Bale or Wilshere?

Originally Posted by Neo

Do you really think Rooney has come here and 'fallen in love with United'?

Bale didn't come to United because Southampton refused to sell to us. Pretty sure Fergie spoke about this recently.

The only way United get established world-class talent these days is when the player in question is adamant that he doesn't want to go anywhere else. RVP is a case in point. We would have easily been outbid by City and Chelsea, but he made it clear that he didn't want to go anywhere but Old Trafford.

And tbh, I'm fine with that. I would much rather have players who are desperate to play for United as opposed to shithouse @#%&!s like Nasri who chase the money. I don't see Bale as being someone who is desperate to play for United. I think he just wants a bigger stage than Tottenham and more money, so he'll end up at City or Chelsea. Would be nice if has the gonads to try and become Giggs' successor, but I suspect he'll end up where the money is, especially with Levy involved.

Why? Bizarre.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

Why? Bizarre.

They've probably convinced themselves they have some kind of 'rivalry' with us

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

It's a fair point bigMike, but a transfer splurge of £100m or whatever would not sit well with me. When I slate City's spending, or Blackburn's in the early 90s, or laugh at Liverpool's, I'm not scoring points, I actually mean it. For that reason I would much rather United go into the start of each season with a great chance to compete for the top honours, rather than this idea that they should throw top money around like confetti and set out to dominate by the chequebook.

Take Arsenal as exhibit A for what happens when a club refuses to pay the going rate.

We aren't Barcelona, we aren't sitting on a conveyor belt of world class (blood doped) youngsters all ready to slot seamlessly into the first team.

You either keep up financially or you get left behind.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

Take Arsenal as exhibit A for what happens when a club refuses to pay the going rate.

We aren't Barcelona, we aren't sitting on a conveyor belt of world class (blood doped) youngsters all ready to slot seamlessly into the first team.

You either keep up financially or you get left behind.

don't see any comparison at all, sorry.

Arsenal haven't won anything for 8 seasons.

United's transfer policy has been constantly moaned about in that time when we've been in, I will argue, the most sustained period of top level success in the club's entire history.

The clear change in United's transfer policy if there is to be one will only come once a new management team arrives, and only then if it looks as if the club's position might be seriously compromised otherwise.

"Exhibit A" should actually be that people have long since been whining about the midfield and how it will lead to inevitable failure - and United sit 12pts clear at the top in their 7th successive genuine challenge for the title. This doesn't mean players shouldn't be signed for big fees, it just means that it's not as important as some people like to make out.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

Why? Bizarre.

No idea, but Fergie said that he tried to buy Bale but Southampton refused.

A few weeks later they'd agreed a deal with Spurs.

Click

Ferguson said: "We tried to buy him from Southampton and they turned us down.

It was not the boy who turned us down, it was Southampton, then a few weeks later he signed for Tottenham".