Winter 2025 Transfer Window - hopes, speculation, rumours etc.

[Rigadon]

The signing of Maatsen seems more odd by the week to me. It was big money on a left back who doesn't start most games, when we already had Moreno as back up.  It wouldn't be such a weird signing if we were under the FFP cosh, but seemingly we were / are. 

But it was clearly in part to help get us out from under that PSR cosh. We helped Chelsea out, they helped us out.

I'd forgotten about that - yes that does help make more sense of it. 

[Demitri_C]

The signing of Maatsen seems more odd by the week to me. It was big money on a left back who doesn't start most games, when we already had Moreno as back up.  It wouldn't be such a weird signing if we were under the FFP cosh, but seemingly we were / are. 

But it was clearly in part to help get us out from under that PSR cosh. We helped Chelsea out, they helped us out.

Surely chalobah would have made abit more sense though as we desperately needed a rb?

[Dave]

The signing of Maatsen seems more odd by the week to me. It was big money on a left back who doesn't start most games, when we already had Moreno as back up.  It wouldn't be such a weird signing if we were under the FFP cosh, but seemingly we were / are. 

But it was clearly in part to help get us out from under that PSR cosh. We helped Chelsea out, they helped us out.

Surely chalobah would have made abit more sense though as we desperately needed a rb?

We didn't desperately need a right-back unless it was an upgrade on the ones that we have. And given that there aren't many of them about, we're making do by playing a very good centre-back at right-back quite a lot.

Buying a less-good centre-back to play at right-back instead of the one that we currently do would compound that problem rather than solving it.

[PaulWinch again]

Indeed, Maatsen is a very good player. Short-term we may not see the immediate benefit, but our left side is very well stocked now.

[coreyfeldman]

The signing of Maatsen seems more odd by the week to me. It was big money on a left back who doesn't start most games, when we already had Moreno as back up.  It wouldn't be such a weird signing if we were under the FFP cosh, but seemingly we were / are. 

But it was clearly in part to help get us out from under that PSR cosh. We helped Chelsea out, they helped us out.

He's also not a right back, he's a right centre half

Surely chalobah would have made abit more sense though as we desperately needed a rb?

[Demitri_C]

The signing of Maatsen seems more odd by the week to me. It was big money on a left back who doesn't start most games, when we already had Moreno as back up.  It wouldn't be such a weird signing if we were under the FFP cosh, but seemingly we were / are. 

But it was clearly in part to help get us out from under that PSR cosh. We helped Chelsea out, they helped us out.

He's also not a right back, he's a right centre half

Surely chalobah would have made abit more sense though as we desperately needed a rb?

You are right but he plays right back too.

The signing of Maatsen seems more odd by the week to me. It was big money on a left back who doesn't start most games, when we already had Moreno as back up.  It wouldn't be such a weird signing if we were under the FFP cosh, but seemingly we were / are. 

But it was clearly in part to help get us out from under that PSR cosh. We helped Chelsea out, they helped us out.

Surely chalobah would have made abit more sense though as we desperately needed a rb?

We didn't desperately need a right-back unless it was an upgrade on the ones that we have. And given that there aren't many of them about, we're making do by playing a very good centre-back at right-back quite a lot.

Buying a less-good centre-back to play at right-back instead of the one that we currently do would compound that problem rather than solving it.

I think we did in my opinion. We had problems with cash last season and he had virtually no competition last season either. Agree with your point we needed a upgrade.

We were also strongly linked with kayode from what i remember. I think the price was around 15m. will need to see how is doing this season

[Demitri_C]

Kayode 4 starts  0 goals or assists. Doesnt apoear to be getting a look in there

[paul_e]

The spots that we consider to be gaps now clearly weren't seen as that in the summer. RB I'm sure Emery wanted Nedeljkovic to be more involved and RW we were clearly wanting more from Philogene but it just hasn't happened. It doesn't matter if some people think that was obviously wrong or even if they thought it was a mistake at the time, as a club we made the choice to give them the room to develop and fill out the squad. If we now need to get another option or 2 in then so be it, sometimes players don't develop as quickly or as well as we'd hope.

[London Villan]

Bailey's drop off in form is a problem too - Philogene would have been fine as the understudy, if Leon was performing regularly.

[cdbearsfan]

Bailey was looking a lot better before he got injured again.

[pauliewalnuts]

Listening to SSN talking about Rashford, they're desperate to drum up a big move for him.

He stinks of Everton, frankly. The only reason he won't go there is they're skint.

[LukeJames]

If he didn't already play for them, then he'd be exactly the type of player Man Utd would sign.

[Dante Lavelli]

I can see Rashford joining Liverpool. I just think he’d fit their system.

He’d become the ultimate pantomime villain, managing to annoy most the population one way or another.

[PaulTheVillan]

Listening to SSN talking about Rashford, they're desperate to drum up a big move for him.

He stinks of Everton, frankly. The only reason he won't go there is they're skint.

Chelsea all over it

[Rigadon]

Rashford used to be a cracking player and a rare thing in being a Man Utd player who most people kind of liked.  He does look finished now, but then again he should still have another 5 or 6 years in him playing wise.  Maybe on a loan with an option to buy he would be worth that risk. 

Can he play right back?