8 year contracts. The fees are spread over the length of the contract and it’s not like anyone ever sees them out…..
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The 2023-2024 Football Thread
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Wow, what an absolute snoozefest of a draw - with the notable exception of Group F as you mentioned. Not sure I care at all about any of the other groups. Very easy draws for the English sides except Newcastle.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, the Spanish football federation (RFRF) is preparing to sack Jorge Vilda, the deeply detested coach of the (recent World Cup winning) women's team, who had who the trophy in spite of him, rather than because of him.
Away with some friends. Couldn’t understand why our match result wasn’t showing from tonight. Then I realised it’s only Thursday!
Consistent from Southgate, who has never held a hard line on players needing to start / play in top leagues in order to get caps. But it will fuel the media.
He hasn't held a hard line on actually playing, let alone playing in top leagues.
There are players in form who won't get game time for him - it happens all the time. He has his favourites and like it or not, they usually perform very well for him.
That’s what is important though isn’t it? You can only criticise his choices if they lose or play badly. If they win, then he picked the right team.
The annoying thing with Maguire still being picked for the England squad is that he generally does a lot better when playing for England than he does for United. Look at the last men's world cup, Maguire was praised numerous times for his performances but yet at the same time was having horrendous league performances. I would read fan forums during the world cup and it was obviously clear that United fans were having issues with Maguire because they would write in complaining why can he pull out good performances for England but not do the same for his club.
I would assume Maguire is being picked due to his performances at England games and not at club games. The thing that should be of concern to Southgate is fitness levels because Maguire is not currently getting enough game time.
I would assume Maguire is being picked due to his performances at England games and not at club games. The thing that should be of concern to Southgate is fitness levels because Maguire is not currently getting enough game time.
Amrabat to United finally done.
He passed the eye test at the World Cup, but opinion is pretty split on whether he's any good or will be able to keep up with the pace of the game in the PL. Still, he rebuffed interest from Barça, Bayern, and Liverpool, so it's not United alone that rated him.
Now let's see some more sales. McTominay, van de Beek, and Greenwood, come on down.
He passed the eye test at the World Cup, but opinion is pretty split on whether he's any good or will be able to keep up with the pace of the game in the PL. Still, he rebuffed interest from Barça, Bayern, and Liverpool, so it's not United alone that rated him.
Now let's see some more sales. McTominay, van de Beek, and Greenwood, come on down.
A (decent) defender for us would be on my shopping list before that transfer window finally slams shut.
I doubt any of those clubs were really interested in him. I bet it was his agent trying to drum up the price.
Edit: ETH will not sell Maguire or McTominay due to squad injuries in defense and midfield. They would still be seen as adequate even if he did want to sell them.
Both could be true (club interest and energetic agent activity), but you make a good and salient point.
It happens every year with United and other players. The media go batty trying to link every good player on the planet to United even when they know United have no interest whatsoever. We all know why clubs and agents do it, money money and more money.
Not only United.
Two recent developments may be a - to invoke a tired, trite, but - in the circumstances, perhaps apt - cliché - a proverbial game-changer.
The first is the appearance of the state owned clubs in the Premier League - Manchester City, Newcastle - and, perhaps, eventually, Manchester United. They bring resources to the game that oligarchs (even in the days before some of them were sanctioned) could only dream about.
An aside: Would the United fans offer much by way of disagreement, or expressions of distaste or vocal dissent if the club was to be bought by an ethics free body/state with a dubious human rights record yet armed with bottomless financial resources? Unfortunately, I rather doubt it.
The second is the development - the dramatic appearance - of the (appalling) Saudi league, which is offering jaw-dropping, eye-watering sums for players (£150million for Salah, complete with add-ons, according to reports I have read today) - the sort of eye-watering sums which dwarf this summer's already bloated domestic record breaking sums of money for transfers.
So, not only agents and not only Manchester United are driving these developments, feints, and rumours.
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Fan's don't care in my opinion. United fans are a very good bench mark for that statement because ever since the Glazers took over and landed the club with immediate debt in the millions of £££ there has been a forever vocal number of fans who have protested month after month, year after year about wanting the Glazers to go. For years many fans have complained about the Glazers allowing old trafford stadium to get into a state of disrepair, also the carrington training ground. They have complained bitterly about the debt put on the club and the year in year out pay of dividends to the Glazer family and what do the fans ask of the fan base? to show their support in wanting the Glazers out by not buying tickets and going to the game and what do we see happen? nothing because year in year out, excluding the pandemic years, United have posted near on sell out crowds at every home game. You would think if fan's truly cared about their club they would protest in the most public way possible which is by having a near empty stadium but nope, it never happens and I have no doubt it is the same for every other PL club because at the end of the day, the majority of fan's just do not care and that goes for every other club as well.
As for ethics and morals of club owners, again fan's do not care in my opinion. All the huge majority of fans care about is winning the league and winning the champions league and if an owner with very deep pockets says they can make a club the best in the world, fans will jump with joy. I bet if there was a modern day Hitler who said they had £30 billion and is going to spend it on a club to make it the best in the world, buy all the best players in the world and win all the competitions in the world (league related of course), many many fans would ignore the modern day Hitler's atrocities because nothing is more important to the fan than winning.
Agreed: a very vocal, very small minority of United fans will object, but most fans won't care as long as things are going well on the pitch.
The failure of the Palinha deal is somewhat comical but understandable.
Cant imagine being a player landing in Germany to complete a medical then being told to come back because they can't find a replacement and my 'new' club couldn't register me in time. Yikes
Will be interesting to see how he responds
Three emergency moves by Utd. Surprised Amrabat is a loan deal but i guess FFP. Spending 55m on Mount took its toll. Bringing Evans back highlights the defensive crisis but could work short-term. And Reguilon is a left field one
Gravenberch to 'Pool done
Cancelo and Felix to Barc on loan with no buy option...Barca really are broke. Cancelo the player City can't seem to get rid off.
Origi to Forest could be shrewd
Holding to Palace marks the end of an era.
Cant imagine being a player landing in Germany to complete a medical then being told to come back because they can't find a replacement and my 'new' club couldn't register me in time. Yikes
Will be interesting to see how he responds
Three emergency moves by Utd. Surprised Amrabat is a loan deal but i guess FFP. Spending 55m on Mount took its toll. Bringing Evans back highlights the defensive crisis but could work short-term. And Reguilon is a left field one
Gravenberch to 'Pool done
Cancelo and Felix to Barc on loan with no buy option...Barca really are broke. Cancelo the player City can't seem to get rid off.
Origi to Forest could be shrewd
Holding to Palace marks the end of an era.
Just noticed that West Ham are now two nil up.
If that continues - and there is no reason why it shouldn't - they will be top of the table again, tonight.
The Gravenberch transfer shows everything that is wrong with the game. He is signed from Ajax to Bayern for 18.5m euros. Has one season with Bayern, plays only 3 GAMES!!! and for that he is priced at 40m euros. WTF is Liverpool doing paying such a stupid price for a player that has only played 3 GAMES for the club. Utter fools, utter utter fools.