Which starter would you sell?

[2Smokeyy]

Ramsdale Zinchenko White. With Edu at the wheel that's still like 60m off the needed 100 though so probably a couple more.

Nagelsmann cost Bayern around 15m last season, could see us get a decent fee for Arteta too.

Forgot about Zinchenko. Already said it months ago but I think he’ll get seriously exposed next season in the CL.

 

[GDeep™]

I’ll dump Zinchenko too, just because he’s Ukrainian.

 

[Rex Stone]

I’ll dump Zinchenko too, just because he’s Ukrainian.

Ffs

 

[MutableEarth]

If I'm being nitpicky - I've gone with Zinchenko and Jesus

Both players who've played an important and necessary role in our ascension over the last 12 months but players who the team will outgrow pretty quickly in the long run. I like Jesus a lot, he's arguably one of my favourite players in the squad but he's also a player who isn't enough of a killer in front of goal for me to really trust him as much. I'll always prefer my 9s to be able to score regularly (which is why I want us to keep Balogun but that's for another thread). I think he's done more than enough to be retained as a starter but once that striker market opens up a little, he'll be the most vulnerable and he'll fetch a nice fee.

With Zinchenko, I just feel he's a bit too emotional a player and while his possession game helps us immensely, there are just a few too many cons there for that left back position (sometimes his 1v1 defending is poor, often out of position). I think his importance can be considered a weak point in the team because while he's so crucial to the way we progress, the cons we have to mitigate while having in him in the team makes it such that we'll always be a fraction away from optimality.

I was close to voting Ramsdale but honestly I don't think he's as easy to upgrade as people think. He helps our overall possession game and he doesn't make as many mistakes as people suggest. Plus he has had a number of incredible shot-stopping performances over the course of his time here. It would be an incredible outlay to sign a keeper better than Ramsdale IMO.

 

[Hunta]

Ødegaard.

Get £100m and bring in the next superstar 10 that appears every summer.

 

[Dokaka]

Ødegaard.

Get £100m and bring in the next superstar 10 that appears every summer.

So sell Ødegaard and sign Ødegaard again?

 

[Hunta]

So sell Ødegaard and sign Ødegaard again?

Was thinking of Gibbs-White personally.

 

[Macho]

Ødegaard.

Get £100m and bring in the next superstar 10 that appears every summer.

Actually surprised nobody has said him yet especially as a lot of the names mentioned combined don’t get anywhere near 100m.

Out of the jewels (Saka, Martinelli, Ødegaard, Saliba) you could argue he is the most replaceable.

 

[Bloodbather]

A combination of Ramsdale, White, and Zinchenko depending on the offers. Next tier is the three Brazilian Gabriels. I'd consider Saliba, Ødegaard, and Saka untouchable.

 

[Dokaka]

I was close to voting Ramsdale but honestly I don't think he's as easy to upgrade as people think. He helps our overall possession game and he doesn't make as many mistakes as people suggest. Plus he has had a number of incredible shot-stopping performances over the course of his time here. It would be an incredible outlay to sign a keeper better than Ramsdale IMO.

Definitely agree with this. Just look at how much other top clubs are struggling to sign keepers that can play out from the back. He might genuinely be the most difficult player to replace on that list. Near the top at least.

 

[Hunta]

Definitely agree with this. Just look at how much other top clubs are struggling to sign keepers that can play out from the back. He might genuinely be the most difficult player to replace on that list.

I mean, let’s not take the piss here.

 

[Dokaka]

I mean, let’s not take the piss here.

It's more of a question of availability in the market than anything else. I'm not making the argument that Ramsdale is one of the best players in the squad.

Man Utd are currently trying to replace De Gea with Onana and the rumors are saying it'll cost them £55m. Depending on what you think you can get for Ramsdale, that'd probably be close to simply swapping the players and thus generating no cash at all.

 

[jones]

It's more of a question of availability in the market than anything else. I'm not making the argument that Ramsdale is one of the best players in the squad.

Man Utd are currently trying to replace De Gea with Onana and the rumors are saying it'll cost them £55m. Depending on what you think you can get for Ramsdale, that'd probably be close to simply swapping the players and thus generating no cash at all.

No one's paying even half of that for Ramsdale let's be real.

Ramsdale has a lot of talent but at the moment is just a decent keeper, way too inconsistent to be considered better. As for Onana I'd tear both your arms off for a straight swap, he's the same keeper profile wise basically just better at everything.

 

[A_G]

I’d sell Nelli because he’ll get a huge fee and then tell Rashy I’m getting him on a free next summer.

 

[Bloodbather]

Definitely agree with this. Just look at how much other top clubs are struggling to sign keepers that can play out from the back. He might genuinely be the most difficult player to replace on that list. Near the top at least.

Ramsdale definitely isn't the most irreplaceable player in the starting lineup. Yeah, it's difficult to find his combination of ball playing ability, distribution and shot stopping, but there are candidates out there. Unai Simón, David Raya, Diogo Costa to name a few. You're right in saying that we'd probably not be able to generate funds off of it though, whatever we sell Ramsdale for we'd have to use to buy his replacement.

 

[Macho]

I’d sell Nelli because he’ll get a huge fee and then tell Rashy I’m getting him on a free next summer.

This is what I was hoping for @db10_therza

 

[Dokaka]

No one's paying even half of that for Ramsdale let's be real.

Ramsdale has a lot of talent but at the moment is just a decent keeper, way too inconsistent to be considered better. As for Onana I'd tear both your arms off for a straight swap, he's the same keeper profile wise basically just better at everything.

That's what I mean. Let's say you sell Ramsdale for £35m, replacing him with an improvement or even a like for like and still generating a profit seems like a non-starter. Maybe you hit on a gamble, maybe you don't. That's why I think he's hard to replace.

Compare that to someone like Martinelli who'd probably bring in upwards of £100m if you were to sell because of his age and current ability, you'd probably be able to find someone in the market able to replicate what he does for £60m or so. Obviously you're sacrificing on future upside and all that and likely replacing him with someone in their prime.

You're right in saying that we'd probably not be able to generate funds off of it though, whatever we sell Ramsdale for we'd have to use to buy his replacement.

The thread is based around you needing to raise money, so I'd assume selling and replacing for the same price isn't an option here. Would need @Macho to clarify I guess.

 

[A_G]

This is what I was hoping for @db10_therza

You seeing Nelli in this thread:

 

[jones]

That's what I mean. Let's say you sell Ramsdale for £35m, replacing him with an improvement or even a like for like and still generating a profit seems like a non-starter. Maybe you hit on a gamble, maybe you don't. That's why I think he's hard to replace.

Compare that to someone like Martinelli who'd probably bring in upwards of £100m if you were to sell because of his age and current ability, you'd probably be able to find someone in the market able to replicate what he does for £60m or so. Obviously you're sacrificing on future upside and all that and likely replacing him with someone in their prime.

I don't think it's that hard to find decent keepers, maybe not those who have a ceiling as high as Ramsdale but with higher floor no problem. Sp**s just bought Vicario for less than half his fee, the Georgian keeper at Valencia, Livakovic would probably go for 10m or less.

A good handful of keepers in Germany who would on average do no worse than Ramsdale does currently, goalie is the easiest position to still get good value in so even if he won't bring in much he'd have to go.

 

[Dokaka]

I don't think it's that hard to find decent keepers, maybe not those who have a ceiling as high as Ramsdale but with higher floor no problem. Sp**s just bought Vicario for less than half his fee, the Georgian keeper at Valencia, Livakovic would probably go for 10m or less.

A good handful of keepers in Germany who would on average do no worse than Ramsdale does currently, goalie is the easiest position to still get good value in so even if he won't bring in much he'd have to go.

I probably rate Ramsdale a bit higher than you so we'll have to agree to disagree on how easy he it to replace even at a current level.

Guess it comes down to whether you just replacing for next season vs. the next 3-4. Seems to be a real focus on the team growing and developing together given everyone you're signing seems to be around the same age. Think I'd probably agree that replacing him just for next season wouldn't be the toughest task in the world, but that'd be the same for many other positions as well if age isn't an issue etc.