Summer signings

Yes, we've been here before but after our title shot got battered again, we are now looking over our shoulder at everyone else catching up.

What do we need to do in the summer then?

Starting in goal, get rid of Richard Wright and get serious competition in for Joe Hart.

In defence, I was all for getting rid of Kolo, but he has put in some decent performances of late and he looks well worth a new contract (on lower wages). Lezza looks like he's going in the summer for 1st team footy as well as trying to get back into the England squad. There are plenty of teams that would be interested in him and I hope he goes for more than the £4M suggested asking price. Even though he's in the last year of his contract, we should be able to auction him off for £6M or more. QPR paid £12M for Samba!!!

No issues with Kompany, Zabba and Nastasic. I'd get rid of Kolarov as he isn't a defender. Surely he's worth £6M+ back in Italy. I'd go for Baines at £12M or so as the replacement. Let Baines and Clichy fight it out for the left back spot. There is talk of Micah going to Arsenal (again) and I'd be tempted to let him go for £12M+ if we can get cover at RB and CB. I wouldn't want Kolo as our only CB cover, he's better as 4th choice CB. Aternatively, we could just let Kolo go and bank on 'Cristali Richards' being fit enough to get through the season. I'd definitely let Maicon go if there was somewhere for him to go. Even on a free.

If money is tight, then I'd take the chance on Richards and give Kolo a new deal.

In midfield, if anyone will offer £15M for Nasri, get rid. He hasn't lived up to his hype and comes across as a bit odious too. If anyone offers £5M for Scott Sinclair, he can go too. For whatever reason, he doesn't look good enough when he's had his infrequent chances.

GazBaz, I'd keep as backup. Yaya and Silva staying are no brainers. Rodwell and Garcia won't leave so we are stuck with them, though Rodwell has shown sparks, when fit, and Garcia isn't a patch on NDJ. Let's hope he gets better in the 2nd season. Milner has work rate but has put in a few below par performances and isn't good enough, in my opinion, at the top level. Keep as backup unless someone stupid offers £20M for him.

Up front. Dzeko looks like he's off back to Germany for £20M. I was thinking of letting Tevez go if we got an offer of £10M, but we'd need an expensive replacement and I just don't think we have the money for two top strikers unless we can get Lewandowski fo about £20M. That leaves us with Aguero who I hope, and expect, to stay. We just have to get either Cavanni or Falcao and play some sort of 4-3-3 with the big man up front. We could also look at Suarez but he'd cost £40M. We still need a winger and Ive no idea who we should go for. Alexi Sanchez from Barca? Isco? Bale we can't afford/he won't come. I think we may let Guidetti go due to his injury problems, but I hope he stays or goes on loan again.

So, in summary, my outs are Wright, Maicon, Lescott, Kolarov, Nasri, Sinclair, Dzeko. I reckon we'd get the bext part of £55M for them but, more importantly, we'd shift at least £750k wages p/w (including Bridge and Rocky).

Ins are a bit more tricky. With £55M from sales and probably another £30M added to that, we'd 'only' have about £85M to spend which isn't enough to transform the team with top players. I want our solid defence with dangerous full backs. I want our strikers to be able to conjure things up from nothing and I want our midfield to be solid and creative.

Baines, Cavanni/Falcao, Sanchez/Isco and maybe Hummels (or someone else good enough for £15M). We'd need £100M for just 4 players but, I believe, we'd have a team to fear again.

Hart
Zabba, Kompany, Nasty, Baines
Silva, Yaya, Rodwell
Tevez, Cavanni, Aguero

subs:
Clichy, Milner, Richards, Barry, Guidetti, Pants, Garcia

lets use BBC as squad guide -
Goalkeepers
1 Hart - Keep
29 Wright - Sell
30 Pantilimon - Keep
37 Nielsen - who?
Defenders
2 Richards - Keep (cover for RB and CB)
3 Maicon - Sell
4 Kompany - Keep
5 Zabaleta - Keep
6 Lescott - Sell
13 Kolarov - Sell
22 Clichy - Keep
28 Toure - Keep
33 Nastasic - Keep
56 Meppen-Walter - Who?
Midfielders
7 Milner - Keep
8 Nasri - Sell
11 Sinclair - Sell
14 Javi Garcia - Keep
17 Rodwell - Sell
18 Barry - Sell
21 Silva - Keep
42 Toure - Keep
62 Razak - Sell
70 Evans - Who?
Forwards
10 Dzeko - Sell
16 Aguero - Keep
32 Tevez - Sell
36 Suarez - Keep
60 Guidetti - Keep
64 Lopes - Keep

I'm not sure who we should bring in though. Certainly trim the squad down to players who can regularly put a good shift in, I do like the look of Cavanni every time I've seen him.
I'd not be too tempted by Baines, and think he's always been more a United player.

BBC isn't a good guide, use MCFC list of players!

Gunnar Nielsen has played for us, but was released in Dec/Jan.

Meppen Walter is in jail.

George Evans is just a kid, looks ok.

I'm ignoring the kids as I'd expect us to keep most of them. I don't see the point letting Barry go, just keep him for backup. He wouldn't fetch much in the transfer market being in his last year and I bet he isn't on the real mega bucks having joined before the Sheikh took over.

I expect Rodwell to stay as you can't sell a player that doesn't want to leave. Ask Bridge, Ade or Rocky. He deserves a chance as he's only played a few games due to injury.

We need a good LB to challenge Clichy.

My only concern with the big name signings is, what if we just end up with another Dzeko or Nasri? We need highly motivated players who'll put in a shift and not sulk if they get sidelined. We need players who'll dig deep for the victory and not roll over or go missing.

Frankly, I've no idea who these players are. Maybe our first signing should be Alan Pardew's scout, as he seems to be able to unearth some decent players for absolute peanuts.

The problem is that to get those kind of players, you usually have to look at improvers who haven't made it to the top yet. That is a risk in itself - will they train on? Look at Nani and Ronaldo. Both cost about the same and looked decent as kids. One has gone onto become a world superstar and the other hasn't progressed enough to even command a first team slot.

We may have a few quid more than expected if we sell on Guidetti and Boyata, but I'd be surprised if we got much (anything) for Dedryk and a few millions for John.

Out

Wright
Bridge
Lescott (I'd rather keep him)
Kolarov
Toure
Garcia
Sinclair
Nasri
Dzeko

In
A decent keeper
Hummels
Baines
Bale
Central midfielder
Lewandowski

Jordan, what if Garcia doesn't want to leave? He's played a few games and is on decent money. More chance Sinclair going as he's not going to play for us next season and maybe not even make the bench.

Your wish list looks like costing £140M+ which we simply cannot afford.

Ok, maybe I'm going a bit OTT here, but let's try work it out....

Lescott - £5m
Kolarov - £10m
Sinclair - £5m
Nasri - £20m
Dzeko - £20m

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

Keeper - £3m or less.
Hummels - £15m
Baines - £9m
Bale - £40m
CM - £10m
Lewandowski - £12m

Out £60m, In £89m. = £29m cost

With the wages offloading in Bridge, RSC, Lescott etc the other £29m would maybe equate to £25m.

We can afford £25m!

I don't think we'd get £20M for Nasri (unless PSG) and probably not £10M for Kolarov (maybe £6M-£8M).

Agree with you on the keeper and Hummels. £9M for Baines looks a bit cheap (especially coming from Everton), nearer £12M+. No way is Bale going or £40M, not after the season he's just had. Levy will make someone pay £60M for him now as he's just getting better and better and is still only 23. Lewandowski I can agree with especially if Dzeko goes the other way. Quality CM for £10M???

I reckon the difference between your ins and outs will be at least £60M!!!

If we get Bale we don't need a quality CM, just someone young to push for a place. Look at Newcastle's record, Cabaye, Sissoko, Tiote, quality players that maybe wouldn't be first on our team sheet but certainly push for a place. Rather have Cabaye than Garcia I guess.

I wouldn't pay more than £9m for a decent left back, £10m max. We only paid £7m for Clichy.

No one would pay over £50m for Bale, that just seems ridiculous. If it's anymore than £40m then let someone else have him.

Lewandowski is valued at £15m anyway, last year of him contract. Easily £12m or less.

So....

Hart
Zaba, Vince, Hummels, Baines

Cabaye (Example)

Bale Yaya Silva

Lewadowski Aguero

If we're gonna get Bale, i want him on the left. Get Silva in the middle with AN Other on the right.

Why would a new CB be pushing Nasty onto the bench, he's been superb for us this season?

I'd still plump for Fellaini, if we're looking to shore up in midfield.

You're right, Nasty has been brilliant but I'm sure Hummels would be even better. More experience also. Nasty as cover and in cup games. He'll still get the experience, with injuries also.

Bale on the left yes, that was just an hypothetical example squad.

How about...

Hart
Zaba, Vince, Hummels, Clichy

Milner, Yaya, Silva, Bale

Lewandowski, Aguero

Basically just 3 players then Jordan.

Hummels, Bale and Kewandowski. I still reckon that will cost £75M, but we'd recoup most of that from sales. If we are getting Hummels, we won't need Micah Richards, maybe another £8M there.

Much better team that, no need whatsoever to spend £50m+ on a foreign inport.

Besides Yaya, who else from midfield contribute a decent number of goals? We need someone like Bale who will get his fair share of goals from midfield/out wide.

I dont think Milner, Silva and Barrie have got a dozen goals between them this season have they? If we had free scoring forwards banging them in then we might get away with midfield players not stepping up and adding a few. But at the moment this team couldn't score in a brothel.