Summer Transfer Window 2017

[stokeriño]

I don't understand this "go under the radar" stuff. The press either get briefed (usually by agents) or they don't. I don't really see why those involved in a United/Lukaku deal would have any less or greater desire to keep it quiet than those involved in a Chelsea/Lukaku deal.

Case in point: the "was always our #1 target" bit is classic briefing by MU, now that they're not getting Morata.

[DavidMarrio]

1 hour ago, Matt said:

Fuck. I was hoping they'd go for Morata and he'd flop; can't see Lukaku flopping. Top 4 nailed on next year

Dya reckon? I mean Zlatan scored a lot for united yet he was the only one scoring goals a lot of the time. 

They need more than Lukaku to guarantee top 4. 

[Adam]

2 hours ago, Matt said:

Fuck. I was hoping they'd go for Morata and he'd flop; can't see Lukaku flopping. Top 4 nailed on next year

Not being funny but this doesn't come close to guaranteeing top four. Zlatan scored 28 goals last season (17 in the league), and they came 6th. Lukaku netted 26 (25 in the league) and Everton came 7th. Take out Zlatan's Europa goals and he still got 23, only three less than Lukaku. Man Utd are going to need more than just a big goalscorer to get them into top four contention.

[DFF]

We've signed Richard Stearman from Fulham for a "substantial undisclosed fee".

[Adam]

25 minutes ago, DFF said:

We've signed Richard Stearman from Fulham for a "substantial undisclosed fee".

I just saw your new kit in the Stearman announcement...Teletext Holidays are your shirt sponsor!? How are they still a thing?

[DFF]

2 minutes ago, Adam said:

I just saw your new kit in the Stearman announcement...Teletext Holidays are your shirt sponsor!? How are they still a thing?

I honestly have no idea.

[TCO]

6 hours ago, Matt said:

Fuck. I was hoping they'd go for Morata and he'd flop; can't see Lukaku flopping. Top 4 nailed on next year

The lad scored 17 goals with West Brom at the age of 19. There's less than 0 chance he flops!

I think Lukaku is slightly underrated by a lot of people. He's basically averaging 1 in 2 and he's not even close to his prime yet.

[DavidMarrio]

14 minutes ago, TCO said:

The lad scored 17 goals with West Brom at the age of 19. There's less than 0 chance he flops!

I think Lukaku is slightly underrated by a lot of people. He's basically averaging 1 in 2 and he's not even close to his prime yet.

I don't think anyone is questioning how talented he is. But just him alone isn't going to solve United's problems 

[TCO]

He's going to go a long way to doing it. Bailly, Lindelof, Pogba, Rashford and Lukaku is a tasty young core to build from and its not as if they're going to stop spending.

Another midfield player and a few more pieces here and there should do it. Mourinho in his 2nd season is historically something to fear too!

[Baddar]

Hoping Chelsea hurry up and get the Bakayoko deal over the line so we can get Matic in.

[Adam]

56 minutes ago, TCO said:

He's going to go a long way to doing it. Bailly, Lindelof, Pogba, Rashford and Lukaku is a tasty young core to build from and its not as if they're going to stop spending.

Another midfield player and a few more pieces here and there should do it. Mourinho in his 2nd season is historically something to fear too!

Well exactly, another midfielder and a few more pieces would probably do it. Lukaku on his own isn't going to.

I'm not under-rating him, he's potentially world class and scores plenty of goals each season. But he does have his pitfalls and on his own he is not going to turn this Man Utd team into top 4 certs.

[Nerf]

Honestly I'd argue United are slightly worse off (in the short term) trading Zlatan for Lukaku. That's under the assumption that it's the only business they'll do of course, which obviously it's not, but Lukaku isn't going to make much of a difference to last season's team on his own.

[MDK]

2 minutes ago, Nerf said:

Honestly I'd argue United are slightly worse off (in the short term) trading Zlatan for Lukaku.

I disagree. In the short term Lukaku can play football, Zlatan is still hobbling, I think. 

[9 to 5]

I think people under rate Lukaku a fair bit because we are so used to seeing him every week.

[The Lusophone]

A broken down Zlatan who is months away from even kicking a ball again is a better choice than a fit Lukaku who was one of the top goal scorers in the league last season?

[Adam]

Just now, Mad Jack said:

A broken down Zlatan who is months away from even kicking a ball again is a better choice than a fit Lukaku who was one of the top goal scorers in the league last season?

I'm pretty sure he didn't mean it that literally.

As I said earlier, Lukaku is worth about 5 extra goals than Zlatan in a league season at the moment. Are those 5 extra goals going to propel United from 6th to 4th? I doubt it.

[The Lusophone]

5 extra goals potentially turns 5 draws to 5 wins. 5 points to 15 points. So yes, it is a signing that could propel United from 6th to 4th (3rd, actually).

[MDK]

You are all talking about goals scored, how about how many goal stopping tackles he will make?

[Cymbols]

Yeah, I'm with Mad Jack on this one. 

Money's gone mad though. Michael Keane did it for me. £30m?! Matthias Ginter went to Gladbach from Dortmund for £15m, and he's won the World Cup. Is Michael Keane twice as good as Ginter?

Also Bruce is trying to bring Joe Hart in on loan. Can we not please. 

[Adam]

7 minutes ago, Mad Jack said:

5 extra goals potentially turns 5 draws to 5 wins. 5 points to 15 points. So yes, it is a signing that could propel United from 6th to 4th (3rd, actually).

I could very easily do the same thing to suggest it won't propel them up the table.

Those 5 goals may be to turn 5 one-goal defeats into draws. 5 points. Or they might be goals that happen in games with a 2-goal win/loss margin, therefore 0 extra points.

Basically, it isn't that simple. My original point was that the assertion that signing Lukaku to replace Zlatan turns this Man Utd team from 6th place to top 4 on its own is not very likely to be the case because this signing essentially replaces an element they already had. Therefore, to improve on last season they need to strengthen further.