course, but I think he's the type of player who will make a tangible difference on the field and not just contribute with a nice name in the match program.

I could be wrong and he'll flop completely of course. I hope it happens. I don't see it though. We saw how good a scrub like Marcos Alonso could be this season when he's given a clear role and proper coaching. Perisic is a better wide man, and when you look at how much importance Mourinho normally put on wingers you have to think Perisic will add quality to United.

Clrnc wrote:

Think Ricky meant haven't been more heavily linked.

Sorry, I meant that about Fabinho. Ins't he the modern day Essien - less aggressive, better on the ball. He does feel like a Mourinho player to me I guess - have only watched him a few times in the CL though, to be fair.

Wouldn't say Fabinho is all that similar to Essien. He doesn't have anything like his physical power or athleticism. Not as dynamic going forward either. Probably a better passer but then Essien was a good passer too. Fabinho is probably a little better positionally and tactically. I'd say a better comparison would be Gilberto Silva personally.

Klaus wrote:

I agree about Matuidi, Ricky. He's a Mikel type of player. I think you're underrating Perisic though who's a skilled, ambidextrous winger with genuine playmaking ability. He's better than Mkhitaryan in my opinion. That's not a guarantee that Mourinho will use him or use him well of course, but I think he's the type of player who will make a tangible difference on the field and not just contribute with a nice name in the match program.

I could be wrong and he'll flop completely of course. I hope it happens. I don't see it though. We saw how good a scrub like Marcos Alonso could be this season when he's given a clear role and proper coaching. Perisic is a better wide man, and when you look at how much importance Mourinho normally put on wingers you have to think Perisic will add quality to United.

I rate what I've seen of Perisic for Croatia. He's clearly a good player and has a lot of quality. He's just not that good though. He's not anywhere near the top tier of wide midfielders out there. They won't get back to the top signing these kind of players because he's not coming in to supplement world class players. He'd be their best player more or less.

I'm pleased Zlatan is leaving United. Hate seeing players I like there

I know his contract is up but is he definitely leaving?

United don't want to renew his contract understandably. Injured and old now.

Good, he'll be a big loss for them.

So

Costa > Milan
Aubameyang > PSG
Lukaku > Chelsea
Morata > Utd

Yet another window in which we're nowhere to be seen on the striker front. But yeah we're supposed to believe we're signing Mbappé for 100m+.

Jokers.

So you believe all the reports about other clubs making bids, but choose not to believe the reports, from all the same sources, about us making a bid for the most exciting talent in football?

Yeah, the Eeyore outlook is getting a little boring.

Maybe you can reserve your judgement after the end of the window at the very least?

I am really confident we will sign a good striker, Mbappe or not.

Gazza M wrote:

wouldn't turn down costa either. he seems like a vengeful scrote who would be motivated to stick it to chelsea. pops up in crunch moments as well

Yeah, vengeful is the more apt description for him. He plays rough and dirty but he's not the racist, sister-in-law smashing type that I definitely would hate to see in our colours. He actually seems to be a great person if you read up on his background and he hates the likes of Mourinho and Ramos, what more could you want.

He said he'd like to go back to Atlético but the transfer ban probably means he can't. Hope we get him, he'd be massive for us but his and our injury record is a worry. Anyways if Chelsea replace him with Lukaku they will have made a massive downgrade so it's all good for us regardless of where he goes

Ricky1985 wrote:

So you believe all the reports about other clubs making bids, but choose not to believe the reports, from all the same sources, about us making a bid for the most exciting talent in football?

to be fair, given our past history, yes... 

i hope we make waves this summer though...

Clrnc wrote:

I am really confident we will sign a good striker, Mbappe or not.

What gives me the most confidence that we'll sign a good striker is that we've been practising for 9 transfer windows now to get this right since van Persie left. No other top team has had this depth of preparation. 

[Twitter]

Hmmm... not sure if real or photoshopped but I strongly fancy him to go there regardless.

That is one player we're really gonna regret not going for seriously when we had the chance.

ugh.. i really wouldn't have minded Morata here

Ricky1985 wrote:

[Twitter]

Hmmm... not sure if real or photoshopped but I strongly fancy him to go there regardless.

He is following them, but he has been following them for a while, along with many footballers from other clubs.

Looks like United will announce Lindelof for 35m soon in the next few days, and Morata for 70m.

Ricky1985 wrote:

So you believe all the reports about other clubs making bids, but choose not to believe the reports, from all the same sources, about us making a bid for the most exciting talent in football?

That's not the point. We're not getting Mbappe or anyone decent is my point. 

Expect Giroud or Welbeck to be our starting CF again next season.

Agreed. I fully expect that to happen. Lindelof and Morata are both quality sigoings for Yanited. We should have been in for the latter and the former is cheaper than Mustafi and younger although probably not as proven.

Lindelof is an ace talent, but he's still very raw. I'm not sure Mourinho is the best manager for him. He needs room to make mistakes and learn from them.

Klaus wrote:

Lindelof is an ace talent, but he's still very raw. I'm not sure Mourinho is the best manager for him. He needs room to make mistakes and learn from them.

Mourinho is pretty good with young defenders; he seems to give them more opportunities to play. He was the one who gave chances to Santon, Varane, and Zouma. 

Morata to United for £64m allegedly nearing completion.
If you said to me that this summer all we'd do is sign Sanchez, Ozil and Morata; I'd bite your your arm off.

He's an ok signing but not a scary one, I'd have accepted if we got him but he's Lacazette tier IMO.

I've watched him at least a dozen times this season. Excellent technique, efficient, great positioning. He'd be perfect in front of Ozil and Sanchez

Yeah - wonderful talent. Has it all - this will likely be his breakout season.

Don't like Morata to Man U. Would seriously hate if we signed Costa. As if things related to Arsenal couldn't get worse - that would for me make it massively worse. Winning will never be THAT important to me.

Like Chelsea would sell us one of the best strikers in the league.

Hope not! Moron not being there makes it more likely though.

If we raid a rival for a striker, it will most likely be Liverpool for Sturridge.

morata to united and james to psg for 70m a piece

Gazza M wrote:

morata to united and james to psg for 70m a piece

= 140m for Mmmmbop!

Steve Stammers of the Daily Mirror says we're going to make a £50m offer of our own for Rodriguez, that's along with Mbappé not instead of.

[Twitter]

Claudius wrote:

Gazza M wrote:

morata to united and james to psg for 70m a piece

= 140m for Mmmmbop!

maybe. its hard for anyone to resist a full court press from real, let alone an 18 year old kid