I would love to see us bring both of them here, but I think that might be pushing the believabilities of this reality a bit too far!

I am however prepared to be proven wrong once again!

I dont think he did. Obviously years later when Stam was still playing it looked a bad move letting him go, but at the time? No I dont think so. He had been injured and it was being discussed at the time that he wasn't the same player.

There is no doubt that Ferguson was furious about the book but I think had he thought the player was 100% he wouldn't have sold him.

It does seem that money is no object right now, but I would be very happily surprised if we get both. I think it would be more likely if we get a combo of Matudi + a.n.other. I wouldn't blame Pogba for using us as bait to lure in the CL big boys of Barca or Real. Kante's in the CL for the first time with Leciester and may want to follow that through. Matudi is 29 and may think this is his last chance for a big money move.


Yeah in hindsight it looked a bad decision and there were definitely times when the vengeful side of SAF's nature got the better of him. But like you, I prefer to believe he wouldn't have got rid of Stam if he thought he could still do a job. And as much as I rated Stam, I always wonder about his drugs ban as well. Maybe it was the nandrolone boost that helped him retain his speed and strength for so long just like say, Justlin Gatlin.

Talking about older players with a turn of speed, Patrice Evra is bloody bionic!

The stam situation is different to the Pogba one.

People forget that we offered him a massively improved contract....and he declined it.

He wasn't ready to replace Scholes, kagawa, or even fletcher or anyone else in the team.
I am not bitter about him leaving at all.....nor am I bitter about buying him back for £100 million. Do we all remember how he came to us in the first place? We didn't necessarily do everything by the book.

Oh yeah the two situations are very very different from each other, I only mentioned them both there, as they are two very high profile players to have left "under a cloud" so to speak, and with a bit of confusion about why they left us.

I was a huge Stam fan back in the day, and I still would rather prefer a peak Stam over a peak Vidic any day, although thankfully we have had both here!

Pogba was a totally different situation, but one that I think we could have handled a bit better, (and perhaps if he were to look back, so might he in a small way).
I would like to see him back here, to finish what he started with us, as he never really got that chance to do so, before he left.

I remember I think it was at Scholes' testimonial, (I was there, and I have this classic picture that I took), of him replacing Scholes, and I thought that was the old guard welcoming the new, sadly it didn't pan out quite like that.

If we could get him back (at an extremely high price overall mind), then that would go some small way to rectifying that mistake we made back then (yes he did reject the contract that we offered him, but I don't think we really treated him as best as we could have done, for a player who was by that stage, far too good to be playing Under 21 football week on week out).

SAF has even admitted himself he made a mistake selling Stam when he did.

If only Doctor Who was real!!

I would use that Tardis to go back and tell Sir Alex that he should not sell Stam, and to treat Pogba a tad better then he did, otherwise it will cost the club well over £100 million to get him back!!

Yes but only retrospectively.

If you are pissed off with a player, coupled with concerns over his fitness especially his pace and you get offered £16m (back then) its not really the worst thing in the world to decide to sell.

Question to those here, if, and it is still an if at this stage, we do end up signing Pogba back, what would our ideal team be then??

Something like this??

De Gea

Shaw
Bailly
Smalling
Darmian

Schneiderlin
Pogba
Rooney

Mik
Martial
Ibra

Or would something else be a better team??

I was just trying to work out how we would fit the new players together with what we currently have here, obviously some will leave I would think, which will make the task a tiny bit simpler though.

Rooney isn't playing in midfield, Mourinho stated that. You should watch his press conference, its quite entertaining.

De Gea

Darmian
Smalling
Bailly
Shaw

Schneiderlin
(signing)

Mkhitaryan
Rooney
Martial

Zlatan

That would be my take on things as well . Although I can see Rooney being slowly moved into the background ...

When you sign Pogba ( Real Madrid have supposedly just pulled out of the race ) I'd go as far as saying that Ibrahimovic +Mkhitaryan + Pogba could well be the best three players EVER signed in one transfer window .

Agree. Maybe an extra midfielder replacing Rooney for the tougher games with a view to phasing him out.

Marca are joining Sky in claiming Real have 'ended their interest' in Pogba meaning we have a clear run. Everyone seems to be expecting the bid tomorrow, looking increasingly likely that we'll get him.

So where do the United fans allegiances lie today ??

With Ronaldo and Nani or with Evra and Pogba ??

Brilliant stuff, from Cantona:

“I have a personal message for Zlatan,”

“You decided to go red, it is the best choice you ever made.

“When you walk into the Theatre of Dreams and you feel the ghosts of the legends who have been there before, when you score a goal right in front of the Stretford End; when you hear the crowd chanting your name; when your heart beats so strong that it bursts out of your chest; when you feel that you will love them as much as they love you; you will know, my friend, that finally you have made it home.

“Just one last thing. There can only be one king in Manchester. You can be the prince if you want to and the number seven shirt is yours if you are interested. This is my welcome gift to you.

“The king is gone. Long live the prince.”

Don't really care that much to be honest. Maybe Ronaldo just to piss people off.


That's brilliant.

Well there's been a massive void to fill for some time and I can see Ibrahimovic even outdoing Eric tbh

Not overly fussed about tonight, although if Portugal did bore their way to penalties and nick it then the seething on here and elsewhere would be most amusing.

It could be worse , we could have to endure Portugal v Italy ..

If Portugal do win it they'll be one of the most underwhelming winners for a while. France do seems to have improved performance wise though after a slow start.

Portugal will probably win it though.

Seems the trimming is about to begin. Apparently Blackett and Varela both going to be sold. Cant say im fussed. Blackett was never going to make it at the club and Varela, though having some talent, is probably going to be the same. He needs games and isnt going to get that at United.

For all the kudos the press seem to want to give to LVG for playing so many youngsters in the last 2 years its never noted actually how many of them are good enough to make a full career as a first teamer at the club and always completely ignore that he only played them due to so many injuries. If the injuries weren't there he probably wouldnt have played any of them,

I did watch his press confrence, (I also have it along with Sir Alex's last one along with Giggs' and LvG's on my Sky + still), and yes I was struggling to find a place for Rooney in my side if we got Pogba.

Yeah I saw the video, it is his Eurosport gig, it is where he announced his intention to be England head coach.

Thanks for posting Cantona's message.

It sums up what made him so special - as well as that cup final goal against Liverpool.

Talking of Fergies disposals surprised nobody has mentioned Beckham.

That middle bit gave me goosebumps.
Brilliant