I'm hoping, he's planning on bringing both Vidal and Carvalho.

I don't know much about either player to be honest, wouldn't a midfield 3 of Herrera, Vidal and Carvalho work?

We can guess, but we'll never really know. My advice is, don't even get yourself stressed out about it. We'll all know in a few days time

Doubt it. they arent desperate to sell. Carvalho is plan B but even then Arsenal are after him too...

I don't think we are even after him, the reliable journos say we haven't even been in contact since the WC

If we get either, I'd be a happy man. The two players I'd put at the top of my CM list.

comment by Busbybabes (U9083)
posted 5 minutes ago
I don't think we are even after him, the reliable journos say we haven't even been in contact since the WC
--------------------------

Maybe the asking price was far too high and we have been playing it cool?

My personal opinion is that we will end up signing a specialist DM, but we will see. Can see it being an exciting end to the window.

comment by Mæstro - I aint talkin' bout chicken n' gravy bîatch (U8867)
posted 13 minutes ago
I'm hoping, he's planning on bringing both Vidal and Carvalho.

I don't know much about either player to be honest, wouldn't a midfield 3 of Herrera, Vidal and Carvalho work?
--------------------

I can't see us signing them both. Those 3 would probably work together, but that would see Herrera forcing one of our other attacking players out of the team.

I think that with the arrival of Di Maria LVG will opt for his preferred 433 formation, which would see a DM, Herrera, slightly more advanced, then Mata ahead of him.

It was pretty obvious that all of the newspaper stories came from the same briefing. They were word for word almost identical.

Whether that means it was a clever bluff to suggest we are losing interest in Vidal or means we are actually interested in Carvalho, I don't know.

Like JSP, I like the look of Carvalho, though he is more raw than Vidal as a practitioner of the art of the midfield.

comment by Elvis (U7425)
posted 13 minutes ago
comment by Busbybabes (U9083)
posted 5 minutes ago
I don't think we are even after him, the reliable journos say we haven't even been in contact since the WC
--------------------------

Maybe the asking price was far too high and we have been playing it cool?

My personal opinion is that we will end up signing a specialist DM, but we will see. Can see it being an exciting end to the window.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hopefully Elvis

i would say priority now must be stop leaking goals. Its a bit greedy to get Di Maria and push for Vidal to increase forward options at a time our defence is a joke.
A positionally sound defensive midfielder might be just the ticket to form an extra barrier to the defence. Might also encourage LvG to go with a back 4 and ditch the 5!

comment by Royalsmokin999uk (U5762)
posted 2 minutes ago
i would say priority now must be stop leaking goals. Its a bit greedy to get Di Maria and push for Vidal to increase forward options at a time our defence is a joke.
A positionally sound defensive midfielder might be just the ticket to form an extra barrier to the defence. Might also encourage LvG to go with a back 4 and ditch the 5!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I agree, I'd love Vidal, everybody would, but surely he's more of a replacement for Herrera than he is for Carrick?

We need a defensive midfielder and a cb, if we can still afford Vidal then great.

One of the things that kept getting repeated in the initial rush of excitement about LVG's appointment was that he likes a 4-3-3 with a midfield comprising a number 10 + either two box-to-box midfielders or one b2b and one defensive.

So I don't see it as unthinkable that Herrera, Vidal and Mata could line up together.

The fact is, we should be pretty happy if either Vidal or Carvalho comes in the next five days. In fact, if we were offered Herrera and De Jong in addition to our other three summer acquisitions a couple of months ago, I think most of us would have readily taken such a window.

comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 1 minute ago
One of the things that kept getting repeated in the initial rush of excitement about LVG's appointment was that he likes a 4-3-3 with a midfield comprising a number 10 + either two box-to-box midfielders or one b2b and one defensive.

So I don't see it as unthinkable that Herrera, Vidal and Mata could line up together.

The fact is, we should be pretty happy if either Vidal or Carvalho comes in the next five days. In fact, if we were offered Herrera and De Jong in addition to our other three summer acquisitions a couple of months ago, I think most of us would have readily taken such a window.
-----------------------------

That is how I see it. 433 with a DM, Herrera and Mata.

Now, it could be that LVG/club has decided that the money being asked is too much considering Vidal's knee problems

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

why would we be even interested in him if he is injured

comment by roonited (U11635)
posted 9 minutes ago
Now, it could be that LVG/club has decided that the money being asked is too much considering Vidal's knee problems

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

why would we be even interested in him if he is injured
---------------------------

Because he is one of the best CMs in the world?

comment by roonited (U11635)
posted 12 minutes ago
Now, it could be that LVG/club has decided that the money being asked is too much considering Vidal's knee problems

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

why would we be even interested in him if he is injured
----------------------------------------------------------------------
This is kind of the problem, he's not injured, it's a case of how well his knee will hold up after the op

Journalist from the mirror was on talksport this morning. He said the journos from certain regions sometimes get together, talk about gossip and rumour they have heard and decide on what to go with.

Couldn't believe he said it but maybe this explains the consistent stories about carvalho this morning.
Certainly more believable than the club briefing the media the press that we want a player. Didn't so it with shaw Herrera or Di Maria.

comment by Elvis (U7425)
posted 8 minutes ago
comment by roonited (U11635)
posted 9 minutes ago
Now, it could be that LVG/club has decided that the money being asked is too much considering Vidal's knee problems

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

why would we be even interested in him if he is injured
---------------------------

Because he is one of the best CMs in the world?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
he also could be another hargeaves in the making

comment by roonited (U11635)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Elvis (U7425)
posted 8 minutes ago
comment by roonited (U11635)
posted 9 minutes ago
Now, it could be that LVG/club has decided that the money being asked is too much considering Vidal's knee problems

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

why would we be even interested in him if he is injured
---------------------------

Because he is one of the best CMs in the world?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
he also could be another hargeaves in the making
-------------------------------

Of course. So if the club do take a risk, they have to try to protect their interests as best as possible. This can be done by driving down the price as much as possible and also structuring payments based on the number of appearances. However, if the club can't agree a deal with Juve that they are happy with, then the risk is too great and they look elsewhere.

comment by Elvis (U7425)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by roonited (U11635)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Elvis (U7425)
posted 8 minutes ago
comment by roonited (U11635)
posted 9 minutes ago
Now, it could be that LVG/club has decided that the money being asked is too much considering Vidal's knee problems

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

why would we be even interested in him if he is injured
---------------------------

Because he is one of the best CMs in the world?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
he also could be another hargeaves in the making
-------------------------------

Of course. So if the club do take a risk, they have to try to protect their interests as best as possible. This can be done by driving down the price as much as possible and also structuring payments based on the number of appearances. However, if the club can't agree a deal with Juve that they are happy with, then the risk is too great and they look elsewhere.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
`makes sense elvis

but what would really concern me with this move is we need all new signings to hit the ground running especially any midfield aquisitions. Difficult enough at the best of times but more so if the player has injury issues. We are really not in a position to be taking any risks. In this regard the Carvallho player would seem to be the better option IMO.

Agreed. I am not sure that the knee is an issue right now though. More that it could reoccur.

However, I am not convinced that we need an all round CM like Vidal. I think that a specialist DM would do the job we require. Why spend 35m+ on a world class all rounder then ask him to play a solely defensive role? Better off saving some money and buying someone like Carvalho, who isn't going to get frustrated at being asked to play that role.

Sooner or later it will finally dawn on our fans here that we have never been interested in Vidal.

VC - short of the club coming out and saying that's the case VC i don't think we will ever categorically know but the quotes from the player and his agent certainly suggest there has bee some form of contact at some point.

comment by VC - Darren Fletcher is the white Bryan Robson (U3584)
posted 19 minutes ago
Sooner or later it will finally dawn on our fans here that we have never been interested in Vidal.
-------------------------------

I am pretty certain from what the player and his agent have said that there was interest from United. Less sure that there has been any interest in the last 6 weeks - 2 months.

Elvis

Didn't Juve or Vidals agent say the other day that there had been no bid for Vidal. Pretty sure Arab posted a link for it.

Forget about Vidal, it was never going to happen.