Cos' MU have a tried and tested method of spending big money on players who are a total and utter success
This guy has only played half a season for Benfica and was only pushed into the team due to an injury to the 1st choice...or is that wrong? Call me cynical but that's a hefty fee for a **** player.
You're judging him as sh1t on the same basis as you're dismissing him as perhaps being good? None of us have seen him play so lets wait and see. The last virtually unknown CB we bought in January was also considered **** for the same reasons... and then turned out to be rather good.
I'm not bothered about the fee we might be paying Benfica for him, as long as he comes to us and improves us, that's all that matters.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...es-to-sign-new-benfica-contract-a7499121.html http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38450944
IF we were to buy another defender (and on present showings I'm not convinced we do provided Bailly return uninjured from the ACN) then my thoughts are that January is not the window to do it - it's just too much of a risk that a defender will slot right in and work well with those around him, particularly if there is a language barrier. Yes, there are shortcomings with both Red Card Rojo and Jones, but I would rather we keep a familiar pairing together than try and inject someone new into the defence and hope that it works out
How to be a football journalist... Step 1: Make up story about Club X and Player Y with no quotes or source. Step 2: Wait two days then do expected U-turn on story. Step 3: Claim this U-turn is as a result of Club X and/or Player Y once again with no quote or source. Step 4: Repeat ad infinitum throughout transfer window. Step 5: Enjoy career of undeserved self-importance.
What's worrying is that someone might actually believe we'd go to the trouble of putting in a record £40m bid, agree terms with a club behind the scenes, assign the player a shirt number, and then change our minds and "break off ties with benfica" because... Rojo has a good game People actually believe that this how a club is run lol. What probably actually happened: United made an enquiry about the player. The End.
Isn't that what happen 10 times every transfer window according to the papers, but it don't end up with us pulling out but the player rejecting us
Although the speculation refuses to go away. I can see why JM might be interested. If he is as good a prospect as he's supposed to be then he'll be a good buy to create that competitive defence like our midfield. Considering the number of competition we are involved in and likely to be involved in the future we need to make the whole squad as strong as possible. What is annoying though not unexpected is benfica giving him a new contract with a higher escape clause just to extract more money from United.
I don't even mind a new defender but I would certainly like Phil Jones given a chance to succeed. For one, he is English. Two, he nicely compliments Eric Bailly with his no non-sense type of defending. Only problem is that we don't know if he has the ability to stay fit. But he is still young and I believe he can make that transition under Jose. Rather than than pay insane amount for a Benfica player that has played 30 league games in his career. It would be as much of a gamble than use what we already have.
We need a leader at the back. We've needed one ever since Rio and Vidic left. His fitness is a real problem, but he's no leader either. Not saying that we need to buy Lindelof as I know little about him, but we need a CB better than what we have (asides of Baily)
Van Dijk is a better bet than Lindelof. Said we should have bought him from Celtic and haven't changed my mind.