Men's Soccer (Football) Thread [ARCHIVED] Soccer • Page 446

I think the deadline was bs from dortmund to put pressure on us. not saying we'll sign him, but I just don't think that's a real thing.

 

that's why Sancho makes sense for us. If we wait another year, we won't sign him. He'll go elsewhere. we aren't as badly affected by covid as other clubs.

 

Wouldn't be surprised if it is done later this week tbh; the fact that he's reported to the squad shows his attitude is good and all the talk has not distracted him etc. but it will still go through. If I had to be honest, United is a good fit for him but i'd love for him to stay one more year - next year there will be much more interest in his signature, this summer it just seems like United have waltzed right in and grabbed the best English talent since Raheem Sterling with literally zero competition!

 

Yeah that’s the thing we need this transfer done in this window and Dortmund would probably love the money this window. It just makes sense.

Even the German based media that were talking about the deadline are now saying negotiations will continue.

 

The only thing that will annoy me is if United wear BVB down on the asking price. If the total fee is below £100 million in this market then they would be the luckiest team in the world.

 

Yeah I think it’s a stand off. We need him, Dortmund need/want €120m. It comes down to who needs what more.

 

Looks like Sancho will stay with Dortmund until 2023 if Kicker is reliable. You have to laugh if it's true.

 

It seems some United fans won't stop believing until Sancho steps onto the pitch for Dortmund's first match.

 

I mean Zorc said the exact same about Dembele.

 

True, but Dembele then threw a tantrum to leave. Will Sancho do that?

 

It’s just Dortmund putting their foot down and demanding United pay the full extent of Dortmund’s valuation. Woody will continue to fight to get the total fee structured more favorably, but he’ll fork it all over at the end of the day however he has to in order to get the deal done.

 

No lol. Ed just needs to get the finger out and pay. Dortmund won’t accept anything less than what they want it seems from past transfers.

 

Dortmund should sell him for $200+

 

That's what I meant, like we can't rely on that to change Zorc's mind here. The only thing that will make this transfer happen is money, and lots of it.

Interesting that they're saying he's contracted till 2023. They seem confident that they can get their fee or even more next year if United refuse to pay up now. It's an interesting game between the club's anyway, even if it probably still will end with United forking over.

 

I have to say the reactions to Zorc's presser have been hilarious. I've gotten to the point where I get so much enjoyment out of these "saga's" now even if we don't sign the player.

 

but on the other hand, football journalism is really in the dogs. It seems like very few football journalists are actually journalists these days. just briefing what a club tells them without actually doing any digging. I can't imagine the amount of hits that are going to come from papers just writing what Zorc said and adding in a few superfluous lines of colour to it. Even the Athletic guys, better than most for the content they provide, are still fairly useless when it comes to actual investigative journalism and rely on what clubs want out in the public.

angel gomes leaving was pretty hilarious from a news pov. he's not in the squad and nothing on social media: he's leaving. United post a video on instagram featuring him: he's signing a new contract and in Ole's first team plans.

 

It's interesting. I saw someone comment this elsewhere but it's kinda true. The Tier 2 style journalists are almost better in some ways than your Tier 1s (Stone, Ducker etc.). The Tier 1s tell you what the club want you to hear because that's when their sources give them information. So while it lets them be 100% accurate on some things, the journos know the price of that reliability is being a mouthpiece and tweeting absolute shite out when these games are being played.

Whereas Tier 2 style journos rely much more on word of mouth or sources outside of the club. Which means they are more likely to tweet out things that don't end up happening and thus take a credibility hit because of it. But then any news they get is generally less bias due to it not coming from Woodward/ the club directly (for example).

 

yeah I don't really subscribe to the "tier" list for those reasons to be fair. Simon Stone is always spot on for United, but never ever breaks anything. He just announces stuff Woodward wants us to hear. Most of the others just throw shit at the wall and hope it sticks bar a few that just report from sources outside the club as you say. I don't know if it's like this in other clubs or countries, or if this is a very specific United thing. But no one seems interested in actually providing a view of what goes on inside United except when they smell blood in the water like that summer where everyone bashed us for our "terrible" academy compared to City. Funny how that worked out in the end.

 

I agree generally about the Tier system, though it does have its merits. The difference between some Sky talking head and Simon Stone is huge, for example. But it really doesn't take into account all the intricacies of transfer dealings. There's a lot of nuance like journos being good for some clubs and not for others that it doesn't take into account, but it's good for getting an idea.

Which is another reason why I find Fabrizo Romano so fascinating. He's basically a top source for every transfer in Europe's top 5 leagues. Any big deal, he's the first to know. Obviously he's wrong sometimes, but I think that's precisely because he doesn't get his info from clubs directly. It's amazing he can be so reliable for so many clubs.

 

fwiw Solskjaer was quite bullish about Sanchez coming back and staying at United a month ago saying Sanchez would prove everyone wrong. we released him to inter for free.

 

BT Sport's coverage is just horrendous isn't it? All the pundits sound bored having to be there. Sucked my excited for the game like some sort of Dementor's Kiss.

 

It's like they deliberately try to employ the worst pundits possible.

 

Not enjoying this right now.

 

Yeah I can see us losing this.

 

Just one of those nights where you can tell from the opening minutes we're not in the mood. We have way too many every season.