Rumoured Luke Shaw

[The only place to be 11,313]

Buying 'wisely' would be thinking long term, both in terms of the home grown quota (which we're failing on atm, we need 8.. I counted 4.. 5 with Fabregas.), and of course ROI. Because as mentioned a million times already, even as an 18 year old he's proven himself at the top level now, he's the 2nd best natural left back in the country.

So you're thinking long-term by paying £10 million per year on an 18 year old left-back who is 'proven' at the 'highest level'?

Thinking long-term isn't just about buying whichever 18 year old is doing well for about 50 games. It's about looking long-term at Academy prospects and how your future spending will be affected by purchases now. Plus people can become too enamoured with looking at ten years down the line without realising that 2-3 years is pretty long-term as well. Think at where you'll be in that time. Think where young prospects who are also homegrown and practically free might be.

How exactly do you justify to the rest of the squad that an 18 year old who has done fuck all compared to players like Cahill, Azpi, Ivanovic and Cech is earning more? There is a human element to footballers and that does need to be addressed.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Just because United are throwing £100k a week at Shaw doesn't mean we would too...

[Term-X 7,891]

So you're thinking long-term by paying £10 million per year on an 18 year old left-back who is 'proven' at the 'highest level'?

Thinking long-term isn't just about buying whichever 18 year old is doing well for about 50 games. It's about looking long-term at Academy prospects and how your future spending will be affected by purchases now. Plus people can become too enamoured with looking at ten years down the line without realising that 2-3 years is pretty long-term as well. Think at where you'll be in that time. Think where young prospects who are also homegrown and practically free might be.

How exactly do you justify to the rest of the squad that an 18 year old who has done fuck all compared to players like Cahill, Azpi, Ivanovic and Cech is earning more? There is a human element to footballers and that does need to be addressed.

Those 'reported' wages he's 'demanding!' are speculative though, Shaw would know once he's been here a few years he'll get an increase anyway. Plus the outside commerical deals he's likely to get as a Chelsea player.

Pretty much zero faith in our ability to push through academy prospects, so I don't bother factoring that in.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Those 'reported' wages he's 'demanding!' are speculative though, he'd know once he's been here a few years he'll get an increase anyway. Plus the outside commerical deals he's likely to get as a Chelsea player.

Pretty much zero faith in our ability to push through academy prospects, so I don't bother factoring that in.

Those 'reported' wages are no different from the 'reported' fee so why don't we call everything into question? Heck, he might only cost £5 to buy and want to be paid in hugs....we should definitely buy him.

Truth is we're basing all our arguments on 'reported' numbers. Let's just pretend they're real - how exactly does paying him £100k p/w fit in with our wage structure? How is it justifiable when we're looking at getting a proven left-back (not 'proven', but proven) for about £5 million less in fees and £20k pw less in wages (which fits into our reported wage structure perfectly)?

As for the cop out on the academy, the club do want to produce their own players so with that in mind they're actually looking to the future and buying a quality player in the meantime.

[Term-X 7,891]

Those 'reported' wages are no different from the 'reported' fee so why don't we call everything into question? Heck, he might only cost £5 to buy and want to be paid in hugs....we should definitely buy him.

Truth is we're basing all our arguments on 'reported' numbers. Let's just pretend they're real - how exactly does paying him £100k p/w fit in with our wage structure? How is it justifiable when we're looking at getting a proven left-back (not 'proven', but proven) for about £5 million less in fees and £20k pw less in wages (which fits into our reported wage structure perfectly)?

As for the cop out on the academy, the club do want to produce their own players so with that in mind they're actually looking to the future and buying a quality player in the meantime.

Quality players in the meantime?, we've been buying young foreign prospects from other clubs to kill our academy youth. So it's not a cop out, just reality.

Hazard's wages were 'reported' to be astronomical when we were in the race to sign him with United & City. Transfer fees are more reliable (in general), with buy out clauses and so forth..

[The only place to be 11,313]

Quality players in the meantime?, we've been buying young foreign prospects from other clubs to kill our academy youth. So it's not a cop out, just reality.

Not really. You're going to have to be specific about which foreigners you're talking about though because the cases of Atsu and Salah would be different from Boga and Ake.

Hazard's wages were 'reported' to be astronomical when we were in the race to sign him with United & City. Transfer fees are more reliable (in general), with buy out clauses and so forth..

Again, dancing around the issue of how his reported wages might actually be a factor in purchasing him because you don't like them. Hazard is a lot more marketable than Shaw so his wages could be justified slightly because of things like image rights. Again, that's really not the point because Hazard was also far better than Shaw when we bought him.

Wages are an issue in this transfer. Either talk about them or simply admit that it's not something you care about because you really, really, really want Shaw.

[Term-X 7,891]

Not really. You're going to have to be specific about which foreigners you're talking about though because the cases of Atsu and Salah would be different from Boga and Ake.

Again, dancing around the issue of how his reported wages might actually be a factor in purchasing him because you don't like them. Hazard is a lot more marketable than Shaw so his wages could be justified slightly because of things like image rights. Again, that's really not the point because Hazard was also far better than Shaw when we bought him.

Wages are an issue in this transfer. Either talk about them or simply admit that it's not something you care about because you really, really, really want Shaw.

Zouma is 19 years old, that's a spot an academy prospect could fill, he might well need a loan too, certainly not ready to replace JT or Cahill. But again, instead of giving these guys a chance we buy young foreign players to fill those spots. 29 year old left backs are not the problem here..

Anyone who has faith in this club to push through academy pospects must have the god gene.

[3sphinx 17]

The killer is when players already on high salaries sign a new contract. If Shaw gets a 6 figure contract at 18, we will be held hostage when he is 22/23.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Zouma is 19 years old, that's a spot an academy prospect could fill, he might well need a loan too, certainly not ready to replace JT or Cahill. But again, instead of giving these guys a chance we buy young foreign players to fill those spots. 29 year old left backs are not the problem here..

Anyone who has faith in this club to push through academy pospects must have the god gene.

Which academy prospect? Christensen is the only one who springs to mind (Kalas and Omeruo are both purchases) and he's far from ready and also a different type of defender to Zouma.

The killer is when players already on high salaries sign a new contract. If Shaw gets a 6 figure contract at 18, we will be held hostage when he is 22/23.

That's a great point. £100K at 18 means what when he's 23 and then when he's 27??

[The Skipper 20,593]

DM saying that Soton want Hernandez to be involved in the deal.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

If united secured deal two months ago...why didnt they announced it officialy yet? Im sure they would want to complete signings as soon as possible but Shaw might not even agree with them TBH and media is just speculating.

[LAM09 6,535]

Buying 'wisely' would be thinking long term, both in terms of the home grown quota (which we're failing on atm, we need 8.. I counted 4.. 5 with Fabregas.), and of course ROI. Because as mentioned a million times already, even as an 18 year old he's proven himself at the top level now, he's the 2nd best natural left back in the country.

He is worth £30m plus £100k pw?

I don't think so!

[Term-X 7,891]

He is worth £30m plus £100k pw?

I don't think so!

He's worth £40m, a 'one off' transfer fee to secure that position for 12 years and the home-grown quota (<4/8 atm). But that's not the issue, it's the wages over a 'potential' 12 year period and how that effects other players on less. That's the only 'would be' pitfall..

[LAM09 6,535]

He's worth £40m, a 'one off' transfer fee to secure that position for 12 years and the home-grown quota (<4/8 atm). But that's not the issue, it's the wages over a 'potential' 12 year period and how that effects other players on less. That's the only 'would be' pitfall..

I personally think the whole saga is a joke. We are paying over the odds because he is English, and not how good he is.

[Term-X 7,891]

Which academy prospect? Christensen is the only one who springs to mind (Kalas and Omeruo are both purchases) and he's far from ready and also a different type of defender to Zouma.

That's a great point. £100K at 18 means what when he's 23 and then when he's 27??

The point was that it would start at 'less' than 100k and rise, United haven't got champions league football and we can always 'up' the agent fee.

It's simple really, we'll continue buying expensive youngsters from other clubs and they'll keep out the academy prospects, not enough room on the bench. Shaw is just a continuation of that philosophy.

[Fernando 6,375]

Luke Shaw totally dissappear there.

Hmmmmm......

[Polo7 3,496]

He's worth £40m, a 'one off' transfer fee to secure that position for 12 years and the home-grown quota (<4/8 atm). But that's not the issue, it's the wages over a 'potential' 12 year period and how that effects other players on less. That's the only 'would be' pitfall..

If we could guarantee he will be world class for those 12 years then yea he is worth it.

[pakito 17]

Out of his depth against Ecuador