January Transfer Window 2014

First topic message reminder :

I'm gonna open this up now as I contemplate watching the shower of poop I'm about to watch.

What strong rumours have we heard? What do teams need? Where do you think the money will be spent?

I shall start you off with rumours surrounding Lambert maybe considering West Ham and similarly West Ham going to Spurs cap in hand to request a loan of Defoe or Adebayor (sources not so tight haha)

They see Hazard as a potential great, they won't sell to PSG, if they've already sold Mata. Don't see the issue there. They have Schurlle, who looks a very good prospect & with the Mata money will go & strengthen in the summer. Paying £40m is expensive, United will still have serious issues centrally alongside Carrick n defensively all along the back line. As I said before, Mourinho is thinking short term with this in trying to bring Manchester United to a level which can take points off City/Arsenal.

He is not thinking that John.

If it happens its a bonus.

mystiroakey wrote:He is not thinking that John.

If it happens its a bonus.

Nothing surprises me with Mourinho, its decisions like this or gambles, which separate the good from the great.

John wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:He is not thinking that John.

If it happens its a bonus.

Nothing surprises me with Mourinho, its decisions like this or gambles, which separate the good from the great.

It's not a far-fetched idea...why not sell to LFC? They could also take points off title rivals with Mata in the side...but they also have to play Chelsea too.

Mata could make it very likely that you United get up into that final CL spot. So 40 million pounds would be worth it. Chelsea bought him for 23 million four years ago, in terms of transfer fee inflation they are basically selling him at 40 million for about what they bought him for. (ie 4 years ago with 23 million you can buy the same quality player as with 40million today) And they got 4 good years out him. It makes sense in that Mourinho sticks it to City and Arsenal who still have a match against United and Chelsea doesn't play United anymore. And this money is there for Mourinho to go get a striker next year.

So Utd have money after all? It's only one player but journeys start with a single step and all that.

Well Ozil invigorated Arsenal, so it's not inconceivable that Mata could galvanise Manchester United.

The slow end of Valencia?   

Ashley Young or Nani, more like.

Can't see Chelsea selling for 40m to United

Balague has just put the kiss of death on the deal by saying it's all agreed, well it was good dreaming while it lasted.

John wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:He is not thinking that John.

If it happens its a bonus.

Nothing surprises me with Mourinho, its decisions like this or gambles, which separate the good from the great.

Yeah but its so short term. Its bad long term. Great managers do not potentially make things harder next season for one win. Chelsea are to big for that, and even if they did ithe chances of United beating Arsenal and citeh because of Mata and then Chelsea winning the league- well put it this way- I would give you 100/1!

I personaly just think Mournihio is a decent bloke and knows he will never need mata and respects united quite a lot therefore has no problem selling them the player, but at the same time understands that his team is still quite a lot better, he will use that 40m on another player that fits his strategy.

mystiroakey wrote:

John wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:He is not thinking that John.

If it happens its a bonus.

Nothing surprises me with Mourinho, its decisions like this or gambles, which separate the good from the great.

Yeah but its so short term. Its bad long term. Great managers do not potentially make things harder next season for one win. Chelsea are to big for that, and even if they did ithe chances of United beating Arsenal and citeh because of Mata and then Chelsea winning the league- well put it this way- I would give you 100/1!

I personaly just think Mournihio is a decent bloke and knows he will never need mata and respects united quite a lot therefore has no problem selling them the player, but at the same time understands that his team is still quite a lot better, he will use that 40m on another player that fits his strategy.

I think Jose doesn't fear United and Moyes anymore. I wouldn't call it respect more like the opposite. The fact that this deal is being contemplated is a sign that Jose doesn't think United are a threat for the title, and in that respect he is probably right. I think he wants to get a top striker next year and from his perspective he gets rid of a distraction and a player he doesn't need and gets the money for a big striker next year for a bench player this year. Still in the longterm the deal is fraught with danger in that Mata is only 25 and could comeback to bite Jose if United become title contenders again next year.

I'm now singing "No Mata What" in my best Stephen Gateley voice.

Mourinho isn't selling Mata because he can kill off Arsenal or City. Would be stupid and very short termish

socal1976 wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:

John wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:He is not thinking that John.

If it happens its a bonus.

Nothing surprises me with Mourinho, its decisions like this or gambles, which separate the good from the great.

Yeah but its so short term. Its bad long term. Great managers do not potentially make things harder next season for one win. Chelsea are to big for that, and even if they did ithe chances of United beating Arsenal and citeh because of Mata and then Chelsea winning the league- well put it this way- I would give you 100/1!

I personaly just think Mournihio is a decent bloke and knows he will never need mata and respects united quite a lot therefore has no problem selling them the player, but at the same time understands that his team is still quite a lot better, he will use that 40m on another player that fits his strategy.

I think Jose doesn't fear United and Moyes anymore. I wouldn't call it respect more like the opposite. The fact that this deal is being contemplated is a sign that Jose doesn't think United are a threat for the title, and in that respect he is probably right. I think he wants to get a top striker next year and from his perspective he gets rid of a distraction and a player he doesn't need and gets the money for a big striker next year for a bench player this year. Still in the longterm the deal is fraught with danger in that Mata is only 25 and could comeback to bite Jose if United become title contenders again next year.

Quite clearly we're not a threat in the title race any more but managers tend to think more long term than just one season, it's why I don't see Mourinho being at Chelsea too long because he's always been all about short term reward. The biggest problem from Chelseas perspective is the perception other prospective players players will have of United, a team building for the future, they'll less likely to be put off by no Champions league football if that arises.

Yes Hammersmith, I don't buy all this Jose talk of wanting to be at Chelsea for 12 years or whatever that is not the track record he has established. This sale by Chelsea to United would be worse than Arsenal selling RVP to United because RVP was close to 30 and if we didn't sell him we could lose him for nothing the next year. Mata is young and could spend several years helping United and hurting Chelsea and all the other contenders. I am skeptical of this deal coming off myself. But who knows I would have said you were crazy if you told me Arsenal would sell RVP to United so anything is possible.

Arsene is on the move bit odd considering we play Friday

Fernando wrote:Arsene is on the move bit odd considering we play Friday

That's John Hurt without the beard.

Fernando wrote:Arsene is on the move bit odd considering we play Friday

Lets hope he packed his checkbook and is coming back with Draxler and Benzema.

The Special Juan wrote:

Fernando wrote:Arsene is on the move bit odd considering we play Friday

That's John Hurt without the beard.

That name quite literally means nothing to me   

Fernando wrote:

The Special Juan wrote:

Fernando wrote:Arsene is on the move bit odd considering we play Friday

That's John Hurt without the beard.

That name quite literally means nothing to me   

I'll try and think of what he was in. Recently he's been in Harry Potter (first one and last two), Doctor Who.

(The more I look at Wenger, the less he looks like John Hurt now)

He looks scared in that pic??

Elephant Man?

Never seen it but I think he was now that you mention it.

He's Ollivander in Harry Potter btw.

Sky said Mata medical tomorrow during their commentary tonight

Like I said before the fact that Balague has said the deal is on means it's most certainly isn't from experience, never known a so called expert to apparently know so much and get so much wrong.

According to a Sky Italy person, West Ham are talking to Raul Meireles

Yeah, but he also claims we're in for Graziano Pelle. And Borriello.

Oh. And linked with Nocerino today. Sullivan probably just knows a hooker in Italy

He'll end up signing Jay Jay Okocha again

Tbf i would do anything to see another Okocha ping!

Didn't he get really fat or something

Fat men can still ping it. Just ask myself or Andy Reid.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25849959

Chelsea accept £37 million bid for Mata from United.

Medical tomorrow.

The loss in the league cup is instantly forgotten, far better news, a front three of Rooney, Van Persie and Mata, yes please.

Good timing!

The suicide hotline in manchester and surrey have just sent there temps back

If this goes through, Chelsea have gone brain dead, this deal makes no logical sense to them.

Hammersmith harrier wrote:If this goes through, Chelsea have gone brain dead, this deal makes no logical sense to them.

Completely agree.

Happy enough if it goes through. Not an ideal signing but we lack quality and he has it, desperate times.

There is a few pointers that no one is really pointing out..

Who else would have paid that money?

Roman hasn't been spending massive recently- I think he needs/wants to tighten the purse strings a bit.

Chelsea were full of foreign squad players?

they couldn't get another one in with mata still there. Now they have a space

Could have waited until the summer and let him go abroad.

Though as you say maybe no one could afford him.

If true we've spent 65 million give or take on 2 players this year.

Gutted fergie didn't get spending that money.

It's a very odd move, not sure it will make the impact this year for United but next year it gives them an excellent player to have in their side. For me, it makes no sense Chelsea would sell to a rival. United may have fallen away this year, but it'd be a huge surprise if that was a continuing trend and giving them one of the best players in the world isn't a good way to keep United down.

I don't buy John's idea at all. I think it might be Chelsea arrogance, that they can sell one of their best players, to one of their biggest rivals and still be better. Makes the league interesting at least.

Well yeah from a neutrals perspective its great to still have Mata in the PL.

But If i was a liverpool fan I would be thinking wtf is going on!

Will this push you into making a big move on someone?

a team with attacking talent of mata, rooney, rvp and januzaj is enough to get anybody excited even with a ultra negative manager. even if rooney goes its not too shabby

still desperate for a cm though!!

This has been the most baffling season I can remember, two of the biggest teams in Europe selling their most creative players when money is no object to them. If nothing else this gives me as a United fan hope for the future.

compelling and rich wrote:a team with attacking talent of mata, rooney, rvp and januzaj is enough to get anybody excited even with a ultra negative manager. even if rooney goes  its not too shabby

still desperate for a cm though!!

You look at that front four and you think holy sweet jesus, it's slightly left foot heavy but still it should make Moyes go all out attack for the rest of the season we have nothing to lose but everything to gain.

if he could get another midfielder to boss the midfield behind that then id be happy

the defence is woeful but as long as we can control the midfield and with that attacking threat then I reckon even if we concede a goal we can score two or three

also can I just say that my shout about the handshake sunday hoping it was the start of negotiations for Mata. I wished that one in haha

Maybe Mourinho is planning to take the Man Utd job when Moyes gets sacked in the summer? Otherwise I don't quite understand why he would be selling Mata to Man Utd ... but they do say Mourinho is incredibly stubborn once he decides against a player.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/whelan-lined-up-for-switch-to-norwich-if-stoke-land-cattermole-29942626.html

Oh. My. Good. God.

Trust me, he's not as bad as KEA, Sylla.

socal1976 wrote:Mata could make it very likely that you United get up into that final CL spot. So 40 million pounds would be worth it. Chelsea bought him for 23 million four years ago, in terms of transfer fee inflation they are basically selling him at 40 million for about what they bought him for. (ie 4 years ago with 23 million you can buy the same quality player as with 40million today) And they got 4 good years out him. It makes sense in that Mourinho sticks it to City and Arsenal who still have a match against United and Chelsea doesn't play United anymore. And this money is there for Mourinho to go get a striker next year.

4 years ago? http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/14656464