Free Transfers

All those players could improve United. Some more than others

I'm not going to suggest individuals but the OP is bang on in pointing the way to rebuilding the squad through free and bargain transfers. We've seen other clubs get great value from this strategy - sometimes (like Juventus following relegation) in similar circumstances to ours where they needed to close a gap that had formed. The key thing is having a recruitment team that is fit for purpose: not just able to close the deals, but identifying the bargain players who will genuinely meet the coach's requirements. From that point of view, I'd be happy to see a few players who weren't on my radar coming in, as opposed to well-known players on the downward slope of their careers.

Kamara is one we should be all over

Dembele & eriksen would be improvements on rashford & bruno

Dembele is an excellent player if he can remain injury-free as he largely has this season, and basically the right-sided attacker we've been lacking. Given the salary he would command, he'd be a very expensive free signing if he turned into the attacking Phil Jones. But I'm sure our world-class medical team can make that call.

I'd question whether Eriksen is an improvement on Bruno but we would do with squad depth in attacking midfield, and Eriksen (ex-Ajax) has more of a heritage playing in the systems comparable to Ten Hag's.

Overall, I'm not against a sprinkling of well known, experienced players but I think the long-term rebuild needs to be based on consistently identifying players who have emerged at smaller clubs and demonstrated they are ready for the top level. That's where you get the value, but also the hunger, readiness to learn and adapt, and the physical advantages of players coming into their prime.

Individually, Dembele and Eriksen may well be smart picks. I'd start to worry that we haven't learned any lessons if our entire transfer policy consisted on buying classy players who have had multiple seasons devastated by injury and/or recently from a cardiac arrest.

Skinriar would be a great addition

I might be wrong, but I get the impression more and more players are running down their contracts nowadays.

If so, the most apparent reason is that they (and their agents) have cottoned on to the fact that there's a lot of money to be made from signing-on fees, and perhaps better wages to be had when the signing club doesn't have to pay ££££££ to another club.

In other words, 'free' transfers are probably nowhere near as cheap as they sound. How much is Mbappé going to demand as a signing on fee? He'd be mad to take anything less than £100M. Either that, or his wages may not be far off £1M p/w.

And if it's big wages the player's after, what does that mean for your wage structure, and how do you move a player on later if the signing doesn't work out? How much have Juve paid Ramsey and Rabiot, for what returns?

Another issue with free signings is that it isn't always clear why the contract has been run down. Sometimes it might be the player eyeing up a juicy signing on fee, but others there might be issues related to attitude, injury, general fitness, or just that the player is not as highly rated by those who see him train every day and play every week.

Others still are older players whose performance could drop dramatically from one year to the next.

Generally speaking, I'd be as cautious with a 'free' transfer as I would be when signing any other player, if not more.

@RR, Dembélé would be a high-risk signing, imo.

It's not just his atrocious injury record. Great speed and dribbling, but his finishing is astonishingly erratic. As much as he'd have a point to prove, he'll still probably demand pretty big wages for someone with his track record.

comment by it'sonlyagame (U6426)
posted 35 minutes ago
@RR, Dembélé would be a high-risk signing, imo.

It's not just his atrocious injury record. Great speed and dribbling, but his finishing is astonishingly erratic. As much as he'd have a point to prove, he'll still probably demand pretty big wages for someone with his track record.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

His assists record is one of the best in Europe though. He's an exceptional player. But totally one who comes with risks attached.

We've seen players with bigger question marks over them move to the right club at the right time and reach levels of quality and consistency that no one predicted. Maybe that's the next phase of Dembele's career (possibly still at Barcelona - both parties seem open to him staying).

The argument against a free signing is stupid even if they demand huge signing on fees.

Mbappe is going to cost Real 80 million in signing on fees and 100 million in wages.

He is worth at least 150 million considering Coutinho cost Barca 142 million

But effectively by signing him for free Real effectively save on the wages they were going to pay if they sign him on a long term deal