Any source to confirm this? As even source at that time said 3 or 4 teams made bid and was accepted.
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Any source to confirm this? As even source at that time said 3 or 4 teams made bid and was accepted.
The Lille president said the bid to the club was only made once Hazard and his surroundings had chosen one of the three/four clubs Hazard had agreed personal terms with. Once Hazard had decided then the club had to make the bid to Lille, which turned out to be Chelsea. It was in a Sky Sports video, I shall try and find it.
Edit: Got to go page 53 in the Sky Sports vid section (link to the vid section http://www.skysports.com/video/inline/0,,12606_7881782,00.html). The video is called "Hazard to decide between four clubs" uploaded on 21st May 2012 by Sky Sports. Unfortunately I can't link directly to it, only to the video section of the SSN website.
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All three clubs were ready to agree a fee. That was never the issue. It was about who got the deal with the player. Whoever got the deal was paying 32m regardless.
Not only that but we are clearing players and thus wage space. None of the targets mentioned are out of price range, its a question of do we want to reach it. Anderson may yet get sold, SAF is giving Fletcher as much time as he needs, Cleverley is like to play a rotational role (as he would have done last year) Scholes will be used as quality back up. Which really leaves Carrick as the only true quality first team centre mid. Playing that 4-2-3-1 shape of 2006-2009 requires quality in the middle. And if that is how he wants to play again, he will spend heavily if needed, he hasnt got a choice. Anything is making do, and our targets have shown that this is not about making do.
If we can sign 2 Belgians then this will be one of our best transfer window. 2007 window was awesome when we signed Nani, Anderson, Hargo and Tevez on loan, if we can sign Fellaini and Dembele then this will be as good as that transfer window.
Also Carrick is our only quality midfielder and we don't have any back up for him. Signing these 2 will make sure either can play with Carrick or together replacing Carrick.
So if we can spend around 30-35 Million, we will have 2 CMs who are about to reach their peak and can have 7-8 years of quality service (as both will be 25 this season).
Also Carrick is our only quality midfielder and we don't have any back up for him. Signing these 2 will make sure either can play with Carrick or together replacing Carrick.
So if we can spend around 30-35 Million, we will have 2 CMs who are about to reach their peak and can have 7-8 years of quality service (as both will be 25 this season).
We wouldn't have bothered agreeing terms with him if we had no intention of executing the bid in the end. The money's there to spend. The flotation should wipe out around 3/4 of the debt, lowering interest payments for the year. For all the bad things, the Glazers are businessmen and aren't stupid, they're aware that keeping United successful will generate the most money for them down the road, and that they need to invest now to achieve that.
Pass on Dembele, doesnt seem to be a target, and glad for it, since he doesn't have the positioning.
When I read the comments of the Lille President, he said that nothing was concrete until Hazard had chosen one of the clubs he had agreed personal terms with, so we can not say Manchester United made a bid of 32m, because they didn't officially as it never got that far, not even sure whether it was mentioned within Hazard's personal terms or through the agent, but I would assume it was.
No doubt we need some quality signings in midfield but due to this debt which is no doubt restricting the club somewhat, due to the interest and trying to get it down etc. I can only see us getting one quality CM this summer, SAF's budget will be reduced somewhat until the debt is cut.
But today there are few rumors about our big getting rejected. If we can get him for 12-15 Million then it'l be very good signing as we will pay much more than that for player of his quality.
Dembele Vs United CMs.
That wasn't the point though. All three clubs knew in advance that the deal was 32m regardless of who got the deal. That wasnt the sticking point. Getting Hazards agreement was, its why Lille were so relaxed.
Not positionally adept defenisively, dont see the point, if we are playing 4-2-3-1.
But today there are few rumors about our big getting rejected. If we can get him for 12-15 Million then it'l be very good signing as we will pay much more than that for player of his quality.
Dembele Vs United CMs.
We have been over this. What im talking about his positioning. He is not a deep player, he can run around and tackle well, but he does not have defensive positioning. Jones can tackle well, his positioning is ****.
His chance creation rate and everything is better than our CMs (except Carrick), that's was my point. For the price (10-15M) I would love to see him at United as I believe he can improve a lot at United and not to forget this was his first season playing as CM. He did well considering everything. As we have only Carrick, I don't see any problem in adding him to the squad.
Edit: Re Jones, meh he can tackle well but can't pass, can't dribble like Dembele, Can't create chances like Dembele. Positioning is only weakness I can see him Dembele, Like I said something that can be improved as he played as CM only last season.
Because it overlooks the most vital point for a midfielder in 4-2-3-1. Positioning, this is supremely vital in both midfielders in a 4-2-3-1. There is no point at all in buying a player who isnt strong in that area, and trying to get him to improve at nearly 25, when you can buy a player who naturally has it as part of their game. Better off buying a defensively astute, but averagely creative player, and letting Carrick have a slightly freer role, than buy Dembele
25 and can improve, just like how Valencia improved after joining United. It was his first season as CM but still he looked good. Like I said it won't hurt to sign him as we lack CMs. Even just signing Dembele won't be enough as we don't have any one to play Carrick role. So we need at least 2 CMs. I would love if one of them is Dembele.
Your point is his positioning is not good, which I agree with but at the same time I believe he can improve on it. If you disagree then fair enough.
We need a CM that is good defensively before looking at more attacking options imo. And positioning is important.
Looking at the infograph you posted, the one stat which highlights his lack of positioning imo is interceptions. Worse than Scholes, Anderson, Carrick and Fletcher.
It does hurt to sign him. The core part of a 4-2-3-1 is the defensive "box shape" it creates from the positionally superb CMs and defenders, its what makes it hard to break down. With the AM in front, if you have a hardworking one (Kagawa, and certainly Rooney), you get the additional "triangle", very hard to break down. Do you know what you get if that box shape isnt kept? Holland at the Euros.
The reason we were so hard to beat was because of that defensive discipline, because of the nature of our mids, Fletcher, Scholes, Hargreaves, Carrick. When you consider that Scholes was the weakest of the 4 in terms of positioning, that tells you how strong that shape was and how important positioning was.
The positioning there is not something you take a gamble on for a starting player. You dont buy a starting play, and "hope" he improves on it. You buy for what is needed, not because you like a player.
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He quite simply isn't good enough. 2 goals in 47 for an AM.....
Every transfer is a gamble and a calculated one. It's not just on blind faith we will be signing him. If we sign him that means SAF believes he can improve, which they come to conclusion after scouting him thoroughly. Just like I said for Valencia. We didn't just blindly hoped he will come good, SAF believed he will come good (Yes there are few misses, just like how every transfer was a gamble). Also when was the last time we signed a player are were dead sure that he will improve our team?
I have clearly said we need 2 CMs and I love one of them to be Dembele.
Also looking at players like Khedira who averages just 0.2 interceptions more and almost 2 tackles less per game. Not to forget "Was dribbled" is one of the best in the league.
Also we played Cleverley who averaged 0.5 Interceptions per game and 2 tackles less per game.
Yaya Youre averages 0.3 interceptions more and 1.5 tackles less per game.
Looking at Khedira, Yaya's stats Dembele's is not looking bad at all. If anything that only weakness (if at all he if is one) is just over blown. Then we have Schweinsteiger who gets dribbled thrice than Dembele, also an important stat that is ignored. Which Dembele is best at.
I'm saying it again, I'm not saying Dembele as our only CM, but wouldn't be bad signing at all as he has only one year left on contract.
For the key reason I just pointed out. It is not all about chance creation. Couldn't have made it much clearer in my last post.