I agree Fergie is a master so far be it for me to question him but I just can't see how we can win the title or the champions league with our squad. Unless Scholes has one final huge year, Owen and Berba perform to their best and Rooney goes on to be world player of the year. That's a big if though.

Don't forget that we signed the 17 year old lad from Schalke 04 - Nils Zander. A prospect by all accounts.

I think some have also forgotten that we signed Barry, who will give us some defensive solidity, albeit from a position in midfield. We also snapped up De Jong in January and he was just settling in at the end of last season as he was getting used to the pace and coming back from a significant inujry. I expect the Dutchman will provide more defensive steel.

I still think we need two centre-halves. I rate Nedum very highly but with his injury record, he cannot be relied on.

I just think that Fergie doesn't see anybody worth the money or suited to his team. I have no doubt that if someone else were to become available that he rates and sees as a player who would fit the Man Utd ethos then the cheque book would be out.

Fergie has proved over the years he is no mug when it comes to restrengthening. I seem to remember we he let Ince, Huges, Kanchelskis go the media were up in arms thinking he'd lost the plot by not signing anyone, Mr Hansen famously said "you win nothing with kids", but they never looked back.

Hoping it will still be the case.

What you have to realise is that we were totally bereft of any decent striking options last year and we NEED to add three strikers to the squad just to get to where we should be. At this moment, we have bought two.

We do need a centre half and I don't know whether your heads been in the clouds for weeks but we have been chasing John Terry and are interested in Joleon Lescott. Just because one hasn't signed yet does not mean we are not trying to address the issue.

There is a month till the start of the season and a further couple of weeks to the end of the window. I can guarantee you, with our money, the spending isn't over yet. If we haven't signed a defender by 31st August, then you can mock.

After winning the title 3 years running he could be going into one of those re-building phases and planning on making big changes in January or after the World Cup next year?

Indeed. german U21 international.



Agree completely. As I've said elsewhere, we're already far, far stronger in squad terms than last season. And I don't think that the recruitment has ended.

And as DD said, it was absolutely crucial that we got in quality, proven goalscorers because we have been seriously lacking such for some considerable time.

Don't be silly you have world beater Owen in your ranks.

Man u should be fav's as always for the prem I am pretty happy at the moment with ours and theres goings out and in's just hope theres not going to be a few leaving us..

[url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/8149488.stmLinks with City and Adebayor seem to be getting a little beyond rumour.[/url

I can't see Benjani being around long. Or Caicedo, frankly. Jô's on loan again and I'm not sure how much Ched Evans is really up to the mark.

So our strikers at present are Craig Bellamy, Roque Santa Cruz, Valeri Bojinov and Carlos Tevez. The club officially lists Robinho as a striker, but I don't think many really see him that way.

Bojinov has already said he wants to stay – but only if he's getting regular first-team football. So the idea that we're top-heavy with strikers is something of a myth. What we are in danger of, though, is actually having genuine strength in depth in that position.

And to clarify: five signings thus far this summer – one defender, one goalkeeper, a midfielder and two strikers.

Quiet you

How many strikers do Man city want?

Robinho
Tevez
Bellamy
Benjani
Bojinov
Ched Evans
Santa Cruz
Adeybayor

And just think – you could have saved yourself the effort and actually read some earlier posts on this thread on this very issue.

Believe me, I hope I'm wrong!

Awwwww, leave him alone. Bless him.

I think United are coming to the end of a pretty big cycle, if that makes sense? I'd expect this year to be Scholes', Giggs' and Neville's last year, as well as VdS' last year, too. So I wonder if he'll spend this year just involving the youngsters more and hope for the best. You can't just write United off because they're always strong and competitive, but I just wonder if Fergie's going to take a year or two to gel a new crop of players together, and hope for another sustained period of success.

The Adebayor rumour started off on Sunday on a City forum. The lad who posted the info, stated that talks were already at an advanced stage.

There are also further rumours that we will be signing a midfielder and it will be a 'major' signing. I guess we will have to wait and see.

Lescott may be here very soon. We are apparently waiting for Everton to sign a replacement?

It's a very interesting time..

Just read you're after Alonso. I think if you offered us something stupendous, like €50m, then you might get him, but other than that, if we're to let him leave, it would probably be a foreign side who get him.

Think Dunne will go?

Who can Liverpool sign to replace Alonso? Apparently he is ready to pack his bags.

Cambiasso has been mentioned. What about Lee Cattermole? Or is he too like Mascherano? Thought for the England Under-21s he looked a bit like Gerrard did 10 years ago.

D'Agostino is apparently a highly sought-after player, but I know nothing about him.

I quite like Diaby and Song at Arsenal, too.

Just a bit. I can't really believe it, frankly. I am trying – but not very successfully – to ignore the rumours and not get caught up in imagining what it would be like of any of them are actually more than that.

Chelsea IMO. A return to the boring but winning approach that will grind out the points in a way they didn't in the first half of last season.

Hope so

According to teh papers, he is refusing to leave. Can't blame him in a way. He has been through the mill with City, and now we are looking more competitive, we are trying to get shut. He's settled in the country nearby and has a young family. I can't blame him for standing his ground. I actually thik Dunne could have one last hurrah with us - although I would rather he is no longer first choice. I really do think that if we signed a couple of good defenders, he would raise his game, and may come off the bench for a couple of games and be a hero. I certainly wouldn't begrudge him that honour.

Hernanes at Sao Paulo looks like the type of player who could replace him very well, but he'd take a while to settle, and wouldn't bring the defensive qualities that Alonso does. There's Steven Defour or Axel Witsel at Standard Liege, although they're both very pricey considering the league they're coming from, same with Hernanes.

I'm not too keen on the thought of signing an Italian, whether that be Aquilani or D'Agostino, if we were to sign from Serie A, I'd rather it be Felipe Melo, but he looks likely to move. Daniele de Rossi I'd rather over Cambiasso, but neither would be at the top of my list. Possibly Gokhan Inler or maybe even Javi Martinez if we wanted to change things up a little. There are many options, but I very much doubt we can just replace him like that, I'd rather we went for somebody young'ish.

I'm not sure. Ancelotti has never struck me as a boring, defensive coach. His sides have always expressed themselves and I'd never call them dull. I'm a little mixed on Ancelotti, I'd have though he might have come in, ruffled a few feathers and got rid of a few players, but he's kept the squad basically the same. If he can keep the dressing room and the respect of the players, Chelsea will definitely be there or thereabouts, but I have a slight feeling he might 'do a Scolari' and struggle to keep the faith from the board and the dressing room.

TBH I'd prefer Alonson ahead of all of those.

Is Alonson leaving because...
...he is surplus to requirements
...he wants to leave
...Rafa hasn't forgiven him