May 22, 2012

Manchester United Summer 2012 Transfer Wish List

UPDATE ON 7/27/2012:  Currently it looks like Fergie is after Lucas Moura, Robin van Persie, and Leighton Baines.  I would be quite happy if we landed Lucas Moura and Leighton Baines.  Lucas Moura could develop into a world class midfielder and we need cover at the left back position because Evra's ability is declining and Fabio and Fryers won't be here next year.  I think van Persie is great but I don't think he is as big of a priority because we have plenty of talented strikers.  Although, we are considered favorites to land van Persie.

Honestly, I think Lucas Moura is the most important transfer target to chase.  Reports have been on and off on twitter and soccer transfer rumor websites about Moura joining United.  Just watch film of this guy and you will see he shreds defenses like Ronaldo did.



Everything below was written May 2012:
Here is my wish list for Fergie to sign this summer: (Written in May 2012)

INS:
1. A beastly central midfielder (Modric, Gotze, Hazard)  I would like Gotze the most because he is young and could be the next Messi.  I understand he extended his contract at Borrusia Dortmund but that barely means anything these days.  Modric would be a nice box-to-box midfielder and he is proven very talented in the Premier League.  He is a little older but he could leave since Tottenham have lost Champions League football.  Hazard would be nice but he is becoming a drama queen (like Lebron) about where he will go this summer.  I don't like egos and I also think he wants too much in wages for United to sign him.

2.  Either Leighton Baines or Jordi Alba as a left back.  Patrice Evra is now a liability at left back.  He is inconsistent and has cost us crucial goals.  Nani and Evra cannot play simultaneously on the left wings because they provide no defensive cover whatsoever.

3. Nathaniel Clyne as a cheap option at RB.  Right back has been a revolving door between Rafael, Jones, Smalling, etc.  Clyne would come very cheaply and could be a rock at that position; allowing Jones/Smalling to focus on their preferred positions of center back. 

Disclaimers on Transfers In:
1) If Sneijder came down on his wage demands (which he should since Inter suck and he was injured a lot last season) it may be worth trying an affordable gamble on him.  Maybe a 20 million pound offer and wages of 120,000/ wk.  My mancrush on him last summer has transferred to Modric or Gotze.  However, he is still world-class if he isn't injured so much.  We did make the right call not spending so much on him last summer on transfer/wage fees.  However, an affordable Sneijder would be much more valuable to our team than Kagawa.

2)I know United are heavily linked with Shinji Kagawa but I don't want to spend too much money on other mediocre/squad players at central midfield. We might as well bundle all our cash on a central midfielder who will consistently start and fill the boots when Scholes leaves(Modric, Gotze, Hazard.) I don't want a central midfielder who plays once every three games and is just signed cuz he was cheap unless we have additional transfer money left over. I love Anderson and Fletcher cuz they are United players but we don't need another clone of them at central mid. If Kagawa comes cheaply, then I say go for it.

3) Signing a world class central midfielder (Modric, Gotze, Hazard, or even Javi Martinez) is the highest priority this summer!!

4) I really wish Berbatov could have seen more playing time and stayed at United.  If he stayed, we would not need another striker.  PERIOD.  Even if he leaves, we may not need another striker.  We are loaded at striker.





OUTS:  Michael Owen is already out.  That was the right call there.  Berbatov (although he is great) will undoubtedly leave.  He got stuck in the too many strikers dilemma at United.   I hope we get a bargain or trade out of him because Berbatov is incredibly talented.  If we sign Baines, I wouldn't mind selling Evra at a decent price.  Fabio and Macheda will be loaned out, which is the right move.



Realistically I could see the summer going like this:
IN :  Modric/Hazard, Baines, Clyne, Kagawa
OUT: Owen, Berbatov, possibly Evra (if we sign a left back)

1 comment:

Ryan Witcher said...

Given all that has occurred, I now hope we go after Modric. There are some credible links that Ferguson is interested in Modric at the right price. It appears Modric is more likely than Gotze and Sneijder is too injury prone so I say go for Modric as that beastly central midfield. Kagawa would be a nice bonus but I don't think Kagawa alone is enough to satisfy me this summer.