Transfer Speculation / Gossip

[Gregorys Boy]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28460394

"We have four number 10s, so it is not balanced in my eyes," said Van Gaal.

Get Keane to use his Man. United connections and bring Kagawa to VP.

I am not convinced about Keane's 'Man United Connections'. I suspect there may not be a lot of Christmas cards being delivered back and forth each December.

That and the fact that it was a long time ago he was there, so I think any connections might have dried up.

[Damo70]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28460394

"We have four number 10s, so it is not balanced in my eyes," said Van Gaal.

Get Keane to use his Man. United connections and bring Kagawa to VP.

I am not convinced about Keane's 'Man United Connections'. I suspect there may not be a lot of Christmas cards being delivered back and forth each December.

That and the fact that it was a long time ago he was there, so I think any connections might have dried up.

He obviously knows the likes of Giggs, Scholes  and Butt who I think are all still involved on the coaching side. I am just not convinced that they are all Inbetweeners style thumbs aloft 'best friends'.

[Steve67]

Vlaar for Dawson and Holtby? Probably crap, but yes please. Straight transfers though, no loans from spuds.

[villadelph]

Vlaar for Dawson and Holtby? Probably crap, but yes please. Straight transfers though, no loans from spuds.

I'd much rather have Vlaar sign an extension. Dawson is trash and Holtby can't hack it.

[Dante Lavelli]

Dawson is awfull.  Holtby hasn't really got going yet in this league but there might be a player in there.

[N'Zimidy]

Vlaar is ten times the player Dawson is and Holtby was pretty unspectacular for Fulham last season. If they were to sweeten the deal with £15m I'll think about it.

[Toronto Villa]

I can't believe so many people are ready to package off our captain to Spurs for two players that hardly set the pulse racing. Holtby really hasn't lit it up for Fulham or Spurs, and Dawson isn't remotely close to Vlaar in ability or leadership. I'd sooner see Vlaar and Okore combine and improve our situation at the back than bring in another new CB. What we need to is a more settled situation and it is already going to be a little bumpy at first because when Vlaar comes back he'll essentially have three new starting defenders if Hutton somehow beats out Lowton. The last thing I want to see is even more volatility by packaging off Vlaar.

[Jockey Randall]

I'm not saying I would swap Vlaar for him but Dawson is no where near the crap player some are making out. He's been captain of a side that's finished in the top 6 consistently over the last few years and was their player of the year a few years back. He's hardly championship fodder.

[Steve67]

I can't believe that we are talking up Okore when we've seen him in only a handful of games!! Hope I'm wrong but he's become a much better player since being injured.

[Tuscans]

We have too many, "there could be a player in there" players. Holtby is one of those and Dawson is garbage, hitting 60 yd diagonal passes into touch all the time and treading water when at max speed.

[KevinGage]

Dawson might have looked ropey a few times last season, but then so did Vlaar.  And I say that as someone who rated him even after his first season.  Vlaar isn't perhaps in the very top bracket of centre halves we've had over the years, but we miss him whenever he doesn't play. You just have to look at our record with compared to without him.

That said, Dawson has been one of the top centre halves in the country dating back the past 5/6 years.  Vlaar is probably the better footballer, but Dawson is better in the air.  There isn't much between them, even if it was a straight swap.  If it's Dawson and Holtby (and somehow cash on top of that) we'd be mad not to look at it. 

The concern that this might just be shite from Levy to get the player unsettled and then the real offer (if it comes in at all) is way down on that type of valuation.   

I'd happily dismiss this all this as the latest creative works of Alan Nixon, but other newspapers seem to be running with it too.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

Give me Big Ron over Dawson any day of the week.

[IAmTheOneIanOlney]

Give me Big Ron over Dawson any day of the week.

I think he was a midfielder. Agree, though.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

Give me Big Ron over Dawson any day of the week.

I think he was a midfielder. Agree, though.

Indeed he was!
The "F" bit came a bit later methinks! ;-)

[Matt Collins]

so even the great Van Gaal is using the term "number 10". I know Lambert got slated by some last year for using it.

so even the great Van Gaal is using the term "number 10". I know Lambert got slated by some last year for using it.

so even the great Van Gaal is using the term "number 10". I know Lambert got slated by some last year for using it.

Did he? It's pretty common as a concept no?